Some Info on Formal Lab Reports

Formal Report Guide

Title: At the beginning of your report, write the title of your investigation. The title should describe the experiment. Include the date the report is submitted and the names of all lab partners.

Introduction: The introduction is a series of paragraphs that address the theories, principles, equations and overall relevance of every scientific aspect referred to in the report. The introduction provides the reader with all the necessary information to understand what you did, why you did it and the overall impact of your investigation on current scientific understanding. Remember to cite your information. Do not discuss your observations, analysis or conclusions.

Hypothesis: This is the question that you will attempt to answer in the investigation. If it is appropriate to do so, state the question in terms of independent and dependent variables. Based on the information addressed in the introduction section, formulate a tentative explanation for what should happen (a hypothesis). Create your hypothesis before you conduct the investigation.


Materials: This is a detailed list of all materials used, including sizes and quantities where appropriate. Draw a diagram to show any complicated setup of apparatus. Do not use a reference to the textbook as the materials section is a list of only the materials used in your investigation.

Procedure: Describe, in detailed and numbered steps, the procedure you followed in carrying out your investigation. Include steps for proper disposal of wastes. Do not use a reference to the textbook.

Observations: Include all qualitative and quantitative observations that you made. Be as precise as appropriate; include any unexpected observations; and present your information in a form that is easily understood (ie: chart or graph). Do not analyze or explain the observations, just record exactly what you observed.

Analysis: Interpret your observations and present the evidence (in the form of tables, graphs, or illustrations is appropriate). Include any calculations (the results of which can be shown in a table). Make statements about any patterns or trends you observed. If questions are available from the text, use these as a guide, but do not simply answer the question sequentially. Conclude the analysis with a short statement, based only on the evidence you have gathered, answering the question/hypothesis that initiated the investigation.

Conclusion: The conclusion is an extension of the theory section, discussing the overall relevance of what was concluded from your investigation. If questions are available from the text, use these as a guide to formulate a conclusion, but do not simply answer the question sequentially. You should also evaluate the experimental design and the validity of the data you gathered for your analysis. Use statistics (ie: average values, % difference, % yield, etc) to strengthen your argument.

References: Include a work cited page based on the format addressed in the Scientific Citation rules available on the course website