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How To Write A Lab Report | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on May 20, 2021 by Pritha Bhandari . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A lab report conveys the aim, methods, results, and conclusions of a scientific experiment. The main purpose of a lab report is to demonstrate your understanding of the scientific method by performing and evaluating a hands-on lab experiment. This type of assignment is usually shorter than a research paper .

Lab reports are commonly used in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This article focuses on how to structure and write a lab report.

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Table of contents

Structuring a lab report, introduction, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about lab reports.

The sections of a lab report can vary between scientific fields and course requirements, but they usually contain the purpose, methods, and findings of a lab experiment .

Each section of a lab report has its own purpose.

  • Title: expresses the topic of your study
  • Abstract : summarizes your research aims, methods, results, and conclusions
  • Introduction: establishes the context needed to understand the topic
  • Method: describes the materials and procedures used in the experiment
  • Results: reports all descriptive and inferential statistical analyses
  • Discussion: interprets and evaluates results and identifies limitations
  • Conclusion: sums up the main findings of your experiment
  • References: list of all sources cited using a specific style (e.g. APA )
  • Appendices : contains lengthy materials, procedures, tables or figures

Although most lab reports contain these sections, some sections can be omitted or combined with others. For example, some lab reports contain a brief section on research aims instead of an introduction, and a separate conclusion is not always required.

If you’re not sure, it’s best to check your lab report requirements with your instructor.

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Your title provides the first impression of your lab report – effective titles communicate the topic and/or the findings of your study in specific terms.

Create a title that directly conveys the main focus or purpose of your study. It doesn’t need to be creative or thought-provoking, but it should be informative.

  • The effects of varying nitrogen levels on tomato plant height.
  • Testing the universality of the McGurk effect.
  • Comparing the viscosity of common liquids found in kitchens.

An abstract condenses a lab report into a brief overview of about 150–300 words. It should provide readers with a compact version of the research aims, the methods and materials used, the main results, and the final conclusion.

Think of it as a way of giving readers a preview of your full lab report. Write the abstract last, in the past tense, after you’ve drafted all the other sections of your report, so you’ll be able to succinctly summarize each section.

To write a lab report abstract, use these guiding questions:

  • What is the wider context of your study?
  • What research question were you trying to answer?
  • How did you perform the experiment?
  • What did your results show?
  • How did you interpret your results?
  • What is the importance of your findings?

Nitrogen is a necessary nutrient for high quality plants. Tomatoes, one of the most consumed fruits worldwide, rely on nitrogen for healthy leaves and stems to grow fruit. This experiment tested whether nitrogen levels affected tomato plant height in a controlled setting. It was expected that higher levels of nitrogen fertilizer would yield taller tomato plants.

Levels of nitrogen fertilizer were varied between three groups of tomato plants. The control group did not receive any nitrogen fertilizer, while one experimental group received low levels of nitrogen fertilizer, and a second experimental group received high levels of nitrogen fertilizer. All plants were grown from seeds, and heights were measured 50 days into the experiment.

The effects of nitrogen levels on plant height were tested between groups using an ANOVA. The plants with the highest level of nitrogen fertilizer were the tallest, while the plants with low levels of nitrogen exceeded the control group plants in height. In line with expectations and previous findings, the effects of nitrogen levels on plant height were statistically significant. This study strengthens the importance of nitrogen for tomato plants.

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

Begin by providing background information on your research topic and explaining why it’s important in a broad real-world or theoretical context. Describe relevant previous research on your topic and note how your study may confirm it or expand it, or fill a gap in the research field.

This lab experiment builds on previous research from Haque, Paul, and Sarker (2011), who demonstrated that tomato plant yield increased at higher levels of nitrogen. However, the present research focuses on plant height as a growth indicator and uses a lab-controlled setting instead.

Next, go into detail on the theoretical basis for your study and describe any directly relevant laws or equations that you’ll be using. State your main research aims and expectations by outlining your hypotheses .

Based on the importance of nitrogen for tomato plants, the primary hypothesis was that the plants with the high levels of nitrogen would grow the tallest. The secondary hypothesis was that plants with low levels of nitrogen would grow taller than plants with no nitrogen.

Your introduction doesn’t need to be long, but you may need to organize it into a few paragraphs or with subheadings such as “Research Context” or “Research Aims.”

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A lab report Method section details the steps you took to gather and analyze data. Give enough detail so that others can follow or evaluate your procedures. Write this section in the past tense. If you need to include any long lists of procedural steps or materials, place them in the Appendices section but refer to them in the text here.

You should describe your experimental design, your subjects, materials, and specific procedures used for data collection and analysis.

Experimental design

Briefly note whether your experiment is a within-subjects  or between-subjects design, and describe how your sample units were assigned to conditions if relevant.

A between-subjects design with three groups of tomato plants was used. The control group did not receive any nitrogen fertilizer. The first experimental group received a low level of nitrogen fertilizer, while the second experimental group received a high level of nitrogen fertilizer.

Describe human subjects in terms of demographic characteristics, and animal or plant subjects in terms of genetic background. Note the total number of subjects as well as the number of subjects per condition or per group. You should also state how you recruited subjects for your study.

List the equipment or materials you used to gather data and state the model names for any specialized equipment.

List of materials

35 Tomato seeds

15 plant pots (15 cm tall)

Light lamps (50,000 lux)

Nitrogen fertilizer

Measuring tape

Describe your experimental settings and conditions in detail. You can provide labelled diagrams or images of the exact set-up necessary for experimental equipment. State how extraneous variables were controlled through restriction or by fixing them at a certain level (e.g., keeping the lab at room temperature).

Light levels were fixed throughout the experiment, and the plants were exposed to 12 hours of light a day. Temperature was restricted to between 23 and 25℃. The pH and carbon levels of the soil were also held constant throughout the experiment as these variables could influence plant height. The plants were grown in rooms free of insects or other pests, and they were spaced out adequately.

Your experimental procedure should describe the exact steps you took to gather data in chronological order. You’ll need to provide enough information so that someone else can replicate your procedure, but you should also be concise. Place detailed information in the appendices where appropriate.

In a lab experiment, you’ll often closely follow a lab manual to gather data. Some instructors will allow you to simply reference the manual and state whether you changed any steps based on practical considerations. Other instructors may want you to rewrite the lab manual procedures as complete sentences in coherent paragraphs, while noting any changes to the steps that you applied in practice.

If you’re performing extensive data analysis, be sure to state your planned analysis methods as well. This includes the types of tests you’ll perform and any programs or software you’ll use for calculations (if relevant).

First, tomato seeds were sown in wooden flats containing soil about 2 cm below the surface. Each seed was kept 3-5 cm apart. The flats were covered to keep the soil moist until germination. The seedlings were removed and transplanted to pots 8 days later, with a maximum of 2 plants to a pot. Each pot was watered once a day to keep the soil moist.

The nitrogen fertilizer treatment was applied to the plant pots 12 days after transplantation. The control group received no treatment, while the first experimental group received a low concentration, and the second experimental group received a high concentration. There were 5 pots in each group, and each plant pot was labelled to indicate the group the plants belonged to.

50 days after the start of the experiment, plant height was measured for all plants. A measuring tape was used to record the length of the plant from ground level to the top of the tallest leaf.

In your results section, you should report the results of any statistical analysis procedures that you undertook. You should clearly state how the results of statistical tests support or refute your initial hypotheses.

The main results to report include:

  • any descriptive statistics
  • statistical test results
  • the significance of the test results
  • estimates of standard error or confidence intervals

The mean heights of the plants in the control group, low nitrogen group, and high nitrogen groups were 20.3, 25.1, and 29.6 cm respectively. A one-way ANOVA was applied to calculate the effect of nitrogen fertilizer level on plant height. The results demonstrated statistically significant ( p = .03) height differences between groups.

Next, post-hoc tests were performed to assess the primary and secondary hypotheses. In support of the primary hypothesis, the high nitrogen group plants were significantly taller than the low nitrogen group and the control group plants. Similarly, the results supported the secondary hypothesis: the low nitrogen plants were taller than the control group plants.

These results can be reported in the text or in tables and figures. Use text for highlighting a few key results, but present large sets of numbers in tables, or show relationships between variables with graphs.

You should also include sample calculations in the Results section for complex experiments. For each sample calculation, provide a brief description of what it does and use clear symbols. Present your raw data in the Appendices section and refer to it to highlight any outliers or trends.

The Discussion section will help demonstrate your understanding of the experimental process and your critical thinking skills.

In this section, you can:

  • Interpret your results
  • Compare your findings with your expectations
  • Identify any sources of experimental error
  • Explain any unexpected results
  • Suggest possible improvements for further studies

Interpreting your results involves clarifying how your results help you answer your main research question. Report whether your results support your hypotheses.

