How to write an analytical or task oriented Laboratory Report in an FMRHS
Science Class
1. Cover page
Include your name, your lab partner’s name if needed, course, date and title of the lab
report.
2. Introduction
This is where you write background information about your experiment. What
observations have you made about the subject of your experiment? Use the introduction
to define vocabulary words or use them in context.
You are demonstrating a skill, solving a problem or performing a task and you need to
state the principles or concepts being examined, or what you hope to accomplish.
(Purpose)
3. Materials
List everything you used in the experiment. Write as detailed a list as you can. (A list
means in columns not a paragraph.)
4. Procedure
Write down everything you did in the experiment, in order. Be very precise and
detailed. When you think you are done, ask yourself “Could someone who was not in our
class repeat this experiment?”
5. Data and analysis
Each experiment should generate quantitative and/or qualitative data. Write this raw
data in data tables. Remember to record numbers to significant figures of apparatus
used and units. Sometimes data is best expressed in charts and graphs. Often we will
calculate averages of our data or manipulate it in other ways. In this part of the lab
report you should include all well-labeled charts, graphs, and tables.
6. Conclusion and discussion
This is the most important part of the report. Answer the relevant questions:
Does the data answer the question or achieve the task or purpose?
What sources of error were present in your experiment?
Explain any results you didn’t expect.
You must link the purpose and data analysis together to show what principles have been
demonstrated, what has been achieved and if the question has been answered. You
should mention specific data as evidence to support your answers. Include information
from the introduction that is relative to your results. Explain any relationships shown in
your data. Comment on any deviations from accepted values or expected results and
discuss sources of error.
7. References
List any sources you used to find information about your experiment. Handouts, textbook,
teacher, a librarian, websites, other books, etc. You must use the MLA format accepted
by FMRHS.
8. Abstract
If required see additional information.
Someone should be able to read the purpose and the conclusion and understand what
the question was and what the answer is.
A rubric describing how to earn full points on a lab report is below.
Point values for each lab may vary. You will be notified before writing the report.
Science Department Laboratory Report Rubric for analytical or task oriented lab
After you have written your lab report look at this rubric to see how many points you
have earned. If you don’t think you earned all possible points, edit your report.
5
4
3
2
1-0
Introduction
Defines or uses
all relevant
vocabulary.
Problem or
purpose clearly
stated.
Contains
relevant
background
information.
Defines most
relevant
vocabulary.
Problem or
purpose stated.
Includes some
back ground
information.
Defines few
vocabulary
words.
Problem or
purpose stated.
Little
background
information.
Attempts to
include a few
vocabulary
words.
Weak
purpose.
Little
background
information.
Not present or
too short with
almost no
vocabulary
mentioned.
Materials
Complete,
organized list
Nearly
complete list,
well organized.
List missing
many items or
disorganized.
Incomplete or
disorganized
list.
Little or none
present.
Procedure
Clear,
consecutive,
detailed and
repeatable.
Complete, less
detail,
understandable
.
Not repeatable Not
due to low level repeatable,
of detail or
not formatted.
missing parts.
Not present.
Data &
Analysis
Accurate, well
organized, with
labeled graphs
and charts as
needed.
Organized, but
missing some
charts/ graphs.
Lacks some
accuracy.
Missing some
data, charts,
graphs, etc.
Lacks labels or
accuracy.
Data not
present.
Data present,
but not easily
readable.
Lacks
accuracy.
Conclusion
and
discussion
Incorporates
specific data to
solve problem,
or demonstrate
purpose.
Discusses
sources of
error and
explains
unexpected
results.
Suggests
improvements.
Answers all
relevant
questions.
Data generally
shows solves
problem, or
demonstrates
purpose.
Discusses few
sources of
error and tries
to explain
unexpected
results.
Suggests
improvements.
Answers most
of relevant
questions.
Interprets data,
but does not
show how it
solves
problem, or
demonstrates
purpose. Very
limited
discussion of
error.
Answers some
of relevant
questions.
Inaccurately
interprets data
or provides no
critical
feedback.
Answers few
of relevant
questions.
Works cited
Complete and
in correct
format.
Includes in
class materials
and may
include some
extra materials.
Complete and
in correct
format.
Includes in
class materials.
Most in class
Incomplete,
materials
and/or not in
included. Not in correct format.
correct format.
Not present.
Presentation
Neat, easy to
read, all
components
included in
correct order,
most spelling
and grammar
correct. Uses
formal
objective report
style
consistently.
Neat, mostly
easy to read,
all components
included in
correct order,
some spelling
and grammar
errors. Uses
formal
objective report
style.
Readable,
most
components
included ,
some spelling
and grammar
errors. Uses
formal
objective report
style to a
limited extent.
Hard to read,
little
information
presented.
Does not use
formal
objective
report style.
Hard to read,
many
components
missing,
numerous
spelling and
grammar
errors. Does
not use formal
objective
report style.
Little or no
information
given.