Writing Lab Reports
The Fun and Easy Way…
I hope you enjoy this! Ms. Guarino
Instructional Technology Specialist
Who doesn’t enjoy writing a perfect lab report?
Well, the fact is that most people don’t enjoy it because they don’t
understand what is required.
This presentation is intended to help you understand exactly what
you should do to write a thorough, clear lab report for your science
classes.
It is accompanied by some worksheets that will also be useful!
So view the presentation and take notes, as the
presentation includes a puzzle quiz which you must
complete and hand in to your teacher!
Basic Components
I am a good science student.
I am a good science student.
SEVEN
Components
There are SEVEN basic components
of a lab report.
1. Cover page
2. Purpose
3. Hypothesis
4. Materials List
5. Procedures
6. Observations (Data and Results)
7. Conclusion
Your Cover Page
I wonder what’s in this test tube?
It’s a pretty blue color…
Your cover page should be neat and clean.
It should be typed and double-spaced.
It should make a good impression.
It should include:
The title of the lab and a number (if your teacher provided one)
Your first and last name
The names of your lab partners
The Date
Your Purpose
I am a brilliant science student.
My teacher is a genius.
Your purpose should answer this question: Why did you do this lab?
No, you cannot reply “Because my teacher made me.”
It should be a sentence or two that describes the objective (the single
most important goal) of your experiment.
Here are some prompts (sentence starters):
The purpose of this lab is to determine…
The purpose of this lab is to investigate the effect of … on …
Why is the Purpose important? The purpose or objective of the experiment is
important because it is usually analyzed in the conclusion.
Your Purpose Again
I am a good science student.
I am a good science student.
Alternate Method
If you know the single question that the experiment is intended to
answer, turn the question into statement.
Examples:
Question: Which items are elements, compounds and mixtures?
Turn that question into a statement!
The purpose of this lab is to determine which items are elements, which are
compounds and which are mixtures.
Question: How do we identify chemical reactions?
Turn that question into a statement!
The purpose of this lab is to determine how to identify chemical reactions.
Your Hypothesis
I am a good science student.
I am wearing guess jeans.
An hypothesis is an educated guess.
It’s a chance to offer a single sentence theory.
What should you do?
I guess
this won’t
hurt a
bit…
State what you think will or should happen
based on your prior knowledge.
What prior knowledge?
Chances are, you know more than you think!
Your Hypothesis
I am not A MAD SCIENTIST.
I am not A MAD SCIENTIST.
Example: The purpose of this lab is to determine which items are
elements, which are compounds and which are mixtures. What might
happen? I’m no scientist, but I think that…
Elements, compounds and mixtures will exhibit different properties.
Example: The purpose of this lab is to determine which mixtures are
heterogeneous and which are homogeneous. What might happen? I’m
no scientist, but I think that…
Heterogeneous mixtures might include solids and liquids, whereas
homogeneous might include two items that are in the same form (two
liquids, for instance).
WARNING: Don’t write the part that is blue!
Your Materials
I am not A MAD SCIENTIST.
I am not A MAD SCIENTIST.
What will be used to successfully
complete this investigation?
Your materials should be written in a list.
Like a good recipe, it may include specific
amounts or quantities that you use.
The materials should be listed in the approximate order they
will be used.
Highlight any hazardous materials.
Why is this so important? It’s important because a scientist must be able to replicate
(repeat) the results of an experiment several times in order to test his/her results.
Examples of Materials
I am not A MAD SCIENTIST.
I am not A MAD SCIENTIST.
It’s a
good
thing.
MATERIALS FOR A RECIPE
MATERIALS FOR A LAB
4 eggs
Pencil
1 cup of sugar
Graph paper
1 tablespoon vanilla
Hydrochloric acid
1 cup heavy cream
Sodium Carbonate
3 tablespoons butter
Potassium chromate
9 inch cake pan
Copper sulfate
NEVER CONFUSE THE TWO.
Your Procedures
I am not a monster.
I am not a monster.
What is the
imperative
or
command
form?
Visit the
next slide
for
examples!
What steps have you followed in order to
complete the experiment?
Procedures should be written as a numbered list.
Procedures should be written in sequence (in the order in
which they take place).
Procedures should be written in the command form.
Procedures should include enough detail so that
someone else could read and then replicate your
experiment EXACTLY.
The Imperative
This lab is making my brain scream.
This lab is making my brain scream.
The imperative form is a command.
Each “command” will start with a verb.
They should be numbered.
1. Mix the salt and the water until…
2. Observe the reaction after the …
3. Heat the solution until…
4. Repeat steps two and three until…
5. Identify the components of the…
Observations
Boy, am I hungry.
Boy, am I hungry.
“As the mixture
reached 204.6
degrees Fahrenheit,
yellow smoke began
to rise from the
beaker. The liquid
began to form
crystals that
darkened to brown
after 45 seconds.
The temperature had
reached 212.3
degrees. It smelled
like buttery movie
popcorn…”
Watch what happens and describe it in
great and specific detail.
What kinds of details?
Color, size, amounts, reactions, changes, sounds, odors,
textures.
Your observations section must also include your data
(measurements) and the results.
Your DATA may take many forms, any of which MUST
allow the viewer to see and understand the data AT A
GLANCE. What forms?
Data and Results
Boy, am I hungry.
Boy, am I hungry.
Data may take many forms.
What kinds of forms?
Charts
Tables
Graphs
Illustrations (pictures, images)
The purpose of your table or graph is to summarize your
findings and to reveal trends in your data. Make sure
you choose a form that makes the data easy to
understand! Data can be in a chart OR in a table
accompanied by a graph!
Data Formats
A PIE chart?
OH BOY, I hope it’s peach pie!
LINE GRAPH
BAR CHART
PIE CHART
TABLE
Conclusion
I’m tired. My neck hurts.
I’d like to take a nap…
The conclusion of your lab should answer the question “What did
you learn?” It may be a brief paragraph of six or seven sentences!
To answer this question, you should refer to:
whether or not your data supported your hypothesis
The data supported our hypothesis in that the…
key points in your discussion questions
The experiment revealed that…
applications of your findings in everyday life
The findings of this experiment are relevant to everyday life. For instance…
The Quiz Puzzle
I love puzzles.
I really do.
In order to review what you have
learned here, please complete the
Quiz Puzzle. You may revisit the
presentation in order to find answers
you may not remember!
Your teacher will probably have a
handout of this puzzle.
Also know that your teacher may have
a worksheet or template that will help
you write your lab!
GO TO QUIZ