Rough draft Lab Report
Hello, this is for a for a final report due in two weeks, but right now, only a rough draft needs to be completed. Please pay attention to the instructions, and see the attachments I have included which will assist you with this report. If you have any questions, please let me know right away. Original work only!!!
The Final Lab Report must contain the following eight sections in this order:
1. Title Page - This page must include the title of your report, your name, course name, instructor, and date submitted.
2. Abstract - This section should provide a brief summary of the methods, results, and conclusions. It should allow the reader to see what was done, how it was done, and the results. It should not exceed 200 words and should be the last part written (although it should still appear right after the title page).
3. Introduction - This section should include background information on water quality and an overview of why the experiment was conducted. It should first contain background information of similar studies previously conducted. This is accomplished by citing existing literature from similar experiments. Secondly, it should provide an objective or a reason why the experiment is being done. Why do we want to know the answer to the question we are asking? Finally, it should end the hypothesis from your Week Two experiment, and the reasoning behind your hypothesis. This hypothesis should not be adjusted to reflect the "right" answer. Simply place your previous hypothesis in the report here. You do not lose points for an inaccurate hypothesis; scientists often revise their hypotheses based on scientific evidence following the experiments.
4. Materials and Methods - This section should provide a detailed description of the materials used in your experiment and how they were used. A step-by-step rundown of your experiment is necessary; however, it should be done in paragraph form, not in a list format. The description should be exact enough to allow for someone reading the report to replicate the experiment, however, it should be in your own words and not simply copied and pasted from the lab manual.
5. Results - This section should include the data and observations from the experiment. All tables and graphs should be present in this section. In addition to the tables, you must describe the data in text; however, there should be no personal opinions or discussion outside of the results located within this area.
6. Discussion - This section should interpret your data and provide conclusions. Discuss the meanings of your findings in this area. Was your hypothesis accepted or rejected, and how were you able to determine this? Did the results generate any future questions that might benefit from a new experiment? Were there any outside factors (i.e., temperature, contaminants, time of day) that affected your results? If so, how could you control for these in the future?
7. Conclusions - This section should provide a brief summary of your work.
8. References - List references used in APA format as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Lab: Water Quality and Contamination
Lab- Experiment 1: Effects of Groundwater Contamination
Post-Lab Questions:
1. Restate your hypothesis. Was it confirmed or denied? How do you know?
2. What affects did each of the contaminants have on the water in the experiment? Which contaminant seemed to have the most potent effect on the water?
3. On a larger scale, what type of affects would these contaminants have on a town's water source and the people who drank the water?
4. What type of human activity would cause contaminants like oil, acid and detergents to flow into the water supply?
5. What other items within your house do you believe could contaminate the water supply if you were to dump them into the ground?
Lab- Experiment 2: Water Treatment
Post-Lab Questions
1. Restate your hypothesis. Was it confirmed or denied? How do you know?
2. What are the differences between the "contaminated" water and the "treated" water (look at color, smell, visibility, etc.)?
3. From the introduction to this lab, you know that there are typically five steps involved in the water treatment process. Identify the processes (e.g., coagulation) that were used in this lab and describe how they were performed.
Lab- Experiment 3: Drinking Water Quality
Post-Lab Questions
1. Restate your hypothesis. Was it confirmed or denied? How do you know?
2. After comparing the results of tap water and bottled water, what major differences, if any, do you notice between the two?
3. From your results, do you believe that bottled water is a healthier alternative when compared to tap water? Why or why not?
Attachment:- Attachments.rar