What do I need to be able to do?

Can you draw a table ready to put your results in?

Can you plot a graph of your results?

The Table
After describing the experiment to you your teacher will ask you, without any help and on your own, to draw a table ready to put your results in. Imagine the experiment is to look at the voltage produced by a solar cell at different distances from a light bulb.

The table above is all you need to get full marks. A title and column headings with units. Job done.

The Graph
You must have plotted dozens of graphs in Science lessons over the last few years. By now you should know how to do them properly. Your teacher will ask you, without help and on your own, to plot a graph of the results you got for your experiment.

Remember the following; Do everything in pencil. It looks a lot neater and everyone makes mistakes. The independent variable goes on the bottom axis. The dependant variable goes on the side axis. Choose scales that will use as much of the graph paper as possible. Label your axes with the units in brackets. Plot clear crosses, not dots. Do a line of best fit (with a ruler) or a smooth curve. NEVER JOIN THE DOTS. Give your graph a title.