  • Did you measure what you sought out to measure?
  • Were your analysis procedures appropriate for this type of data?

Compare your findings with other research and explain any key differences in findings.

  • Are your results in line with those from previous studies or your classmates’ results? Why or why not?

An effective Discussion section will also highlight the strengths and limitations of a study.

  • Did you have high internal validity or reliability?
  • How did you establish these aspects of your study?

When describing limitations, use specific examples. For example, if random error contributed substantially to the measurements in your study, state the particular sources of error (e.g., imprecise apparatus) and explain ways to improve them.

The results support the hypothesis that nitrogen levels affect plant height, with increasing levels producing taller plants. These statistically significant results are taken together with previous research to support the importance of nitrogen as a nutrient for tomato plant growth.

However, unlike previous studies, this study focused on plant height as an indicator of plant growth in the present experiment. Importantly, plant height may not always reflect plant health or fruit yield, so measuring other indicators would have strengthened the study findings.

Another limitation of the study is the plant height measurement technique, as the measuring tape was not suitable for plants with extreme curvature. Future studies may focus on measuring plant height in different ways.

The main strengths of this study were the controls for extraneous variables, such as pH and carbon levels of the soil. All other factors that could affect plant height were tightly controlled to isolate the effects of nitrogen levels, resulting in high internal validity for this study.

Your conclusion should be the final section of your lab report. Here, you’ll summarize the findings of your experiment, with a brief overview of the strengths and limitations, and implications of your study for further research.

Some lab reports may omit a Conclusion section because it overlaps with the Discussion section, but you should check with your instructor before doing so.

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A lab report conveys the aim, methods, results, and conclusions of a scientific experiment . Lab reports are commonly assigned in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

The purpose of a lab report is to demonstrate your understanding of the scientific method with a hands-on lab experiment. Course instructors will often provide you with an experimental design and procedure. Your task is to write up how you actually performed the experiment and evaluate the outcome.

In contrast, a research paper requires you to independently develop an original argument. It involves more in-depth research and interpretation of sources and data.

A lab report is usually shorter than a research paper.

The sections of a lab report can vary between scientific fields and course requirements, but it usually contains the following:

  • Abstract: summarizes your research aims, methods, results, and conclusions
  • References: list of all sources cited using a specific style (e.g. APA)
  • Appendices: contains lengthy materials, procedures, tables or figures

The results chapter or section simply and objectively reports what you found, without speculating on why you found these results. The discussion interprets the meaning of the results, puts them in context, and explains why they matter.

In qualitative research , results and discussion are sometimes combined. But in quantitative research , it’s considered important to separate the objective results from your interpretation of them.

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Science Lab Report Template - Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the Blanks to Complete a Lab Report

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  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College

If you are preparing a lab report , it may help to have a template to work from. This science fair project lab report template allows you to fill in the blanks, making the write-up process easier. Use the template with the instructions for writing a science lab report to ensure success. The PDF version of this form may be downloaded to save or to print.

Lab Report Headings

Generally, these are the headings you'll use in a lab report, in this order:

  • Lab Partners
  • Introduction

Overview of the Parts of a Lab Report

Here's a quick look at the types of information you should put in the parts of the lab report and a gauge of how long each section should be. It's a good idea to consult other lab reports, submitted by a different group that received a good grade or is well-respected. Read a sample report to know what a reviewer or grader is looking for. In a classroom setting, lab reports take a long time to grade. You don't want to keep repeating a mistake if you can avoid it from the start!

  • Title: This should accurately describe the experiment. Don't try to be cute or funny.
  • Date: This can be the date you did the experiment or the day you completed the report.
  • Lab Partners: Who helped you with the experiment? List their full names. If they represent other schools or institutions, credit this too.
  • Purpose: Sometimes this is called the objective. It is either a single sentence summary of why the experiment or product was performed or else a single paragraph.
  • Introduction: Describe why the topic is of interest. The introduction is other one paragraph or a single page. Usually the last sentence is a statement of the hypothesis that was tested.
  • Materials: List chemicals and special equipment used for this experiment. Ideally, you want this section to be sufficiently detailed another person could repeat the experiment.
  • Procedure: Describe what you did. This can be a single paragraph or one or more pages.
  • Data: List the data you obtained, before calculations. Tables and graphs are good.
  • Results: If you performed calculations on the data, these are your results. An error analysis is usually here, although it may be its own section.
  • Conclusion: State whether the hypothesis was accepted or the project was a success. It's a good idea to suggest avenues for further study.
  • References: Cite any resources or publications you used. Did you consult a paper that somehow related to the project? Give credit. References are needed for all facts except those that are readily available to the intended audience of the report.

Why Write a Lab Report?

Lab reports are time-consuming for both students and graders, so why are they so important? There are two key reasons. First, a lab report is an orderly method of reporting the purpose, procedure, data, and outcome of an experiment. Essentially, it follows the scientific method . Second, lab reports are easily adapted to become papers for peer-reviewed publication. For students serious about pursuing a career in science, a lab report is a stepping-stone for submitting work for review. Even if results aren't published, the report is a record of how an experiment was conducted, which can be valuable for follow-up research.

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Complete Guide to Writing a Lab Report (With Example)

Students tend to approach writing lab reports with confusion and dread. Whether in high school science classes or undergraduate laboratories, experiments are always fun and games until the times comes to submit a lab report. What if we didn’t need to spend hours agonizing over this piece of scientific writing? Our lives would be so much easier if we were told what information to include, what to do with all their data and how to use references. Well, here’s a guide to all the core components in a well-written lab report, complete with an example.

Things to Include in a Laboratory Report

The laboratory report is simply a way to show that you understand the link between theory and practice while communicating through clear and concise writing. As with all forms of writing, it’s not the report’s length that matters, but the quality of the information conveyed within. This article outlines the important bits that go into writing a lab report (title, abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, conclusion, reference). At the end is an example report of reducing sugar analysis with Benedict’s reagent.

The report’s title should be short but descriptive, indicating the qualitative or quantitative nature of the practical along with the primary goal or area of focus.

Following this should be the abstract, 2-3 sentences summarizing the practical. The abstract shows the reader the main results of the practical and helps them decide quickly whether the rest of the report is relevant to their use. Remember that the whole report should be written in a passive voice .

Introduction

The introduction provides context to the experiment in a couple of paragraphs and relevant diagrams. While a short preamble outlining the history of the techniques or materials used in the practical is appropriate, the bulk of the introduction should outline the experiment’s goals, creating a logical flow to the next section.

Some reports require you to write down the materials used, which can be combined with this section. The example below does not include a list of materials used. If unclear, it is best to check with your teacher or demonstrator before writing your lab report from scratch.

Step-by-step methods are usually provided in high school and undergraduate laboratory practicals, so it’s just a matter of paraphrasing them. This is usually the section that teachers and demonstrators care the least about. Any unexpected changes to the experimental setup or techniques can also be documented here.

The results section should include the raw data that has been collected in the experiment as well as calculations that are performed. It is usually appropriate to include diagrams; depending on the experiment, these can range from scatter plots to chromatograms.

The discussion is the most critical part of the lab report as it is a chance for you to show that you have a deep understanding of the practical and the theory behind it. Teachers and lecturers tend to give this section the most weightage when marking the report. It would help if you used the discussion section to address several points:

  • Explain the results gathered. Is there a particular trend? Do the results support the theory behind the experiment?
  • Highlight any unexpected results or outlying data points. What are possible sources of error?
  • Address the weaknesses of the experiment. Refer to the materials and methods used to identify improvements that would yield better results (more accurate equipment, better experimental technique, etc.)  

Finally, a short paragraph to conclude the laboratory report. It should summarize the findings and provide an objective review of the experiment.

If any external sources were used in writing the lab report, they should go here. Referencing is critical in scientific writing; it’s like giving a shout out (known as a citation) to the original provider of the information. It is good practice to have at least one source referenced, either from researching the context behind the experiment, best practices for the method used or similar industry standards.

Google Scholar is a good resource for quickly gathering references of a specific style . Searching for the article in the search bar and clicking on the ‘cite’ button opens a pop-up that allows you to copy and paste from several common referencing styles.

referencing styles from google scholar

Example: Writing a Lab Report

Title : Semi-Quantitative Analysis of Food Products using Benedict’s Reagent

Abstract : Food products (milk, chicken, bread, orange juice) were solubilized and tested for reducing sugars using Benedict’s reagent. Milk contained the highest level of reducing sugars at ~2%, while chicken contained almost no reducing sugars.

