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Pre-Lab Assignments
For students in lab courses, nothing feels more pointless than just going through the motions of a lab procedure without understanding why it is significant. Emphasize to students that experimental science is the basis for the models they learn about in lecture. Lab, unlike lecture, represents professional science in practice. Lab also represents a playground where curiosity is sparked and scientific theories are put to the test. If students recognize this, they will gain a better understanding of what science truly is and may be more motivated in their lab work.
Preparing students for lab involves the following:
- Helping students understand the models, theories, and principles addressed in the lab procedure — giving them a conceptual framework for the lab
- Ensuring that students know how the lab fits into the course content
- Outlining the lab procedure and data analysis
- Orienting students to the relevant equipment and safety procedures
A well designed pre-lab assignment can serve all these functions. Pre-lab assignments are tasks or homework that students complete before arriving in class for the lab period. Pre-lab assignments motivate students to prepare for the lab and help them connect conceptual understanding with an experiment.
There are several advantages for students in using a pre-lab assignment:
- Students come better prepared for the lab exercise.
- Experiments and exercises go more smoothly because students are familiar with the processes.
- Their understanding of the material is heightened.
There are advantages for the instructor as well:
- The assignment can streamline the process of writing a pre-lab introduction .
- The assignment can make it easier to teach the theory behind the lab, since students will have a firmer understanding of the principles behind it.
For many of the lab classes you will teach, the professor may already have pre-lab assignments written for you to give your students. However, in cases where there are no pre-lab assignments written into the course already, you may choose to create and implement your own.
Designing a Pre-Lab Assignment
Concepts and types of questions.
First, think about the models and questions you feel are important to address in a pre-lab assignment. What do you want your students to have understood or thought about before they arrive in lab?
In order to help students frame the lab experiment, consider the main question your students should become able to answer:
- What question is this lab experiment answering?
- How will your data answer this question?
- How will you collect this data?
- How will you minimize ambiguity and control variables?
Here are some of the topics you might ask your students to think about in a pre-lab exercise:
- concepts, theory, and models
- procedure and methods (for an example see the Teaching Effectiveness Award essay by Jessica Smith [Chemistry], A Pre-Lab Assignment for a More Efficient and Effective Laboratory )
- troubleshooting and other experimental issues
- prediction of trends in data or other qualitative questions about data
- quantitative questions such as calculations with simulated data
- interpretation of simulated results
Linking to the Pre-Lab Introduction
It is important to consider how you will introduce the lab on the day of the lab section. It is most common to give a short pre-lab introduction .
- Connecting the questions and concepts addressed in your pre-lab assignment with those that you plan to address in your pre-lab introduction helps make certain that these two aspects of lab preparation complement each other.
- Use discussion of the pre-lab assignment as a starting point for the pre-lab introduction and as a tool for introducing the lab. In fact, you should go over at least some part of the pre-lab assignment at the beginning of the lab period. This ensures that students have understood the material and concepts therein before the lab exercise begins.
Here are several ways that you may format your pre-lab assignment, each with advantages or disadvantages depending on the material, your class, and the outcomes you wish to achieve from the assignment:
- Worksheet done before lab (handed in at the beginning of lab): This format works well if you can create well-defined questions to help your students consider some theory or concepts related to the lab. Sometimes giving students sample calculations, data, or experiments on a worksheet is also helpful, if the lab material lends itself to this approach.
- Assignment worth a few points (handed in at the beginning of lab): This is useful when preparing for the lab requires students to research information on their own. You can also make this a small group assignment that a lab group or lab partners can do together to prepare for lab or to think about important concepts relating to the lab.
- Quiz at the start of lab : This is most useful if you want to ensure your students are preparing for lab on their own by reading the lab or background materials in advance. Again, it works well if the quiz can function as a starting point for discussion or an introduction to the lab.
- Preparation of lab notebook (checked at the start of lab): This can work well if having a comprehensive lab notebook is crucial to the students’ understanding of the lab material (anatomy courses, involving dissections and labeling structures, are one example). Checking the students’ lab notebooks can help confirm that students are making the best use of their lab time and taking away the most valuable information from the lab. It also is an incentive for students to organize their lab material well, thus maximizing the benefits of the lab period.
- Quiz on the web to be completed before class (currently implemented in Chemistry 1A at UC Berkeley): Pre-lab web quizzes can be an excellent way to use technology to help your students prepare for lab. Having students take the quiz on the web before class will alert you to problems that students are having in understanding lab material. You can then take this into consideration when introducing the lab on the day of section.
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Ideas for Psychology Experiments
Inspiration for psychology experiments is all around if you know where to look
Psychology experiments can run the gamut from simple to complex. Students are often expected to design—and sometimes perform—their own experiments, but finding great experiment ideas can be a little challenging. Fortunately, inspiration is all around if you know where to look—from your textbooks to the questions that you have about your own life.
