Field Work and Lab Reporting

Hey All,
Below are the guidelines that will take us through the Holiday Break. These are very doable benchmarks, and the rubric that we review tomorrow in class will provide added guidance on how we will demonstrate our understanding though this lab report.

Guidelines for the Strawberry Creek Watershed Lab Report
Final Due December 20, 2007

11/27-28/07
Begin fieldwork

*By 12/3/07
Hypothesis:
Express it appropriately, reflecting all of the qualities that a good hypothesis should.

*By 12/3/07
Experiment Methodology: How are you going to test your hypothesis?
• What you will test for and why
• What equipment will you use?
• What sites will be tested and why?
• What will be the frequency and number of samples that you plan to use and why?

Continue to perform fieldwork and data collection through 12/12/07.

*By 12/13/07
Experiment Explanation:
• Describe your testing sites in as much detail as possible
• Explain how the data collection procedure went
• Provide clear information on how data were collected that you are using.

*By 12/17/07
Data Analysis: (not the conclusion yet)
• Describe the data that you used, and what they mean.
• Compare the results from your different test sites.
• You must have at least one graph, well labeled with your independent variable on the x-axis and your dependent variable on the y-axis.

*12/18/07
Conclusion:
• Explain whether your hypothesis was confirmed, disproved, or partially disproved.
• What are the next steps for this scientific process?
• What were some occurrences in the lab process that may have affected your results unintentionally?
• What further questions or possible future research do you come away with from this experiment?

*12/20/07
Final to be submitted

PLEASE NOTE: “*” indicates a written part of the report
Rough drafts of all “*”sections should be handed in on the indicated dates with revised versions of all previous sections. All submitted work should be typed, including any graphs. It is your obligation to make necessary changes to your rough drafts. These changes will reflect information from Simon’s assessments and your self-assessments. Nice graphics and pictures that help to show the procedure, results, or your understanding are welcome in the report.