Tyler Horan

Name ________________________

Pechenik Worksheet: Writing Laboratory and Other Research Reports

Chapter 9

20 points possible

True or False: (1 pt each)

1. T F You should never present the same data in both a graph and a table.

2. T F You should leave the interpretation of your data to the reader.

3. T F When plotting average values on graphs, you should always include a visual representation of
the variation in the data.

4. T F In the Introduction you should set out your specific hypotheses that you tested.

5. T F Your report should be written in the present tense to emphasize that your work allows you to
make broadly applicable statements about the world.

6. T F The lack of a trend in your data is just as scientifically interesting as observing the trend
Expected based on your hypothesis.

7. T F The Materials and Methods section should include a standalone list of supplies used.

8. T F The Discussion section should include citations that provide support for each of your specific
tested expectations.

9. T F The Results section should present your data in the same order as your Discussion.

10. T F You cannot move, add, or delete data points to improve or create trends in your data..

11. T F The Abstract contains all the details of your methodology.

12. T F Your figure captions should be very general, since the information has already been covered in
the body of the report.

13. T F There is no need to include references in your Materials and Methods section.

14. T F The Introduction should include information to establish every topic that appears later in your
report, but only information that is directly relevant.
Multiple choice: (1 point each) Choose the single best answer

15. It’s usually easiest to write which portion first:

A. Abstract
B. Materials & Methods
C. Introduction
D. Discussion

16. The Materials and Methods section should include all of the following except:
A. Information about your study organism
B. Formulae used in your data analysis
C. A description of the environmental conditions for your experiment.
D. The labeling system for your test tubes.

17. Which of the following should be readily apparent if a reader looks only a graph or table and its caption?
A. the specific question that was asked
B. how the study was done
C. the main findings
D. all of the above

18. The text in the Results section should:

A. summarize the most important findings displayed in each graph.
B. recreate each graph for the reader
C. interpret the trends in each graph.
D. point the reader toward each table or graph.

19. Stating that your results are “significant” implies that:

A. your data is important to the broader community.
B. you have subjected your data to rigorous statistical testing.
C. there is a large difference between the groups you are testing.
D. you have proven your hypothesis.

20. When you have unexpected results, you should:

A. provide a definitive explanation for what happened to cause the deviation from expectations.
B. suggest possible ways that the implications of the unexpected results could be tested to confirm your
proposed explanation.
C. ignore them. Only results that support or refute your hypothesis are important.
D. tweak the data so it makes sense in your theoretical framework.