Design

Essential Elements: Design

The layout of a lab report should be very simple and easy to follow. A successful lab report will address the following categories:

1.Title Page  The title page should clearly identify the lab. The title should be short but descriptive.  2. Abstract  The abstract is short summary of the experiment. It provides the reader a view into what they can expect to find in the report.  3. Introduction  The Introduction provides background information on the experiment and explains the purpose of carrying out the experiment. The  introduction should be a paragraph which presents the problem and what you hope to find after completing the experiment.  4. Methods  The methods should be a summary of the procedure you followed. Do not list every step, rather summarize and condense the procedure  so that it is easy to follow. This section should inform the reader of the steps you took, materials and equipment you used.  5. Results (Data, Charts, Calculations)  The results section should display your findings. Here you will record and measurements, data, charts and calculations you obtained or derived.  6. Discussion & Conclusion  In this section you will comment on the outcome of your experiment. You should discuss any errors that may have occurred which may <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> have affected your results. You should mention how the steps you took and the products you used affected your results as well as what <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> your results mean. Interpret your findings and answer any questions that were raised during the experiment. This is the most important part <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> of the report, so it should be thorough and well written. This section provides a way for your audience to assess if you fully understood <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> the experiment. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">7. References <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Not all lab reports will include references. References should be provided if you were using a text book or a lab manual to write your <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> lab report. Ask your professor or teaching assistant to see if this part is required.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Sources:

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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">By Kiran Kaur