Osmosis LAB REPORT GUIDELINES
DUE: NOVEMBER 20TH & 21ST
Cover page: This should be a brief statement of the lab report. This is a FEW words that describe the experiment you
completed without repeating the lab title. You should also include your name, date the lab is being turned in, and
period.
Purpose: Briefly state the purpose in this form: “The purpose of this lab was to _________________.”
Introduction/Background information: Includes the reason the study is being done, relevant background information
about the organism or process being examined, and the hypothesis or questions being asked in the study. Proper citations
are necessary. Relate your hypothesis to the research and explain the expected outcome of the lab.
Hypothesis: If…..then….. Because…..
Methods: States what you did with enough detail to allow the reader to repeat the experiment. Lists the steps of the
procedure in order and the reasons for each.
Materials: List materials – be specific
Data: The data, clearly presented, are the single most important part of a good report. Without good Results, you
cannot write a logical Discussion (the other big part). Keep the “Big Question” in mind when organizing this
section….
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Data table and graph
Results: This is the section in which you will want to present your findings to the reader in the most clear, consistent,
orderly, and succinct fashion.
Analysis questions: If the lab handout includes questions, you should include them in the analysis portion. The questions
should be written with short brief answers and then elaborated on in the conclusion portion.
Conclusion: THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE LAB REPORT!!!!
Interpret your data and evaluate the meaning of your results. Was your hypothesis,
as stated in the Introduction, supported by the data? Don't be afraid to report
"negative" data (e.g., lack of relationships among variables). In some cases, negative outcomes are more interesting
and important than positive and predictable findings. If your data seem anomalous or unreasonable, provide reasons
that might help explain this. If possible, connect your findings with the results from published studies by using
literature citations. Do your results contradict, reaffirm, or extend previously published findings? How do your
results fit into the big picture? Resist the temptation to discuss every aspect of your data and do not provide every
conceivable explanation for the obtained results. Speculation should be limited and clearly identified as your own
speculation. The last paragraph of this section should be a strong statement of the take-home message.