Elements of a Lab Report - Connections Learning
Elements of a Lab Report - Connections Learning
Elements of a Lab Report - Connections Learning
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<strong>Elements</strong> <strong>of</strong> a <strong>Lab</strong> <strong>Report</strong>There are seven essential elements <strong>of</strong> a lab: Title, Materials, Introduction, Hypothesis,Procedure, Data, and Conclusion. A description <strong>of</strong> each element is provided belowalong with an example. *A sample lab report is provided at the end <strong>of</strong> this document.1. The Title is a complete statement, question, or phrase that accurately describes theexperiment or problem being explored. It should include the independent and dependentvariables. It should be centered at the top <strong>of</strong> the lab, below the heading. (See examplebelow)How Does the Amount <strong>of</strong> Sunlight a Plant Receives Affect Its Growth?2. The Materials list is a complete list <strong>of</strong> equipment and supplies. The list should bewritten in a series and separated by commas. (See example below)Materials:plant seeds, 4 containers, soil, water3. The Introduction is a paragraph that describes the purpose <strong>of</strong> the experiment. Itincludes statements that define important terms, a short description <strong>of</strong> lab, and theproblem being explored. (See example below)Introduction:The purpose <strong>of</strong> this lab is to explore how the amount <strong>of</strong> sunlight affects the growth rate <strong>of</strong>a plant. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use energy (light) from the sun toproduce sugar, which is then converted to energy (ATP) that allows the plant to grow.Chlorophyll is the green pigment in a plant that absorbs solar energy used inphotosynthesis. In this lab we will expose 4 plants to different amounts <strong>of</strong> light. We willmeasure the growth <strong>of</strong> each plant to determine if the amount <strong>of</strong> sunlight a plant receivesaffects the growth.4. The Hypothesis is a description <strong>of</strong> what the student thinks will happen based on whathas been studied in the lesson. It should directly answer the “question” stated in the titleand explain why. (See example below)Hypothesis:If all other conditions are held constant, the plant that receives the most sunlight over aperiod <strong>of</strong> four weeks will grow the most. This hypothesis is based on the fact that plantsneed sunlight to grow. Plants convert sunlight to energy through a process known asphotosynthesis. They use the energy to help them grow.© 2009 <strong>Connections</strong> Academy, LLC. All Rights Reserved
5. The Procedure is listed in clear steps. Each step is numbered and written in acomplete sentence. The steps are written in a manner that can easily be duplicated. (Seeexample below)Procedure:1. Plant one seed in each <strong>of</strong> the four containers, A, B, C, and D. Use the same amount <strong>of</strong>soil in each container.2. Do not allow Plant A (control) to receive any sunlight. Allow Plant B to receive 2hours <strong>of</strong> sunlight per day. Allow Plant C to receive 4 hours <strong>of</strong> sunlight per day. AllowPlant D to receive 6 hours <strong>of</strong> sunlight per day.3. Give each plant the same amount <strong>of</strong> water each week.4. Record the growth (in cm) <strong>of</strong> each plant each week.6. The Data is described with words and further illustrated using appropriate tables,graphs, and charts. (See example below)Data:All plants received the same amount <strong>of</strong> water each week. Plant A received 0 hours <strong>of</strong>sunlight per day (control.) Plant B received 2 hours <strong>of</strong> sunlight per day. Plant C received4 hours <strong>of</strong> sunlight per day. Plant D received 6 hours <strong>of</strong> sunlight per day.Plant A Plant B Plant C Plant DNew growth in cm after 1 week 1 1 1 2New growth in cm after 2 weeks 0 1 2 2New growth in cm after 3 weeks 0 0 2 3New growth in cm after 4 weeks 0 1 1 2Total growth after 4 weeks 1 cm 3 cm 6 cm 9 cm7. The Conclusion should re-state the problem. If answering questions, record eachquestion before recording each answer. Use data as evidence to support answers andconclusions. Restate the hypothesis and whether it is correct or incorrect. Use completesentences. (See example below)Conclusion:The problem being explored was how does the amount <strong>of</strong> sunlight a plant receives affectits growth? Which plant grew the most over the period <strong>of</strong> four weeks? Plant D grew themost (9 cm) over the period <strong>of</strong> four weeks. Did Plant A, which did not receive anysunlight, grow at all over the four week period? Explain why you think that the plantshowed the growth pattern that it did. Plant A grew a total <strong>of</strong> 1 cm over the four weekperiod. It is possible that the plant, which was kept in a kitchen cabinet, received a verysmall amount <strong>of</strong> sunlight when I opened the cabinet to water it. The small amount <strong>of</strong>sunlight that it received may have enabled the plant to grow a bit. My hypothesis wascorrect. The plant that received the most sunlight grew the most.© 2009 <strong>Connections</strong> Academy, LLC. All Rights Reserved
Your NameCourse: Unit: LessonDateHow Does the Amount <strong>of</strong> Sunlight a Plant Receives Affect Its Growth?Materials:plant seeds, 4 containers, soil, waterIntroduction:The purpose <strong>of</strong> this lab is to explore how the amount <strong>of</strong> sunlight affects the growth rate <strong>of</strong>a plant. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use energy (light) from the sun toproduce sugar, which is then converted to energy (ATP) that allows the plant to grow.Chlorophyll is the green pigment in a plant that absorbs solar energy used inphotosynthesis. In this lab we will expose 4 plants to different amounts <strong>of</strong> light. We willmeasure the growth <strong>of</strong> each plant to determine if the amount <strong>of</strong> sunlight a plant receivesaffects the growth.Hypothesis:If all other conditions are held constant, the plant that receives the most sunlight over aperiod <strong>of</strong> four weeks will grow the most. This hypothesis is based on the fact that plantsneed sunlight to grow. Plants convert sunlight to energy through a process known asphotosynthesis. They use the energy to help them grow.Procedure:1. Plant one seed in each <strong>of</strong> the four containers, A, B, C, D. Use the same amount <strong>of</strong> soilin each container.2. Do not enable Plant A (control) to receive any sunlight. Enable Plant B to receive 2hours <strong>of</strong> sunlight per day. Enable Plant C to receive 4 hours <strong>of</strong> sunlight per day.Enable Plant D to receive 6 hours <strong>of</strong> sunlight per day.3. Give each plant the same amount <strong>of</strong> water each week.4. Record the growth (in cm) <strong>of</strong> each plant each week.Data:All plants received the same amount <strong>of</strong> water each week. Plant A received 0 hours <strong>of</strong>sunlight per day (control.) Plant B received 2 hours <strong>of</strong> sunlight per day. Plant C received4 hours <strong>of</strong> sunlight per day. Plant D received 6 hours <strong>of</strong> sunlight per day.Plant A Plant B Plant C Plant DNew growth in cm after 1 week 1 1 1 2New growth in cm after 2 weeks 0 1 2 2New growth in cm after 3 weeks 0 0 2 3New growth in cm after 4 weeks 0 1 1 2Total growth after 4 weeks 1 cm 3 cm 6 cm 9 cm© 2009 <strong>Connections</strong> Academy, LLC. All Rights Reserved
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