How to write a lab report

​Science Root of the Day:

DO NOW: Write what you think the example words mean in your lab manual.

Extra Credit: Find three additional words that use this root and write them and their definition in your lab manual (6 Points Max)

How to Write A Lab Report

Multiple Choice

To test a hypothesis, a scientist purposely changes the dependent variable

• True

• False

Match

Match the following

• Aero-

• Bi-

• Calc-

• Aqua-

Air

Two

Stone

Water

• Air

• Two

• Stone

• Water

Multiple Choice

Observations that deal with descriptions that cannot be expressed in numbers are called

• manipulated observations

• quantitative observations.

• qualitative observations.

• responding observations.

Drag and Drop

Accidentally having two or more variables that change in an experiment is one way to

introduce ​

Placeholder

​ to the experiment.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

bias

randomness

confusion

error

accuracy

Lesson Objectives

• Learn the parts of a lab report

  • Discuss why we write Lab Reports

• Go over tips and tricks to writing a good lab report

What is a Lab Report?

• A lab report is a formal summary of an experiment that you performed

  • It communicates what you did and what you learned

• An essay-style paper, with proper grammar and spelling

• It is an Informational Paper

  • No opinions allowed

Why are you making us do this?

• Lab reports will make you a better scientist

  • Remember: Sharing your results is a critical step in being a scientist

  • Helps you to think about and internalize what you observed.

  • As you write more in science, you become a better science reader

How do we get started:

• A template for your lab report is available on Google Classroom

  • Every time you write a new Lab Report, you need to make a copy of the tempate

  • It has all the parts clearly labeled where they go with some filler text describing what you need to do

    • Make sure you remove the Filler Text!!!

• As you get better at writing lab reports, you will not need the template as much.

Parts of the Lab Report: Abstract

• This is the first thing on the page, but the last thing you write.

• Gives a brief one-paragraph summary of the lab

  • It does not go into specifics but gives a vague idea

• Is useful to help give an idea of what the lab was about and if it is something relevant to another scientist's research

• Remember: At least five sentences for a paragraph

Parts of the Lab Report: Introduction

• Every person should write their introduction

  • No copying!

• Should be One to Three Paragraphs long

  • Some topics are simple and need only one paragraph, but others are complex and need multiple

• Gives a summary of the topic of the Lab

  • Introduces definitions of the main topic

  • Explains why a topic is important to people

• Some labs will have questions in your lab manual that should be answered in your introduction

Introduction Example

• Example Lab: How does Acid Rain affect seed growth?

  • The introduction should:

    • Explain what Acid Rain is and what causes it.

    • Explain why people should care if acid rain affects seed growth

Multiple Select

How does Writing a Lab Report help you as a scientist?

• It helps you share results with others

• It helps hide your results so no one can copy them

• It helps make you better at Reading Scientific information

• It helps you get more points in the Grade Book

Multiple Choice

When should you write your abstract?

• Before starting the Lab

• When you are doing the Lab Procedure

• After making your graphs

• After writing all other parts of the Lab Report

Multiple Choice

Where can you find the Lab Report template to use in this class?

• On Google Classroom

• In Powerschool

• There is no template

• You can use any template you want

Parts of the Lab Report: Materials

• This is one of the first bits of the lab report you can write

  • Should be the same for every member of your lab group

• Bullet point List of everything you use during the lab

  • Name of object and quantity used

Parts of the Lab Report: Procedure

• Should be written as a numbered list

  • May be identical for members of the same group

• A set of instructions, like a recipe

  • Written so the reader could repeat the experiment if they wanted

• Need to be specific about how things are done

• Do not use "I" or "We" in your writing

Parts of the Lab Report: Data and Results

• All data tables and graphs that show your

  • Members of the same group should have the same data

    • You are free to format the data however you want to, as long as it is easy to read

• Should be made in Google Sheets and copied and pasted into your lab report document

  • Don't just type a link

Parts of the Lab Report: Conclusion

• One to Three Paragraphs long

• It is unique to each person

• Summarize your results in paragraph form

  • Was your hypothesis Correct?

  • Where do you think you may have made mistakes?

    • What do you think you could have done better?

  • Answer any additional questions that may be in the lab manual

Parts of the Lab Report: Citations

• If you did any research, you need to cite your sources

• Scientists use the APA format to cite because it gives credit to all scientists on the team

• You can and should use a Citation writer rather than do it yourself

  • There is one automatically in Google Docs under the TOOLS tab.

  • Can also use an outside service like Citation Machine

  • Stay away from ChatGPT for citations, it makes too many of Mistakes

Tips and Tricks

• FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO: Make sure you title the Google doc with your last name and the name of the lab.

• Write your Materials, and Procedure as you physically do them

  • In some labs, there will be lots of downtime that can be used to start an introduction.

• Keep all of the group's data in one Google Sheet as you do the lab

  • make sure you share it with everyone in the group

• A quick way to get your paragraph to count up: Use at least two full sentences to answer all questions

  • You can edit it later if you need to.

Multiple Select

Which parts of a lab report should be the same for all members of the group?

• Introduction

• Materials

• Procedure

• Data/Results

• Conclusion

Categorize

Options (5)

Abstract

Introduction

Conclustion

Materials

Procedure

Organize these options into the right categories

1 Paragraph

1-3 Paragraphs

Bulleted List

Numbered List