How to write an ADI report (Section 2: Methods)

Materials Needed

• Lab Journal
• Your Google Docs spreadsheet
• Report Checklist
• Google Docs Report Template

General Guidelines

• Follow the exact order of the checklist, except for expectation 4 (See the explanations that follow).
• Everything must be in your own words, unless you are quoting something.
• Use correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar in every sentence.

Task 1: Open your Google Docs document

• Use Chrome, Firefox, or IE9 for your web browser.
• In a new tab, open the Google Docs document that you created when you wrote the Introduction section. 
• Keep the tab with your report open as you work through the checklist.

Task 2: Read the Methods section of the Report Checklist

The expectations list for the Methods section will be the same for every ADI report you write.

Task 3: Describe your testing set-up and the reasons for your choices.

Expectation 1

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• Write one sentence for each line of the Variables Chart in your journal to describe your set up. 
• A sentence should also explain why (reasons) each variable and/or setting was used.

Expectation 4

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Example:"When we ran our tests, the car always had 2 weights attached. This was done to keep the mass of the car constant."

Task 4a: Describe how you ran your very first trial and the reasons for your choices.

Expectation 2 & 3

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Expectation 4

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• Describe how you ran your first trial using the headings from your spreadsheet as reminders.
• A sentence should also explain why (reasons) each variable and/or setting was used.

Example: "For our first trial we released the car with 1 weight attached from the top of a ramp set two holes from the bottom. We timed the wing of the car as it rolled through a photogate set at 120cm on the ramp so we could calculate the speed."

Task 4b: Describe the number of trials and changes made during each round of testing

Expectation 2 & 3

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Expectation 4

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• Tell how many trials were run for each round of testing and why you ran that number of trials. 
• Describe what was changed for the other rounds of testing and why the change was made.

Example: "We ran our first test one time. On our other rounds of testing we changed the ramp angle to 8, 12, and 14 holes from the bottom to see if the ramp angle would affect the car's speed. We only used one trial for each round because we ran out of time."

Task 5:Identify & define the investigation

Expectations 5 & 6

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• This sentence should name and define the type of investigation that you ran.
• Use the table at the right to help you decide which type of investigation you ran.

Example: "Our investigation was a meta-analysis because we did not run any trials and we simply analyzed existing data sets."

Task 6: Clean up the section

Expectations 7 & 8

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• Do not type anything for these expectations.
• Remove any sentence that is simply a listing of equipment without explaining how it was used.
• Double-check this section and remove any items that mention the claim or outcome of your testing. (Don't give away the ending:)

Congratulations!

• If you followed the Methods checklist, you should receive full credit for your introduction.
• Double-check your Methods section one more time and correct any errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, or grammar.