Elements
of a Lab Report Introduction (with example)
1. Bigger Picture/Bigger Question:
Most good science writing starts with asking a question. In the
beginning of your lab report, write about the bigger picture. Ask a
bigger question, one that is too broad to be answered with just your
experiment. This gives the reader an idea of where your experiment
fits in the vast world of science. Include a sentence or a few sentences
that explain the bigger picture.
2. Relevant Background:
Include a few sentences that explains the bigger picture’s
terminology and the background needed to explain how you came
up with your experimental question. What did you need to know
before you did the experiment? Often this information is what you
learned in your class before you performed the experiment. This
information is often related to a pre-lab question sheet or reading
your teacher gave you before performing the lab. These sentences
should logically lead the reader to understand why you asked the
experimental question. Often it is best to include a past scientific
study with results that inspired you to design your own experiment
or a past scientific study that can be compared or contrasted with
your experiment. present.
3. Experimental Question:
What is the specific question you are asking during your experiment?
This question will be more specific than the bigger picture question
you wrote earlier in the introduction. The question should be testable.
The term “testable” means it is possible to design an experiment to
figure out the answer to the question. Also explain why the
experimental question is an interesting question. How did you, the
scientist, choose this particular experiment?
Introduction:
Does the plant’s sound environment affect its growth? While
scientists all agree that plants can’t “hear” in the same way that
animals can, some people claim that singing to their plants or
playing music helps them grow better!
Some scientific studies have shown that plants can release
chemicals when they “feel” the vibrations that are produced by
insects chomping down on another part of the plant. Two
scientists from the University of Missouri, Appel and Cocroft,
performed an experiment where they measured the defense
chemicals released by plants that were being chewed by a
caterpillar. They also recorded the sound of the caterpillar
chewing and used tiny speakers to expose plants to the sound,
with no caterpillars. These plants also released defense
chemicals! This result showed that the sound of the caterpillars
chewing can actually be “heard” and the plants can respond to
sound vibrations alone, even if the caterpillar isn’t actually
Scientists now know that plants can detect munching sound
vibrations, but does “hearing” those sounds change the plants’
growth? It would be interesting to know how sound can affect
plant growth, because farmers and botanists could regulate sound
inside greenhouses if they knew it was important.
Elements of a Lab Report Introduction (with example)

4. Purpose:
What is the goal of your experiment? What are you trying to find out?
This section often starts with “The purpose of the experiment in this
study was to_____________________________.”
Introduction (continued)
The purpose of the experiment in this study was to examine
whether plants grow better or worse when exposed to frequent
caterpillar munching sounds.

5. Short Experiment Description: In this study, the scientists took several plants and exposed some
Include a short description (a few sentences) of your experiment here. often to munching sounds and some plants were not exposed to
munching sounds. The plant growth was monitored over a 60
day period.

6. Hypothesis:
The hypothesis is an educated guess and an answer to the It was hypothesized that plants exposed often to caterpillar
experimental question. It is a testable statement munching sound vibrations will grow slower than plants with no
threatening munching sounds.
7. Rationale for Hypothesis:
Plants often threatened with munching sounds might have to
The rationale is a short explanation for why you picked the
spend more energy and resource producing more defense
hypothesis. There must be a reason why you suspected the experiment
chemicals and may have fewer resources to use towards growth.
would go one way or another.

Additional Requirements:
Make sure you check your spelling and grammar. Also, make sure to organize and connect your 7 parts of your introduction into logical
paragraphs. Often, you can organize the different parts into paragraphs this way:
First paragraph – Parts 1-2
Second paragraph – Part 3-7