BIOL 203 Lab Report Assignment

 Format: Your paper must follow the format outlined below. The format of this paper follows the APA research report format. An example of this format can be found at: http://www.thewritesource.com/apa/apa.pdfTitle Page:    The title page should be on a separate sheet of paper and contain the title of the report, your name, the name(s) of your lab partner(s),the course number and the date that the report was submitted.

The body of the paper should contain the following clearly labeled sections:

Abstract: In this section, you will include a single paragraph to summarize the background and main results. Write this part last.  Introduction: An introduction provides a concise statement, in paragraph form, of thepurpose or aims of the experiment as well as the relevant background about the experiment. Although the introduction varies with the style of the author and tests performed, it should only contain information that is relevant to the case. The introduction should be about one typed page in length. You must include a hypothesis based on the information in Aria’s case. Give the reasoning for your hypothesis based on what is known about the function of the cranial nerves.  Make sure to cite all references properly in the body of the paper Procedures:  This section explicitly describes the details of the tests performed. Do not copy directly from the lab manual but do cite the manual as a reference. Describe in your own words the procedures you used to test the functions of cranial nerves. 

Results:

This section is used to present your results. You should not report raw data. It should be tabulated and presented in the form of tables and graphs. Make sure that all tables and graphs are labeled appropriately. Be sure to include data for both the control and the experimental subjects.

Discussion: The data is analyzed and discussed in this section.  It is important to interpret the data, not simply restate it.  Here is where you relate your experimental results to existing knowledge of the function of the cranial nerves.  Are your results in agreement with your hypothesis?  Discuss this, and try to explain any discrepancies.  What are the main points of uncertainty in interpreting your data?  You may speculate, but acknowledge that you are doing that.  Include suggestions that you may have for improving the design of the tests.  If you use material from other sources to support your discussion, you must cite the reference.

Literature Cited: Use the APA format for citations within the paper and in your reference list.  Consult  http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/if you are unfamiliar with this format.