Lab Report Writing

What Should be in the Report? Title Purpose Hypothesis Materials Procedure Data Tables/Graphs Conclusion/Analysis Questions/Results Extra Information (Rules for Counting)

Title The title should inform the reader of what ideas are being studied. NEVER use “Lab Report” as a title or in the title Ex: Quantum Mechanics and Split Peas

Purpose This should be brief (1-2 sentences) describing the reason you are performing this lab. To gain more knowledge/understanding of certain ideas or techniques This is NOT a procedure or materials section Turn the title into a sentence Ex: To further understand Bohr’s model of electron orbitals.

Hypothesis NOT IF/THEN Take a __STANCE_and make an “educated guess.” Should include _independent and dependent variables. Should not use broad terms (be specific!)

Materials A bulleted list Include EVERYTHING Be SPECIFIC—amounts! Ex: -paper -pencil -calculator (scientific) -40mL split peas -50mL graduated cylinder -target paper funnel

Procedure Should be NUMBERED. Should include each step, as well as the defining purpose of the experiment (what is changed in the lab) Ex: Repeat steps 1-7 with the funnel raised to 5 inches above the target’s bullseye Do not say “you”—keep it objective and professional Use complete sentences!! Use PERIODS (these are sentences!)

Data Include tables or graphs of final calculations (no raw data unless asked to provide it) Percentages should total 100% Divide and multiply by 100 for percent Keep this neat Does not need to be HUGE

Conclusion If writing a formal conclusion, use paragraph format. State whether the hypothesis was SUPPORTED or not and why. Do not restate procedure. Explain the data and its relationship to itself and the hypothesis.

Conclusion Continued This is the area that needs the most help. This will transfer to English and History as well. EVIDENCE, EVIDENCE, EVIDENCE EXACTLY how do you come to your conclusion? You have an entire data section to draw information from. Tie what you know with what you found to either support or reject (not prove!!) your hypothesis. Methods for improvement

If Analysis Questions.. Include the questions!! It/this/they---I don’t know what you’re talking about without the questions.

Extras Include all relevant information needed for someone to recreate your experiment. Ex: Rules for counting or target paper

Common Mistakes Always discuss what is CHANGED (independent variable) and how it affected the dependent variable. Ex: HEIGHT is what we changed. Why did we do this? Re-read your report for typos or funky writing: this is a professional paper. Make it good.

Example Lab Report… Initial thoughts?

Example Conclusions CIRCLE supported/not supported or accepted/rejected hypothesis. CIRCLE ways lab could have been improved. HIGHLIGHT all evidence. Rank the conclusions from best to worse.