Always discuss your idea with your instructor before beginning your experiment—particularly if your research involves human participants. (Note: You'll probably need to submit a proposal and get approval from your school's institutional review board.)
At a Glance
If you are looking for an idea for psychology experiments, start your search early and make sure you have the time you need. Doing background research, choosing an experimental design, and actually performing your experiment can be quite the process. Keep reading to find some great psychology experiment ideas that can serve as inspiration. You can then find ways to adapt these ideas for your own assignments.
15 Ideas for Psychology Experiments
Most of these experiments can be performed easily at home or at school. That said, you will need to find out if you have to get approval from your teacher or from an institutional review board before getting started.
The following are some questions you could attempt to answer as part of a psychological experiment:
- Are people really able to "feel like someone is watching" them ? Have some participants sit alone in a room and have them note when they feel as if they are being watched. Then, see how those results line up to your own record of when participants were actually being observed.
- Can certain colors improve learning ? You may have heard teachers or students claim that printing text on green paper helps students read better, or that yellow paper helps students perform better on math exams. Design an experiment to see whether using a specific color of paper helps improve students' scores on math exams.
- Can color cause physiological reactions ? Perform an experiment to determine whether certain colors cause a participant's blood pressure to rise or fall.
- Can different types of music lead to different physiological responses ? Measure the heart rates of participants in response to various types of music to see if there is a difference.
- Can smelling one thing while tasting another impact a person's ability to detect what the food really is ? Have participants engage in a blind taste test where the smell and the food they eat are mismatched. Ask the participants to identify the food they are trying and note how accurate their guesses are.
- Could a person's taste in music offer hints about their personality ? Previous research has suggested that people who prefer certain styles of music tend to exhibit similar personality traits. Administer a personality assessment and survey participants about their musical preferences and examine your results.
- Do action films cause people to eat more popcorn and candy during a movie ? Have one group of participants watch an action movie, and another group watch a slow-paced drama. Compare how much popcorn is consumed by each group.
- Do colors really impact moods ? Investigate to see if the color blue makes people feel calm, or if the color red leaves them feeling agitated.
- Do creative people see optical illusions differently than more analytical people ? Have participants complete an assessment to measure their level of creative thinking. Then ask participants to look at optical illusions and note what they perceive.
- Do people rate individuals with perfectly symmetrical faces as more beautiful than those with asymmetrical faces ? Create sample cards with both symmetrical and asymmetrical faces and ask participants to rate the attractiveness of each picture.
- Do people who use social media exhibit signs of addiction ? Have participants complete an assessment of their social media habits, then have them complete an addiction questionnaire.
- Does eating breakfast help students do better in school ? According to some, eating breakfast can have a beneficial influence on school performance. For your experiment, you could compare the test scores of students who ate breakfast to those who did not.
- Does sex influence short-term memory ? You could arrange an experiment that tests whether men or women are better at remembering specific types of information.
- How likely are people to conform in groups ? Try this experiment to see what percentage of people are likely to conform . Enlist confederates to give the wrong response to a math problem and then see if the participants defy or conform to the rest of the group.
- How much information can people store in short-term memory ? Have participants study a word list and then test their memory. Try different versions of the experiment to see which memorization strategies, like chunking or mnemonics, are most effective.
Once you have an idea, the next step is to learn more about how to conduct a psychology experiment .
Psychology Experiments on Your Interests
If none of the ideas in the list above grabbed your attention, there are other ways to find inspiration for your psychology experiments.
How do you come up with good psychology experiments? One of the most effective approaches is to look at the various problems, situations, and questions that you are facing in your own life.
You can also think about the things that interest you. Start by considering the topics you've studied in class thus far that have really piqued your interest. Then, whittle the list down to two or three major areas within psychology that seem to interest you the most.
From there, make a list of questions you have related to the topic. Any of these questions could potentially serve as an experiment idea.
Use Textbooks for Inspiration for Psychology Experiments
Your psychology textbooks are another excellent source you can turn to for experiment ideas. Choose the chapters or sections that you find particularly interesting—perhaps it's a chapter on social psychology or a section on child development.
Start by browsing the experiments discussed in your book. Then think of how you could devise an experiment related to some of the questions your text asks. The reference section at the back of your textbook can also serve as a great source for additional reference material.
Discuss Psychology Experiments with Other Students
It can be helpful to brainstorm with your classmates to gather outside ideas and perspectives. Get together with a group of students and make a list of interesting ideas, subjects, or questions you have.
The information from your brainstorming session can serve as a basis for your experiment topic. It's also a great way to get feedback on your own ideas and to determine if they are worth exploring in greater depth.
Study Classic Psychology Experiments
Taking a closer look at a classic psychology experiment can be an excellent way to trigger some unique and thoughtful ideas of your own. To start, you could try conducting your own version of a famous experiment or even updating a classic experiment to assess a slightly different question.
