Presenting Results

Collecting and Recording Data

Conduct experiments in a methodical and systematic way, in order to gather reliable data which can be analysed and interpreted later.
Always take accurate measurements, making sure to record the units.
Clearly label all observations and results in a tabular format where appropriate.

Processing and Presenting Data

Use appropriate calculations to process raw data where necessary, and clearly show your working out.
Plot graphs when applicable; ensure they are drawn with accuracy using a suitable scale. The independent variable should be on the x-axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis.
Label the axes with the variable name and unit.
Choose an appropriate graph type based on the nature of data. Scatter plots are used for continuous variables, while bar graphs are used for categorical variables.

Error Analysis

Recognise and analyse potential errors in your experiment. These could be systematic errors, random errors, or personal errors.
Calculate the percentage errors of your measurements. This provides a measure of how accurate your results are.
Understand how errors could affect your results and conclusions, and potentially how they could be reduced or eliminated in the future.

Conclusions

Compare your results with predicted or theoretical values to assess their accuracy.
Give a clear, concise summary of what the results show and how they relate to the experiment’s aim.
Make sure to analyse and interpret your data. Don’t just present raw data, but draw conclusions from your findings.
Highlight any anomalies or outliers in your data and discuss possible reasons for these.

Evaluation

Comment on the reliability of your results, using repetitions of experiments or comparing findings to reference values.
Suggest improvements to your methodology or ways to extend your investigation, highlighting the justifications for these suggestions.
Remember that constructive criticism is part of scientific research and contributes to its progress and development.

Taking care in each of these areas can make the difference between a good experiment and a great one and will aid greatly in building a firm understanding of practical chemical experiments.