Checklist for presenting lab reports for Biology 3500
(Ecology) labs, and for ANY future presentation you may make for ANY class or
project:
General:
1.
Provide an appropriate title.
2.
Acknowledge your partners/collaborators.
Data presentation:
You MUST turn in the RAW data you collect during lab with your labs for
this class.
Everything you present in tabular or other form will be either a Table or
a Figure – graphs, photos, maps, drawings, etc. are all Figures.
For Tables:
1.
The word “Table” goes at the TOP.
When there is more than one Table, the first is labelled “Table 1”, the
second “Table 2” and so on.
2.
Each Table must have an appropriate
title (see below) following the word “Table”.
3.
All columns of data that have units MUST
have the units indicated.
This can be at the top of each column; you do not need to enter units
with each entry.
For Figures:
1.
The word “Figure” goes at the BOTTOM.
When there is more than one Figure, the first is labelled “Figure 1”, the
second “Figure 2” and so on.
2.
Each Figure must have an appropriate
caption (see below) following the word “Figure”.
3.
If the figure is a graph, then it must
have ALL of the following:
a.
Appropriate scaling – both axes must be evenly “spaced” representing the data
b.
Both axes should be set up to accompany the data; do NOT waste space on the
graph with numbers that are not represented in the data.
c.
Both axes must be appropriately labelled
d.
Both axes must have appropriate units
e.
Data points must be appropriately plotted; if two or more different sets of data
are plotted on the same graph, then the points must be clearly distinguishable
f.
If lines are required, then you need to decide whether the data points should be
connected, or if a line of “best fit” needs to be used (we’ll discuss this).
Titles
for Tables and captions for Figures:
1.
This should be a description of what
is in the Table or Figure. “Table
of height vs. diameter data” for instance is NOT enough of a description.
2.
If one or a couple of species are represented by the data, then the NAMES of the
species should go in the caption,
INCLUDING the scientific name
(italicized).
3.
Location
of collection of data should go in the caption as well.
Look in ANY textbook at examples of Tables and Figures.
You should strive to make yours look similar to those.