Whenever a scientific experiment is performed, a laboratory report should be written specifying why the experiment was performed, what the expected results were, which procedure was used, what the actual results are, as well as a comment analytical about what the results mean. Laboratory reports often follow a very standard scheme, starting with a summary and introduction, followed by a section containing the materials and methods used, ending with the results and analysis of the latter. This scheme allows the reader to find answers to the most common questions that are often asked: why was the experiment performed? What are the expected results? How was the experiment conducted? What happened in the experiment? What is the relevance of the results? This article explains how to draw up the outline of a laboratory report.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Write the Executive Summary and Introduction
Step 1. Start with the summary
It is a very short summary of the whole report, usually not exceeding 200 words, in which the reader can know briefly what the results of the experiment were and what their significance is.
- The purpose of this brief summary is to provide the reader with enough information about the experiment so that he can decide whether or not to read the entire report.
- One of the first things researchers do is to do a quick search for similar projects. Summaries help determine which reports or articles are most relevant.
- The structure of the synthesis closely follows that of the report itself.
- Use a sentence to describe the purpose of the experiment and its relevance.
- Briefly describe the materials and methods used.
- Continue by describing the results of the experiment in a few sentences.
Step 2. Write the introduction
It should contain information about the type of experiment, why it was done and why it is important.
- The purpose of introducing a laboratory report or a scientific publication is to provide the reader with two fundamental pieces of information: what is the question that the experiment should be able to answer and why it is important to answer that question.
- It usually begins with a short profile or review of the scientific literature or other experiments that are related to the topic. Furthermore, it is necessary to define or summarize the theoretical background of the question.
- You should also include a statement about the problem or issue the research has raised.
- Briefly summarize the project and explain how it addresses the problem or issue.
- Briefly explain what the experiment is about and how you intend to perform it, but keep the details and particulars for the section of your report where you talk about the methods and materials used.
- In this section you must also explain what the expected results of the experiment are.
Step 3. Determine what the expected results should be
This part of the report, known as the hypothesis, must contain an erudite and well-articulated explanation of the expected results.
- The hypothesis should be inserted within the introduction, towards the end.
- A research hypothesis should consist of a brief statement that transforms the problem described in the introduction into something that is verifiable and falsifiable.
- Scientists must create a hypothesis from which an experiment can reasonably be designed and implemented.
- A hypothesis is never proven in an experiment, only "verified" or "supported".
Step 4. Formulate your hypothesis correctly
It should start with a general statement of expected results and then develop the whole process on it to make it verifiable.
- For example, consider the hypothesis "Fertilizers affect how tall a plant will grow".
- Expand the basic idea to give it more direction. For example: "Plants grow faster and taller when fertilizer is added."
- Finally, add enough detail to explain your ideas and make your hypothesis testable: "Plants given a solution with 1ml of fertilizer grow faster than plants without fertilizer because they receive more nutrients."
Part 2 of 3: Explain the Procedure Followed to Carry Out the Research
Step 1. Reserve a section of your report for an explanation of how you designed the search
This section is sometimes titled "Process" or "Methods and Materials".
- The purpose of this section is to inform the reader exactly how you conducted the experiment.
- You must report in detail on the materials used and the procedures followed during the experiment.
- The goal is to make the procedure you followed clear and imitable. Anyone reading this section should be able to repeat the experiment exactly.
- This section is absolutely crucial documentation of your analysis methods.
Step 2. Describe all the materials needed to carry out the experiment
This can be a simple list or a few descriptive paragraphs.
- Describe the laboratory equipment used, including size, make and type.
- List the materials you used for research.
- For example, if you are looking at how the use of fertilizers affects plant growth, you need to indicate which brand of fertilizer was used, which plant species you used and the brand of seeds.
- It may be helpful to add a diagram or chart that indicates how these materials were crafted.
- Be sure to specify the quantity of objects used in the experiment.
Step 3. Describe the process you followed
Break it down into a series of successive stages.
- Remember that every experiment has a control phase and variables. Describe all of this in this section.
- Write, step by step, a set of detailed instructions on how you did the experiment.
- Specify all the measurements you have made, including how and when they were taken.
- Describe any measures you have taken to reduce experimental uncertainty. These measures include the use of additional controls, restrictions or precautions.
- If you have used a recognized and already published scientific method, remember to indicate the references to the original method.
- Remember that the goal of this section is for the reader to repeat your experiment exactly. No detail should be left out.
Part 3 of 3: Describe the Results
Step 1. Reserve a section of the report for the description of the results
It will be the most conspicuous part of the relationship.
- In this section you must describe the results of your analytical methods, both qualitative and quantitative.
- Quantitative results are those expressed in numerical terms, for example in the form of percentages or statistical data. The qualitative results derive from an analysis of the problem as a whole and are expressed in discursive form by those who participated in the research.
- In this section you include all the statistical tests performed and their results.
- Make sure that all data is not only described, but also viewable with a graph or diagram. All charts and diagrams must have a number and a title.
- For example, if you are experimenting with the effect of fertilizer on plant growth, you will make a graph showing the average growth of plants given fertilizer and a graph showing the average growth of plants without fertilizer.
- You should also describe the result in discursive form. For example: "Plants that were given a concentration of 1ml of fertilizer grew on average 4cm more than those that were not given fertilizer."
- As you progress, describe the results. Explain to the reader why the results are important to the experiment or to the problem. This way the reader can follow the thread of your reasoning.
- Compare the results with the original hypothesis. Determine whether or not the hypothesis was supported by the experiment.
Step 2. Include a discussion section
Here you will discuss in depth the significance of the results you have achieved.
- State whether the experiment confirmed your preliminary expectations or not.
- In this section the author can address other issues. For example: why did we get an unexpected result? Or: what would happen if one aspect of the process were altered?
- You can also discuss whether the results did not test the hypothesis.
- This section can also be used by the author to present or compare their results with those of other studies or to suggest further research paths on the problem addressed in the experiment.
Step 3. Write a conclusion
It summarizes the experiment and explains what the results revealed about the problem being addressed.
- Explain what you learned by doing the experiment.
- Summarize the problem faced by the experiment and the questions you raised to set up the analysis of the results.
- Briefly describe any pitfalls or challenges that occurred during the process and provide suggestions for further research.
- Make sure you link back to the introduction and state whether the experiment fulfilled the purposes you intended to pursue through data analysis.
Step 4. Make sure you provide all necessary quotes
If you've referred to different research or ideas than yours, make sure they are properly referenced.
- To insert references and citations within the text, indicate in brackets the year of publication of the research and the author.
- Include all bibliographic references in a special section dedicated to the works cited, to be included at the end of the document.
- You can use software such as EndNote, which are useful for organizing citations and for building a correct reference bibliography.
