Writing for Biology Class
Part 2: How to Write Each
Section of a Lab Report
Materials taken from Knisely, Karin.
Writing in Biology. 2009
Sinaur/Freeman and edited by
Angela Bush, SRVHS
The Pre-Lab
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All laboratory assignments begin with a pre-lab
Pre-labs are essential for being prepared for the
lab activity. They ensure:
1) Student safety during the lab
2) Successful completion of the lab in the limited time
class allows
3) Increased student understanding of the lab
4) An increased chance of desired results from the lab
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This portion of the lab includes the purpose,
hypothesis and procedure
Done in lab journal (or typed if preferred)
You must read and be familiar with the lab prior to
writing a purpose or hypothesis!
ULTIMATLEY MUST BE TYPED FOR FORMAL LAB
REPORTS
Procedure
• Because you need to read the lab before writing the
purpose and hypothesis, the procedure is a good place
to start!
– Though in your report, the purpose and hypothesis still come
first!
• Summarize all the steps of the lab.
– Be detailed, but don’t exactly copy the lab manual or simply
change a few words. Plagiarizing your teacher is still
plagiarism!
– Someone should be able to repeat the lab based on you notes
in this section.
• Avoid listing materials, containers & elaborate procedures.
• Its ok to summarize as long as you still have enough info to
perform the lab!
– Include any pictures, measurements, tables, etc. made/used
during the lab in this section
– Please number your steps (no bullet points, no paragraphs)
Procedure Samples
• Example:
– Original: Label six clean beakers with the
following concentrations of sucrose and create
and place those solutions in the appropriate
beaker: 0, 7%, 14%, 21%, 28%, and 35%.
– Revision: Label beakers: 0%, 7%, 14%, 21%,
28%, and 35%, and place the appropriate
sucrose solutions in each beaker
• Example 2:
– Original: Place a few yeast under a microscope
and draw what they look like.
– Revision: Observe and draw yeast under a
microscope
• Example:
Procedure Samples
– Original: Label six clean beakers with the following
concentrations of sucrose and create and place those
solutions in the appropriate beaker: 0, 7%, 14%, 21%,
28%, and 35%.
– Revision: Label beakers: 0%, 7%, 14%, 21%, 28%, and
35%, and place the appropriate sucrose solutions in
each beaker
• Example 2:
– Original: Place a few yeast under a microscope and
draw what they look like.
– Revision: Observe and draw yeast under a microscope
• Unless you have come up with the idea and procedure for
this lab, reference the original lab or other references used
for the summarized steps! Use the number of the reference
according to your reference page, in parentheses, after the
sentence(s) containing the information (or after entire
section if it all came from one reference).
Purpose
• Purpose: What is the point of the lab, what
are you trying to learn, why it is
interesting, etc.
– Approx. 1-2 sentences to 1 paragraph
– A statement not a question!
• Example:
– Purpose: The purpose of this lab is to observe
osmosis using carrots and varying sucrose
solutions.
Hypothesis
• Hypothesis: If---, then----, (because----)
– If (IV), then (DV), because (prediction, guess,
explanation of known causes)
– NOTE: Again, this will be easier to do after you have
read the lab!
– Find key words or concepts
Hypothesis Example
• You are working with sand and yeast. You will
observe both for signs of life using a microscope
and a sugar-water mixture.
• IV?
– Using a microscope and a sugar-water mixture
• DV?
– Signs of life
• Hypothesis:
– If a microscope and a sugar-water mixture are used,
then yeast and/or sand will show signs of life
• Do you have any prior knowledge that can help make
this more specific?
– If a microscope and a sugar-water mixture are used, then
yeast will show signs of life and sand will not because
yeast is a fungus and sand is made of rock particles.
Prior to the Lab Experiment
• Know what to expect from the experiment
– Know the hypothesis and what the outcome will be if
the hypothesis is write!
• Recognize other (standard) variables
– Know what other variables may effect the lab so you
can do your best to control them
• What should remain constant? Make sure they do!
• Identify a control group or groups
– Groups using standard variables
Writing Titles for Lab Reports
• The Effect of the IV on the DV
• Example:
– The hypothesis was:
• Hypothesis: If a microscope and a sugar-water
mixture are used, then yeast will show signs of life and
sand will not because yeast is a fungus and sand is
made of rock particles.
– The Effect of using microscopes and sugar-water
on determining whether sand and yeast are living
or not living
During the Lab Experiment
• Collection of observations and data
– Throughout the lab use your senses to make observations!
What could one, hear, smell (if appropriate), taste (if
appropriate), and touch (if appropriate) during this lab.
• Note these observations, you never know what will be important
when you start to draw conclusions!
• Qualitative- make notes in your journal, it will help you with your
lab report!
• Quantitative- use a data table to collect numerical data, with
units of measurement
• Make drawings with dimensions and magnification,
where appropriate.
• Think about questions, possible errors, and other
anecdotal notes as you go, it will help with your lab
report!
– Decide if the data is trustworthy or erroneous, if you
have time you may need to repeat a portion of the
experiment
Observations
• Answer all observation questions, include any graphs
necessary.
• Number answers (rather than putting them in paragraph
form)
• For a formal lab report, you should have at least 3-4
sentences of your own observations (in addition to your
answers to the observation questions).
– Use your senses and state only facts, no inferences or conclusions
• Use proper grammar and “good writing techniques” (see
Writing for Biology Class Part 3: Grammar)
• If references are used, be sure to include the number of
the reference according to your reference page, in
parentheses, after the sentence(s) containing the
information.
Conclusions
• Answer all conclusion questions
• Number answers (rather than putting them in paragraph form)
• Write your “power conclusion”, your conclusion is your summary of
the experiment, the data you collected, experimental error, and
future implications for experimentation. Use the power conclusion
writing help to make sure you have included all aspects of a good
conclusion.
– You may be given some additional questions or prompts in the lab to make
sure you analyze the most important aspects of the lab
• If references are used, be sure to include the number of the
reference according to your reference page, in parentheses,
after the sentence(s) containing the information.
• Use proper grammar and “good writing techniques” (see Writing
for Biology Class Part 3: Grammar)
References
• Include a references list for any references used, including
your text book, to find information or definitions to help
answer questions or make statements in the observation and
conclusion portions of the lab
• Use APA format
– For help creating APA references go to the Citation Machine
Website, on the left hand side of the screen select MLA, then
the appropriate reference type.
• NOTE: You need a reference section AND in text citations.
Proper APA in-text, or parenthetical, citations use the
author’s last name and the year of the publication, for
example (Tomada, 2015). It is ok to just put the number
marking the reference in your reference section in
parantheses. Exp, if the lab was your first reference,
labeled 1)… in your reference section you may use (1) in your
lab report next to any appropriate information