One of the biggest challenge with lab reports is properly referencing your resources. You have to think about the quality of your reference, avoiding plagiarism, and how to format the reference itself. Librarians and Subject Specialists cannot check your references for you however they can give you plenty of guidance on how to tackle citations for your specific class. See Citing your Sources for more information.

Types of Literature:

Primary - original material
Examples - journal articles, thesis, conference proceedings

Secondary - interpretations and evaluations that are derived from or refer to primary sources
Examples - review articles, books, databases

Tertiary - distillation and collection of primary and secondary sources
Examples - encyclopedias, newspapers, textbooks

Pro Tips:

Include at least three references
Do Not Use: Wikipedia, online encyclopedias, non-credible websites

Acknowledgments are made twice in a lab:

1. In the body of your report
2. At the end of your report in the bibliography

Examples of Citations

Here's an example of how to put a citation in the body of the text using the author and the year that the resource was published.

In 1954, this organochloride pesticide was developed by Farbwerke Hoeschst in Germany and had the name Thiodan. Since then it has been used as a pesticide against pests and mites in both remote and densely populated areas such as Europe, India, China, China, Arctic, Canada, Brazil and the United States (Weber et. all 2010).

Here is an example of using a numbered approach.

As of 2010, 1 in 9 Canadian woman will develop breast cancer and 1 in 30 cases will result in death ². After lung cancer, breast cancer is the most common death causing cancer in women². Breast cancer is heterogeneous which makes it more fascinating to research but also harder to fight and treat ^3.

Bibliography/ Worked Cited/ References

At the end of your report, you will provide a complete list of references from your entire report. The list is usually alphabetical by first authors last name and includes all types of references (websites, journal articles, books etc). Your lab coordinator or supervisor will tell you how they want the references page formatted and often will say to copy the format that a certain journal uses.

Below find some examples, these may not be how your lab coordinator wants your citations to be formatted, they are only for reference. A great resource for APA formatting is Owl Purdue.

Figure 1: Colour coded diagram on how to format a reference for Journal Articles

Figure 2: Colour coded diagram on how to format a reference for Books

The bibliography page can have alternate names such as Works Cited or References. Therefore, make sure you are following the format set by your lab coordinator or supervisor.

Figure 3. Example of Bibliography with alphabetical listing

Figure 4. Example of Bibliography with a numbering format

As you can see, each version has obvious and non-obvious differences. Be diligent and have someone look over your technique while you're learning.

Where to Get Extra Help

For extra help on how to reference, contact your TA, lab coordinator, or visit the library and contact the Research Help Desk.

Studying for Exams

Studying for exams is not difficult if you approach it correctly. Remember that you should start preparing for your exams on the first day of classes. Be strategic in your note taking, attend all of your classes, read ahead and make sure you know the areas in which you are having problems so that you can ask questions in class, during your professor's office hours or your TA's. Knowing what you don't know can save you a lot of time in the long run. Starting to truly learn the material on day one means that you are spending the time on comprehension, not just memorizing. 

Exam Preparation Tips

Answering long answer questions requires a lot of preparation and a thorough understanding of the material. Make sure you identify what your professor is asking of you. Are you supposed to analyze? Compare? State your opinion? Explain? The first step is to really understand the questions before trying to answer; once that is achieved you can start to develop a plan which includes a thesis statement and supporting arguments. Don't hesitate to use sketches and diagrams to get your point across. Remember to be clear and concise.

Multiple choice questions require recognition of the correct material and test your memory and reasoning. Reviewing the material multiple times prior to the exam is key. The material tested could be definitions, theorems and key words as well as problem solving. If the correct answer doesn't immediately jump out at youl, eliminate those that are unlikely and go from there. Also, sometimes other questions can help you to answer a multiple choice question.

Scheduling Time During Exams

Plan ahead! After your last midterm or about a month before exams you should be starting to review and scheduling in additional time for it. The more you review ahead of time, the less cramming is necessary right before your exam. If you need help making a study schedule, make an appointment with an SSSC mentor to discuss your options and have some help.

