The document outlines the essential components of a lab report, including the title, abstract, introduction, materials & methods, results, discussion & conclusion, and citations in MLA format. It details the purpose and structure of each section, emphasizing the importance of clarity and scientific terminology. Additionally, it provides guidance on presenting data and discussing results effectively.

1. How to Write a Lab
Report

2. Lab Report Write-Up Components
Title - this is good to have, for obvious reasons
Abstract - may help you, but not a necessity
Introduction
Materials & Method/Procedure
Results
Discussion & Conclusion
Citations - MLA format!

3. Abstract
➔ Summary of your lab report
➔ When writing, write this LAST.
Should contain:
- Prior info
- Reason for the experiment
- Prediction
- Results
- What the results mean
- Usually only a paragraph

4. Introduction
Introduces the need for the experiment & explains what the results you are
looking for.
Should contain:
- Background information
- Provides info and explains why you performed your experiment
- Cite this background info in MLA format!!
- Use reliable resources - no wikipedia
- State hypothesis & prediction
- May be couple pages in length, but could be a couple paragraphs -
depends

5. Materials & Method
Materials are what you needed for your experiment.
- Should be bulleted
- Use scientific terms (for example: should use sodium chloride, not salt)
Methods
- Paragraph form, using past passive tense
- Use units and precise terms in everything!
- Assume the reader has no idea how to perform the experiment!

6. Results
Provide your resulting data to your readers.
Include:
- Clarifying statements in between your data table and graphs
- I.e. “Figure 1 below/above presents the data collected for the size of feet for girls in this class”
- Each data table, graph and figure needs a caption - tells reader what
he/she is looking at - provides info about anything strange or notable
about that figure
- Data tables to describe results work well!

7. Discussion & Conclusion
Paragraph format
Claim: restate hypothesis
Evidence: provide analyzed data
Reasoning: explain how & why data supports or rejects your hypothesis
Error: what went wrong?
Further Research: what next?
Remember that each of those items may take more than one sentence!!