Lab Report Assistant Dear Science Student, As you will learn from reading your manual, a formal Lab Report represents the culmination of your experimental activities. It summarizes your actions, observations, and conclusions, as well as demonstrates to your instructor that you have performed the experiment and what you have learned from doing so. In addition, the Lab Report usually forms the basis for your laboratory grade. To facilitate your report writing and to take some of the formatting drudgery out of preparing the formal report, a Lab Report Assistant section has been added to this DVD. When you open one of these files you will see the Experiment Name at the top of the page. For each lab experiment, relevant procedural sections including necessary questions to be addressed and tables that should be integrated into the report are included. An MS-Word document is provided so that you can copy and paste questions and tables into your lab report document. This will save you time and trouble plus allow you to input data directly into the pre-formatted tables. Before writing a lab report, it is helpful to understand what instructors usually believe constitutes a good lab report and to know the criteria they often use to evaluate students’ reports. On the following page is a copy of a standard lab report grading rubric that is used by many science instructors. Invest a little time to study it and understand how instructors usually allocate points when grading reports. Familiarize yourself with the six standard sections of a lab report and the criteria on which they are evaluated. This will not only help you write the A+ reports you deserve, it will also help you focus your attention on the more relevant aspects of your experimentation activities so that you can better learn and address them in your report. Understanding science is foundational to understanding ourselves and the world we live in plus essential to making the informed decisions that will preserve our planet for future generations. Apart from such lofty goals, it is fun and exciting to study science, perform hands-on labs, and experience first-hand how nature and the universe work. All the staff at Hands-On Labs wishes you a wonderful science learning experience as you work with the LabPaqs we have designed to enrich your course. Science Laboratory Report Grading Rubric  Developed by Peter Jeschofnig, Ph.D.     TOTAL OUT OF 100 POSSIBLE POINTS ________    Unsatisfactory  Borderline  Satisfactory  Excellent  Score  Title Page  Total = 5 pts.  Missing more than two  items, title, or names        0–2 points  Contains title and all  names; but missing two  items      3 point  Contains title and names;  but missing one item        4 points  Contains title, author’s and  partner’s names, course  name, experiment number,  and report dates    5 points  Abstract  Total = 10 pts.  No abstract; incomplete  purpose and/or  incomp ...

1. Lab Report Assistant
Dear Science Student,
As you will learn from reading your manual, a formal Lab
Report represents the
culmination of your experimental activities. It summarizes your
actions, observations, and
conclusions, as well as demonstrates to your instructor that you
have performed the
experiment and what you have learned from doing so. In
addition, the Lab Report usually
forms the basis for your laboratory grade.
To facilitate your report writing and to take some of the
formatting drudgery out of
preparing the formal report, a Lab Report Assistant section has
been added to this DVD.
When you open one of these files you will see the Experiment
Name at the top of the
page. For each lab experiment, relevant procedural sections
including necessary
questions to be addressed and tables that should be integrated
into the report are
included. An MS-Word document is provided so that you can
copy and paste questions
and tables into your lab report document. This will save you
time and trouble plus allow

2. you to input data directly into the pre-formatted tables.
Before writing a lab report, it is helpful to understand what
instructors usually believe
constitutes a good lab report and to know the criteria they often
use to evaluate students’
reports. On the following page is a copy of a standard lab report
grading rubric that is
used by many science instructors. Invest a little time to study it
and understand how
instructors usually allocate points when grading reports.
Familiarize yourself with the six
standard sections of a lab report and the criteria on which they
are evaluated. This will
not only help you write the A+ reports you deserve, it will also
help you focus your
attention on the more relevant aspects of your experimentation
activities so that you can
better learn and address them in your report.
Understanding science is foundational to understanding
ourselves and the world we live
in plus essential to making the informed decisions that will
preserve our planet for future
generations. Apart from such lofty goals, it is fun and exciting
to study science, perform
hands-on labs, and experience first-hand how nature and the
universe work.
All the staff at Hands-On Labs wishes you a wonderful science
learning experience as
you work with the LabPaqs we have designed to enrich your
course.

3. Science Laboratory Report Grading Rubric
Developed by Peter Jeschofnig, Ph.D.
TOTAL OUT OF 100 POSSIBLE POINTS ________
Unsatisfactory Borderline Satisfactory Excellent Score
Title Page
Total = 5 pts.
Missing more than two
items, title, or names
0–2 points
Contains title and all
names; but missing two
items
3 point
Contains title and names;
but missing one item
4 points

4. Contains title, author’s and
partner’s names, course
name, experiment number,
and report dates
5 points
Abstract
Total = 10 pts.
No abstract; incomplete
purpose and/or
incomplete results
0–3 points
Includes adequate
purpose or results, but
not both
5 points
Contains purpose and
results, but incomplete
8 points
Contains clear purpose
statement and complete
results
10 points