Introduction : Sugar detection has been of interest for over 100 years, with the first test for glucose using copper sulfate developed by German chemist Karl Trommer in 1841. It was used to test the urine of diabetics, where sugar was present in high amounts. However, it wasn’t until 1907 when the method was perfected by Stanley Benedict, using sodium citrate and sodium carbonate to stabilize the copper sulfate in solution. Benedict’s reagent is a bright blue because of the copper sulfate, turning green and then red as the concentration of reducing sugars increases.

Benedict’s reagent was used in this experiment to compare the amount of reducing sugars between four food items: milk, chicken solution, bread and orange juice. Following this, standardized glucose solutions (0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%) were tested with Benedict’s reagent to determine the color produced at those sugar levels, allowing us to perform a semi-quantitative analysis of the food items.

Method : Benedict’s reagent was prepared by mixing 1.73 g of copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate, 17.30 g of sodium citrate pentahydrate and 10.00 g of sodium carbonate anhydrous. The mixture was dissolved with stirring and made up to 100 ml using distilled water before filtration using filter paper and a funnel to remove any impurities.

4 ml of milk, chicken solution and orange juice (commercially available) were measured in test tubes, along with 4 ml of bread solution. The bread solution was prepared using 4 g of dried bread ground with mortar and pestle before diluting with distilled water up to 4 ml. Then, 4 ml of Benedict’s reagent was added to each test tube and placed in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes, then each test tube was observed.

Next, glucose solutions were prepared by dissolving 0.5 g, 1.0 g, 1.5 g and 2.0 g of glucose in 100 ml of distilled water to produce 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0% solutions, respectively. 4 ml of each solution was added to 4 ml of Benedict’s reagent in a test tube and placed in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes, then each test tube was observed.

Results : Food Solutions (4 ml) with Benedict’s Reagent (4 ml)

Glucose Solutions (4 ml) with Benedict’s Reagent (4 ml)

Semi-Quantitative Analysis from Data

Discussion : From the analysis of food solutions along with the glucose solutions of known concentrations, the semi-quantitative analysis of sugar levels in different food products was performed. Milk had the highest sugar content of 2%, with orange juice at 1.5%, bread at 0.5% and chicken with 0% sugar. These values were approximated; the standard solutions were not the exact color of the food solutions, but the closest color match was chosen.

One point of contention was using the orange juice solution, which conferred color to the starting solution, rendering it green before the reaction started. This could have led to the final color (and hence, sugar quantity) being inaccurate. Also, since comparing colors using eyesight alone is inaccurate, the experiment could be improved with a colorimeter that can accurately determine the exact wavelength of light absorbed by the solution.

Another downside of Benedict’s reagent is its inability to react with non-reducing sugars. Reducing sugars encompass all sugar types that can be oxidized from aldehydes or ketones into carboxylic acids. This means that all monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, etc.) are reducing sugars, while only select polysaccharides are. Disaccharides like sucrose and trehalose cannot be oxidized, hence are non-reducing and will not react with Benedict’s reagent. Furthermore, Benedict’s reagent cannot distinguish between different types of reducing sugars.

Conclusion : Using Benedict’s reagent, different food products were analyzed semi-quantitatively for their levels of reducing sugars. Milk contained around 2% sugar, while the chicken solution had no sugar. Overall, the experiment was a success, although the accuracy of the results could have been improved with the use of quantitative equipment and methods.

Reference :

  • Raza, S. I., Raza, S. A., Kazmi, M., Khan, S., & Hussain, I. (2021). 100 Years of Glucose Monitoring in Diabetes Management.  Journal of Diabetes Mellitus ,  11 (5), 221-233.
  • Benedict, Stanley R (1909). A Reagent for the Detection of Reducing Sugars.  Journal of Biological Chemistry ,  5 , 485-487.

Using this guide and example, writing a lab report should be a hassle-free, perhaps even enjoyable process!

About the Author

sean author

Sean is a consultant for clients in the pharmaceutical industry and is an associate lecturer at La Trobe University, where unfortunate undergrads are subject to his ramblings on chemistry and pharmacology.

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Writing Lab Reports

Writing lab reports follows a straightforward and structured procedure. It is important to recognize that each part of a lab report is important, so take the time to complete each carefully. A lab report is broken down into eight sections: title, abstract, introduction, methods and materials, results, discussion, conclusion, and references. 

  • Ex: "Determining the Free Chlorine Content of Pool Water"
  • Abstracts are a summary of the experiment as a whole and should familiarize the reader with the purpose of the research. 
  • Abstracts will always be written last, even though they are the first paragraph of a lab report. 
  • Not all lab reports will require an abstract. However, they are often included in upper-level lab reports and should be studied carefully. 
  • Why was the research done or experiment conducted?
  • What problem is being addressed?
  • What results were found?
  • What are the meaning of the results?
  • How is the problem better understood now than before, if at all?

Introduction

  • The introduction of a lab report discusses the problem being studied and other theory that is relevant to understanding the findings. 
  • The hypothesis of the experiment and the motivation for the research are stated in this section. 
  • Write the introduction in your own words. Try not to copy from a lab manual or other guidelines. Instead, show comprehension of the experiment by briefly explaining the problem.

Methods and Materials

  • Ex: pipette, graduated cylinder, 1.13mg of Na, 0.67mg Ag
  • List the steps taken as they actually happened during the experiment, not as they were supposed to happen. 
  • If written correctly, another researcher should be able to duplicate the experiment and get the same or very similar results. 
  • The results show the data that was collected or found during the experiment. 
  • Explain in words the data that was collected.
  • Tables should be labeled numerically, as "Table 1", "Table 2", etc. Other figures should be labeled numerically as "Figure 1", "Figure 2", etc. 
  • Calculations to understand the data can also be presented in the results. 
  • The discussion section is one of the most important parts of the lab report. It analyzes the results of the experiment and is a discussion of the data. 
  • If any results are unexpected, explain why they are unexpected and how they did or did not effect the data obtained. 
  • Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the design of the experiment and compare your results to other similar experiments.
  • If there are any experimental errors, analyze them.
  • Explain your results and discuss them using relevant terms and theories.
  • What do the results indicate?
  • What is the significance of the results?
  • Are there any gaps in knowledge?
  • Are there any new questions that have been raised?
  • The conclusion is a summation of the experiment. It should clearly and concisely state what was learned and its importance.
  • If there is future work that needs to be done, it can be explained in the conclusion.
  • If using any outside sources to support a claim or explain background information, those sources must be cited in the references section of the lab report. 
  • In the event that no outside sources are used, the references section may be left out. 

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High School Science Lab Reports: Mastering the Scientific Method

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In high school, lab reports often represent a large percentage of a student's grade in science classes, such as biology, chemistry and physics. These reports can be intimidating for an inexperienced science report writer. Read on to learn more about how you can help your budding scientist with his or her lab reports.

While there's no magic formula for writing an A-level science lab report, there is a way to ensure your child writes a quality report. Like all things in science, the secret is in the method.

The Scientific Method

The scientific method is the foundation of thinking scientifically, so it's only natural that becoming better acquainted with it will help your student write a better lab report. Here's how it works:

  • Qualitative or quantitative measurements and characterizations
  • A possible explanation for the observation
  • A logical deduction about future observations based on the hypothesis
  • Test predictions against new observations to determine the strength of the hypothesis

The above guidelines should serve as the backbone of any good science lab report. While the teacher may already have certain portions of the method established (i.e. method of the experiment), referencing these guidelines will help to keep your child's report focused.

Writing the Lab Report

The scientific method can be broken down into a step-by-step process that makes working through a lab report much easier.

  • Define the question
  • Gather information and resources
  • Form the hypothesis
  • Plan the experiment
  • Perform the experiment and collect data
  • Analyze data
  • Interpret and draw conclusions that help refine the hypothesis
  • Communicate results

The Problem Statement

The first step in a science lab report is the question or problem statement. Your child needs to identify the problem or question that will be discussed in the report.

To start, have your child completely read through the lab instructions provided by the teacher. The problem statement should be one of the first items in the instruction sheet. The necessary information and resources should be listed on this sheet as well.

The Hypothesis

The next step is to formulate the experimental hypothesis. The experimental hypothesis is the student's explanation of the scientific relationship being investigated. The hypothesis should combine your child's own prior knowledge and the provided background information. Teachers will be able to tell if a student read or comprehended the background information based on the experimental hypothesis.

Here, your student writes about the experimental design, which includes: materials, instruments, data to be collected, number of trials, dependent and independent variables, and a description of all safety concerns and how to address them.

In this section, your child outlines the data collected during the experiment. Your child is often responsible for creating graphic presentations (i.e. graphs, charts or tables) to illustrate the results of the experiments. Graphs and charts make it easier for your children to interpret the results and, thus, draw conclusions from the experiment.

