Lab Report Format

Name: First & Last

Date: ##/##/##

Class/Period #

Title

Ask A question: (What, Why, How, and When; this question should spark someone’s interest and stimulate them into doing this experiment.) This will give you a purpose in mind when you begin the experiment.
Background: (1 to 2 Paragraphs, explaining what you need to know to complete this lab ie. calculations, main ideas, notes.)
State your Hypothesis: (A prediction of what you thought should occur before you actually did your lab)
Materials / Variables: (Independent, Dependent, and constants)
Procedure: (List or paragraphs; When writing your lab report remember that a student who has no prior knowledge and no book should be able to come in, set up and perform the same lab as you with only your directions to guide them.)
Data & Observations: (data tables or paragraph) usually you will be given a data table to fill in, if not you must construct one. Be sure to include units with all numbers.
Analysis: (Graphs, charts, calculations, lab questions) There may be a secondary data table that needs completed after some calculations are performed and/or there are questions that need answered with the lab.
Conclusion: (six parts)

Restate the Question.
Summarize the Experiment. (Explain the purpose of the experiment, then describe your procedures again but briefly)
Summarize the Data: (Restate the Data in Sentences)
Restate Hypothesis & Compare data to Hypothesis: (Does the Data Support the Hypothesis? if Not, Create a new Hypothesis. Explain Why or Why Not.)
Describe what you learned
Problems & Improvements: (If you had to do the lab again what would you do differently.Describe the possible sources of error in the lab.

WRITING TIPS:

This may be your first effort at technical writing. When writing all portions of this lab you must adhere to the following rules;