Introducing+labs


 * IAs - Design - Data Collection and Processing - Conclusion and Evaluation**

This series of activities and resources is aimed at students who are about to carry out their first quantitative lab for the DP.

__**Measurement and uncertainty**__ Carry out the following tasks. Remember that when measuring the volume of liquids do so at eye level, by lining up the bottom of the meniscus


 * Apparatus**
 * 2 Measuring cylinders (of different size and precision)
 * A container for water at least 1 Litre in size
 * 2 Balances (0dp and 2dp)
 * Metre ruler
 * stopclocks/watches


 * Activities**
 * 1) Collect 1 Litre of water using two different sized measuring cylinders. Note down what you did and try to explain how accurate each method is.
 * 2) Measure the width of the room as accurately as you can, compare your measurements with two other groups and briefly evaluate the results, what sources of error can you identify?
 * 3) Measure a small object on each balance and write down it's mass in each case
 * 4) Measure how quickly a person can clap their hands. Design a method, carry it out, record your findings and evaluate how accurate and reliability your measurements are.
 * 5) Measure the height of the bench at 5 different locations and calculate the mean. How much variation is there in your measurements?

Discuss and compare findings for each activity:
 * Review**

Now try to answer the following questions:
 * 1) What causes more error, the number of times you use the measuring cylinder or how precise it is?
 * 2) What is more important to measuring the width of the room, how you use the equipment or how precise it is?
 * 3) What uncertainty would you give for your measurements based on your experience?
 * 4) Recording decimal places, what rules can you come up with?
 * 5) Recording at intervals and timing investigations are tricky. What guidance/rules can you develop for your fellow students?
 * 6) Why is it important to calculate the standard deviation? What do error bars tell you about the mean value?

Look through the presentation, take notes and modify your answers to the above questions where necessary. media type="custom" key="23733142"
 * Uncertainty**

Why do they matter and how can I calculate them? Look through the first part of the below presentation and complete the relevant sections of the notes:
 * What are the mean and standard deviation?**

media type="custom" key="23733146"
 * Review slides 1 to 34
 * Complete Q1-4 from the Essential Biology 01 Statistical Analysis from i-Biology.
 * Again modify your answers to the review questions (above) where necessary.

__**Analysis - Correlation vs. comparing means**__ Depending on what type of analysis you are doing standard deviation can be looked at differently. Discuss as a class and take notes [presentation coming soon].

__**Marking rubric for lab reports**__ Look the criteria IB provides for assessing design (D), data collection and processing (DCP), conclusion and evaluation (CE). media type="custom" key="23733148"


 * 1) In groups design a checklist, i.e. what detailed elements need to be included in a good lab report, to get full marks against each criteria.
 * 2) Use the allocated time to review the checklists developed by other groups
 * 3) Assign a class coordinator and compile a list together as a class
 * 4) Compare your list to the one recommended below. How well did you do?

__**Tools for writing up labs**__ Three very important documents for writing up labs effectively are the lab report template, the graphing template and the lab cover sheet/marking rubric. The first two organise your work and make it quick and easy to process data. The third is an important self-check to make sure the lab report is of a good standard. Effective use of these resources will be key to success in the IA component of the DP course. More detail on all aspects of lab reports can be found under Internal Assessments.

Lab report template media type="custom" key="23733150"

Graphing template media type="custom" key="23733152" //N.B. There are more comprehensive graphing templates linked under internal assessments and you are welcome to create your own from scratch. This template will work well for most labs though.//

Lab cover sheet / marking rubric media type="custom" key="23733154"