2IB Biology

Fall 2023

Lab Report Guidelines for IB Biology

Written lab reports for IB Biology should closely follow this format, and include the content explained
below. The criteria your work will be assessed on are listed and total 24 marks. (Reference: Biology book,
pp. 590-597)

I. Research design (6 marks possible)

1. Title
2. Research Question
3. Background Information
4. Hypothesis
5. Variables
6. Materials
7. Method (Procedures)
8. Risk assessment (consideration of safety, ethical or environmental issues connected with the
experiment)

II. Data analysis (6 marks possible)

1. Raw Data
2. Processed Data
3. Uncertainties
4. Presentation and Graphs

III. Conclusion (6 marks possible)

1. Relevance of the conclusion
2. The conclusion and the scientific context

IV. Evaluation (6 marks possible)

1. Methodological weaknesses and limitations
2. Suggestions for improvement
3. References

More detailed description of each section:

I. Research design

1. Title
Short statement summarizing what this lab is about, usually incorporating the research question.

2. Research Question
A focused question that summarizes the aim of the investigation. The research question should include the
independent and dependent variables (or derived values such as rate).

3. Background Information
This is information you need to provide pertaining to the experiment. You will need to refer to various
sources to gain the knowledge necessary to write a hypothesis and carry out a valid experiment.
- Describes aim/purpose of lab in more detail than RQ
- Gives theoretical context to increase reader understanding
- Uses subject-specific terminology (vocabulary) appropriate to investigation
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- Refers to reliable published sources as necessary to support facts and statements made about
biological phenomena being studied.

4. Hypothesis
While a hypothesis (prediction about the outcome of the experiment) is not required and sometimes is not
possible in a biology lab, usually in this class you will include a hypothesis. The hypothesis should be an
“if….then…” statement that includes the independent and dependent variables. Your hypothesis should be
supported with an explanation based on your prior knowledge and/or your initial research.

5. Variables: (Factors that can be measured or controlled)

You should identify all of the following in your lab report:

a. Independent Variable: The variable that is manipulated in the experiment, and the
result of this manipulation affects the measurement of the dependent variable
(NB: Make sure that you choose only one independent variable to manipulate)

b. Dependent Variable: The variable that is measured in the experiment as a result of changes made
to the independent variable.

c. Controlled Variables: The variables that are held constant during an experiment in order to
ensure that the only differences in the results are due to the independent variable being tested.
You should also state why each variable needed to be controlled.

d. Experimental groups: The experimental groups in an experiment the groups that are exposed to
different treatments of the independent variable.

f. Control group: The control group in an experiment is the group that is not exposed to the factor
being tested. This group serves as a standard of comparison for the experimental groups.

6. Materials
You need to have a detailed and thorough list of equipment used in your experiment. Make sure
when writing up your equipment list that you include the degree of precision for each instrument, which is
given as plus or minus (±) the smallest division on the instruments such as thermometers, electronic
balances, beakers, or measuring pipettes. In addition, you should give the concentrations of chemical
solutions used in the experiment.

7. Method (Procedures)
Step-by-step, specify how the experiment was conducted. Methods should be written with enough detail
and clarity for someone to repeat the experiment. Use third-person perspective, which means no words
such as “I”, “we”, “they”, etc. When designing a method, ensure that you have a minimum of 5 different
treatments of the independent variable. This will give you a minimum of five data points, which is sufficient
to construct a line of best fit when you graph your data. The method should also include sufficient repeats
of trials (minimum of 5) to ensure that random errors are at least minimized.

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8. Risk assessment
Evaluate the safety risks associated with use of chemicals and instruments during the experiment. Discuss
any potentially harmful chemicals used, either to you or the environment (especially in regard to disposal
of wastes after the experiment). Address any possible ethical concerns connected with the treatment of
living organisms (including human subjects) involved in the experiment.

II. Analysis

1. Raw Data: Qualitative (e.g., observations without measurments) & quantitative (numerical values)
Make sure you record “raw” data in tables and include it in your lab report. “Raw” data is the actual data
measured in your experiment, before you make any calculations with the data. Use the International
System of Units (SI) or other metric units. Be consistent with the use of decimal places in both raw and
processed data.
2. Processed Data: When you take the data and do something to it, like find averages, slopes, changes,
standard deviations, etc. this is called processing the data. In any lab report you must have both raw and
processed data included. Processed data is placed in a separate table from the raw data table in your lab
report, and then used to construct graphs. Include descriptive headings for tables and graphs to explain.
Also include in this section all the formulas used in processing your data, along with one sample calculation
as an example.
3. Uncertainties: Accuracy is the closeness of agreement between a measured value and the true value.
Error is the difference between a measurement and the true value of the measurement (the quantity being
measured). Uncertainty is not the same as error. A value can be entirely correct, but no matter what, it can
only be measured to a certain limit of precision – to only so many “decimal places”. This limit of precision is
quantified as the uncertainty. The uncertainty for a measuring instrument used in an IB biology lab is
generally given as one-half the smallest division on the instrument.

Example: If an electronic balance can measure to two decimal places (0.01 g) then the uncertainty
in a mass reading with this balance is ± 0.005 g.
Example: If a graduated cylinder’s smallest measuring division is 0.1 mL, then the uncertainty in a
volume measurement with this cylinder is ± 0.05 mL.

4. Presentation of data in tables and graphs

You must show graphic representation of your processed data. (Note that raw data should not be
presented graphically.) Some general guidelines are as follows:

• Your data tables should be original, i.e., they must not look the same as another student’s.
• The units of measurement should be included once in the data table heading using
parentheses, along with the uncertainty associated with the measurement.
• All quantitative data shown in a data table should have the same number of decimal places.
• The table needs to have a suitable and descriptive heading (Ex: “Table 1”, “Data Collection”
or “Results” are not suitable headings because they are not descriptive enough).
• Microsoft Excel or a similar graphing program is recommended for creating graphs.
• Outliers may be omitted from the data, if they are related to an identified weakness in the
method and explained.

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III. Conclusion
1. Relevance of the conclusion: Restate the original research question, and summarize the quantitative
results in your experiment. Refer to a hypothesis if one has been stated. Discuss the impact of
uncertainties on the experimental results. Interpret the significance of the statistical calculations such as
mean, standard deviation, or standard error, and of statistical tests such as the t-test, chi-squared test or
R2-values (coefficient of determination).
2. The conclusion and the scientific context: Explain trends in the results by comparison to relevant
scientific theory and/or reliable scientific sources. If there are no acceptable values for comparison,
determine if the results are reasonable given the context of the experiment.

IV. Evaluation
1. Methodological weaknesses and limitations. Evaluate weaknesses and limitations of the experimental
design. Consider the following:
• Are there flaws in the procedures used which could affect the result?
• Were important variables not controlled?
• Is the accuracy of a result unknown because of a lack of replicates/samples?
2. Limitations relating to the measurements and/or uncertainties. The act of measuring can lead to errors,
or variability in biological material used in the experiment
3. Suggestions for improvement: You should suggest a minimum of three (3) significant improvements that
match the weaknesses and limitations that you have identified in the section above. Explain why the
improvements will lead to more reliable results in future experiments. Suggestions such as “collect more
data” are generally insufficient as suggestions for improvement, as is “use a more precise measuring
instrument.”

4. References
When you use someone else's ideas in your lab report you need to acknowledge them. This
includes in-text referencing and a works cited page. Use the APA format for all
lab reports and citations, i.e.: https://sites.google.com/view/biblioteketlillestrmvgs/start