OBSERVING, RECORDING AND REPORTINGORR – BIOLOGY LAB SKILLS

WHAT IS THE ORR SKILL?

• For this skill, the teacher is evaluating the students’ ability to make and record observations and then report them faithfully.

• The report should be clear and accurate enough that someone who did not see the original observation or investigation can understand what took place.

• Students must have done the lab themselves and be confident in describing what they saw.

What is Observation?

• Observation is using all your senses to find out about your surroundings, with due regard for your safety.

• Senses are sight, touch and hearing. Smell and taste are rarely to be used in the lab.

• Observe colour changes in food tests, volume or mass of substances, length, count the number of organisms, describe physical characteristics – similarities and differences.

• Some observations must be done more than once and then averaged.

• Observations should be recorded, most times in a table, or diagrams.

GENERAL CRITERIA TO ASSESS ORR1. FORMAT – neat and laid out in order

• Title • Aim• Apparatus and materials• Method• Diagram• Results – with observations• Discussion• Conclusion • Limitations/ Sources of Error

2. LANGUAGE – must be clear and concise; method in PAST TENSE3. AIM – clearly states the purpose of what the student has done4. APPARATUS AND MATERIALS – must be a complete list5. METHOD – a correct sequence or numbered list in PAST TENSE; a diagram with a TITLE in

CAPITALS below must be included6. OBSERVATIONS/ RESULTS – choose either a table, graph or pie chart to display the data

collected. All tables MUST HAVE A TITLE7. DISCUSSION – includes explanations for observations and particular steps or precautions in

the method. USE PARAGRAPHS

Keen Observations and Proper Recording = Great Reporting

• A good report relies on making good (accurate and precise) observations and taking records

• Most times, you will have to record qualitative (descriptions) or quantitative (numerical) data. Usually a table helps.

• There are other ways to record (or present) data, for example– Line graphs– Bar charts– Histographs– Pie chartsMost of these graphs or charts are made using data from a table

TABLES

• The table should be set up before you begin the experiment or activity.

• Based on your aim, you will have some variable that you want to change in order to observe some expected biological phenomenon – this is called the manipulated variable

• You will need to decide what you are going to observe or measure and ultimately record – this is actually called the responding variable

• You decide how many columns and rows and what headings to put in.The manipulated variable is usually the first column, followed by the responding variable.

PARTS OF A TABLE• Look at the sample table below – it shows the parts of a table – title,

columns, rows, headings (top row), units, borders, values

TABLE SHOWING THE EFFECT OF EXERCISE ON THE BREATHING RATE OF FORM1 STUDENTS.

Note – this table may take up 7 or more lines, plan this out!; if units are written in the headings, then you do not write them back into each box of the table

Duration of exercise (mins)

Breathing rate (no. of breaths per minute)

Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 Average

0 – resting 50 55 57 54

1 60 65 65 63

2 69 75 77 74

3 80 85 89 85

4 80 86 89 85

Headings row(s)

Units

row

column

Title

Borders

LINE GRAPHSA line graph shows the relationship between two numerical variables. The experimenter changes the values of one of these.• Use a PENCIL and ruler to draw on a graph page.• The graph should be large – at least half the graph paper – this affects your scale • The horizontal axis - x axis is the independent variable – it is what the

experimenter changes – manipulated variable.• The vertical axis – y axis is the dependent variable – it is what is recorded –

responding variable• Choose the scales : evenly divide each axis by making small lines. They do not

need to start at zero. • State your scale in a corner of the graph page (x-axis:1cm represents ? units and

y-axis: 1cm represents?? units)• Label the axes and place their units in brackets.• Plot points should be either a dot in a circle O or a neat x or +.• Join points one after the other - growth; or get a line of best fit (curve) for rates.

Ignore any single points far away from the curve (but discuss this!)• Add a TITLE above the graph.

Example of a Line GraphScale:X-axis: 1cm rep. 1 dayY-axis: 1cm rep. 5 g

BAR CHARTS

Used when only one variable is numerical and the other is qualitative (descriptive).• Draw this on graph paper; use a ruler and

EVERYTHING should be in PENCIL• There are 2 axes (write their names and units)– X axis – horizontal axis – independent or manipulated

variable– Y axis – vertical axis – dependent or responding variable

• There should be a TITLE above the chart

Example of a Bar Chart

HISTOGRAM

Histograms are a special kind of bar chart. They are used when both variables (manipulated and responding) are numerical and one of the variables is continuous and can be grouped into sets.• Use graph paper, a ruler and a PENCIL• Group the manipulated variable into ranges – sets of 5units

apart• Bars MUST TOUCH each other (data is continuous)• Label each axis, put units in brackets, and state a scale on

the graph• Give a TITLE above the graph.

Example of a Histogram

PIE CHARTS

Pie charts are made up of sectors. Sectors show relative sizes of the parts that make the whole.• Each sector has an angle that can be worked

out of 360 degrees• Use a compass to draw the circle, then a

protractor to get the sector angles• Label each sector with percentages; or use a

key.• Give a TITLE below the pie chart

Example of a Pie Chart

ORR Sample Markscheme 1Ecological study of a pond ecosystem and its immediate surroundings at the Wild Fowl Trust in Pointe-a-Pierre

CRITERIA MARKSCorrect format of the lab – correct order or write-up 1

List of ALL apparatus used – quadrats, line transect, flags, clipboard, species identification charts, notebooks, cameras, buckets, nets, water,

1

Drawing -map of entire ecosystem with the 2 study areas- Leaves of grass species in quadrat sampling

11

Construction of

- 4 food chains- food web in a pond- pie chart- title for food web and pie chart in CAPITALS

1111

Table recording - % cover of each species and abiotic factors in quadrats 1

Table recording the organisms in each level of the pond 1

Each table has an appropriate TITLE above them 1

Showing calculation of species density 1

Showing calculation of degrees for the pie chart 1

Discussion - background – purpose of ecology and sampling - explanation of the findings – relate biotic to abiotic factors for vegetative study

11

Conclusion 1

TOTAL 20

ORR Sample Markscheme 2Demonstration of osmosis in raisins and cucumbers

CRITERIA MARKS

Correct format of lab (date, title, aim, …..conclusion) 1

All apparatus listed (1 missing = 0 marks) 1

Method – in PAST TENSE, all steps written 1

Drawing of the set-up of the apparatus (with TITLE BELOW) 1

Results – observation of raisin at start and end 2

Results – observation of cucumber at start and at end 2

Table has an appropriate title 1

Discussion – goes over the concepts and reasons for the changes observed – explains osmosis

1

TOTAL 10

ORR Sample markscheme 3AIM: To investigate the effect of different concentrations of salt solution on potato tissueCRITERIA MARKS

Observation Differences in texture before and after immersion noted (x4) 1

Differences in dimensions noted (x4) 1

Recording Neatly constructed 4x2 table 1

Title is self explanatory - above the table 1

Heading appropriate – including units 1

Table with differences included 1

Reporting Aim clearly stated 1

All apparatus and materials used is listed 1

Method - ALL steps in the correct sequence - in PAST TENSE

2

Diagram is neat, labelled with a TITLE IN CAPITALS below it 3

Discussion - knowledge of osmosis, explaining the changes 3

Report is clearly written in standard English 1

TOTAL 17