The Conclusion

Scientists are expected to wrap-up their lab report with a conclusion. Make sure your student's conclusion includes a statement regarding data analysis and whether or not the results support the experimental hypothesis; remember, it is not important the hypothesis was 'correct,' but that the scientific method was followed. Have your child identify any problems or errors that occurred, and how these might have effected the results.

Finally, make sure your high school science student is able to discuss how the results apply in the real world, and indicate any other experiments that may be conducted to support the conclusion given in the report.

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How to Write a Lab Report for High School Experiments

In high school, hands-on labs teach students about scientific procedures and method. A crucial part of a lab is the proper writing of a lab report. Whether your experiment itself is successful or not, your lab is not complete until you document your intent, methods, and results in your report. Learning to write a lab report is a simple process, and once you get the hang of it, it will become second nature. Different classes may vary the requirements for the contents of the report, but most will follow the basic pattern below.

Title your lab. Sometimes the title will be assigned by the teacher, other times you will be asked to come up with your own. The title should briefly summarize the focus of the lab: for example, "The Rate of Osmosis through Semi-Permeable Membranes."

Compose your introduction. The first section of your lab report is called the "Introduction" or "Purpose." This section states what your experiment will attempt to do and how you expect it to turn out. State the theory or hypothesis that you are attempting to test, and add information about previous scientific studies or experiments that are relevant to your theory.

List your materials in the "Materials" section.

Explain your "Procedure." This section is a step-by-step explanation of your experiment as you carry it out. Write the steps in order, unnumbered, as a paragraph, without frivolous narrative. Include any variables and controls. Also add any safety information in this section, and any sketches or diagrams of your method.

Write your "Results." List the data that you collect, in narrative paragraphs or tables, or whatever format works for your particular experiment.

Make an "Analysis" of your information. This section is where you describe what happened during the experiment and whether the results turned out as you expected. Even mistakes or undefined results should be listed here - presume that everything that happened is relevant, and propose theories for unexpected results. Solve any equations brought up in the experiment. Explain any problems or complications that prohibited an action from occurring. Include graphs here. Also, inform the reader of estimations you made to come to your results and why you made those estimations.

Write your conclusion. In this section of your lab, you talk about the significance of your results. Your Introduction stated a theory. You used the experiment to test that theory. If the theory was disproven, discuss whatever information you learned from the experiment. Apply your experiment to real life by discussing an issue or problem relevant to your findings.

  • Note the teacher's individual instructions for lab-report assignments. You may need to note your lab station number or list partners or other specific data.
  • Always read through experiment directions thoroughly before attempting an experiment.
  • High School Science Lab Reports: Mastering the Scientific Method

Diane Todd holds a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication from North Carolina State University and is a former video and web producer for a North Carolina multimedia agency. She also spent several years as a media specialist/graphics designer for the Cumberland County school system in Fayetteville, N.C.

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How to Write a Scientific Lab Report: Basic Format & Key Parts

Last Updated: January 10, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Bess Ruff, MA . Bess Ruff is a Geography PhD student at Florida State University. She received her MA in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2016. She has conducted survey work for marine spatial planning projects in the Caribbean and provided research support as a graduate fellow for the Sustainable Fisheries Group. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 151,786 times.

If you've just finished an experiment in your physics class, you might have to write a report about it. This may sound intimidating, but it's actually a simple process that helps you explain your experiment and your results to your teacher and anyone else who is interested in learning about it. Once you know what sections to include in your report and what writing techniques to use, you'll be able to write a great physics lab report in no time.

Including the Proper Sections

Step 1 Start with a cover sheet.

  • Your name and the name of your partner(s)
  • The title of your experiment
  • The date you conducted the experiment
  • Your teacher's name
  • Information that identifies which class you are in

Step 2 Include an abstract.

  • Keep your abstract brief and note the purpose of the experiment, the hypothesis, and any major findings.

Step 3 Consider adding an introduction.

  • If a diagram will help your audience understand your procedure, include it in this section.
  • You may be tempted to write this as a list, but it's best to stick to paragraph form.
  • Some teachers may require a separate section on the materials and apparatuses that were used to conduct the experiment.
  • If you are following instructions from a lab book, do not just copy the steps from the book. Explain the procedure in your own words to demonstrate that you understand how and why you are collecting each piece of data.

Step 6 Include your raw data.

  • You may include graphs or charts that highlight the most important pieces of data here as well, but do not begin to analyze the data quite yet.
  • Explain any reasonable uncertainties that may appear in your data. No experiment is completely free of uncertainties, so ask your teacher if you're not sure what to include.
  • Always include uncertainty bars in your graphs if the uncertainties of the data are known.
  • Also discuss any potential sources of error and how those errors may have affected your experiment.

Step 7 Provide sample calculations.

  • Some teachers may allow you to include your calculations in the data section of our report.

Step 8 Analyze your data and state your conclusion.

  • Include information about how your results compare to your expectations or hypothesis, what implications these results have for the world of physics, and what further experiments could be conducted to learn more about your results.
  • You can also include your own ideas for improving upon the experiment.
  • Be sure to include any graphs that would be appropriate to illustrate your analysis of the data and help your readers better understand it. [9] X Research source
  • Some teachers may request that you create two separate analysis and conclusion sections.

Using the Correct Writing Techniques

Step 1 Use full sentences and proper grammar.

  • Bullet pointed lists are not appropriate for most sections of your report. You may be able to use them for short sections like your materials and apparatuses list.
  • Keep in mind that one of the main objectives of your lab report is to guide others in recreating your experiment. If you can't clearly explain what you did and how you did it, no one will ever be able to reproduce your results.

Step 2 Focus on clarity.

  • Active sentences are usually easier to understand than passive sentences, so try to minimize your use of the passive voice whenever possible. For example, if you wrote, "These results are easily reproducible by anyone who has the correct equipment," try changing it to "Anyone who has the correct equipment should be able to reproduce these results." The passive voice is not always wrong, so don't be afraid to leave a sentence in the passive voice if you think it makes more sense that way.

Step 3 Stay on topic.

  • Don't jump ahead and discuss the results of the experiment before you get to that section. Just because you understand everything that happened with your experiment, does not mean your readers will. You need to walk them through it step by step.
  • Cut out any sentences that don't add anything of substance to your report. Your readers will only get frustrated if they have to read through a bunch of fluff in order to find your main point.

Step 4 Stick to the third person.

  • For example, instead of writing, "I noticed that the data we gathered was not consistent with our previous results," write, "The data is not consistent with the previous results."
  • It may be tricky to maintain active voice when writing in third person, so it’s okay to use passive voice if it makes more sense to do so.

Step 5 Write in the present tense.

  • The past tense is appropriate for discussing your procedure and the results of past experiments.

Step 6 Include headings and labels.

Community Q&A

Community Answer

  • Try not to make your sentences too long or difficult. Even complex information can be written out in a way that is easy to understand. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 0
  • Your teacher may have a slightly different way of breaking up the sections, so it's always a good idea to ask. Be sure to include any additional sections that your teacher specifically requests. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0
  • If there were multiple parts to your experiment, you might want to consider doing a mini report for each section so your readers can easily follow along with your data and results for each part before moving on to the next one. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

how to write a high school lab report

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Write a Good Lab Conclusion in Science

  • ↑ http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/110769.pdf
  • ↑ https://centers.njit.edu/introphysics/physics-lab-report-guidelines/
  • ↑ https://physics.unc.edu/undergraduate/courses-credits-placement/sample-report/
  • ↑ http://ruby.fgcu.edu/courses/mfauerba/Physics_Procedure_for_Writing_a_Physics_Lab_Report.htm
  • ↑ https://www.chabotcollege.edu/faculty/shildreth/physics/PhysicsLabReportStandards.htm
  • ↑ https://guides.lib.purdue.edu/c.php?g=352816&p=2377936
  • ↑ http://guides.lib.purdue.edu/c.php?g=352816&p=2377936
  • ↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/writingprocess/proofreading

About This Article

Bess Ruff, MA

To write a physics lab report, start by putting together a cover sheet with your name, and the title and date of the experiment. Then, include an abstract, or summary of your report, followed by your objective, procedures, and methods. After you’ve talked about how the experiment was conducted, present your raw data, and provide any important calculations used with the data. Next, write an analysis of your data, and a conclusion to explain what you've learned. Finally, complete the report by writing up your references. For tips from our Science reviewer on how to make your report sound as professional as possible, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Lab Report - Video and Examples

How to Write a Lab Report – Video and Free Guide

There are several ways to write a lab report, and depending on your class or your instructor, the requirements will vary. This guide, created by Sherri Seligson , has been developed to help you understand the reason why knowing how to write a lab report is an important part of the science process. It will also introduce the basic structure of one type of write-up.

What is a Lab Report?

