Labs, Fall 2007
FYS 102-10

Overview

This class includes a weekly laboratory session. These are opportunities to pose scientifically testable questions, design an experiment which tests that question, obtain data from the experiment, analyze the data, and draw a conclusion about your result to answer the question you posed.

In keeping with scientific best practice, you will keep a laboratory notebook. The notebook will be where you do all of your laboratory-based writing -- from scratch work to lab reports.

Lab Notebook Layout

Use the left hand side of your notebook for scratch work and notes to yourself. Use the right hand side for your graded lab reports.

Lab Reports

As noted above, you will produce a lab report for each lab. This should be hand written directly inot your lab notebook. Base upon the discussion above, it should include the following parts:

Date, title of lab, your name, partner's name (if any)

   - it is nice to organize yourself, and for me to know who you are, etc.

Goal of the lab (what is your scientific question?)

   - if you can't succinctly identify your question, the rest of the lab
     is pointless and bound for failure

Information regarding the experiment (how will you go about answering the question?)

   - This should include the "set-up", "diagram", and "process" of the lab.  It should describe how you will naswer your question.

Data (what data did you get?)

   - This should include the data you take, and any notes that may be pertinent.  Don't forget to include the uncertainties in your data, as you will need them in the two parts below!

Analysis (what are the results?

   - This should include any averages, uncertainties, calculations, etc., necessary to go from the data above to your conclusions below.

Conclusions (what is the answer to your question, and within what range of certainty?)

   - This is the most important part of the lab write-up, since it is the clumination of your approach and thoughts.

Timing

The labs are scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. Your lab reports should be completed the same day as the lab is performed. The lab books are due in the cabinet outside of Olin 116 by 5pm Wednesday, the day after lab. They will be graded and returned to you in your next lab.

If you have any questions, or comments, please e-mail them to me at doty@cc.denison.edu. Thanks!

Labs, Fall 2007 FYS 102-10

Overview

Lab Notebook Layout

Lab Reports

Timing

Labs, Fall 2007
FYS 102-10