Lab report format

A lab report format is a useful tool for new and experienced students alike that want to make sure they are doing everything correctly. It’s easy to get lost in the lab report process, but this blog post will help you stay on track! 

This blog post includes an overview of what goes into a lab report and more information about it, such as formatting, APA citation style, and more. 

A lab report is generally a summary of your experiment. Some instructors and schools require that you write down every step that was done, while others ask for only the most important details to be included as well as relevant results.

When writing it, you can decide what works best for you and your instructor’s specifications. Let’s discuss how to write a lab report format.

What is the Structure of Laboratory Report?

There is a structure to be followed when writing a laboratory report. The following is the structure of a laboratory report:

Title

The title page should cover the title of the lab, course number, names of all members of the lab group, and the date of the lab report. The title is regarded as the first part of all lab reports.

Introduction

The introduction should contain general information about the lab and a brief how and why.

It must state the purpose as to why you are doing this lab, what you hope to accomplish from completing the experiment, and what your hypothesis is. Also, include any reagents or chemicals that have been used in this laboratory report.

Methods and Materials

This section aims to provide enough details about the lab so that other scientists can reproduce it. Therefore, this report must include the step-by-step procedures in completing a laboratory test/procedure along with the apparatus necessary for that procedure.

The Methods and Materials should be written in the past tense, i.e., “we added,” not “we are adding”

Procedure

A step-by-step procedure of the experiment is included in this section. Include any chemicals used in this lab and how they were prepared (i.e., if a chemical is diluted before being used).

In addition, include the necessary apparatus for completing the lab, i.e., if a Bunsen burner.

Results and Data

This section should have all observations made during this experiment. Henceforth, any calculations or measurements performed in this experiment are included in this section.

The data gathered during the experiment must be cited correctly, i.e., provide the lab manual page number, the person who did this experiment, date of observation, and units.

Conclusion

At the end of this section, there should be an answer to your original hypothesis. The entire discussion about your conclusion should include evidence from the Discussion section and figures and graphs from the Results section.

How Do You Start a Lab Report Format?

A research paper follows a traditional format that consists of an abstIntroductionuction, materials and methods, results, discussion/conclusion. The first part (abstract) describes the purpose of the study, how it was conducted, and the main findings.

The second part presents how the study was performed and includes results (data), a discussion, and conclusions. So the abstract included a summary of the research study. It is not necessary to include all data or figures in the abstract.

The Introduction section explains why you are writing the paper and your hypothesis.

The Materials & Methods section describes step-by-step how the study was conducted. This is an opportunity for you to write about anything that could be perceived as a weakness in the experiment but doesn’t take away from your results (i.e., not enough vials, equipment failure, etc.).

Ethical considerations such as obtaining consent and approval for your study are also included in the materials and methods.

The Discussion section is where you interpret the data and answer the question posed by the hypothesis. Here is also a chance to discuss any weaknesses of the experiment and why they did not interfere with your results. In addition, this is a time to explain anything unclear from your results.

The Conclusion section summarizes your findings and mentions any recommendations.

How Many Pages is a Lab Report?

A normal lab article is between seven and fifteen pages. For a ten-page paper, here’s the suggested structure:

Title page: 1-2 sentences (generallIntroductionuction from your proposal)

Abstract: 1 paragraph (~200 words) detailing what you will be doing, what you found, and how it relates to the field as a whole. Note that this section should not include any direct references to scientific literature. The purpose of the abstract is to allow the reader to understand the gist of your experiment.

Introduction: 3-4 paragraphs (~400 words) introducing why you are doing this experiment, what has already been done in the field, and why this particular experiment is important. Introductionuction should end with a clear statement about what you will be doing (i.e., “In an attempt to isolate enzymes X and Y, we will be performing reaction Z. We will then measure the rate of this reaction at temperatures between 0C and 50C.”).

Methods: 2-4 paragraphs (~400 words) detailing step-by-step how you went about doing your experiment

Conclusion: 1 paragraph (~200 words) summarizing the results of your experiment and its implications for the field. This section should not include any direct references to scientific literature.

Types of Formal Lab Report Templates

A formal lab report is a written document containing results, observations, and analysis from scientific experiments. Many different formal lab report templates depend on the subject area produced.

The following are the types of formal lab report templates:

Physical Sciences Report

Physical Science Reports contain the results of experiments involving physical measurements, observations, and analysis. Therefore, the template should stick to a neutral tone without any emotional language or wording. Some examples are:

• “The experiment was performed to determine if there is a relationship between surface area and volume.”
• “Two different types of soil samples were tested in order to determine if there is any difference between the physical properties of the two soils.”

Life Sciences Report

The Life Science Report contains experimental results that involve living organisms. Therefore, the writer needs to be objective and neutral so as not to offend readers with their choice of wording. Some examples are:

“The experiment was conducted to determine if there is a correlation between the size of the beaker and the mass of plant matter harvested after one week.”

or

“The experiment was conducted in order to determine if there is a difference between the rate of photosynthesis for two different species of plants.”

Social Sciences Report

A Social Science Report concerns experiments that use people as the subject. Therefore, the writer must not offend and use a non-emotional tone in their writing. Some examples are:

“The hypothesis was tested to determine if there is a difference between the feelings of those who thought they were being treated fairly and those who thought they were being treated unfairly.”

or

“The hypothesis was tested in order to determine if there is a difference between the happiness levels of men and women.”

Engineering Report

An Engineering Report concerns experiments that involve physical tools or devices such as engines, machines, and electronic appliances. Therefore, the writer must use a neutral tone with no emotional language. Some examples are:

“The experiment was conducted in order to determine if the device can be used to power an appliance.”

or

“Two different types of liquid were tested in order to determine which liquid would produce the most heat.”

Arts Report

An Arts Report involves experiments performed on works or media from the arts such as music, paintings and sculptures. The writer should be impartial and use a neutral writing tone without emotional language or wording. Some examples are:

“The experiment was conducted in order to determine if there is a difference between the number of times listeners prefer one song over another.”

or

“Two different types of paint were tested in order to determine if there is a difference in the way they look when dry.”

Things to Do Before Writing Your Lab Report Template

Before writing your lab report template, you need to collect all the data and experiment. After collecting all the necessary information, ask yourself some questions.

• What is my hypothesis?
• What are the variables in my experiment?
• How did I plan on conducting my experiment?
• Is it an experiment or a survey?
• Does my hypothesis correlate with my experiment?
• What is the hypothesis behind each of my variables?

Write Your Lab Report Template

Once you ask yourself these important questions, it’s time to write your lab report template. Begin by stating your main goal before diving into the details.

Next, provide a brief introduction to define terms and provide background information on your experiment. The introduction is done when you state your hypothesis and provide a background on what you prove.

As you can see, the lab report format is quite simple. Your writing should be fine if you follow a traditional scientific paper’s basic requirements and guidelines. It might take some practice to get it just right, but with time and patience, you will soon be writing great papers in no time!

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