Simply put, a lab report is a way to explain what you have done in an experiment. You describe the results you obtained and then discuss what you learned. There are several ways to write a lab report, and depending on your class or your instructor, the requirements will vary. But this guide is to help you understand the reason why writing a lab report is an important part of the science process. It will also introduce the basic structure of one type of write-up.

In college, any science course you take will require you to do a lab report. But they are not just busywork. They actually serve a purpose. You see, a written report is one of the main ways to share information to other scientists. It communicates the major points of an investigation to others who are in a similar field. This is a systematic way to spread the information!

Lab reports have their own unique style and format, too. Though you may have been taught to write poetically and with artistry, lab reports require clarity and accuracy. They convey information in a concise and clear manner as you explain your investigation and results.

These reports should only be about two to three pages in length, so excessive background or intensive explanations are not necessary. Just get to the major points. Additionally, when doing these, do not use pronouns in your writing. Instead of, “We took three milliliters of vinegar and added it to our beaker,” you would write, “Three milliliters of vinegar were added to a beaker.” See? It is more concise and yet still very clear. In a conclusion, don’t say, “I learned that when you take salt water and place it in a container with fresh water, the salt water will sink because I know that salt water is denser than fresh water.” Again, think clear and concise, while removing pronouns: “In a container, salt water will sink below fresh water because salt water is more dense.”

Of course, as in all writing, proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation are important. And definitely avoid using slang. Though a lab might have been “really cool,” you do not want to write that in your report. Lab reports are technical documents, using correct technical terms and incorporating graphs and tables within the body of the text. So think of this lab-writing process as an opportunity to add one more type of writing style to your skill set. It will take a little practice at first, but as you continue to write more, you will eventually master this style. If you are college bound, you will likely have to take AT LEAST one science course, and lab reports will surely play a part in your grade, so this is another way to better prepare yourself for the future. Even in a career environment, there will be times when technical writing skills will be useful.

how to write a high school lab report

Access a FREE How to Write a Lab Report Guide

Written by Apologia Science author Sherri Seligson . The ability to write a lab report is important for your student as they move through high school and into middle school. Sherri takes your student through this process step by step and will help your child move into college sciences confidently, knowing how to write a proper lab report.

Download the Guide

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About Sherri Seligson, M.Ed.

Before Sherri Seligson was “promoted” to the position of homeschooling mother of four, she worked as a marine biologist at Walt Disney World’s Living Seas pavilion and published shark behavior research. She is the author of Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Marine Biology , Exploring Creation with General Science , and Internship for High School Credit and has written companion curricula for feature films such as Dolphin Tale and War Horse. Sherri is also the featured instructor for Apologia’s video instruction courses . Sherri and her husband, David, live in Orlando, Florida.

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Guidelines for writing formal lab reports

  • Guidelines for writing formal lab…

In high school and university, I spent an extensive amount of time writing lab reports, and as a teacher and tutor, I have edited and marked hundreds of student lab reports. In this blog post, I’m going to share what teachers expect to see in formal lab reports and common mistakes that I have observed students make when writing lab reports.

Why do science teachers like to make high school students write lab reports? Lab reports are a great tool for teachers to assess their students’ writing abilities as well as their knowledge of a particular topic being covered. Lab reports require students to analyze gathered data and are, thus, a great tool for assessing a student’s analytical thinking skills and ability to convey information and ideas. Moreover, teachers love various assessment formats apart from tests and presentations. Furthermore, teachers want to prepare their students for science courses in university, where students would be required to write formal lab reports on a weekly basis.

In many genres of writing, the active voice is encouraged over the passive, but this is not the case when writing lab reports. All of the sections of the lab report should be written using passive voice. That means that no personal pronouns are to be used when writing a lab report. So instead of writing “we determined the coefficient of friction to be 0.31,” one would write “the coefficient of friction was determined to be 0.31.” Pronouns such as ‘I’ and ‘we’ should never be used in lab reports. And since lab reports are written after an experiment, the past tense should be used. Unlike other forms of writing, technical writing such as a lab report should never contain slang and colloquial expressions. A lab report is not to be treated like a creative piece of writing. It is not intended to entertain or evoke humour.

Just like a good essay, a good lab report begins with a good title. A lab report title should be descriptive, but not too long. Oftentimes, I see students that haven’t written lab reports before, write something like “Friction lab report” for the title. A much better title would be something like “Determining the coefficient of static friction between a calculator and a textbook.” The title needs to relate to the purpose of the lab.

After a descriptive title, a formal lab report needs to have an introduction. The introduction needs to be in paragraph form (never use point form for a formal lab report). The introduction needs to include the purpose for carrying out the experiment. It also common to include a hypothesis and what was predicted before carrying out the experiment. A crucial component of an introduction is background information. A person that knows very little about the topic of the lab experiment needs to be able to understand what the lab is about from the introduction. Oftentimes, the most common mistake that I notice when reading student lab reports is that there isn’t enough background information given. When reading this section of the lab report, a teacher is assessing if the student understands the underlying concepts behind the experiment. Since background information is a major part of the introduction, including diagrams and figures can help convey ideas. A reference should be included for images taken from an external source such as a website.

The materials section comes after the instruction. This is generally the shortest section of the lab report since all that is require is to list the materials that were used. Complete sentences are not required for this section, just a list.  Following the materials section is the procedure or methods section. At times, the materials and methods are placed into one section. The methods or procedures section should list in chronological order the steps that were carried during the experiment. A numbered list is often used in this section. Paragraphs are not necessary. Just like other sections of the report, the procedure should be written in passive voice without the use of personal pronouns, such as ‘I’ and ‘we’. Here is an example of one step of a procedure: “1. Each test tube was filled with 100 mL of water.” The procedure needs to be clear; a person that wasn’t there when the experiment was performed should be able to replicate what was done and should be able to get similar results.

The results section comes after the procedure. All gathered data is placed in the results section. The results section can include observation tables and graphs. It should contain raw and processed data. Raw data is the data that was gathered while performing the experiment, and processed data is data that was generated using the raw data such as a percent error. All tables, figures and graphs in the results section should have a descriptive title and should be numbered. This would be an example of a table title: “Table 1. Displacements of a physics cart.” Results from experimental trials should be put in tables. It is often useful to present gathered data graphically. When creating graphs, place the independent variable, such as time, on the horizontal axis, and the dependent variable, such as displacement, on the vertical axis. Axes should be labeled and should include the units for each variable. A line or curve of best fit also needs to be drawn or generated used software, such as excel. The line or curve of best fit shows the trend of the data. The biggest mistake students make in the results section is to discuss the results. The results section is only meant to display the data – no analysis or interpretation of the data should be there. Brief calculations can be included in the results section, but long calculations should be placed in the appendix section (placed at the end of the report).

The discussion section is where the data in the results section should be discussed and analyzed. The discussion is usually the longest section of a formal lab report because it is where most of the questions that were raised before and during the experiment should be answered. The discussion section should refer to the tables and graphs in the results section. For instance, one would write “According to table 1,…” or “Referring to figure 2, it can be seen…”  If the results that were obtained did not match predictions, explanations should be provided as to why that might have been the case. It is important to address uncertainties and sources of error. For instance, when launching a projectile and measuring its acceleration, oftentimes not taking air resistance into account could be considered a source of error. Another common source of error is measurement error – the equipment that is used to measure has a finite precision. Moreover, measurements made by one person may be different than those made by another. The end of the discussion should include a conclusion unless there is a separate conclusion section. The conclusion should relate back to the purpose of the experiment and the hypothesis. It should answer if the results that were obtained matched what was predicted before carrying out the experiment.

One final note: proper grammar and spelling matters as much when writing a lab report as it does when writing an essay for English. Sometimes students hold the misconception that they don’t have to pay as much attention to how they write when writing a lab report. A lab report might have good ideas, but if they are not conveyed clearly, one is less likely to receive full credit for them when the report is being marked. Grammar and spelling are included in the communication mark for the report. How clearly one writes matters in science as much as it does in other subjects.

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Author:  Jeff Gadjiev

Jeff Gadjiev is an Ontario Certified Math and Science Teacher that works for the York Region District School Board. He has been tutoring for the past decade. His tutoring approach is structured and is catered to a student's learning style and needs. Jeff has experience working with English language learners and students with special needs.

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Writing Studio

Writing a lab report: introduction and discussion section guide.

In an effort to make our handouts more accessible, we have begun converting our PDF handouts to web pages. Download this page as a PDF:   Writing a Lab Report Return to Writing Studio Handouts

Part 1 (of 2): Introducing a Lab Report

The introduction of a lab report states the objective of the experiment and provides the reader with background information. 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

What is the problem.

Describe the problem investigated. Summarize relevant research to provide context, key terms, and concepts so that your reader can understand the experiment.

Why is it important?