Famous Psychology Experiments
Examples of famous psychology experiments that might be a source of further questions you'd like to explore include:
- Marshmallow test experiments
- Little Albert experiment
- Hawthorne effect experiments
- Bystander effect experiments
- Robbers Cave experiments
- Halo effect experiments
- Piano stairs experiment
- Cognitive dissonance experiments
- False memory experiments
You might not be able to replicate an experiment exactly (lots of classic psychology experiments have ethical issues that would preclude conducting them today), but you can use well-known studies as a basis for inspiration.
Review the Literature on Psychology Experiments
If you have a general idea about what topic you'd like to experiment, you might want to spend a little time doing a brief literature review before you start designing. In other words, do your homework before you invest too much time on an idea.
Visit your university library and find some of the best books and articles that cover the particular topic you are interested in. What research has already been done in this area? Are there any major questions that still need to be answered? What were the findings of previous psychology experiments?
Tackling this step early will make the later process of writing the introduction to your lab report or research paper much easier.
Ask Your Instructor About Ideas for Psychology Experiments
If you have made a good effort to come up with an idea on your own but you're still feeling stumped, it might help to talk to your instructor. Ask for pointers on finding a good experiment topic for the specific assignment. You can also ask them to suggest some other ways you could generate ideas or inspiration.
While it can feel intimidating to ask for help, your instructor should be more than happy to provide some guidance. Plus, they might offer insights that you wouldn't have gathered on your own. Your instructor probably has lots of ideas for psychology experiments that would be worth exploring.
If you need to design or conduct psychology experiments, there are plenty of great ideas (both old and new) for you to explore. Consider an idea from the list above or turn some of your own questions about the human mind and behavior into an experiment.
Before you dive in, make sure that you are observing the guidelines provided by your instructor and always obtain the appropriate permission before conducting any research with human or animal subjects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Finding a topic for a research paper is much like finding an idea for an experiment. Start by considering your own interests, or browse though your textbooks for inspiration. You might also consider looking at online news stories or journal articles as a source of inspiration.
Three of the most classic social psychology experiments are:
- The Asch Conformity Experiment : This experiment involved seeing if people would conform to group pressure when rating the length of a line.
- The Milgram Obedience Experiment : This experiment involved ordering participants to deliver what they thought was a painful shock to another person.
- The Stanford Prison Experiment : This experiment involved students replicating a prison environment to see how it would affect participant behavior.
Jakovljević T, Janković MM, Savić AM, et al. The effect of colour on reading performance in children, measured by a sensor hub: From the perspective of gender . PLoS One . 2021;16(6):e0252622. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0252622
Greenberg DM, et al. Musical preferences are linked to cognitive styles . PLoS One. 2015;10(7). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0131151
Kurt S, Osueke KK. The effects of color on the moods of college students . Sage. 2014;4(1). doi:10.1177/2158244014525423
Hartline-Grafton H, Levin M. Breakfast and School-Related Outcomes in Children and Adolescents in the US: A Literature Review and its Implications for School Nutrition Policy . Curr Nutr Rep . 2022;11(4):653-664. doi:10.1007/s13668-022-00434-z
By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."
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Introduction. Your lab report introduction should set the scene for your experiment. One way to write your introduction is with a funnel (an inverted triangle) structure: Start with the broad, general research topic. Narrow your topic down your specific study focus. End with a clear research question.
Unlike the abstract (or the conclusion), the introduction does not need to state the results of the experiment. Here is a possible order with which you can organize your lab report introduction: Intro of the intro: Plainly state what your study is doing. Background: Provide a brief overview of the topic being studied.
Let's look at each lab report section in detail to understand its purpose and importance. 1. Title Page: Your lab report cover page, front, or title page must present the first impression. The lab report title page has the leading information: you should describe the experimental topic accurately and concisely.
Sample 2: Lab Report (as a Research Paper) Writing Assignment. Assume you are an engineering intern working at the product design group of a company in the automotive industry, which may be similar to ABC Motors, City. Your boss, Ms. Boss, assigned you to conduct research on the mechanical properties and hardness of the materials used in a ...
Kelly Spancer. 7. min read. Sep 13, 2023. To write a lab report, begin with a clear title and an abstract summarizing the experiment. Include an introduction that outlines the hypothesis and objective. Describe the methods and materials used, present and analyze the results, and discuss their implications. Conclude with references.
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Article title. Journal Title, volume number (issue number), page numbers. A simple way to write your reference section is to use Google scholar. Just type the name and date of the psychologist in the search box and click on the "cite" link. Next, copy and paste the APA reference into the ...
