Lab​ ​Report​ ​Format

I. Title

II. Introduction
a. This​ ​is​ ​your​ ​pre-lab.
b. Answer​ ​in​ ​complete​ ​sentences
c. Paragraph​ ​form
d. Summarizes​ ​the​ ​content​ ​of​ ​the​ ​lab.

III. Purpose​ ​-​ ​Why​ ​are​ ​we​ ​doing​ ​this​ ​experiment?

IV. Testable​ ​Question

V. Hypothesis
a. Multiple​ ​hypotheses​ ​may​ ​at​ ​times​ ​be​ ​necessary
b. Use​ ​the​ ​“if…​ ​then…because”​ ​format
c. ex.​ ​If​ ​you​ ​get​ ​at​ ​least​ ​6​ ​hours​ ​of​ ​sleep,​ ​then​ ​you​ ​will​ ​do​ ​better​ ​on​ ​tests​ ​than​ ​if​ ​you​ ​get​ ​less​ ​sleep​ ​=​ ​independent
variable
d. The​ ​“then”​ ​part​ ​of​ ​your​ ​hypothesis​ ​is​ ​a​ ​direct​ ​result​ ​from​ ​the​ ​“if”​ ​part​ ​=​ ​dependent​ ​variable
e. The​ ​“because”​ ​part​ ​of​ ​your​ ​hypothesis​ ​is​ ​why.

VI. Materials
a. Listed​ ​in​ ​bullet​ ​point
b. Separate​ ​into​ ​parts​ ​for​ ​multiple​ ​part​ ​labs

VII. Procedure​ ​or​ ​Methods

a. Paragraph​ ​form
b. Separate​ ​into​ ​parts​ ​for​ ​multiple​ ​part​ ​labs
c. Explain,​ ​very​ ​briefly,​ ​the​ ​intent​ ​of​ ​each​ ​procedural​ ​step.​ ​For​ ​example:​ ​“To​ ​ensure​ ​no​ ​liquid​ ​was​ ​lost,​ ​the​ ​ends​ ​of​ ​the
dialysis​ ​tubing​ ​was​ ​tied.”

VIII. Analysis​ ​or​ ​Results

a. This​ ​is​ ​your​ ​data​ ​in​ ​words.​ ​NOT​ ​what​ ​the​ ​data​ ​means.
b. Should​ ​simply​ ​SAY​ ​the​ ​raw​ ​data​ ​in​ ​words​ ​(no​ ​commentary​ ​or​ ​reasoning​ ​here).
c. Should​ ​cite​ ​each​ ​table​ ​and​ ​figure
d. Example:​ ​As​ ​shown​ ​in​ ​table​ ​1.1,​ ​when​ ​placed​ ​in​ ​0.2M​ ​solution,​ ​the​ ​dialysis​ ​tubing​ ​gained​ ​1.2​ ​grams.​ ​However,
when​ ​placed​ ​in​ ​0.4M​ ​solution,​ ​the​ ​dialysis​ ​tubing​ ​gained​ ​1​ ​gram.

IX. Sample​ ​Calculations​ ​and​ ​Raw​ ​Data​ ​-​ ​Tables,​ ​charts,​ ​illustrations,​ ​et​ ​al.
a. Include​ ​any​ ​sample​ ​calculation​ ​needed​ ​to​ ​understand​ ​the​ ​data

X. Conclusion​ ​or​ ​Discussion

a. Restate​ ​the​ ​purpose​ ​of​ ​the​ ​experiment
b. Restate​ ​your​ ​hypothesis/hypotheses
c. Discussion​ ​of​ ​your​ ​results
i. Address​ ​whether​ ​or​ ​not​ ​your​ ​hypothesis​ ​was​ ​supported​ ​by​ ​the​ ​data​ ​(i.e.​ ​was​ ​your​ ​hypothesis​ ​correct​ ​or
incorrect)
ii. Connect​ ​your​ ​raw​ ​data/analysis​ ​to​ ​your​ ​hypothesis​ ​(commentary​ ​and​ ​reasoning):​ ​What​ ​does​ ​the​ ​data​ ​mean?

d. Error​ ​Analysis
i. What​ ​were​ ​possible​ ​sources​ ​of​ ​error?
ii. How​ ​could​ ​you​ ​improve​ ​the​ ​experiment​ ​to​ ​prevent​ ​future​ ​errors?

***Lab​ ​report​ ​must​ ​be​ ​written​ ​in​ ​third​ ​person​ ​and​ ​past​ ​tense***