Preparing a Lab Report / 2015-16
This information is to be used as a guide in the preparation of a science lab report. The report must conform to
the following specifications and format or else the report will be subject to mandatory point deductions. Keep
this document in front of you as a reference each time you prepare a lab report.
I. General Information: Your report should be as neat as possible. Be proud of what you submit, it is a
reflection of you! Here are some suggestions:
A. Electronically reproduce your report on letter size paper (8.5 by 11 in.) This will allow for
corrections, see: ‘Section III / Critiquing a Lab Report’, and for spell checking. Reports may be
hand written but they will lose credit based on their difficulty to read and the number of spelling
(sp) errors.
B. For each lab you will be given papers detailing the experiment. In most instances these papers are
numbered and contain pre-lab questions, post-lab questions, data charts and graphs. To allow for the
correction of mistakes, use a pencil or erasable pen to complete these portions for your lab report.
You will be given a deduction of 1 point for each cross out. White out is acceptable but not
preferred. Do not attempt to electronically process pre-lab questions, post-lab questions and data
charts that expect answers to be placed on the printed lab page. You are expected to hand write
these answers on the lab papers!
C. Leave space between sections of your report. Do not crowd your work.
D. Staple the pages of your report together in the proper sequence:
1. Cover page
2. Body of your report
3. Self-prepared graphs: All graphs are expected to be electronically drawn using computer
software such as Excel. Be sure the graph has a name and the two axes are labeled. If it’s a
line graph, be sure to create the ‘best fit line’ known as a trend line on Excel.
4. Diagrams: If required, should be drawn as neatly as possible with long lines drawn using a
straight edge. The size of the diagram should be approximately half a letter page unless you
are instructed to make a scale diagram. You may electronically create your diagram using
computer software or you may take a digital snapshot. In any case the diagram must be
given a name and have all equipment labeled.
5. Lab papers distributed by me are to be placed in proper numerical sequence but only include
those lab papers that have pre-lab questions, post-lab questions or data charts on which you
have written answers. Exclude lab papers that contain only printed information with no
written answers.
II: General Format of the Report
A. Cover or Title Page completed in the order given:
1. Name of the experiment using a large font size (minimum of 24 pica.)
2. Date experiment was completed using a
smaller font size (12 or14 pica.) Example:
Experiment completed: September 12, 2015
3. Date lab report due (usually 1 week after
completion of the experiment.) Example:
Lab Report Due: September 19, 2015
4. Your name. Example:
Ahma Brane
5. Your partner’s name(s). Example:
Partners: Gertrude and Philomena
B. Second Page: Body of the Report
1. Under the heading ‘Purpose’ write the purpose(s) of the experiment. If it has not been given on
the lab sheet, you must make the determination or ask me.
2. Under the heading ‘Chemicals’, list all the chemicals that were used to complete the experiment.
Remember, water is a chemical. Under the heading ‘Materials’, list lab equipment and other
miscellaneous objects that were used in the experiment. Lab sheets may list equipment that was
not used or available during lab, so do not include these items in your list. Some experiments
may use equipment that was not listed on the lab sheets, so do include it on your list. List refers
to placing items in a single column and for long lists, in parallel columns. Do not place
materials or chemicals in a wrap around paragraph.
3. Under the heading ‘Summary’, you are to write a single, brief paragraph concerning the general
procedure of the experiment but in past tense. This is not to be a verbatim copy of the lab sheet
procedure. This paragraph may be three or four sentences long.
4. All experiments require conclusions. For most experiments, concluding questions are asked on
the lab sheets and answered on the lab sheets just below the question. They are not to be
repeated here! For some experiments, I will ask you to add your own conclusions to be placed
here.
5. Some lab reports will require miscellaneous information, which will be inserted here or on the
pages immediately following. This information may include, diagrams, graphs, research
question answers (Be sure to list your references.), equations, problems, etc. Be mindful of
additional assignments that may be given for the lab report.
III. Critiquing a Lab Report: Lab reports are usually due 1 week after the class completes the experiment,
check the Assignment Calendar for the exact due date. The student is expected to complete the report
within a few days after the lab’s completion with the intent that the student brings the completed report to
me before or after school for a ‘critique.’ A critique means that in your presence, I will examine the report
and call to your attention mistakes of commission and omission. Since this critique is done before the due
date, you will have the opportunity to amend your report before passing it in avoiding mandatory point
deductions. You are allowed one critique per day and the critique must take place before or after
school. No critiques are given after the due date or during DLT except on Mondays.