Universal Lab Template & Graphing Strategy

Vocabulary flashcards covering key lab template concepts and graphing strategies.

Purpose / Research Question

A concise, one-sentence statement describing what you want to investigate.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about the relationship between variables, indicating which variable is manipulated and the expected direction.

Background / Theory

A brief explanation of the relevant theory or formulas that justify the experiment (1–3 sentences).

Independent Variable

The variable deliberately changed by the experimenter to observe its effect.

Dependent Variable

The variable measured to assess the effect of the independent variable.

Controlled Variables

Variables kept constant so that any observed effect is due to the manipulation of the independent variable.

Units

Standard units used to express measurements (e.g., meters, seconds).

Materials

All tools and supplies needed for the experiment, including the precision of measurement devices.

Procedure

A clear, numbered sequence of steps to perform the experiment, including trials, randomization, safety, and data collection.

Trials

Individual experimental runs used to collect data, typically repeated to improve reliability.

Randomization

Methods to randomize trial order or conditions to reduce bias.

Safety

Safety precautions and procedures to follow during the experiment.

Data Collection Table

A clean table format for recording raw data, then calculating averages and uncertainties.

Averages

The arithmetic mean of repeated measurements.

Uncertainties

The estimated range of error around measurements (e.g., standard uncertainty) used with averages.

Analysis Plan

A plan detailing which calculations and graphs will be produced, including averages, slopes, and error propagation.

Conclusion

A summary of results, whether the hypothesis was supported, and how findings relate to theory.

Limitations / Sources of Error

An assessment of potential errors, distinguishing systematic from random errors and their effects.

Systematic Errors

Biases that consistently skew measurements in one direction, affecting accuracy.

Random Errors

Unpredictable fluctuations that vary between trials, affecting precision.

Extensions / Next Steps

Suggestions for follow-up experiments or testing additional variables.

Graphing Strategy

A step-by-step plan for graphing data: choose graph type, create data table with averages/uncertainties, linearize if needed, set axes, label units, plot raw data with error bars, fit a line, check residuals, include equation and R², and caption.

Calibration steps

Procedures to calibrate instruments to improve measurement accuracy.

Data-quality checks

Procedures to verify data integrity, including outlier checks and data validation.

Rationale for trials / sample size

Reasoning for how many trials or samples were chosen to achieve reliable results.

Error analysis details

In-depth discussion of error sources and their magnitudes and impacts.

Statistical methods

Techniques used to analyze data (e.g., mean, standard deviation, regression, confidence intervals).

Reproducible procedure

A procedure that others can follow to obtain similar results.

Testable question

A clearly stated question derived from the purpose that can be tested by the experiment.