FORMAT FOR THE LAB REPORT

Type the lab report in a digital document. No Abstract is required. Write the report in the past or passive
tense. Use full sentences whenever possible, and also use sub-headings, numbered sections and bullet
points. Footnote all your sources of information and make a complete bibliography.

The Lab Report is a form of communication, so note the three C's: CLARITY, COHERENCE and
CONCISENESS.

TITLE (Page)

Include essential information: date, your name, students in your group, title of the investigation, written as
a question to be researched

Use the title and date as a repeating page header in the lab report.

PLANNING

Introduction

Purpose or setting or background: Why undertake this investigation? What is the general area of
interest? What do you hope to find out?

Research question or problem: A statement of the problem to be investigated - the research

question.

Hypothesis: A testable ‘if-then’ statement, followed by a justification.

Prediction: Brief statement of the general procedure and method employed to answer the research
question and test the hypothesis, with expected results

ACTION
A description of how the investigation was carried out. The goal is that the investigation is described in
such a way that another researcher could follow these instructions and obtain comparable results. The
design of the investigation should be able to achieve statistically useful, quantitative results.

Method

Materials & Equipment

Variables - variables table, incl. how controlled variables are handled

Risk Assessment & Safety

 Ethical and environmental considerations

Results
Results should be tabulated and then treated - graphed and/or statistically manipulated - and described.
Results may be qualitative but should always be quantitative.

Raw Results Tables - titles; units of measurement; clarity.

Treatment of results
Statistical manipulation.

Graphing - all graphs should have a title and a brief sentence or two of explanation.

Statements drawing attention to patterns, trends and relationships (but not discussion).

Errors and limitations

● Systematic errors
● Random errors
● Quantifying the errors

EVALUATION

Conclusions: A simple statement of support for, or rejection of, the hypothesis.

Discussion: Justification for the conclusion, supported by summaries of the results and analysis of
results.

Interpretation and implications: What is the meaning of these results and conclusions?

Proposals for extension: questions which need further investigation.

Modifications and improvements: how the errors and limitations listed previously could be reduced or
eliminated - be scientific and exact in this section.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
This should be a complete list of all resources and references used, including all that have been footnoted.
Follow the APA 5th Edition convention for citing.