Elements of Report Writing
Elements of Report Writing
Section E, Page 27
 In course website, lab handouts section is
an example manuscript
 Group effort
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Elements of Report Writing
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Group effort but individual grading
Lab groups of three:
Identify each person as 1, 2, or 3
Example, Author
1: Introduction and Conclusion
2: Discussion
3: Data/Results and Experimental
Elements of Report Writing
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Group effort but individual grading
Lab groups of two:
Identify each person as A or B
Example, Author
A: Introduction, Conclusion, Data/Results
B: Discussion and Experimental
Elements of Report Writing
Group
effort but individual grading
Group meets to assemble lab report
Group meets to prepare post-lab questions
Each person submits handwritten Abstract
Each week, report content responsibilities rotate. Note your
responsibility for the week!
Components of the Report
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Abstract
Introduction
Experimental
Calculations
Data and Results
Discussion
Conclusions
References
Post-lab questions
Abstract
A brief and concise statement of the problem,
approach, results, and conclusion.
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It’s a capsule description of the entire paper
One paragraph
For this class, handwritten
Abstract
A brief and concise statement of the problem,
approach, results, and conclusion.
Example:
Presented here is a comparison of atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS)
and electrochemical (EC) methods for the determination of copper ion in
the Pepperdine University water reclamation ponds. Analysis by AAS
showed an average concentration of 13 (±2, 1s) mg/L Cu while analysis of
the same sample by EC gave 16.1 (±0.6, 1s) mg/L Cu. The relative
accuracy of each method was not measured. While the AAS method was
faster, it had worse precision than the EC method. Based on our
determinations, for the most exacting analyses, we recommend the EC
method for analysis of copper in a waste water pond or cistern.
Introduction
A clear statement of the problem, goals, the
general approach to solving the problem, a short
review of how this or a similar problem has been
solved in the past.
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The problem and goals aren’t simply copied from the lab
manual. Those are a checklist of items that the
laboratory addresses
General approach is not an experimental section but,
rather, a more general statement about how the problem
was solved
The review places this problem into some historical
framework
Experimental
The actual procedure used to solve the problem
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This is the actual procedure
Terse is the operative word here but detailed enough that
another person with your level of expertise could repeat
exactly what you did.
Must be in prose, not in outline or step form
Past tense, first-person plural (we…; not, I…)
Usually written in passive voice but doesn’t have to be
Standard laboratory apparatus need not be described in
detail but specialized equipment should be.
Data and Results
Presentation of the data and significant results
obtained from the analysis of the data
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Data tables with table number and caption to describe
what the table is summarizing
Figures and graphs, each with a figure number and
caption
Results of calculations with appropriate precision
displayed
Must be clearly presented so that the reader can extract
the relevant information quickly and accurately
Discussion
A statement of the major conclusions drawn from
the data and results
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You claimed earlier that you were going to show
something: Did you? What is your “proof”.
If the data suggest an alternate conclusion than that
proposed, here’s where you say so.
Explain apparent deviations from hypothesis or theory
Contrast and correlate your results with others
Discuss sources of error and improvements to procedures
If “human error” is going to be your way out of a bad result
then you should have fixed it while still in the lab.
Conclusion
A brief summary of the results of the study
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Concluding paragraph or two of how the experimental
results confirm or refute the expected results
Alternative explanations
Refinements
Very briefly summarize the entire paper
Calculations
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Not normally included in a professional manuscript
except to show the theoretical underpinnings
Should include a complete sample of the calculations
performed
Good place for theoretical considerations of the lab if not
already included in the Introduction
References
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Any quoted work or references (internet or print) used
must be cited in American Chemical Society format
Any discussion with colleagues or other professionals
must be cited
If it isn’t yours, cite it!
Post-Lab Questions
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Some investigations have supplemental post-lab
questions
Put the answers to post-lab questions in their own
section at the back of the manuscript
Other Important Things
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Tables must be numbered and captioned:
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e.g.,
Table 1. Densities of Coke and Diet Coke determined
with three different volumetric devices.
Figures must be numbered and captioned
Drawings and pictures must be numbered and captioned
References must be numbered
Every table, figure, drawing, and reference must be
referred to in the text!