State the topic of your report clearly and concisely (in one or two sentences). Provide background theory, previous research, or formulas the reader should know. Usually, an instructor does not want you to repeat whatever the lab manual says, but to show your understanding of the problem. Questions an Effective Lab Report Introduction Should Answer
Clean the samples thoroughly using ethanol to remove any impurities or oils. Weigh each sample accurately using a digital scale and record the initial weight. Prepare a 3% NaCl solution by dissolving 30 g of NaCl in 1000 mL of deionized water. Pour 250 mL of the 3% NaCl solution into each beaker.
Below is a sample lab report assignment from a UW-Madison bacteriology course. We will be using a format for the lab reports which is similar (but modified) to formats for scientific papers. That is, you must include an abstract, introduction, materials and methods section, results section, discussion, and literature citations. Your grade on the reports…
If needed for your assignment, find secondary sources related to your topic, using peer-reviewed articles, books, or other reliable and relevant sources.. Use OneSearch in the UT Libraries to find sources. Use keywords that are central to your topic. You're encouraged to ask a librarian for help finding sources.; If you're taking a first-year composition course (English 101, 102, 112, 132 ...
Luckily for you, the lab report structure is the same in most cases. So, here's how to do a lab report - follow this outline (unless your instructor's requirements contradict it!): Title page: your name, course, instructor, and the report title; Abstract: a short description of the key findings and their significance;
Graphs and figures must both be labeled with a descriptive title. Label the axes on a graph, being sure to include units of measurement. The independent variable is on the X-axis, and the dependent variable (the one you are measuring) is on the Y-axis. Be sure to refer to figures and graphs in the text of your report: the first figure is Figure ...
For any lab report, use a professional font and size. For example, 12-point Times New Roman. Double-space the report. Include a page number, usually either in the top or bottom right corner of each page. Clearly separate specific sections of the report with headings and subheadings.
Here are five steps for how to write a lab report: 1. Read the instructions carefully. Before starting your lab report, read the assignment instructions carefully. In some cases, an instructor may provide the same set of instructions for every lab report assignment in the class. Consider using a highlighter and pencil to note key requirements ...
Strategies that extend your ability to manage your assignment load and track your progress: Strategies that improve the quality of your assignments through self-assessment and feedback: Assignment Planning from Leeds University provides several tips on how to approach the planning process.
A science lab report is a structured way of communicating the outcomes of your practical work. The structure of a typical lab report includes the following sections: Introduction - Why you conducted the practical work, and indicate your aim, hypothesis or research question. Method - How you conducted the practical work and how any data processed.
Proceedings of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education, Volume 35, 2014 233 Major Workshop: Rubrics for graded lab assignments 8.the rubric to students when you assign the as Give - sessment. This provides the students with a clear de-scription of what you expect them to do. Once you have a rubric set up, you need to determine how
When you are finished, upload your completed PowerPoint activity to the Lab 8 submission folder on iCollege along with your lab assignment. Page 1 of 4. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. ...
Pre-lab assignments motivate students to prepare for the lab and help them connect conceptual understanding with an experiment. There are several advantages for students in using a pre-lab assignment: Students come better prepared for the lab exercise. Experiments and exercises go more smoothly because students are familiar with the processes.
SolidWorks Lab 1 Luke Adams MECH 2220 Lab assignment: SolidWorks Lab 1 Due at the beginning of lab during the second week of lecture meetings • Complete following tutorials, available in SolidWorks Help o o • Screen shot your final work of each tutorial, and paste them into this document for submission. • Upload Word or PDF format document to the right place on Canvas.
Piano stairs experiment. Cognitive dissonance experiments. False memory experiments. You might not be able to replicate an experiment exactly (lots of classic psychology experiments have ethical issues that would preclude conducting them today), but you can use well-known studies as a basis for inspiration.
Procedure 3.4 (Separation of Phase as a Test for the Presence of Lipids) 1. Complete this test at home (it is extremely easy) 2. Place ¼ cup of water into 6 different drinking cups (plastic or glass - it does not matter) 3. Add ¼ cup water to cup one and stir 4. Add ¼ cup vegetable, peanut, or olive oil to cup two and stir 5. Add ¼ cup milk (dairy or nondairy) to cup three and stir 6.
Accounting document from California International Business University, 5 pages, Lab 3.5 Excel Questions Lab 3.5 Excel Screenshots Submission: Submission 1 Take a screen of your first regression output and copy it here. Submission 2 Take a screen of your second regression output and copy it here. 1 Submission 3 Take a screen of the s
Chemistry document from University Of Arizona, 5 pages, CHEM 146 Lab 7 Worksheet (Dry Lab) | 1 Lab 7 Worksheet (DRY LAB) Your name: GRADE _ /25 p This assignment requires the accompanying Lab 7 Manual (separate document on D2L). 1. Preparation Calculations. As stated in the Lab 7 Manual (Page 9, Step E), calcu