Rubric for Assessing Laboratory Experiences

 

Report/Write-up

Demonstrates:

No or Insufficient Evidence

Approaches Criteria

Achieves Criteria

Exceeds Criteria

 

Understanding

the Purpose of the Experiment

 

·         Creates a Hypothesis that makes no sense OR is irrelevant to the problem or question

·         Does not hand in or present a hypothesis

·         Creates a clearly-stated hypothesis that responds directly to the problem or question                     (Problem/Hypothesis)

·         Explains the importance of the experimental question to the class project or unit        (Discussion)

·         Creates a clearly-stated hypothesis that responds directly to the problem or question, AND that uses background information to support it                    (Problem/Hypothesis)

·         Explains the importance AND the limitations of the experimental question  (Discussion)

ALL of “Achieves” plus:

·         Uses 2 or more outside resources to support hypothesis

 

Understanding

the Design of the Experiment

 

·         Does not hand in a Pre-lab assignment

OR

·         Diagrams or explains in words the need for/function of less than 75% of all materials

OR

·        Explains the purpose of less than 75% of the steps of the procedure and why the order of the steps is important

·         Correctly diagrams or explains in words the need for/function of at least 75% of all materials used in the experiment                        (Pre-lab Assignment)

·         Correctly explains the purpose of 75% of the steps of the procedure and why the order of the steps is important (Pre-lab Assignment)

·         Correctly diagrams or explains in words the need for/function of all materials used in the experiment (Pre-lab Assignment)

·         Correctly explains the purpose of all steps of the procedure and why the order of the steps is important (Pre-lab Assignment)

·         Logically predicts 2 sources of error when conducting the experiment (Pre-lab Assignment)

ALL of “Achieves” plus:

·        Offers 2 or more suggestions for conducting the experiment with accuracy

 

Organizing and Presenting Data

 

·         Does not gather data OR does not include data

 

·         Does not include all data gathered in the experiment

OR

·         Does not appropriately and completely label, color-code or otherwise indicate all parts of the organizer

OR

·         Does not include units or sufficient descriptions for all data

·        Includes all data gathered in the experiment

·        Appropriately and completely labels, color-codes or otherwise indicates all parts of the organizer

·        Includes all units for all quantitative measurements and calculations AND/OR Includes sufficient descriptions for all qualitative observations

ALL of “Achieves” plus:

·         Creates 2 or more organizers to present the same data

OR

·         Synthesizes the presentation of all data into a single appropriate organizer

Analyzing Data

 

Does NOT do 2 or more of the following:

·         List possible sources of error

·         Explain whether or not/why the original hypothesis was confirmed

·         Offer new questions

·         Use ONLY experimental data to support the explanation

·         Notes possible sources of error

·         Explains whether or not/why the original hypothesis was confirmed, but ignores some experimental data when supporting the explanation

·         Offers 1 new experimental question directly related to findings in this experiment

·        Notes possible sources AND approximate degrees of error

·        Explains whether or not/why the original hypothesis was confirmed, using ONLY experimental data to support the explanation

·        Offers 2 new experimental questions directly related to findings in this experiment

ALL of “Achieves” plus:

·         Takes one of the new experimental questions and outlines a design for a new experiment

OR

·        Re-does the same experiment to reduce error