Review relevant research to provide a rationale for the investigation. What conflict, unanswered question, untested population, or untried method in existing research does your experiment address? How will you challenge or extend the findings of other researchers?

What solution (or step toward a solution) do you propose?

Briefly describe your experiment : hypothesis , research question , general experimental design or method , and a justification of your method (if alternatives exist).

Tips on Composing Your Lab Report’s Introduction

  • Move from the general to the specific – from a problem in research literature to the specifics of your experiment.
  • Engage your reader – answer the questions: “What did I do?” “Why should my reader care?”
  • Clarify the links between problem and solution, between question asked and research design, and between prior research and the specifics of your experiment.
  • Be selective, not exhaustive, in choosing studies to cite and the amount of detail to include. In general, the more relevant an article is to your study, the more space it deserves and the later in the introduction it appears.
  • Ask your instructor whether or not you should summarize results and/or conclusions in the Introduction.
  • “The objective of the experiment was …”
  • “The purpose of this report is …”
  • “Bragg’s Law for diffraction is …”
  • “The scanning electron microscope produces micrographs …”

Part 2 (of 2): Writing the “Discussion” Section of a Lab Report

The discussion is the most important part of your lab report, because here you show that you have not merely completed the experiment, but that you also understand its wider implications. The discussion section is reserved for putting experimental results in the context of the larger theory. Ask yourself: “What is the significance or meaning of the results?”

Elements of an Effective Discussion Section

What do the results indicate clearly? Based on your results, explain what you know with certainty and draw conclusions.

Interpretation

What is the significance of your results? What ambiguities exist? What are logical explanations for problems in the data? What questions might you raise about the methods used or the validity of the experiment? What can be logically deduced from your analysis?

Tips on the Discussion Section

1. explain your results in terms of theoretical issues..

How well has the theory been illustrated? What are the theoretical implications and practical applications of your results?

For each major result:

  • Describe the patterns, principles, and relationships that your results show.
  • Explain how your results relate to expectations and to literature cited in your Introduction. Explain any agreements, contradictions, or exceptions.
  • Describe what additional research might resolve contradictions or explain exceptions.

2. Relate results to your experimental objective(s).

If you set out to identify an unknown metal by finding its lattice parameter and its atomic structure, be sure that you have identified the metal and its attributes.

3. Compare expected results with those obtained.

If there were differences, how can you account for them? Were the instruments able to measure precisely? Was the sample contaminated? Did calculated values take account of friction?

4. Analyze experimental error along with the strengths and limitations of the experiment’s design.

Were any errors avoidable? Were they the result of equipment?  If the flaws resulted from the experiment design, explain how the design might be improved. Consider, as well, the precision of the instruments that were used.

5. Compare your results to similar investigations.

In some cases, it is legitimate to compare outcomes with classmates, not in order to change your answer, but in order to look for and to account for or analyze any anomalies between the groups. Also, consider comparing your results to published scientific literature on the topic.

The “Introducing a Lab Report” guide was adapted from the University of Toronto Engineering Communications Centre and University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center.

The “Writing the Discussion Section of a Lab Report” resource was adapted from the University of Toronto Engineering Communications Centre and University of Wisconsin-Madison Writing Center.

Last revised: 07/2008 | Adapted for web delivery: 02/2021

In order to access certain content on this page, you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader or an equivalent PDF viewer software.

how to write a high school lab report

Easy Peasy All-in-One High School

An extension of the easy peasy all-in-one homeschool, lab report template.

Title : * a brief, concise, yet descriptive title

Example: “Types of Invertebrates Found in Pond Water”

Introduction:  (State the problem or question to be answered)

* What question(s) are you trying to answer? * Not all experiments start with a question, some start with an observation and questions develop from further observations * Include any preliminary observations or background information about the subject Example: How mny different types of insects are found in pond water? Does the location of the pond change the types of insects that live there? Does water quality affect the number of organisms?

Hypothesis:

* Write a possible solution for the problem or an explanation for the observation * Make sure this possible solution is a complete sentence. * Make sure the statement is testable, an if-then statement is recommended to illustrate what criteria will support your hypothesis (and what data would not support the hypothesis). * Identify the manipulated (independent) variable and the responding (dependent) variable. Example: Ponds located near populated areas will have less organisms than ponds found in isolated areas. The manipulated variable is the pond location, the responding variable is the number of organisms.
* Make a list of ALL items used in the lab. Alternatively, materials can be included as part of the procedure. Example: Pond water, strainers, microscopes, field guides, petri dishes
* Write a paragraph (complete sentences) which explains what you did in the lab as a short summary. * You may choose to add details (step-by-step) of your procedure in such a way that anyone else could repeat the experiment. Example: Water was sampled from each pond and examined under the microscope. A field guide was used to identify the types of organisms found and estimations of numbers were recorded.
* This section should include any data tables, observations, or observations * You may attach a separate sheet(s) if necessary. * All tables, graphs and charts should be labeled appropriately (X and Y axis)

Conclusions:

* Accept or reject your hypothesis. * EXPLAIN why you accepted or rejected your hypothesis using data from the lab. * Include a summary of the data – averages, highest, lowest..etc to help the reader understand your results. Try not to copy your data here, you should summarize and reference KEY information. * List one thing you learned and describe how it applies to a real-life situation. *Discuss possible errors that could have occurred in the collection of the data (experimental errors) and suggest ways the experiment could be improved.

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How to Write the Perfect Chemistry Lab Report: A Definitive Guide

February 11, 2020 By Guest Posts Leave a Comment

Students have to deal with multiple academic tasks, and writing lab reports (lots of them!) is one of them. Its main purpose is to explain what you did in your experiment, what you learned and what the results meant.

Performing experiments and reporting them properly is a cornerstone of on your way into learning chemistry .

But how do you write a chemistry lab report properly?

It’s now time to find out!

writing a chemistry lab report for an experiment

Our ultimate guide sheds light on the main parts of lab report writing. You ought to be aware of every section and understand how to complete them properly. Therefore, we have divided our guide into three major sections that are:

  • Parts of the lab report;
  • A step-by-step review;
  • Writing your project.

General Information

It’s necessary to begin with an overview of the main sections that should be present on a laboratory report for chemistry.

Mind that sometimes these sections are called differently but have the same purpose. Some of the sections may be missing, but the general structure should be close to this. Everything depends on the educational institution.

It is important to know that usually lab reports are written after the lab session is finished . This means that you need to have everything previously recorded in your lab notebook . You are supposed to keep track of everything you do in the lab in your laboratory notebook, and then using that notebook to write down your lab report, not the other way around.

Reviewing Every Step

Now, we’d like to go through the main stages of a chemistry lab report. It’s necessary to add brief comments concerning each of them. Your laboratory report begins with a title page. You already know what it consists of. Let’s check how to compose it correctly. The information must be presented on the upper right-hand side of the page. All the points (the title, your name, collaborators, etc.) should be mentioned on the separate line.

Afterward comes the second part, which includes:

  • The course title
  • Title of the experiment
  • Title of the parts within the experiment
  • Semester, year, etc. (optional)

This data appears in the middle of the title page.

The next section is the Introduction and it begins with this word in the left upper corner of your report. It should consist of no more than a couple of paragraphs and end with at least one hypothesis.

The body of your project consists of the procedure, materials and methods employed; data; results and observations.  The section Procedure commonly consists of several steps that were followed for the proper conduction of the experiment(s). They could be divided in different parts, and those would describe your actions.

The section Data contains the numerical facts and Observations that provide the changes that took place. Afterwards, you move to the Discussions, in which you ought to plainly explain all the numbers, observations and collected data. Your conclusions provide an overall summary of the entire lab report, and the whole experimental session itself.

Writing a Chemistry Lab Report

The last lap in our “race” is to write a laboratory report . We have already mentioned the main constituents of the title page. Therefore, we can hit the text of your project. Your abstract appears soon after the title page. An abstract is a quick summary that sums up the whole thing (hypothesis to be proven, and conclusions that are reached). Nonetheless, you should leave some space and skip it until the entire project is finished. It is recommended to write the abstract last. The main point is that this section provides a brief review of what your lab report is about and what you’ve managed to achieve.

Main Sections

The introductory part tells your readers what to expect from the project. Write a couple o paragraphs and explain the purpose of your experiment. Including references here is also highly encouraged. The last sentence of your introduction is called a hypothesis or a thesis statement. It shows what you hope to achieve at the end of your research.

The main body consists of several parts and of course, each has its purpose. You should introduce the materials and methods you need to conduct the research. Explain your choice and how your choice helps to conduct a safe and accurate study.

Take instant records of everything that happens during the experiment in your lab notebook . Never rely on your memory!

