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Physics lab reports should have the following six sections:
• Title
• Introduction/Objectives
• Background/Theory,
• Methods,
• Data/Analysis and
• Conclusion.
These sections reflect the organizing structure of the state’s inquiry work sample.
The emphasis in the labs will differ a lot and some will have very little in some sections.
In this packet there is a checklist for what goes in each of the sections. It is generic and
not all items in the list will be in all labs.
Before labs are due you will receive a handout describing key ideas for each
section specific to the lab and a standard scoring guide for the lab. Please attach these to
the lab when you turn it in.
Please type the lab report at one and half or double space and clearly distinguish
the separate parts of the report. This makes grading easier, but it also helps you to double
check your work more easily and ensures a better report. It is not important to word
process calculations, data tables or graphs. These can all be done by hand. Also please
check your work with the attached checklist, the scoring guide and the specific
instructions for the lab.
Labs and lab reports emphasize many skills that tests cannot measure. These are
important and valuable skills and you should take the labs and lab reports seriously. The
skills include synthesizing information, putting scientific concepts into your own words,
developing scientific questions, developing procedures to collect data, organizing and
analyzing data, thinking critically about data and procedures, drawing reasonable
conclusions and writing clearly.
A note on working together: Your lab reports will reflect the fact that you worked
together, but I do expect them to be an expression of your individual understanding. Here
are some guidelines for them:
Acceptable Not Acceptable
• Discussing with another student • Writing a report “together” and turning in
what to include in your report. one copy (or two identical copies).
• Having the same objectives, data • Having the same words, sentence
tables, graphs, calculations as your organization, etc. in the theory, method,
partner. results, or conclusion sections (even
paraphrasing another’s report is not allowed).
• Comparing what you have written • Reading another student’s report to get an
with what another student has written idea of how to get started (if that is your need,
and making changes. see me I’ll help you get started).
The HoleinOne Lab
Background/Theory:
Briefly describe the challenge in your own words. Describe the background that makes
solving the problem possible. Be sure to define any terms and describe any concepts or
principles that you will use. While you don’t have to write a physics book about
acceleration, gravity, velocity or the independence of perpendicular vectors, you should
describe all of these and other concepts in your own words. It is always good to give
examples with your definitions, and in this case, describing how these concepts apply to
your challenge would be great examples for illustrating the concepts. Do not make this
section a list of terms and definitions. Connect the concepts, by describing how they
work together in complete paragraphs.
Method: Describe how you set up your equipment. Use a labeled diagram to help you do
this. Describe any steps you took to improve your accuracy or minimize error.
Calculations/ Results: Show your calculations in clearly labeled steps. Be sure to include
units.
Conclusion/ Analysis: Describe how close you got to your target. Explain why you think
you didn’t come even closer to the target. This should be done thoughtfully. If the ball
went too far, the problems you site should be ones that would make the ball go too far and
not too short. What do the results lead you to believe about the predictive power of
physics and your knowledge of physics?