Lab Report Environmental Science
Soil Analysis Lab ReportPlease follow the template exactly… and read through the entire thing.Please for the directors exactly… and read those as well.Should you have any questions, please let me know ASAP.DIRECTIONS: 3.2 LAB (Soil Analysis) Directions and SupportUse this document to help you focus your research, and organize your thoughts on the required components.Part 1: Researching pertinent background information and citing sourcesClick here to read about the activity and purpose of this lab investigation.You may want to start a Google Doc where you can keep track of your thoughts, notes, sources, etc.Research peer reviewed studies that have been conducted on soil. Once you enter soil in the search engine, you will see more specific categories to search if soil is too broad for youMake sure to use Google Scholar as your search engine so that it filters through peer-reviewed sources.Watch this video to get an idea of how to use Google Scholar.Select and summarize one or more of the studies.Make sure to maintain your citations (watch the video in 3b if you arent sure how to do this).Research peer reviewed studies that have been conducted on ONE of the soil characteristics that we will analyze in this experiment. You may choose from the following:Soil structureSoil pHSoil potassiumSoil phosphorusSoil nitrogenSelect and summarize one or more studies on the soil test you selected in step #4.Part 2: Developing your hypothesisWe calculated the relative density and relative frequency of five prairie plants in our first lab. Your hypothesis for this lab should be a possible explanation for that data (see figures 1 and 2 below) based on the soil tests we are conducting.Based on your research from part 1, #3 and #4 above, develop a hypothesis for the different relative density and frequency patterns between the two reconstructed prairies.Note: A hypothesis is a testable prediction, but we havent tested this yet, so you cannot be wrong!Feel free to use this format for your hypothesis if you arent sure how to write one.(insert on observation about the different density or frequency patterns between the two prairies) could be explained by (insert soil test), because . . .You could strengthen your hypothesis by including peer-reviewed studies on the soil requirements of one of the prairie plants.Part 3: Writing the introductionSummarize the purpose of investigating soil characteristics. (See Part 1, #1)Summary of current research/literature related to the topic. You should have at least TWO (2) outside sources cited. One should be about soil. The other should be about one of the tests that we are conducting in this lab.Use Google ScholarMust be from peer-reviewed journalsInclude internal citations following MLA formatHypothesis for the study you are conducting (not the ones you cited)Your hypothesis should be written in this format: (insert on observation about the different density or frequency patterns between the two prairies) could be explained by (insert soil test), because . . .Part 4: Finishing up the report.Click here to open up the template you are to use to finish the report, and finish writing all sections.Click here to view the rubric that will be used to score your report.Make sure to look at the feedback you received on your last report so that you know what you did well, and what you need to improve on in this lab report.This report is the reassessment of the last lab report, and therefore your grades on this report will replace the grades on the last lab report.