IB Internal Assessment (Lab) Scoring

DATA COLLECTION & PROCESSING (DCP)

DCP- Aspect 1Recording raw data

Complete/2 Records appropriate quantitative and associated qualitative raw data, including units and uncertainties where relevant.

Partial/1 Records appropriate quantitative and associated qualitative raw data, but with some mistakes or omissions.

Not at all/0 Does not record any appropriate quantitative raw data OR raw data is incomprehensible.

DCP- Aspect 1: Recording raw data

What is “raw” data?• Quantitative & Qualitative data that you

directly collect during the lab (BEFORE any math is done)– Mass– Volume– Temperature– Observations (qualitative)

What needs to be included in DCP- Aspect 1: Recording raw data?

• Title of Data Table• Columns & rows completely labeled• Observations• Level of equipment uncertainty• Level of precision in recorded data remains

constant (same number of decimal places)

Title of Data Table; must be…

• Numbered – Table 1: -------

• Descriptive: includes both DV & IDV as well as detail– Table 1: Initial & Final Mass of a Dialysis Tube

Containing Five Different Concentrations of Sucrose Solution When Immersed for 20 Minutes

Columns & rows completely labeled; must have…

• Complete label for column (or row)– Correct Concentration of Sucrose Solution– Incorrect Concentration– Incorrect Concentration of Solution– Incorrect Solution Concentration

• Units!!– (M) for Molarity– Always use metric system (no “pounds” or “inches”)

• If Data table goes onto a 2nd page, you must include complete column headings again

Concentration of Sucrose Solution

(M)

Initial Mass (g) Final mass (g)

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

NOTICE!! The units are ONLY at the top next to the label. Units do NOT go next to the data (#) being recorded.

Concentration of Sucrose Solution

(M)

Initial Mass (g) Final mass (g)

0

0.2

Concentration of Sucrose Solution

(M)

Initial Mass (g) Final mass (g)

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

Page 1

Page 2

Observations; must have…

• Detail – If recording data over time (ex: each day for a

week), then you will have specific observations every day

– Important for your conclusion! (sources of error)• If you state it in conclusion, must be in observations

• Description – Be specific as to what you see but do not draw

conclusions here

Concentration of Sucrose Solution

(M)

Initial Mass (g)

Final mass (g)

Observations

0 Not sticky; bag has resistance; water dripping from string

0.2 Etc.

0.4 Etc.

0.6 Etc.

0.8 Etc.

1.0 Very sticky; bag looks more wrinkly

Date Numbers of Days Passed

Height of Plant (cm)

Observations

9/6/12 0 1.3 3 leaves (all green); stem straight

9/7/12 1 1.4 3 leaves (2 all green & 1 has a small brown spot); stem straight

9/8/12 2 1.4 3 leaves (2 all green & 1 has a small brown spot); stem straight; 2 small gnats flying around

9/9/12 3 1.6 A 4th leaf has sprouted; gnats not visible today

9/10/12 4 1.7 4th leaf green and the 1 brown spot is bigger today (2 mm diameter)

9/13/12 7 2.1 2nd stem beginning to branch out; leaves are the same

Example 1

Example 2

Equipment uncertainity

• IB Bio is different for error than IB Chemistry (yea!)

• IB Bio only requires that you look at the equipment you are using when collecting data; list the uncertainty for that equipment only (degree of precision is ± the smallest division on the instrument)– Ex for a scale: if the scale measures to the hundredths place, the

equip. uncertainty is +/- 0.01g (can be found on bottom of scale) 0.05g error for scale + 0.05g error when massing an object = .1g

– Do NOT list for anything the teacher provides (example- if I make a solution for you, do not include uncertainty of graduated cylinder)

• List that information in 1 place near your raw data table

56 mL +/- 0.5mL

+/- 0.1g 0.05g error for scale + 0.05g error when massing an object = .1g

+/- 0.01g

Date Numbers of Days Passed

Height of Plant

(+/- 0.1cm)

Observations

9/6/12 0 1.3 3 leaves (all green); stem straight

9/7/12 1 1.4 3 leaves (2 all green & 1 has a small brown spot); stem straight

9/8/12 2 1.4 3 leaves (2 all green & 1 has a small brown spot); stem straight; 2 small gnats flying around

9/9/12 3 1.6 A 4th leaf has sprouted; gnats not visible today

9/10/12 4 1.7 4th leaf green and the 1 brown spot is bigger today (2 mm diameter)

9/13/12 7 2.1 2nd stem beginning to branch out; leaves are the same

Table 1: Height of Wisconsin Fast Plant When Exposed to Blue Wavelengths of Light over 7 Days

Uncertainty of ruler measurement: +/- 0.1cm

#’d and descriptive Title

Observations- detailed

Uncertainty(here or in column heading)

Complete column label with units

Height of Plant (+/- 0.1cm)

Date Numbers of Days Passed

Blue Light

Green Light

Red Light

Yellow Light

White Light

Observations

9/6/12 0 1.3 1.0 #.# #.# #.# B: 3 leaves (all green); stem straightG: ------R: ------Y:-----

W:-----

9/7/12 1 1.4 #.# #.# #.# #.# B: 3 leaves (2 all green & 1 has a small brown spot); stem straight

G: ------R: ------Y:-----

W:-----

9/8/12 2 1.4 #.# #.# #.# #.# B: 3 leaves (2 all green & 1 has a small brown spot); stem straight; 2 small

gnats flying aroundG: ------R: ------Y:-----

W:-----

9/9/12 3 1.6 #.# #.# #.# #.# B: A 4th leaf has sprouted; gnats not visible today

G: Etc…

9/10/12 4 1.7 #.# #.# #.# #.# B: 4th leaf green and the 1 brown spot is bigger today (2 mm diameter)

