Lab Write-Ups

     A scientific (or "Technical") report is similar to a thesis paper in that there is an argument that is presented (the Theory with a Hypothesis) and there is some sort of justification or proof (the Analysis of the Data) for the statements made in the thesis section. One of the major differences is that the "tools" used to justify the thesis go beyond simple forms of reason. The lab report seeks to explain, through the use of reason (both inductive and deductive) and data analysis {especially with graphs, pictures, and tables} what the qualitative and quantitative data seem to suggest.

     Perhaps the most challenging part of "doing" good science is the "analysis" part. Many times, students will perform an experiment, write down the data, briefly tell what they did, and then conclude that their lab was a success. What one needs to remember is that good science involves a careful explanation of WHAT the data says....and then WHY you believe the data does/does not support the hypothesis. Most people skip the WHY part.

     Follow through the following sections of a good lab report and make sure that your report is clear, specific, and fully descriptive. Write the report with the idea in mind that the audience is going to be someone with limited or no experience in what you did. A good thesis paper should be written in much the same way. Oftentimes, again, people write what they have in mind but make too many assumptions about the reader's knowledge of the topic discussed.

Title

Provide a brief but complete title of the investigation. It can be creative, but it should be accurate and descriptive.

Name and Date Submitted

Purpose

Provide a description, in your own words, of the reason for the investigation. Use full sentences and be sure to be specific about some of the important points to be researched.

Introduction and Theory

This part may be together in one section or it may be broken into two separate sections. In any case, it will likely be more detailed than you could have ever imagined. My experience is that most students do not understand the concept of "theory" though they use the word often. In this section, you will tell the reader about the investigation as if he/she had never heard of it before and needs to know about it in detail. You may want to give a brief history of the investigation including some background as to the basic concept investigated or some historical facts about people who first studied the concepts. You will want to tell why you are doing the experiment. Give a short procedure that should include a diagram of the experimental apparatus...but the diagram needs to be helpful for the reader, so include important concepts in the diagram. Refer to this diagram in your theory as you talk about the things you will look for and what you think is supposed to happen. This is where you make your hypotheses and discuss how you will test them. Discuss the reasons you have for believing your hypothesis to be true. Show any equations you will need to prove your ideas and what problems you will likely encounter during the experiment. In what ways will these problems affect your results and why do you think they will? This section is not entitled "Procedure" because procedure is not the focus. This section needs to explain a lot of WHYS for the experiment. Finally, discuss any important "tools" you will use to prove your case such as graphs, calculations, and observations. Describe what they should show and how they help you in your task.

Data and Calculations

Provide both quantitative and qualitative data. For numbers, put them in tables as described earlier in the class. For qualitative data, write them out as if you were discussing them with the person. As you go along with your sample calculations, include a short description of what you are doing from step to step. You only need to show one sample calculation for each type of calculation. This is so the reader (or you) can locate errors in the method. When in doubt, write out your calculation procedure so that anyone can follow what you did.

Discussion

Don't let the shortness of this paragraph confuse you. This is the most important part of the lab and is given the most weight when grading. This is where you discuss all that you discovered and tell how it is or is not important to your purpose. Discuss all of your graphs and observations carefully. Oftentimes, people spend hours calculating data and then never discuss the specific numbers or what they mean!! By all means, discuss numbers you found and tell how they do/don't fit your hypothesis. Discuss what worked and what did not, tell why you think this is so. Tell all that you learned from the investigation. Discuss errors that affected the results. Lastly, discuss changes that might improve the accuracy of your investigation.

Conclusion

Look back at your purpose for the experiment. Reread it! Did you accomplish it? Were you successful? Tell me that you did/did not support your hypothesis. If you were trying to prove a concept, restate the concept and your conclusion even if it repeats some of what you said in the discussion. If your task was to find a specific quantity or quality, give that specific information.

A Final Note:

I am convinced that the exercise of writing a good techical report will pay off in many places in your life....and here's why:

(1)  It teaches you to have a purpose for each paragraph and each word you write.

(2)  It helps you learn to organize...especially your reasoning processes.

(3)  It teaches you the value of communicating concepts and avoiding assumptions you often tend to make because you don't practice enough.

(4)  It teaches you to stay focused upon your ideas and avoid rambling.

(5)  You need to identify possible limitations to your ideas.

(6)  It teaches you to get to an ultimate conclusion...that can be refined.

(7)  Lastly, you learn to write for the benefit of others.  They are as important as you.  Without them, what good are your ideas?

Show Me A Sample Lab Report!!