PHYSICS 30S/40S - GUIDE TO LAB ACTIVITIES AND REPORTS

Collaborative AssessmentThe team report includes a brief description of the student, a brief description of the assessmentprocess, a description of data gathering techniques (e.g., interviews, ecological inventories, directedobservations) and a list of formal assessment instruments used. The team describes the student'sindependent performance, as well as the conditions that facilitated and limited performance. Theextensive information sharing, coordination, and cooperation among team members throughout thecollaborative assessment process lays the groundwork for designing comprehensive and integratedprograms for students with severe disabilities.For further information on the collaborative assessment process, see Rainforth, et al. (1992) as citedbelow. Also, the following resources are available for check-out from T/ TAC- Eastern Virginia, ODUoffice:Assessing Infants and Preschoolers with Handicaps by D. Bailey and M. Wolery, 1989.Assessment of Multihandicapped & Developmentally Disabled Children by R. Mulliken & J. Buckley.Teaching Infants & Preschoolers with Disabilities by D. Bailey & M. Wolery.Young Children with Special Needs: A Developmental & Ecological Approach by S.K. Thurman & A. H.Widerstrom.ReferencesRainforth, Beverly, et al. Collaborative teams for students with severe disabilities: Integrating therapyand educational services. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing Co., 1992.Reprinted with permission from the TAC-5 Network News, November 1994Page 2

LAB REPORT REQUIREMENTSThe appropriate use of the scientific terms used in experimentation and measurement is expectedthroughout all sections of a lab report. Consult the Physics 30S handout “Scientific Knowledge”and/or the "St. Maurice School Sciences - Experimentation and Measurement" booklet. Alsoconsult the “Guide to measurement Error and Significant Figures” sheets.One of the scientific expectations of good laboratory experimentation and reporting is that alldata be recorded and interpreted without personal bias. To increase the objectivity of thereporting, all sections of any lab report are to be written from the third person (impersonal) pointof view. Do not write lab reports in the first person (I, we) nor the second person (you, they).Sample sentences written in third person:“From the review of the course text on this topic, it was noted that ...” (Introduction)“It is expected that {variable X} will increase as {variable Y} is decreased” (Hypothesis)“An blue coloured transparent flame 7 cm in height was observed” (Observation)“The analysis of the data in Table 1 indicates that ...” (Conclusion)“One possible source of error which may have affected the data collected was...” (Error)Two types of lab reports will be assigned during this course: informal lab reports and formal labreports. Either type of lab report will be marked, for organization and structure (see below),neatness, accuracy and arrangement of data, labeling and construction of graphs, conclusionsdrawn, consideration of experimental error, answers to discussion questions, etc. Note thatsometimes only a portion of the lab will be marked and recorded by the teacher.INFORMAL LAB REPORT FORMATInformal lab reports will simply consist of fill-in-the blank handout sheets and your answers toseveral questions to be completed in the spaces provided or on loose leaf paper. You maycomplete informal lab reports in pen or pencil.Write all verbal answers in full sentences which clearly explain your answer. Show all steps inyour calculation work as described in the Calculations section of the Formal Lab Report Format.Staple any required graphs in order to the back of your completed informal lab report handouts.Read over all sections of the Formal Lab Report Format below to help you more accurately andcompletely fill in the blanks of an informal lab report.FORMAL LAB REPORT FORMATFormal lab reports may be handwritten in pen (except for calculation work which may be done inpencil) or printed out from a word processor program (where you may choose to type in thecalculation work or leave blank spaces for the calculation work to be added in pencil to theprintout). The section titles shown in the format description below are the section titles you mustuse for your lab report too.

NUMBER AND TITLE OF LABSTUDENT'S NAME: ________________________ DUE DATE: ___________________PARTNER NAME(S): ________________________{DATA OBTAINED FROM: ___________________ (if required by your circumstances)}OBJECTIVESIndicate the purpose(s) for the activity (what you are investigating). Copy these directly from thetext or lab handout.HYPOTHESISDescribes the anticipated outcome or results for the laboratory activity. A hypothesis statementmust be written for each different objective given for the lab activity. The hypothesisstatement(s) you write is to be based upon your study of topics related to the lab objectives andprocedures. You are expected to provide evidence for each hypothesis statement. Yourhypothesis may or may not be proven correct by your lab data and conclusions. Your hypothesisstatement(s) must be written in advance of the lab period, at least in draft form, and may in factbe requested by the teacher for marking prior to the experimentation.MATERIALSFor a lab from a textbook, write "Refer to lab manual page ??." (Fill in the page number).For a lab from handout sheets, write “Refer to the lab handouts titled XXX” (fill in the lab title).For a Design Lab or Demonstration Lab, write a complete and specific list of all materials used.Teacher- approved changes in materials used must be identified as a "Note" in this section ofyour report.PROCEDUREFor a lab from a textbook, write "Refer to lab manual page ??." (Fill in the page number).For a lab from handout sheets, write “Refer to the lab handouts titled XXX” (fill in the lab title).For a Design Lab or Demonstration Lab, write a complete, sequential, numbered, and detaileddescription of each step used in the procedure. Also specify the data which must be recorded.Note: Deviations from the procedures indicated may cause injury and/or damage to equipment.Consult the teacher with any questions or comments regarding the procedure. Any teacherapprovedchanges in the procedure used must be fully described as a "Note" in this section.OBSERVATIONSObservations are verbal records of what you sense or what an instrument helps you to sense.Observations do not include ideas or comments about what you think is happening (inferences).Your observations may be listed neatly in point form in the order they were noted during theexperimentation.DATAData are the numerical records of measurements taken during a lab activity. Enter the datacollected during the lab period directly onto your draft copies of the data table(s). Remember toinclude the proper number of significant figures for every data value. The SI units for themeasurements may be listed with every value, or the SI unit may be listed once at the top of acolumn of values (provided that these are all of the same SI unit). Neatly recopy the data tables