Writing Chemistry Lab Abstracts
Center for Writing Across the Curriculum
And the Department of Chemistry
Spring 2016
What is an abstract?
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Center for Writing Across the Curriculum
Abstract Content
• Title
• Objective/Goal: What was done
• Methods & Procedure: How it was done
• Results & Significance: What was discovered and
why does it matter
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Title
• Write a title, not a complete sentence
• Use a descriptive title that explicitly indicates the
goal of the experiment
• Your title will include elements of the
experiment title in the lab notebook,
but it should not be identical
Center for Writing Across the Curriculum
Title
• Write a title, not a complete sentence
• Use a descriptive title that explicitly indicates the
goal of the experiment
• Your title will include elements of the experiment
title in the lab notebook, but it won’t be identical
Ex:
‘Synthesis of Alum from Elemental Aluminum’
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Objective/Goal
• 1−2 sentences
• State the objective (purpose) of the experiment
– What was your end goal? Why are you doing this expt.?
• Include the overall method used
• Give both chemical names and formulas when
appropriate
• Avoid starting with “the purpose of this experiment
was…”
• Include all parts of the experiment
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Methods & Procedure
• 2−4 sentences (so be BRIEF)
• Describe the important experimental steps and methods
• Do not include minor experimental details
–Mention the technique, but not necessarily how it was
performed
• Assume that your audience has at least as much
experience in chemistry as you do.
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Results & Significance
• Report the result(s) specified in the objective
– Give the physical parameter measured, such as the rate
law equation, equilibrium constants, etc.
– For a synthesis experiment, this may be the mass and
% yield of product
• Must include
– Units
– Proper significant figures
– Percent error and/or standard deviation, if applicable
Center for Writing Across the Curriculum
Results & Significance
• Discuss the conclusions you can draw from your data
– Ex.) Discuss what your results tell you about the
compound or reaction.
– Ex.) What do your results tell you about the success or
failure of the experiment?
– Ex.) Tell us about the significance of your results. Why are
your results important?
• Don’t need to include sources of error
– But if your numbers are way off, do comment on error
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Abstract Content
Activity!
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Abstract Formatting
• 1 page MAX
• One-Inch Margins
• Double-spaced
• Size 12 font
• Use actual subscripts and superscripts
– Ex.) Use H2O instead of H2O and y=x2 instead of y=x^2
• Chemical names are not capitalized (unless you are
referring to a trade name such as Tylenol)
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Abstract Writing Style
• Past Tense
– The experiment has already happened!
• 3rd Person
– The focus should be on the science, not the scientist
– Passive voice allows you to remain in 3rd person, but
makes your abstract harder to read. Use passive voice
judiciously.
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Scientific Diction
• Avoid colloquial words for scientific terms
– Ex.) stuff, things
– Try to be specific, be careful with pronouns
• Science has its own language, try to use it
– BAD: “After taking the pieces and combining it with KOH in
a beaker we noticed a white fizz”
– GOOD: “A gas was evolved when the solid aluminum was
combined with KOH”
– BAD: “The mixture was sent through a gravity filtration
setup”
– GOOD: “The solution was purified by gravity filtration”
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Summary
• Basic Outline
– Objective: What was done?
– Methods & Procedure: How was it done?
– Results & Significance: What was discovered and why does it
matter?
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•
•
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1 page, 1” margins, 12 pt font
Past tense, 3rd person
Use proper scientific diction
Writing tips
– Write down everything and then go back and delete all nonessential information.
– Double-check Abstract Guidelines and Rubric before finishing
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Next Steps
• Write a draft abstract for the Paper Chromatography
lab you just finished
– Your instructor and TA will offer assistance
• Peer-edit using the rubric and the “Peer Review via
Post-Outlining”
• Fill out our survey on today’s presentation
• Write a revised version of your abstract to turn in
next week
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Thank You!
• Make an appointment with us!
• Use our website for help!
Center for Writing Across the Curriculum