How to Write Your Physics Lab Report

I: Title Page – include the title of the laboratory activity, your name, your lab partner(s) name(s)
and a diagram of the laboratory setup.

II: Purpose – the purpose in general a short concise description of what the point of the lab is –
typically tied to the learning objective of the day.

III: Equipment – list the equipment you used to complete the lab activity

IV: Procedure
A detailed outline of the activity to produce the desired results, accurately describe the
laboratory setup and describe how the data was collected. It can be a paragraph or itemized
list. It should contain enough information to walk someone else through how the data was taken
and the lab accomplished.

V: Data Sheets
Use the laboratory data sheet or create your own. The data sheet includes all experimental
data. The calculated results and errors (if possible) that were determined.

VI: Graphs and/or Diagrams

(If any) presented here

VII: Calculations
Show what calculations you performed in a neat and orderly manner.
Show all details needed to perform the formulas, substitutions, and your final result. When
multiple calculations of the same type are repeated, only a sample calculation needs to be
included in the report. But a sample of each type of calculation needs to be included.

VIII: Analysis
State your lab results. Answer all questions in complete and grammatically correct
sentences.

IX: Conclusion
State what you learned in the laboratory experiment. Discuss your results
Discuss the accuracy of results obtained. Identify sources of error. Discuss the experimental
results in relation to accepted theories/principles; were the experimental results consistent with
the theories and explain why or why not? Did your experiment meet your purpose? What
recommendations would you give to improve/revise the experiment?

Notes:
1. Should include a cover/title page with nothing on the back side.
2. Assemble report in the order listed above using a staple in the upper left corner.
3. Lab partners may work together on calculation, graphs, and diagrams. Photocopies of
these items are not permissible. Each student must turn in a complete laboratory report.
No student should copy data from anyone who is not his or her lab partner.
4. Each student should write the verbal portions of the report in their own words.
5. Students should not copy these portions of the report from their lab partner or anyone
else.