Lab groups fail for social reasons far more often than scientific ones.
Rotate the roles
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Manager | Watches the time, keeps the procedure on track |
| Technician | Handles equipment and materials |
| Recorder | Writes down every reading as it happens |
| Safety officer | Goggles, spills, and the question “what could go wrong here?” |
Rotate every investigation. The person who never touches the equipment does not learn to use it.
Rules that prevent most problems
- Everyone records their own data, even though one person calls it out.
- Disagree about a reading? Take it again. Do not average an argument.
- If you did not see it happen, do not write it down.
Sharing data is not copying
Groups may share measurements — you all measured the same thing. Analysis, conclusions, and answers to questions must be your own words and your own thinking. If two analyses read identically, both are a problem.