AP Biology
Kell High School
Formal Lab Report Format
Place this in the front (procedures) section of your notebook and refer to it when writing lab reports!!!
I.
Title (5 points.)
The title should be descriptive. For example the entire title of the laboratory as stated on the
handout or lab page. (E.g. Lab 2) Catalysis of Hydrogen Peroxide by Catalase; writing Lab 2 is
not an appropriate title. DO NOT WRITE THE WORD “Title”. Remember to be specific.
II.
Problem & Hypothesis (10 points)
The problem or purpose of the investigation can be stated in declarative or interrogative form.
In either case it should be explicit enough to relate to the specific procedures performed. For
example, If you measured the rate of photosynthesis in isolated chloroplasts that had been incubated
in light, dark, and in boiling water, a GOOD statement of problem would be:
The purpose of the investigation is to measure the effect of light and high temperature on the
rate of photosynthesis in isolated chloroplasts.
OR
How do light and high temperatures affect the rate of photosynthesis?
Examples of POOR statements of problem would be:
To learn something about photosynthesis
To observe photosynthesis
To measure the rate of photosynthesis
What is the rate of photosynthesis in isolated chloroplasts?
For the hypothesis, be sure it is a predicted solution or answer to the problem. DO NOT WRITE
“I think or I believe”. A hypothesis is not a feeling or belief. If a hypothesis is not required for a
particular lab, write “Hypothesis not required” after the problem has been stated.
III.
Background (20 points.)
In this section you should discuss the underlying principles that are related to the lab problem.
For example, in the formal lab report of the osmosis and diffusion experiments, you would discuss
the basic principles of osmosis and diffusion in terms of concepts like hypertonic/hypotonic
relationships, the effects of solute concentration on diffusion, water potential and semipermeable
membranes. This section should be between 200 and 400 words long and should be referenced;
DO NOT COPY the background material from the lab manual. You should have at least two
different sources beside the text or lab manual.
Determine the critical background features that apply to the experiment that you performed in
class, and present them in a logical, organized manner. You should use endnotes or parenthetical
notes if you quote directly. Use the “Before doing this laboratory you should understand” section of
the objectives for each lab to get an idea of what to research.
Use paragraphs in the writing of this section.
IV.
Data and Observations (20 points)
Data should be presented in tables, graphs and/or drawings. All should be titled and clearly
labeled. Graphs are to be drawn on graph paper or constructed with a graphing program that will
allow you to include all required aspects of the graph. Charts & Graphs must be inserted in the
appropriate location in the report – NOT just stuck in at the end of the paper. Best-fit lines
should be drawn and constructed (as on the Graphical Analysis program) for your data. Under
some circumstances, as in the enzyme lab, a curve may be the best-fit line.
All observations recorded in the lab should be included. One example of observations
that are not tabular or graphical in form would the diagram of the pillbug and notes from the tenminute observation of pillbug behavior or Lab 11.
V.
Analyze Results and Conclusion – 2 separate paragraphs (20 points)
Analyze Results: The analysis is a statement of summary about the data collected and
shown on the chart(s) and graph. There should be no conclusions stated here, just the facts as
one should interpret from the charts and graphs. For example, if the problem was to measure the
rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, the rate should be clearly stated in the results. Do not
repeat the data in this section. Instead, try to make generalizations. If the problem was to
compare the rate of respiration of germinating peas at room temperature and 10 degrees C., an
appropriate generalization might be: “At lower temperatures peas respire at a greater rate”
(assuming the data support this). OR The pill bugs moved to the dry side of the choice chamber
and seemed to huddle, rather than move about, as the remaining time elapsed.
Conclusion: If a hypothesis was required, there should be mention of whether the hypothesis
was supported, refuted, or there is no conclusive evidence. Also, be sure to use the data to verify
the concluding statements. The data you collected should be what drives your conclusion, not
the research prior to doing the experiment. Again, do not use statements like “I believe” or “We
think”. Leave yourself out of the report.
Irregularities should be addressed in this section. If the data points to an illogical conclusion,
you can discuss the factors that contributed to the outcome.
This IS NOT where you answer the topics for discussion questions from the lab manual.
VI.
Final Discussion (20 points)
Answer all analysis questions and topics for discussion that appear in the investigation
directions. DO NOT NUMBER the questions.
START A NEW PARAGRAPH for each question and skip a space before writing the
answer to each new question.
Answer all questions in full sentences in the form that reflects the question in the answer.
I should be able to tell what you were asked by the way you construct your answer.
VII.
References (5 points)
The correct format for works cited in science is APA
Use endnotes if you have a direct quote.
Works cited section is your list of references used in alphabetical order.
NOTE: If you are writing a lab report without using any references, you are probably not getting the
best grade possible and will not get any points in this section as well. (text, lab manual, and/or class
notes would be the least amount of referencing expected).
NOTES TO THE STUDENT:
 Your lab report has to be typed in 12 pt. font, double spaced.
 Do not deviate from the recommended form.
 While you performed the lab with a lab partner, your lab report should be your own work.
A lab report will usually be due 3 or more days after the day the last piece of data is
collected for a particular lab.
 Be sure charts and graphs are in proper place, if you cannot place it immediately next,
state on the report to see chart and/or graph on next page.
 Be sure you’ve started with a proper heading
 No spiral edges or torn edges.
 Turn lab report in on time; that is part of the grade. Eleven (11) points off for the first
day late and five (5) points off for each additional day thereafter.