DHS

CHEMISTRY LABORATORY REPORTS

Labs must be written in a bound lab notebook in PEN

Do not write on the back of pages

Draw a single line or an X through any mistakes--no whiteout

Never tear out any pages

Labs should be NEAT and LEGIBLE

On the FIRST page of your notebook, create a TABLE OF CONTENTS

- number all subsequent pages

- update your table of contents to include every new lab

For every lab:

  1. On the top line, on the left side in the margin, write the date you will do the lab.
  2. On the top line, in the center, write the lab number and lab title.
  1. Skip the next line.
  1. On the next line, against the left margin, write: INTRODUCTION:

Indent, under INTRODUCTION: and summarize the introduction from the lab handout (about three sentences). Do NOT copy my introduction; write your own.

  1. Skip the next line.
  1. On the next line, against the left margin, write: OBJECTIVES:
  2. Indent under OBJECTIVES: and number and write out the objectives.
  1. Skip the next line.
  1. On the next line, against the left margin, write: SAFETY:
  2. Indent under SAFETY: and number and write out the safety procedures.
  1. Skip the next line
  1. On the next line, against the left margin, write: MATERIALS:
  2. Indent under MATERIALS: and write the list of materials. You may double column if you wish. Be sure you write the chemical formula as well as the chemical name of any chemicals you will be using.
  1. Skip the next line.
  1. On the next line, against the left margin, write: PROCEDURE:
  2. Numbering the steps along the left margin, rewrite the procedure in your own words.
  1. Skip the next line.
  1. On the next line, against the left margin, write: DATA:
  2. Draw a data table. You MAY NOT cut and paste the data table provided in the lab handout. You must recreate it on your own. Use a ruler!! Be sure to record units of measure of each measurement. Mathematical calculations must be numbered and shown in the space below the data table. Not showing your work will result in loss of points.
  1. STOP here and complete the rest of the lab report after you have finished the experiment.

After you have completed the lab in class and have recorded your data in the data table:

  1. Skip the next line.
  1. On the next line, against the left margin, write: ANALYSIS:
  2. Number and write the questions with the answer under the question. SHOW ALL WORK! Write in complete sentences. Make your work neat and legible.
  1. Skip the next line.
  1. On the next line, against the left margin, write: CONCLUSION:
  1. The conclusion is the most important part of the lab write up and has a value of 25% of the grade or more. This is where you must show that you understand what you did. Watch your handwriting, your spelling, and your grammar! Write:

what you did (write a few sentences that summarize the lab procedure)

why you did it (write a few sentences that summarize the objectives of the lab)

what happened (writea paragraph that summarizes the results of your lab--your results should fulfill your lab objectives!)

why it happened (write a paragraph that explains the “chemistry” of the reactions--how and why did you get the results that you got?)

how it relates to what we are studying in class (write a few sentences)

sources of error (write a few sentences that explain why your results were not as expected, or what you could have done wrong in lab to cause the percent error you had)

  1. If you have problems with the conclusion, please come to tutoring to get help. I am more than willing to “talk you through” what you learned so that you do well on the conclusion, or read a rough draft of your conclusion.

Plagiarism and Cheating

You and your lab partner should have the same data and the same results for your calculations. But your analysis questions should be in your own words, and your conclusion must be YOUR OWN—words, thoughts, and writing style. Anything other than this constitutes cheating and will results in a ZERO on the lab.

D. Gano modified from PHS