Reviewing Through 'Cheat' Sheets

Download the generic calculus review sheet that some of our math students have used in the past to help prepare for their first-year calculus course. You can create a sheet like this for any class that requires you to use a lot of formulas, so come into the Centre and we can tell you how best to use it. It only takes a minute or two to jot down the most important things that you need to know from each section of your text or from your lecture slides. Write each formula out every time you are required to use it so that you can clearly see your steps when you have to review.

Basic Study Tips

• Do not cram the day before an exam, but spread out your studying so that you give your brain time to fully absorb all of the information
• Study in one hour intervals, and then take a 10-15 minute break to relax
• Plan out a regular study area. This conditions your brain to being used to studying there, and you can get into “study mode” much faster
• Study when you are wide awake. Everyone has their own personal clock, so choose the time of day that best suits you
• Study in a quiet area with no distractions

Study Strategies

• Cue Cards
  • Cue cards are a great study strategy for visual learners because they summarize the study material in a way that makes it easier to remember.
  • They are especially useful for courses that require lots of reading and memorization of definitions.
  • To use cue cards effectively, read the front of the cue card and then say the answer or the definition out loud. Flip the card and check whether you got it right. If you did not, you probably require more studying!
  • Here’s an example of a cue card:
    
  • Here are a few links to websites that offer free cue-card-making:
    • Printable Flash Card Maker
       
• Concept Maps
  • Concept maps are charts that explain an idea in steps or demonstrate a process
  • They are  helpful for those who need visual aids to effectively study
  • Here’s an example of a concept map:
    
  • Here are a few links to websites that offer free concept-map-making:
    • MindMup
    • Slatebox
       
• Self-tests
  • Making your own set of questions as you study is an effective strategy to ensure you are ready for a test.
  • Ask yourself: "what questions could the professor possibly ask about this?" Write all questions that come to your mind. Make sure you are using a variety of question styles (E.g. define, list, match…) By doing this, you can identify your points of weakness in order to work on them.
  • Here’s an example of how you can transform your notes into questions:
    
    Lecture Note:
    “Researchers often want to summarize a large number of data in order to make inferences from them. In order to do this, they use measures of central tendency. These are single values that aim to describe a set of data by identifying the midpoint of that set. Measures of central tendency include mean, median, and mode.”
    
    Question:
    1. (a) Define “Measures of Central Tendency”
      (b) List the three types of measures of central tendency
  • You can make your own quizzes via Quizlet here
     
• Summarized Material
  • Write down a summarized version of the study material
  • Be sure to pick out the main ideas in the lecture and include them in your summary
  • Here’s an example of how you can summarize a long paragraph in your textbook:
    Paragraph:
    “When scientists carry out their research, they are required to follow a rigorous process in order to ensure their results are significant. They do this by inspecting the reliability and validity of their studies. Reliability refers to obtaining consistent results under consistent conditions. Validity asks whether the study design is set to measure what it is meant to measure. There are three types of validity scientists consider. Content validity asks whether the study design covers the breadth of all the components of the study. Face validity asks whether the study design seems to make sense according to experts in the field. External validity asks whether the results of the study can be generalized to the bigger population.”
    
    Summary:
    • Scientists use reliability and validity to ensure their research is significant
    • Reliability: obtaining consistent results under consistent conditions
    • Validity: whether the study design is set to measure what it is meant to measure
      • 3 Types:

- Content validity: whether the study design covers the breadth of all the components of the study

- Face validity: whether the study design seems to make sense according to experts in the field

- External validity: whether the results of the study can be generalized to the bigger population

• Practice Questions
  • Do as many practice questions as you can to solidify your learning
  • Course textbooks usually contain practice questions at the end of each chapter. Check the Brightspace page for your course to see if your professor has posted any practice questions online
     
• Form Study Groups
  • Great for people who learn best in a discussion-style setting
  • Book a group study room in the library to hold your meeting or find a quiet spot anywhere on campus.
  • Create or join a study group is through the Recognized Study Groups tool offered by the SSSC, you'll receive credit on your Co-Curricular Record (CCR)!
     