G: Etc…

9/13/12 7 2.1 #.# #.# #.# #.# B: 2nd stem beginning to branch out; leaves are the same

G: Etc…

Table 1: Trial #1- Height of Wisconsin Fast Plants When Exposed to Five Different Light Wavelengths over 7 Days

NOTE: how to label data when

have 2 titles for a column

(height & color)

NOTE: data is all showing same # of decimal places

(“1.0” not “1”)

NOTE: observations for all colors each

day

Practice scoring this table:

Mini-checklist:• Title of Data Table• Columns & rows completely labeled• Observations• Level of equipment uncertainty• Level of precision

Complete/2 Records appropriate quantitative and associated qualitative raw data, including units and uncertainties where relevant.

Partial/1 Records appropriate quantitative and associated qualitative raw data, but with some mistakes or omissions.

Not at all/0 Does not record any appropriate quantitative raw data OR raw data is incomprehensible.

DESIGN- Aspect 2Processing raw data

Complete/2 Processes the quantitative data correctly.

Partial/1 Processes quantitative data, but with some mistakes and/or omissions.

Not at all/0 No processing of quantitative raw data is carried out OR major mistakes are made in processing.

DESIGN- Aspect 2 Processing raw data

What is “processed” data?• This is the final data that you will use in order to

answer your original research question.• If your question is looking to compare a rate, such as a

growth rate:– Raw data: height (cm) for each unit of time(day)– Processed data amount of growth in cm per day (cm/day)

• You will use math (or a computer will use math) in order to convert your raw data into processed data.– An average is NOT considered enough to be counted as

data processing (even though you will need to average trials before continuing into “processing”)

In order to process your data:

• You need to consider what data you have & what you want the data to look like in order to answer your question.

• If you are doing the math, you must show 1 example of each type of calculation.– Should come between raw data and your presentation of your

processed data (table showing what you calculated)

• Also, in order to earn a “complete” for Aspect 2 in DCP, you must use all of your data points while processing.

Which processing is the weakest?• Background Raw data includes height of plant every

school day totally 10 data points over 12 days (plant still grows over the weekend)

• trying to calculate rate of growth (cm/day)1. (final height – initial height) /12 days

2. Graph raw data & take slope of the line

3. Calculate rate of growth between each recorded data point & then calculate the average

Time (days)

Hei

ght o

f Fas

t pla

nt (c

m)

Score for Aspect 2 would be a “1”

Examples of scoring:• Background Raw data includes height of plant every school day

totally 10 data points over 12 days (plant still grows over the weekend)

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 100

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

f(x) = 0.21030303030303 x + 1.06363636363636

Time (day)

Heig

ht o

f Fas

t Pla

nt (c

m)

0 2 4 6 8 10 120

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

f(x) = 0.160350877192982 x + 1.1280701754386

Time (day)

Heig

ht o

f Fas

t pla

nt (c

m)

Didn’t take weekends into account;Slope (growth rate)= 0.21cm/day

SCORE: 0 major mistake!

Took weekends into account;Slope (growth rate)= 0.16cm/day

DESIGN- Aspect 3Presenting processed data

Complete/2 Presents processed data appropriately and, where relevant, includes error bars and uncertainties.

Partial/1 Presents processed data appropriately, but with some mistakes and/or omissions.

Not at all/0 Presents processed data inappropriately OR incomprehensibly.

Presentation= Table & Graph• When presenting your processed data in a table, it can be a new table or

an extra column in an existing table.

• Just like all tables, it needs to have a complete title, column headings, degree of precision, etc.

• Also need to take into account SIG FIGS – Don’t show your processed data to be more precise than the equipment you

used to collect the data

• FYI: If your lab dealt with counting living organisms, then IB expects you to round to the nearest whole organism at the end in processing & then present that number. Show BOTH unrounded & rounded!– Sometimes the rounding of living organisms makes it look like there wasn’t a

difference (ex: 1.4 #/day vs. 0.6 #/day both round to 1 #/day)

• Graphs are also numbered & have the same title as your table

• Be sure you have the right type of graph• When labeling bar graphs (Excel calls them

“column” graphs), take note of how to label the x-axis:

0 0.2 0.4 0.6

-16

-14

-12

-10

-8

-6

-4

-2

0

Wavelength/Color of Light

Aver

age

Rate

of F

ast P

lant

Gro

wth

(cm

/day

)0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7

-16

-14

-12

-10

-8

-6

-4

-2

0

Concentration of Sucrose Solution (M)

Perc

ent C

hang

e in

mas

s (%

)

Complete label & unit below; ONLY numbers on x-axis line

ºC should not be part of axis; it should only be underneath next to “temperature”

FYI: This person also included equipment uncertainty here, but it isn’t necessary.

Asp 1- Scoring Practice: Why is this a “1/ partial?”Where are the observations??

Temp listed under “maggot #”

Should have table #!

Asp 2- Scoring Practice: Why is this a “1?”

Missing the example/sample calculation!

What if this student had only calculated an average?An average is NOT sufficient math to be considered processing! Therefore, there isn’t any processing.

Asp 3- Scoring Practice: Why is this a “1/ partial?”

Processed data should ALSO be in a table!

Units do not go on x-axis! They go with the label

Units go at the top of the column only!