This Research Guide will help you find library resources in the biological sciences, including articles from scientific journals. It will also help you to identify the components of an original research article and other useful information.
Lab Report is a written report of the experiment that you conducted using a structured format and certain rules of writing. It is the same type of document as a scientific or original research article that has been published in a journal.
Writing the Lab Report
Use the past tense
Use the third person (do not use I, we)
Title page
Include the title, names of the people conducting the experiment, the date
Lab Report has the following parts:
Title
Abstract
Introduction
Materials or Methods or Methodology
Results
Conclusion
Discussion
References
Abstract
Abstract
Use about 150-250 words to summarize and give an overview of your experiment including your hypothesis. You might write this part last.
What was the purpose of the experiment?
What was the problem you were solving?
What were the results of the experiment?
Were you successful in proving your hypothesis?
Title
Title: use about 10 words to summarize the topic of your experiment into a title
Introduction
Introduction
Include background information related to the purpose of the experiment
Why are you conducting the experiment?
Materials and Methods
Materials and Methods
How did you conduct the experiment?
Include information about materials, subjects
Include design—independent and dependent variables and control groups
Report exact measurement
What procedures did you use?
Results
Results
What happened when you did the experiment?
Include graphs and charts
Include calculations
Discussion
Discussion
Analyze the experiment and what you discovered
What worked?
What did not work?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of your experiment?
What do the results show?
Organize the discussion in this way
First paragraph
Explanation of findings
Evidence that supports the findings
Next paragraph
Limitations of experiment
Unexpected findings
Last paragraph
Explain and describe the experiment with important data
Analyze and explain the data that your experiment produced
Explain your results
Conclusion
Conclusion
Summary of Experiment based on the results and the discussion
If you have unexpected results, then talk about how you would change the Experiment.
References
References
Any journal articles that you used in doing the experiment should be formatted in APA style.