Afterwards, you’ll interpret the data and explain it using plain words. Don’t draw any conclusions when you record data and don’t explain it in the section called Results. This function should be fulfilled in the sections Discussions or Analysis sections, which should come right afterwards.

Your conclusion makes a brief summary. It should consist of 3-4 sentences, not many more. Restate your hypothesis in other words. Mention whether you’ve achieved your initial goal and explain its value.

Importantly, do realize that if a hypothesis cannot be proven, or an experiment doesn’t give you the results you expected, it doesn’t mean that your experiment and lab session was a failure. It is extremely common in chemistry to find yourself on this kind of situations! You only need to be able to explain why you got the results that you got, and how would you go around to fix them!

Further Sections on Your Report

Don’t forget about the contributors (labmates, supervisiors…) to your research.

You should also obligatorily use some secondary sources to support your theory. Therefore, you have to cite and make references according to the assigned writing format. You can reference other articles all over your manuscript (especially in the introduction and discussion sections), but don’t forget to put them together (or at the bottom of each page), and cite them properly.

The final step is to proofread your lab report. You’re free to use reading aloud and in your head, reading everything again, and using special grammar and spelling checking applications.

To sum up, keep in mind all these guidelines when you’re assigned to write a lab report. Thus, you’ll never miss something important, which can cost you essential grades. Write each section properly to receive the highest grades for your experiment. Always be clear, cite the appropriate references, and be objective with your analysis and conclusions!

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how to write a high school lab report

how to write a high school lab report

How and When to Write a Science Lab Report

I’m not sure that any high school teacher would say she loves having students write science lab reports. It’s often a lot like getting your kids to eat their vegetables- you know it’s good for them, but what a struggle to get them to do it! And grading lab reports is equally difficult so it’s easy to see why many teachers shy away from formal lab reports in their Biology classes.

Writing a science lab report can be a valuable skill in a high school course, especially if you have college-bound students who will be going on to get advanced degrees. It is a cross-curricular pursuit that includes summarizing, writing, research, and math skills. However, lab reports are often used incorrectly in secondary science courses, so they end up being busy work for students and unnecessary grading for teachers.

How and When to Write a Biology Lab Report in the Science Classroom

When is a science lab report appropriate:

  • When students are working with self-determined variables, hypotheses, or experimental designs. Here is an example of an experimental design lab for Biology or Anatomy classes.
  • When groups are testing different variables leading to one classroom result.

When is a science lab report not appropriate:

  • When you are simply observing a specimen (through a microscope, in a dissection, etc.)
  • When you are following a “cookie-cutter” lab from the textbook that provides every step for you.

If students are not forming their own conclusions based on data they’ve collected, there is no reason to write a formal lab report. That’s why many of the labs I use in class contain just a simple worksheet with discussion questions for students to answer as they complete the lab. It is a rare occurrence in which I have students actually write a formal lab report but when I do, I spend the time necessary to train them to do it correctly.

Although a typical unit on the “scientific method” has fallen out of fashion, the science skills required to create, analyze, and evaluate experiments is still critical. I do begin my full courses with a short summary of scientific processes and the peer review process so students can practice experimental skills without the confusion of content they haven’t yet learned. Of course, those processes and skills are used later in the courses, as well.

I have a detailed document with explanations and examples for every section of a lab report. The following sections are traditional in a science lab report:

  • Introduction
  • Methods and Materials
  • Results with Tables and Figures
  • Discussion or Conclusion

Allowing my students to see this ahead of time gives them a great starting point when writing their own lab reports. Now you can use the lab report example I use in my Biology classes, too!

Another important note is that I usually grade multiple drafts of any lab reports I collect, especially the first one. Students usually need a lot of direction and redirection as they learn to complete this process properly. My class document includes two rubric examples that you can use to grade these lab reports. My favorite is the one that allows for self-reflection, peer review, then teacher review.

I hope the grading tips and lab report example provided here will give you some freedom to use lab reports in your science course once in a while and use them more effectively. Just remember to give them lots of guidance on the format and let them use the example lab report while they’re writing! For those days when lab reports are not appropriate or just too complicated, you might be interested in some simpler labs and activities , as well.

how to write a high school lab report

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Lab Report Example for High School Biology

Our lab report example for high school biology will show you how to write a bio lab report the right way!

High School Bio Lab Reports Examples

Before learning how to write a lab report for biology, let’s cover the questions of what is a biology lab, and what do you do with biology lab in college and high school.

What Is Biology Lab?

If you’re wondering what is biology lab, let’s get started but covering the 3 types of high school biology lab activities. This article will then focus on how to write a lab report for biology.

What Do You Do in Biology Lab in College and High School?

There are 3 basic types of college and high school biology lab activities, including microscope drawings, experiments, and dissections. We will focus on how to write a biology lab report based on microscope drawings in this article.

Microscope Drawings

The basic biology laboratory activity is looking at cells using a microscope. The microscope is the most important tool of the biologist, as it allows us to see the tiny building blocks of life called cells. Scientists can really only understand what these cells are doing by looking at them using a microscope. Biologists keep a careful laboratory notebook, making drawings, by hand, using pencil, of what they observe with the microscope.

You’ll find lab report examples for high school biology for this type of biology lab activity below, after we describe a couple of different types of hands on biology activities that are typical in schools and professional labs.

Biology Experiments

We mentioned previously that biologists typically observe living organisms. For example, in a biology laboratory we use microscopes to observe life. A wildlife biologist, on the other hand, might use the power of observation applied to nature.

In other cases, biology experiments involve a classical scientific approach of hypothesis testing. Biologists form an hypothesis, design an experiment, obtain measurements, analyze the measurements, possibly including some math, and document the results in a biology laboratory report. The main difference here is the analysis of measurements, as opposed to strictly using the power of observation as described above for making microscope drawings.

This type of biology experiment, which is actually usually really a biochemistry experiment, has a reporting style exactly like that used in a high school chemistry lab report. There is an example of that type of high school lab report for biology in another article , as this page is going to focus strictly on keeping a biology lab notebook for microscope drawings.

Biology Lab Dissections

Another important technique of the biologist is dissection. This type of analysis is important in, for example, medical school, so that our future doctors know what they are getting into, in terms of what’s inside the human body.

While we don’t engage in any dissections in our courses, the idea would be to make careful drawings in a biology laboratory notebook, much like would be described in the below lab report examples for high school biology microscope drawings.

How to Write a Biology Lab Report

Let’s learn how to write a biology lab report, by following the easy steps and bio lab report examples below, whether you’re in a physical lab doing experiments or in an online class with online experiments .

The Table of Contents

It happens to be the case that the first thing is the most important thing in your biology lab notebook for keeping detailed microscope drawings. As shown in the lab report example for biology below, the first page should always, always, always, always have a proper Table of Contents. 

Always start your biology lab notebook by writing Table of Contents on the first page, which is the page inside the notebook cover (see below example). Do it now before you forget, or you’ll have to start over!

how to write a high school lab report

So what’s a table of contents for a high school biology lab report? It’s a listing, on the first page of your biology lab notebook, of all of the drawings that you have made as part of the class you are taking . In other words, it’s totally not okay to just get started making microscope drawings of things you observe in biology lab. You have to first set up your biology lab notebook with a Table of Contents on the first page. This is done by simply writing “Table of Contents” on the first page of your bound laboratory notebook.

It’s the single most common error in biology to not have a table of contents on the first page, and your teacher or lab instructor definitely is not going to like it that way. It really, really, really needs a proper Table of Contents. There are no exceptions to having a Table of Contents in biology lab.

Also have your name and course name (or lab name, if it’s a professional lab) on the Table of Contents page, as shown in the biology lab report example below.

Then, each time you make a drawing in your biology lab notebook, the idea is to log it on that Table of Contents page (see below example). At minimum, you should name the drawing and show a page number on your Table of Contents. Your teacher, school, or lab might have additional requirements for keeping the Table of Contents, too, such as showing a date for each activity.

how to write a high school lab report

In summary, the Table of Contents is the most important thing. And it belongs right up front. Keeping a Table of Contents is what makes your drawings science, because it keeps them organized. If you just have a bunch of random drawings that aren’t organized, it probably would fall into the category of art, not science.

In the above high school biology lab notebook example, we can see from the contents that Dr. Scott made a set of microscope drawings on September 6, ending with a human cell infected with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 or Coronavirus), which is shown on page 5. Then, on page 6, a new set of three microscope drawings starts on September 12, ending with human blood cells on page 8. The Table of Contents shows plainly what happened and when it happened, which helps us to organize our data scientifically.

Use the Correct Paper

We’re very picky about using the right type of paper in science. Science is about writing things down, or keepings records, so that we can draw conclusions. And it’s important that it looks good on paper! So, it’s always an important point to have the correct paper.