• Prepping for Pre-lab quizzes
  • Usually on Brightspace or taken at the start of your lab
  • They ensure you have read and understood the experiment in your lab manual and are able to proceed with the steps correctly.
  • Read the experimental procedure in your lab manual thoroughly and highlight key points or take notes of them
     
• Different Classes May Require Different Study Techniques
  • One skill students tend to acquire over time is adjusting their study techniques according to the type of class they are taking
  • For example, some courses, such as introductory psychology, require intensive reading and are theory-based. For these courses, a good study technique would be summarizing lecture slides, notes, and the textbook chapters related
  • For other courses, such as math, it may be useful to do practice questions

Transitioning to University

At Carleton University, we understand the challenges students face making the transition from high school to university. While you may already have a good mental picture of what university is like and how it may differ from your high school experience, the staff at the Science Student Success Centre will ensure the that you are not surprised along the way.

To help put things into perspective, here are five major changes that students can expect when they move from high school to university.

Greater Responsibility

In high school, your schedule was probably planned completely for you. Breaks occurred at approximately the same time daily, you knew exactly when to go to class, when to eat lunch, or when to do your homework. In university you have full control of your own schedule. You will need to set your own priorities and manage all your own responsibilities. You can no longer count on your teacher to remind you of due dates for assignments, test dates for each chapter or to come to class on time.

Different Class Structure

Unlike high school where your class size is often only 30 students, first year university classrooms may hold over 100 students in some courses. Your professor will not approach you if you miss class or do poorly. It is now your responsibility to seek out help when needed. As well, your professor will not remind you of assignment due dates. Instead, they expect that you consult your syllabus and turn in assignments on the proper date.

Faster Pace

University classes tend to move a lot more quickly than high school classes. You will cover more material, in greater depth, over a shorter period of time. Be prepared for that challenge. Professors expect you to keep up with what was taught in class, and they also expect some of you to take good comprehensive notes. They may cover up to three chapters of textbook material in a week.

Fewer Tests

There are often fewer tests and assignments in university compared to high school. Although this may seem like a good thing for you, remember that more information will be covered on each test. In addition, the exams in many courses often build on each other so all of the material taught in a semester may be tested in the same exam.

New Living Arrangements

Travel time for those at home can sometimes take up a total of 3hrs of a school day, and should be used wisely to do readings or flash cards. Those who move out for post secondary education also experience changes such as making their own meals, more household responsibilities and increased freedom which can be a blessing or a curse depending on how self motivated the individual is. Having a good support system in place is key to your success so make friends with similar goals and seek out help when you its needed.

Top Tips for Transitioning to University

1. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Your professors may seem intimidating to approach after a lecture, but they are regular people who want you to succeed. Check the course outline on Brightspace to find out what their office hours are and ask questions. It also lets you get to know them better. TAs are also there to help and answer questions concerning lecture and lab materials.
2. Get help early! The day before the midterm or exam or the night before a lab is due is often too late. Start studying for exams and working on assignments and labs early so that you can have time to make appointments and receive replies from professors and TA's who are also very busy. They are not going to come after you if you are struggling or behind - you need to take the initiative yourself.
3. Make a schedule, early! And stick with it! Time management is one of the biggest struggles for incoming first year students. University can be a shock with the amount and intensity of school work that is expected from you. Check out Managing Your Time for step-by-step instructions on how to make and keep a schedule. SSSC mentors can also help you build your schedule around your classes and other commitments to help you maximize your study time.
4. Do your pre-labs. Just do it. Read over the lab manual beforehand and make sure you have a solid grasp of the material before completing the entire pre-lab. It's worth marks! For physics this might include theory and for chemistry it might include writing out the MSDS. Just make sure you know what is expected of you and get it done beforehand.
5. Lecture halls are big and can be loud and distracting. Do your best to get to class early, especially the first couple weeks to guarantee yourself a seat. Find what spot in the lecture hall works well for you. Do you need to be in the front to make yourself pay attention? Further back to see the screens?
6. Spend time figuring out how YOU take notes and study best. In high school, you may have been able to get away with just a bit of studying the night before. But in university there is too much material to get by that way. Think about how you learn and tailor your studying to fit your learning style. For note taking, try using a notebook, laptop, printing the pdf's, or recording the lecture (with permission). For studying, try flashcards, re-writing notes, making quizzes and tests for yourself, or reading the textbook.

A note about AI

AI can be an amazing tool however be sure to understand how to use it responsibly. Check out the Library's resources for more information.