How To Write Up An Experiment

Name, Class, Date and Title (5 points)
•	Your name, date, and class should be written on the front page.
•	The title should give a brief description of your experiment.

Aim (5 Points)
•	Explain what you are trying to find out by doing the experiment.  It should provide enough detail for your reader to know what it is that you are investigating.

Hypothesis (10 points)
•	This is your testable question.  Describe what you think is going to happen.  Write it down before you start the experiment.  This is an educated guess.  

Strategy (10 points)
•	Write a short description of what you plan to do to test your hypothesis.  This is where you plan out what you are going to do.  Keep this description short and general, you will provide the details later.

Method (20 points)
•	This should include all the steps in the order that you carried them out (number them).  They should be detailed enough so that someone else could repeat the experiment in exactly the same way and obtain the same results if need be.
•	Identify the different variables and how you controlled them.  Describe what things you changed (variables you manipulated).
•	It is often a good idea to include safety points if needed.

Diagram / Equipment list (10 points)
•	Include a labelled diagram of you experiment if possible.  Be sure to label it so that other people will be able to set it up just like you did.
•	Label your diagram with lines drawn with a ruler to point out what parts are what in your diagram.
•	List all equipment and supplies used and amounts.

Observations (20 points)
•	This is where you need to keep careful notes of what you saw, heard, …
•	Use all of your senses to collect measurable, quantitative raw data and describe what you observed in written form.
•	What happened as a result of carrying out your experiment?
•	Your results should be clearly presented, and include any data that you collected during your experiment.  Data is usually presented in tables or charts.
•	Just state the results do not talk about them here.

Conclusions (20 points)
•	Here is where you get to talk about what you “found out” during your experiment.
•	Based on your observations, what do you think you have learned?  In other words, make inferences based on your observations.
•	Compare the actual results to your hypothesis and describe why there may have been differences.
•	Identify possible sources of errors or problems in the design of the experiment and try to suggest changes that might be made the next time this experiment is done.

General Notes
•	All experiments or investigations are to be typed.
•	Follow the set out procedure above in the exact order.