Writing a Formal Lab Report



Writing a Formal Lab Report (Chemistry)

All scientists use a similar format to write reports, although the headings and order may vary slightly. Your report should reflect the process of scientific inquiry that you used in the investigation. A formal lab report does not use personal pronouns throughout the lab and is written in past tense.

Cover Page: Make a cover page that includes the following:

• The title of your investigation

• Your name

• Your instructor’s name

• The course code

• Name of your partner(s) (if applicable)

• The due date

Title: At the beginning of your written report, write the title of your experiment.

Purpose: In one sentence summarize the purpose of the lab.

Hypothesis: Using an if..then statement, think of a probable hypothesis for the experiment.

Chemical Reactions: Write out the balanced chemical reactions under study in the experiment. Include states of matter.

Abstract: A brief summary of the scientific paper. It includes the hypotheses tested, a brief description of the methods used and the conclusions obtained. It should be no more than a few sentences long (maximum 50 words). It should be indented ONE INCH on both sides (INDENTED ONE INCH FURTHER THAN THE REST OF THE BODY OF TEXT) and italicized.

Introduction: A brief explanation of the pertinent theory underlying the experiment. This includes the information you discovered by researching your topic. If it is valid, also include a description of the independent, dependant and controlled variables (minimum of three). It should be about ¾ of a page in length in minimum. It should include internal parenthetical references in APA style. Immediately after the information is used, give the last name of the source, the date of the publication, and the page reference as follows: (Rousseau, 2009, p. 15). Include your textbook as a source. Website have generally internal citations without a page number (Rousseau, 2016)

Materials: Includes all apparatus used to perform the experiment. Be specific about sizes, concentrations and quantities. It is a list.

Diagram: Make a ½ page diagram of the materials and apparatus you used in the experiment. Remember to label and title the diagram. Your diagram can be placed at the end of your report, following the discussion.

Procedure: The most important part of an investigation, when others are trying to determine if it is “good” or “bad” science, is the procedure. Many researchers read only the procedure section in a report, to gain insight into a procedure they could use themselves. Remember to write this out in numbers steps, past tense, and passive voice (e.g., the beaker was removed from the hot plate and allowed to cool). Do not include steps that a scientist would know to perform (e.g., put on safety goggles). It should be in numbered steps and written concisely.

Observations/Results: Present your observations and results in a form that is easily understood. The data should be in tables, graphs, or illustrations, each with a title (for tables – and placed above the table) or figure caption (for graphs and illustrations – and placed below the figure). Do not forget both qualitative and quantitative observations. So most lab reports would have a minimum of 2 tables. Generally, tables place independent variables on the left column and dependant variable on the right column. Graphs have independent variable on the x axis and dependant variable on the y axis. Titles are specific and generally written as independent versus dependant variable. Example: rate of reaction versus concentration of manganese dioxide.

Sample Calculations: Show how the raw data was transformed using the equations pertinent to the lab. Show a sample calculation for each type of mathematical transformation perfomed for the charts and analysis.

Analysis: Summarize the investigation. Refer back to your hypothesis. Was it correct, partially correct, or incorrect? Explain how you arrived at your conclusion(s). Justify your method and describe your results. If you were assigned questions with an investigation, you would answer them here. Discuss any sources of experimental error (minimum of three) that may have affected your findings. Experimental error does not include incompetence or the students mistakes but rather the limitations of the equipment. Discuss ways that the experiment could be improved (minimum 3). Calculate the experimental error if possible. Research the application of the knowledge gained in the lab. Why is knowing about this topic important in chemistry? How can it be used to better peoples lives?

Conclusion: Two to three statements reiterating what was found and if the purpose was achieved.Be specific and state actual result and percent error.

References/Bibliography: Give credit for the resources you used in your research. Always cite your sources (minimum 3). Failing to do so is considered plagiarism. The works cited list/bibliography or reference list at the end of the report should be in APA format. Noodletools is helpful in preparing a proper list and is available for free to all Bishop Allen students through the library.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download