5. Purpose/
Hypothesis
Total = 10 pts.
Incomplete purpose or
hypothesis statement;
incomplete or missing
scientific principles or
variables
0–4 points
Adequately states the
correct purpose/
hypothesis, but missing
scientific
principles/variables
6 points
Adequately states correct
purpose/hypothesis, but
either missing scientific
principles or variables
8 points
Clearly states the correct
purpose/hypothesis and
states scientific principles to
be tested and the variables
involved

6. 10 points
Procedures
Total = 10 pts.
Unclear or missing
instructions; most steps
are missing, incomplete, or
disorganized
0–4 points
Vague instructions; some
steps missing, not well‐
organized
6 points
Includes a clear set of
instructions; a few steps are
missing; reasonably well‐
organized
8 points
Clear, concise with step‐by‐
step explanations;
experiment can be
replicated; includes
materials in methods

7. 10 points
Data/
Observations
Total = 25 pts.
Data is missing,
incomplete, inaccurate, or
has material defects;
no data tables when
required; missing graphs;
most or all observations
missing; incomplete or no
calculations; few questions
answered
0–12 points
Data presented, but
poorly organized,
inaccurate, or missing;
graphs display inaccurate
data or are not labeled;
poor or incomplete
observations; poor or
incomplete calculations;
some questions answered
16 points
Data presented clearly and
neatly; most charts, tables,
diagrams, and graphs are

8. labeled and accurate;
observations are detailed
and reasonably accurate;
most calculations are shown
and correct; most questions
are answered
20 points
Data is presented clearly
and legibly; all charts,
tables, diagrams, and graphs
are labeled and accurate;
appropriate graph type is
used; observations are
detailed and accurate;
calculations are shown and
correct; all questions are
correctly answered
25 points
Results/Analysis
Total = 20 pts.
Explanation of data is
missing or inaccurate;
error analysis incomplete,
missing, or wrong
0–8 points

9. Incomplete description of
data; three or more
important observations
are missing; error analysis
incomplete or partially
correct
12 points
Results stated correctly in
complete sentences; no
more than one or two
important observations are
missing; error analysis
present and correct
15 points
Complete descriptions of
what occurred; data is used
accurately in reporting/
analyzing the results; error
analysis present and correct
20 points
Conclusions
Total = 20 pts.
Conclusion is missing or
does not fully explain the
objectives of the lab;
relevant terminology

10. missing; no practical
application given; missing
discussion of scientific
principle; too short (only
one to two sentences)
0–8 points
Conclusion explains the
objective, but data is not
used accurately to
support it; limited
terminology use; too
short ( two to three
sentences)
12 points
Adequate explanation
paragraph that includes
supporting evidence and
data, but missing the “big
picture;” little scientific
error; good usage of
terminology; four to five
sentences
15 points
Well‐written and logical
explanation paragraph
supported by data that
addresses the objectives,

11. scientific principles, and the
“big picture;” includes
scientific error reasoning for
unanswered questions; six
or more sentences
20 points
Basic Chemistry for Investigating Living
Systems
Margaret Vorndam, M.S. Version 42-0030-00-01
Lab Report Assistant
This document is not meant to be a substitute for a formal
laboratory report. The Lab Report Assistant is simply a
summary of the experiment’s questions, diagrams if needed, and
data tables that should be addressed in a formal lab report. The
intent is to facilitate students’ writing of lab reports by
providing this information in an editable file which can be sent
to an instructor.
Observations
Data Table 1: Biuret Reagent Test for (Student to fill in)
Test Tube
Contains

12. Hypothesis:
Contains Protein
Yes or No?
Final Color
Is test substance present/
absent?
1
Water
2
Albumen
3
Amylase
4
Potato Starch
5
Onion Juice
6
Potato Juice

13. Data Table 2: Iodine
Solution
Test for (Student to fill in)
Test Tube
Contains
Hypothesis
Contains Starch
Yes or No?
Final Color
Is test substance present/
absent?
1
Water

14. 2
Albumen
3
Amylase
4
Potato
Starch
5
Onion Juice
6
Potato Juice

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18. )
Data Table 3: Benedict’s Reagent Test for (Student to fill in)
Test Tube
Contains
Hypothesis Contains Sugar Yes or No?
Final Color
Is test substance present/
absent?
1
Water
2

19. Glucose
3
Albumen
4
Potato
Starch
5
Onion
6
Potato Juice

20. Data Table 4: Lipid Test Results
Macromolecule Being Tested
Hypothesis: Contains lipids, or
not?
Results from Test
Potato Starch
Onion Juice
Vegetable Oil
Distilled Water
Albumen
Potato Juice

21. Data Table 5: Testing the Chemical Composition of Cells
Indicate a + mark if the reagent reacts with test substance.
Indicate a - mark if the reagent does NOT react with test
substance.
Test Substance
Biuret