Can we talk science lab reports please?

[Stacy in NJ]

ds13 is doing Apologia Physical Science with The Potter's School. He's enjoying this and mantaining strong grades.

 

The teacher has assigned two complete lab reports per semester as graded work. She's requesting that an abbreviated report be completed for each and every experiment - not to be handed in just tallied up for credit. These shorter reports include only the observation and conclusion portion. I'm finding this is be busy work. The experiments aren't complicated and the text provides a fine discussion of them. There are ususally 3 to 4 experiments per module done over two weeks.

 

What do you think? Can we forgo these and only do the complete reports that are handed in and graded?

 

How many and how necessary are lab reports for an 8th grader?

 

Thanks, Stacy

[Moira in MA]

Not sure that I have an answer for you.

 

dh dispaired of persuading dd to complete her physics lab reports last year.

This year her chemistry instructor requires very detailed reports of all her experiments.

I view it as training.

 

HTH

Moira

[Stacy in NJ]

Just wondering how many experiments a higher level course like physics would requirer per week/month.

 

I'm having a hard time assigning a report for every experiment when he does 3 or 4 per module (2 weeks).

 

 

Not sure that I have an answer for you.

 

dh dispaired of persuading dd to complete her physics lab reports last year.

This year her chemistry instructor requires very detailed reports of all her experiments. I view it as training.

 

HTH

Moira

[Guest]

Dd is doing multiple experiments per week with dh, a chemist. He requires her to choose one and write it up. Perhaps that would be a nice compromise?

[Stacy in NJ]

Dd is doing multiple experiments per week with dh, a chemist. He requires her to choose one and write it up. Perhaps that would be a nice compromise?

 

Yes, that sounds like a good option. :001_smile:

[Amy in CO]

That's what we do. My ds does 4 experiments a week. I have him choose one to write up each week. But he does have to write it up completely and neatly, which is a struggle for him.

[Moira in MA]

So far dd is doing an average of one experiment a week. She has to write each on up according to a pretty strict format.

 

Perhaps a formal outline to follow would make the process easier for him.

 

~Moira

[Gratia271]

I think one write-up per week is a reasonable compromise. That is what I have required of my daughter in the past.

[Leanna Tomlinson]

I think writing up one experiment per module would be fine.

 

I would like to say that my English/History major dd raised her Biology and Earth Science grades in college because of her excellent lab notebooks. These Gen. Ed. courses were a challenge b/c she never enjoyed science. We were both thankful for the training she received writing lab reports for our co-op science teacher.

[Stacy in NJ]

I think the shortened versions aren't that helpful, but a less frequent but more complete report would offer greater benefit.

[Nan in Mass]

What made them excellent?

[Leanna Tomlinson]

What made them excellent?

 

I think you may be referring to my post referencing my dd's college lab notebook. There's not much to it, it's just that so many of the other students took several labs to figure out the prof's standards. Dd just followed our co-op standards and met those standards the first time.

 

1) The labs followed the prescribed format. Many students had never been required to follow a format and don't take the professor seriously when one is required.

 

2) The labs stated the obvious, which unless stated, prevent the lab from making sense. Many students assume the prof knows the obvious and therefore it doesn't need to be stated.

 

3)Procedures and conclusions are explained with narratives and diagrams where applicable. Also, those diagrams are neat, labelled, and understandable.

 

3) The labs actually draw a conclusion. That conclusion is explained and supported using scientific theory.

 

The fact that my dd was commended for her lab notebooks made us chuckle. She hated science in high school and only took these two classes to meet Gen.Ed. requirements. Her A+ on both lab notebooks helped her with her grade in a weak area.

 

If you want more specifics, I'll have to ask dd when she's home one weekend.

[Nan in Mass]

Sigh - these are exactly the sorts of things that I am currently arguing over with my son.

More specifics would be wonderful, if your daughter is willing to provide them.

Thank you!

-Nan

[Amy in CO]

I would love more specifics as well. This is something my children struggle with and since at least one child wants to pursue a science field, he needs to improve the skill.