CHEMISTRY LAB REPORT RUBRIC

Lab Report Element

Advanced

Proficient

Needs improvement

Warning

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND
What question are you trying to answer or what
is the purpose of the experiment? What
background knowledge have you learned about
this topic before the lab?

Clearly states the purpose of the lab

using relevant scientific vocabulary.
Background information is complete
and accurate.

States a purpose with some

background information.

States a purpose that is

correct OR provides
appropriate background
information.

States an incorrect purpose

and provides incomplete
background information.

HYPOTHESIS
A scientific prediction to answer your question
based on background knowledge. It must be
written as an If.then... statement.

If then statement that predicts

how independent variables affect
dependent variables and includes
appropriate background knowledge
from the Introduction.

If then statement predicts

how independent variables
affect dependent variables.

Prediction includes
appropriate variables, but
does not use If then
format, OR independent and
dependent variables are
used incorrectly.

Variables are not related to

the lab, or hypothesis is not
provided.

MATERIALS
List all of the materials you used.

Clearly lists all materials.

Lists some materials.

Lists less than half of the

materials.

Does not list materials

used.

PROCEDURES
What steps did you follow during your
experiment? Be very specific! This should be
written in past-tense, paragraph form.

Includes detailed procedure in past

tense, paragraph form.

Includes procedure in proper

format with most of details.

Includes procedure but not

in correct format OR
procedure is missing some
details.

No procedure included.

DATA/SUMMARY (EVIDENCE)
Observations, charts, graphs and/or drawings to
present all the data you collected during the lab.
Then summarize the data in a few sentences.

Data/observations in table format. All

tables and graphs are appropriately
labelled. Data or observations are fully
summarized in paragraph format.

Data/observations in table
format. Most tables and graphs
are appropriately labelled. Most
data/observations are
summarized in paragraph
format.

Either data tables are not

labelled and/or complete OR
data is not summarized.

No data provided.

CONCLUSION (REASONING)
Explain why you think you got the results that
you did. Does your evidence support or reject
your hypothesis? What did you learn about the
relevant scientific principles?

Clearly explains scientific principles.

Supports or rejects hypothesis, by
clearly linking claim to evidence.
Discussion questions are correctly
answered.

Most of the scientific principles

are explained. Supports or
rejects hypothesis based on
evidence. Incorrectly answers
some discussion questions.

Some scientific principles

are stated. Does not clearly
support or reject hypothesis.
Incorrectly answers
discussion questions.

Does not explain scientific

principles, identify the
outcome of the hypothesis
and discussion questions.

CLARITY OF WRITING/FORMAT
Each part of the lab report should be labelled
clearly and in the correct sequence.. Check for
complete sentences and spelling. Did you type
or use pen? Did you remember to only write on
one side of the paper?

Typed or written neatly in pen.

Uses complete sentences with no
spelling errors. Lab report follows
the correct format and sequence.

Typed or written legibly in

pen. Spelling and
grammatical errors do not
interfere with clarity of the
lab. Lab report follows the
correct sequence and format.

Not written neatly OR

spelling and grammatical
errors interfere with clarity
of the lab. One or more
parts of the lab is not in
the correct sequence.

Not written neatly and

has many spelling and
grammatical errors. The
sequence is not correct.

LAB CONDUCT/PARTICIPATION
Followed all lab safety expectations and
completed lab (in class or make-up).

Completes all assigned work,

performs all lab procedures and is
on task.

Completes most assigned

work with some inaccuracies
and mostly on task.

Completes some work

despite several errors.
Sometimes on task.

Completes little or no
work and/or disruptive or
dangerous behavior.