How to Write a Lab Report + Examples

Lab Report: What Is It?

First, what is a lab report? It is a paper that includes detailed information on a laboratory experiment in different kinds of science. Its mandatory components include:

• aim
• methods
• findings
• conclusions.

One cannot underestimate this paper’s importance. It is necessary to follow specific instructions and put theory into practice while doing experiments. In its turn, when you write an after-test paper, you show the ability to analyze data and draw conclusions. This skill will play a crucial role in good academic progress.

Lab Report Structure

Is there one structure of a lab report? Every domain and each course can have particular requirements for it. However, this type of paper should normally include such elements:

1. Title
2. Abstract
3. Introduction
4. Materials & Methods
5. Experimental Procedure
6. Results
7. Discussion
8. Conclusion.

Each of them has its purpose. For instance, you briefly introduce your experiment in the initial parts. You will describe and analyze methods, measures, and results in further, more specific sections. Such a structure helps to accurately paragraph a paper and make it clear to readers.

Lab Report Title Page

When writing a title page for a lab report, remember – it will represent your work in general. Surely, you can try to make up something effective, however, do not overdo it. We recommend writing concise and clear titles that point exactly to your experiment’s topic. Otherwise stated, your title should be informative. Get some examples of titles:

• Testing IoT and Image Analysis for Monitoring On-Tree Fruit
• Role of Emotion Regulation in Child Training
• Analysis of Cyclohexanol Dehydration

Abstract: Lab Report

Any lab report abstract is a quick survey of your experiment. In about 150-300 words, you should describe it right from its starting aim up to its concluding paragraph. Take it as a preview version of everything you will write next in your paper. Surely, make it compact and relevant. To get more information on how to write an abstract, read one more of our blogs.

Our academic writing experts recommend asking yourself several questions. The answers will guide you through creating this section. Ask yourself:

1. What did you study in your test, globally speaking?
2. Which hypothesis did you put forward?
3. How did you conduct this test?
4. What results did you obtain?
5. How did you expound on your results?
6. Why are your findings important?

Lab Report Introduction

Invest effort in writing an introduction for lab report papers since one turns from overall to specifics here. In this paper, you should recreate your laboratory and write in detail about the significant backgrounds of your experiment for readers. Use such tips:

1. Background information Provide readers with additional info about the experiment topic.
2. Importance of the subject Display its theoretical and/or practical importance for the area.
3. Tests and results Indicate previous tests related to your study and their results.
4. Answer the questions:

• How effective was your experience in relation to the study?
• Did your experiment confirm or disprove your expectations?
• How can it complement your study?

Lab Report: Materials and Methods

Write the Materials & Methods section of a lab report accurately so that other researchers can replicate this exact test. Use graphs, images, diagrams, tables, etc. to simplify learning your test’s data and equipment. Let us observe the main sections in this part.

Design

Here, you note your experiment design, namely, dependent-groups or independent-groups design. You should explain how you assessed the relation between your test’s participants and conditions.

Subjects

The experiment may involve humans, animals, plants, or other subjects. They can go in groups and be placed in different conditions. One indicates therefore the number of subjects in:

• the entire test
• in each group
• in each condition

There is also a need to describe subjects, for instance, give demographics, genetic characteristics, etc.

Materials

This part contains all specific equipment or/and scientific materials used in your research. The use environment and settings should also be described.

The whole section should be written in the Past Tense.

Experimental Procedure: Lab Report

When writing an experimental procedure in a lab report, your main goal is to list all the steps taken during the experiment in chronological order. This section should be detailed but concise. Write it as if you explain all the procedures to someone who is going to replicate this test.

Sometimes, you can follow a manual and simply provide your record with a reference. However, something may not go the way it is expected. Then you probably would change some procedures. You must include all these changes in your paper.

Results Section: Lab Report

Any lab report results section should contain the resultant statistics of each particular procedure conducted within this research. It includes:

• descriptive stats
• statistical experiment results
• the importance of your outcomes
• calculations of standard error or confidence intervals.

Write if the captured statistical data falls in line with the experiment's initial purpose. Describe sample calculations using clear symbols. Add graphs and images. Your raw data may be extensive, so gather it in the Appendix and give a reference to it.

Discussion Section of Lab Report

The lab report discussion is a key for presenting you as a scientist ready to critically evaluate experimental procedures in general - not simply recopy a manual. Depending on all test peculiarities, you can supply this part of your paper with:

• the interpretation of your findings
• a brief comparison of the expected and received results
• explanation of all unexpected outcomes
• sources of experimental errors
• ways to explain further research.

Do all results comply with or contradict your main purpose? Has everything gone as planned? How successful were these test procedures for research? Which differences, strong and weak points does your study have in comparison with previous ones made by others? So, a Discussion block will look solid when containing answers to such questions.

Lab Report: Conclusion

In most cases, lab report conclusions coincide with discussions. Here, you should summarize the key findings of your study, describe how they contribute to further experiments in this area as well as indicate the experiment's limitations.

When your supervisor agrees with it, you can decide whether to include both of these sections. A conclusion can also go as a final paragraph given without any heading. Here, you can only conclude - not present any new ideas.

Lab Report Example

We would like to present you with a formal lab report example so that you can scan this paper’s general arrangement. When using it, pay close attention to the means of displaying information in each section, too. Surely, academic papers like this vary significantly in their domains, topics, and experimental procedures. However, we believe that having a successful sample lab report before your eyes will be useful for your work.

Lab Report: Bottom Line

Writing a lab report is not a one-minute task. Writing an indeed effective lab report may even be tortuous and time-consuming. One should use its strict structure but this is not the main problem. Sometimes, it’s much easier to conduct an experiment than review its procedure. Whether you like it or not, you have to possess definite writing skills to succeed.