Dorothy M.
Dorothy M.

Point-Wise Description of a Scientific Lab Report Format

7 min read

Published on: Jan 8, 2021

Last updated on: Dec 29, 2022

Lab Report Format

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Lab reports are usually used for science-based classes to show the results of an experiment. It is important that they be formatted correctly.

You may have heard that lab reports are not always easy to write. It is true, but they don't need to be hard! This post will help you get started with your report and will tell you how to format it well.

From the introduction to the bibliography, this guide includes a detailed description of each section in a lab report. This will help you understand the requirements of each so that you know what to write and how to write when creating your own lab report.

Lab Report Format Description

Some lab reports are as simple and straightforward as writing up a list of your results, while others require you to fill in blanks with requested information. And still, other types involve detailed reports that include an introduction among various sections.

This varies depending on what type of lab report you are writing. However, the basic sections of a lab report format are described below for you to learn how to do it.

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1. Title Page

A Lab Report includes a title page that has your name, date, and other information. It should be descriptive and accurate but not too wordy. The following information is present on the title page of a lab report:

  • Title of your Experiment / Research/ Study
  • Subtitle
  • Your name
  • Name of the Instructor
  • Course Title
  • University Name and Logo
  • Other information required by your university’s format

The title must indicate what the study says. It should not be written as a question, and it includes all of your main points like variables under investigation or an explanation for why this is important in one sentence at most.

2. Abstract

The abstract provides a summary of the report. It should be short but not using note form. It only includes around 150 words. It is written to inform the reader about the following points:

  • The main rationale of the research or the experiment
  • The participants involved in the study and the setting of the experiment
  • Briefly write the method used to conduct the research
  • The major results and how they served the research objectives
  • The significance of your findings

Although the abstract is the first section of your writing, it should be written after you are done writing the whole report. Only if you write it at the end will you be able to summarize each section well while writing it.

3. Introduction

The introduction is the first impression you make on your reader, and it should summarize what will be discussed in detail throughout the paper. You also need to mention the research objectives.

But, before writing them, you need to tell the essential background of the title. Thus, the introduction follows the rule of general to specific.

The following information is included in the introduction of a lab report:

  • Introduce the title and the important terms.
  • Describe the theoretical framework related to the experiment.
  • Give a brief literature review. This means writing about the previous research conducted on the topic.
  • Write the research gap and how you plan to fill in the research gap. This can also be called the significance or scope of your study.
  • In the end, write the hypothesis or thesis statement, specifically stating the purpose of the experiment.

The introduction should make it clear what the topic is. Then studies should be included that are relevant to this topic. Think about your main point, and don't put anything in unless it supports this point.

4. Materials and Methods

This section includes the following sub-headings:

a Research Participants

Who were the participants recruited? How did you recruit them (e.g., through an online survey)? Give relevant demographic information, such as gender and ethnicity/race.

b. Study Design

The study design is the setting in which the experiment is conducted. It includes describing the dependent and independent variables and how they react in the provided setting.

c. List of Materials

List all the materials or apparatus used in the study (e.g., what was the title of your questionnaire? Was it adapted from an existing study?).

You do not need to include a whole replicated list. Instead, share a sensible level of detail about the apparatus with examples as well as reliability data.

d. Detailed Procedure

Describe in detail the procedure you followed when you were conducting your research. What steps did you take? How much time passed between steps? What are the necessary precautions?

Be concise and don't include any extra details.

You may assume the reader has no know-how of your study, so make your study easy for them to replicate. Write in the past tense.

Also, don't justify or explain the method but report on how it was done with enough detail so that someone could have replicated the experiment if they wanted to!

5. Results

The results section shows the statistics that have been calculated. It lists the descriptive statistics first and then inferential statistics. The statistical test being implemented in the experiment is also mentioned here. You can also mention the sample calculations.

Clearly state the significant findings of the experiment and relate them back to your objectives.

Avoid interpreting the results. Make sure they are presented clearly and concisely, with a table if necessary to make data interpretation easier. DO NOT include any raw or collated numbers - these will only confuse the reader.

6. Discussion

The discussion section includes the following information:

  • Relation of your results and findings with your research objectives and how they fill in the previous research gap.
  • Comparison of your findings with the literature review. Write about the similarities and differences from the previous findings.
  • Write about the research limitations. These are the hurdles that you might have faced while conducting the experiment. They help to establish the authenticity of your work. They also assist the people who want to replicate your study.
  • Suggest the ways in which your study can be further improved by other researchers.
  • Write a concluding paragraph highlighting the possible future interventions.

7. References

A reference section is a list of all the sources that you used in your essay. When you use information from someone else, you need to tell the reader where it came from.

If you have been using textbooks, then this is easy because they have a place at the back that lists all of their references. If you have been using websites, then they might not show where they got their information from and so it can be hard to find out how to make these references.

There are various citation styles and formats that you can use to cite references in your report. For example, APA formatMLA format, Chicago format, Harvard format, etc. However, confirm from your instructor once about their specific requirements regarding the citation style. You can also check the lab manual for this purpose.

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Lab Report Format Example

Checking out examples can help you better understand how to format a lab report professionally. Here are a few examples to assist you in this task:

Tips for Writing a Lab Report

If you want your report to be clear and persuasive read the tips below:

  • You need to say a lot with as few words as possible. Lab reports are not essays; they should be short and straightforward. You should not repeat things or use unnecessary details.
  • Do not use the words "I, we, my" when describing an experimental procedure. This may be hard but pay attention to the vocabulary lab report.
  • Use the correct verb tense in your report. It can be hard to decide if you should use the present or past tense. If you are talking about the experiment, then you should use the past tense. If you are talking about equipment, theory, or any part of the report that is being discussed at the time then you should use the present tense.
  • Do not fabricate your lab report results. Honestly, report the results without manipulating them according to your objectives. If something went wrong, you should write how the limitations of your study can be covered in the future.
  • Do not copy the lab manual as it is. The manual can be helpful when you need to tell people what your experiment was about. But it is important to use your own words to say the experiment's results.

This blog post has given you a complete guide to writing and formatting lab reports. You can now confidently format your own report and share it with your instructor and fellows.

However, if it still seems to be a daunting task, make sure that you contact FreeEssayWriter.net! We offer free revisions and 24/7 customer support.

Contact us today if you need help with any other papers or reports!

Dorothy M.

WRITTEN BY

Dorothy M. (Literature, Marketing)

Dorothy M. is an experienced freelance writer with over five years of experience in the field. She has a wide client base, and her customers keep returning to her because of her great personalized writing. Dorothy takes care to understand her clients' needs and writes content that engages them and impresses their instructors or readers.

Dorothy M. is an experienced freelance writer with over five years of experience in the field. She has a wide client base, and her customers keep returning to her because of her great personalized writing. Dorothy takes care to understand her clients' needs and writes content that engages them and impresses their instructors or readers.

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