The main thing about keeping a biology lab notebook is that it needs to be bound. We consider that honesty in science, so that pages cannot be shuffled around, added, or removed. Basically, the lab notebook should be held together by either a metal spiral binding or some type of glue.

Importantly, never use lined paper. Choose graph paper or blank pages. And you will be making the drawings in pencil (not pen).

It’s also important that the pages of your biology laboratory notebook are numbered. It’s possible to buy an expensive lab notebook in which the pages are already numbered. That might be a requirement for your school or lab, and you have to check with your teacher. A good, slightly less formal option is to just get a spiral-bound notebook and number the pages yourself. Remember, it’s going to have to have numbered pages, or else your Table of Contents isn’t going to make any sense.

You’re going to need to make a copy of your biology lab notebook to show your teacher or instructor. Traditional, expensive biology lab notebooks have carbon copy pages, using carbon, charcoal dust, to literally make a copy of the page as you write. In case you didn’t know it, that’s where the c.c. in email comes from, as it stands for carbon copy. That’s how things worked before the days of email. A good, slightly less formal option is to just scan pdfs of your lab notebook pages for your teacher or instructor to make the required copies.

How to Write a Biology Lab Report: Lab Drawings Examples

First, use pencil. A good example of a biology lab report drawing would be shown in pencil; however, I’m using pen in the images below for the simple reason that it shows up more clearly on the internet. In the real world, you should be using pencil for biology lab drawings.

Second, make one drawing per page. Come up with a good name to use as a title and put it at the top of the page. Make sure the page is numbered, so if you’re not using pre-numbered notebook pages, put the page number somewhere near the bottom of the page in a consistent location.

Third, each time you make a drawing, you have to log it in the Table of Contents. Remember, this is the most important part. Otherwise, it’s just a bunch of art. It isn’t science unless it’s organized using a Table of Contents. The Table of Contents should show the name and page number for the drawing on each page of the notebook. Compare the images above and below, and verify that page 1 actually contains what the Table of Contents says is there ( E. coli at 6836x). It needs to match. No exceptions whatsoever.

Fourth, remember it’s about observation. You are to simply draw what you see. Don’t make things up. Don’t be artistic. You’re not being graded on your artistic ability. You’re just being given credit for drawing what you see, exactly as you see it, to the best of your ability. There’s an example of a E. coli microscope drawing below from a  simulated microscope lab activity . Mainly, your teacher is going to like it if you set a good example by keeping a proper Table of Contents.

By following these simple steps, you’ll quickly learn how to write a biology lab report that makes your teacher happy.

how to write a high school lab report

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Our top cell biology courses include a complete set of cell biology lab experiments that will teach you how to write a lab report for biology. There are free, self-paced, and live versions of the course, and you can find more information by clicking on the cell biology lab experiments courses below.

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  1. How To Write A Lab Report

    Introduction Method Results Discussion Conclusion Other interesting articles Frequently asked questions about lab reports Structuring a lab report The sections of a lab report can vary between scientific fields and course requirements, but they usually contain the purpose, methods, and findings of a lab experiment.

  2. How to Write a Lab Report

    It should be brief (aim for ten words or less) and describe the main point of the experiment or investigation. An example of a title would be: "Effects of Ultraviolet Light on Borax Crystal Growth Rate". If you can, begin your title using a keyword rather than an article like "The" or "A". Introduction or Purpose

  3. How to Write a Lab Report

    How to Write a Lab Report This lesson will teach you a method for writing a lab report. The parts of the report will be described with some examples given. Use this lesson as a guide whenever you have to write up a report. All virtual labs and at home labs should follow these guidelines.

  4. How to Write a Science Lab Report (with Pictures)

    1 Get a head start on your lab report as soon as possible. You may have difficulty fighting the urge to procrastinate, but keep in mind that feedback and revisions can sometimes take up to a week. If you wait, you may forget a lot of important details from the experiment.

  5. Science Lab Report Template

    Fill in the Blanks to Complete a Lab Report If you perform an experiment, expect to write a lab report to describe it. Chris Ryan / Getty Images By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Updated on March 02, 2018 If you are preparing a lab report, it may help to have a template to work from.

  6. Complete Guide to Writing a Lab Report (With Example)

    This article outlines the important bits that go into writing a lab report (title, abstract, introduction, method, results, discussion, conclusion, reference). At the end is an example report of reducing sugar analysis with Benedict's reagent. Title

  7. Library Research Guides: STEM: How To Write A Lab Report

    A lab report is broken down into eight sections: title, abstract, introduction, methods and materials, results, discussion, conclusion, and references. Title The title of the lab report should be descriptive of the experiment and reflect what the experiment analyzed. Ex: "Determining the Free Chlorine Content of Pool Water" Abstract

  8. High School Science Lab Reports: Mastering the Scientific Method

    Writing the Lab Report. The scientific method can be broken down into a step-by-step process that makes working through a lab report much easier. Define the question. Gather information and resources. Form the hypothesis. Plan the experiment. Perform the experiment and collect data. Analyze data. Interpret and draw conclusions that help refine ...

  9. How to Write a Lab Report for High School Experiments

    List your materials in the "Materials" section. Explain your "Procedure." This section is a step-by-step explanation of your experiment as you carry it out. Write the steps in order, unnumbered, as a paragraph, without frivolous narrative. Include any variables and controls.

  10. How to Write a Physics Lab Report: Essential Tips & Tricks

    9. Include your references. Don't forget to add a "References" or "Works Cited" section at the end of your lab report. Include any and all sources you used to complete the lab. Format your references using the style ( MLA, APA, or Chicago) that your instructor prefers. Part 2.

  11. PDF High School Science Lab Report Format

    When writing the purpose, you should ask yourself: "What am I trying to show, find or do?" The introduction must be short and precise. No more than one or two paragraphs in length. The Introduction should have background information pertaining to the laboratory. If required write your hypothesis using one of the following formats:

  12. How to Write a Lab Report

    There are several ways to write a lab report, and depending on your class or your instructor, the requirements will vary. This guide, created by Sherri Seligson, has been developed to help you understand the reason why knowing how to write a lab report is an important part of the science process.

  13. 20 FREE Lab Report Templates and Examples (Word

    A lab report template is documentation (format) written to analyze, describe and explain the laboratory experiment that investigates a scientific concept. On multiple occasions, they are usually assigned to students to: Communicate specifically and clearly. Evaluate research objectively and methodically. Explore varying theoretical explanation.

  14. Guidelines for writing formal lab reports

    All of the sections of the lab report should be written using passive voice. That means that no personal pronouns are to be used when writing a lab report. So instead of writing "we determined the coefficient of friction to be 0.31," one would write "the coefficient of friction was determined to be 0.31.". Pronouns such as 'I' and ...

  15. Writing a Lab Report: Introduction and Discussion Section Guide

    Download this page as a PDF: Writing a Lab Report. Return to Writing Studio Handouts. Part 1 (of 2): Introducing a Lab Report. The introduction of a lab report states the objective of the experiment and provides the reader with background information. State the topic of your report clearly and concisely (in one or two sentences).

  16. Lab Report Template

    * Write a paragraph (complete sentences) which explains what you did in the lab as a short summary. * You may choose to add details (step-by-step) of your procedure in such a way that anyone else could repeat the experiment. Example: Water was sampled from each pond and examined under the microscope.

  17. How To: Write a Proper Lab Report (High School Science)

    Instructions and expectations for High School Lab reports.

  18. How to Write the Perfect Chemistry Lab Report: A Definitive Guide

    1 General Information 2 Reviewing Every Step 3 Writing a Chemistry Lab Report 3.1 Main Sections 3.2 Further Sections on Your Report General Information It's necessary to begin with an overview of the main sections that should be present on a laboratory report for chemistry.

  19. How to Write a Chemistry Lab Report

    Step by step how to write a lab report in either a lab notebook or stand alone report. Here is the rubric I use to grade my students if it helps you!https:/...

  20. How to Write a Lab Report

    Sherri Seligson walks you through the steps of writing a lab report for your science courses.https://apologia.com/download/How_to_Write_a_Lab_Report_WEB.pdf

  21. How and When to Write a Biology Lab Report

    When is a lab report not appropriate: When you are simply observing a specimen (through a microscope, in a dissection, etc.) When you are following a "cookie-cutter" lab from the textbook that provides every step for you. If students are not forming their own conclusions based on data they've collected, there is no reason to write a ...

  22. Lab Report Example High School Biology

    Always start your biology lab notebook by writing Table of Contents on the first page, which is the page inside the notebook cover (see below example). Do it now before you forget, or you'll have to start over! So what's a table of contents for a high school biology lab report?

  23. How to Write a Scientific Report

    In this post, we'll guide you step-by-step through how to write a scientific report and provide you with an example.