How to Write a Science Research Report
Here are some important directions and information about the display board and research report
NOTE:
All of the information should be taken directly from the specified section of your logbook including the review of literature.
The information for your research report and display board is the same but a different print size will be used for each.
The information for each section must be computer generated.
The font used for the research report should be 12
point traditional font using Times New Roman or
Arial.
Check with the teacher if other than the two
aforementioned fonts are desired.
The material for the display board should have larger
print than the material in the research report. The
font for the display board should be 16 for the text
and larger for the actual headings.
A schematic of the display board will be provided.
The research report should be placed in the following order with
each bulleted item introducing a new section (with a new page of paper):
- Title Page with name, period, date
- Table of contents starting with the literature review
- Review of literature with bibliography placed on separate works cited page using MLA form and style.
- Problem-State the problem or question
- Purpose statement
- Hypothesis
- Experimental design components
Independent variable
Dependent variable
Control
Constant variables
Repeated trials
- Materials
- Procedures
- Data table and
- Graphs
- Analysis of results
- Conclusions
I will explain each element of the report using the proper template for the research paper.The following template was adapted from
Maderios, A. “Science Fair Research Paper Template.”Science Fair. 2008.SouthsideFundamentalMiddle School.
5 May 2008
Title
By
Your Full Name
Period
Date
Table of Contents
I. Review of literature
II. Problem-State the problem
III. Purpose statement
IV. Hypothesis
V. Experimental design components
Independent variable
Dependent variable
Control
Constant variables
Repeated trials
VI. Materials
VII. Procedures
VIII. Data table and
IX. Graphs
X. Analysis of results
XI. Conclusions
Review of Literature
This outline was provided to you and should be a minimum of 7 paragraphs. This section states all the facts you collected while researching your problem. Use the outline and MLA format to write this section. Place all research notes in your log book under the research section. The review of literature will be the first part of the full research report. Place all bibliographical entries in your logbook in the proper section. You will use the citation maker to format the bibliographical information for the final literature review.
Five (5) resources will be used for the Literature review.
The literature review must contain parenthetical references. The has the capability of making the parenthetical reference at the same time the bibliographical entry is formatted.
Purpose/Problem
(also placed on display board and written in logbook)
State your problem here. Explain why it is a problem and why you are interested in solving it. Take this information from your literature review. You can copy and paste it from your lit review to this section.
Hypothesis:
(also placed in logbook and ondisplay board)
State your hypothesis here. I believe that ______will occur/ happen because….If I (increase, decrease) the independent variable then the dependent variable will (increase, decrease, remain the same). This hypothesis is taken from your annotated experimental design diagram.
Explain why you expect these outcomes. Use research from your research paper to support your hypothesis.
This hypothesis should be the same in both the literature review and in this section of the research report.
Experimental Design Components
(all of the following information placed in your logbook and on display board)
These components should be placed on one page, clearly labeled.
Use the following link to help with units of measure:
Independent or Manipulated Variable:
This area explains what your manipulated variable is and how it is being changed. You should also state how it is being measured and what units are being used. Remember to change only one variable. State all levels of the independent variable. This information can be taken from your literature review. Just copy and paste it.
Dependent or Responding Variable:
This area explains what the dependent variable aka responding variable will be. You should also explain why you expect it to change – the relationship between what you have changed (the independent variable) and this variable. You also need to state how it will be measured and what units will be used. This information should be taken directly from your literature review.
Constants or Controlled variables
Describe everything you will be doing during your experiment that will stay the same. Think about things such as time of day, ambient temperature (surrounding temperature), amount of light or dark, heat etc… as you complete this section. Remember all aspects of the experiment for all groups must remain the same or the experimental results may not be reliable. This should be taken from your literature review.
Control:
In an experimental project you must have a control group or standard of comparison. Explain what control group you will compare your results to. This information should be taken from your literature review.
Repeated Trials:
Specifically state the number of repeated trials for the control group and each experimental group. There should be no less than 10 repeated trials for the experiments being conducted unless the experiment contains seeds. Any experiment with plants or living things will be required to have 25 trials for each group for the 2008 experiment.
Materials List
(also placed in the logbook and on the display board)
This is where you list EVERY piece of equipment or material you will use to complete your experiment/test. Anything you use should be listed here, or it should not be a part of your project. If you use specialized equipment, you must explain how you obtained it.
Procedures
(also placed in the logbook and on the display board)
Procedure Steps: (Design your own experiment step-by-step)
Step 1: What did you do first? Usually you were acquiring all the materials and setting things up.
Step 2: Set up of the experiment and describe each step.
Step 3: Keep describing everything you did like a recipe!
Step 4: Be detailed
Step 5: Every trial must be accounted for in your procedures
Step 6: Use as many steps as you need. There is no limit to the number of steps.
Data Table(s) and Chart(s)
(also placed in the logbook and on the display board)
You should collect all your raw data (handwritten) in your log book. You will create a computer generated data table from the data found in your logbook. All repeated trials must be shown in the data table.
Your manipulated variable should be the X axis and your responding variable should be the Y axis.
Graphs
(also placed in the logbook and on the display board)
Use the following site to construct your graph(s): This is a very user-friendly site for graph making. A graph showing the means for each group is required.
Analysis of Results
(also placed in logbook and on the display board)
Include a brief description of what your data tells you about your hypothesis. Restate your hypothesis. Explain the outcome of each group. Discuss the means of each group and the control group. Discuss any outliers and what could have happened for those to occur; discuss the trends shown between groups and why you believe the results of the data occurred in this manner. Explain any unexpected results and why you believe those outcomes occurred.
Conclusion
(also placed in the logbook and on the display board)
Write 3 paragraphs on this section:
1st – Restate the hypothesis and explain if your data does or does not support your hypothesis. Discuss the means or important information about each group. Infer why the data turned out the way it did.
2nd - Explain any issues, problems or concerns you had while carrying out the experiment. Include any ideas for improving the experiment if you were to either do it again or advise someone who wishes to conduct the experiment.
3rd – This is where you state what you learned by completing this project. Include any important observations you made, new information that you learned. Also, explain how the data and information you collected could be used in real life. For this experiment you are permitted to elaborate on the usefulness of the processes and skills learned or enhanced through the project experience.
Bibliography
You will use MLA format to create your bibliography of 5 sources. This page will be called the Works Cited page and will be used for the Review of Literature section of this paper. Each bibliographical entry will also have a parenthetical reference found in the text of the paper. Every parenthetical reference should be cross referenced with the reference entered on the works cited page.
You will use “Landmarks Son of Citation Machine” to simultaneously create the bibliographical reference and accompanying parenthetical reference. Each of these references should be copied and pasted into a word document for easy access for copying and pasting into the text of your literature review. After completion of the literature review you will then create the works cited page using only the bibliographical references.
An additional bibliography will be placed at the end of the research report. This second bibliography will include all the references from the literature review in addition to any other references used to complete the research project.