How To Write A Lab Report
How To Write A Lab Report
Materials: A data table of chemical substances which includes the structures, the
relevant physical properties and the amounts used. This should also include the
products and the structural and physical data – the amount used would not be
included.
Safety information: A data table of chemical substances which includes the relevant
safety information, and the disposal notes for reactants, chemicals used in purification
and products.
Apparatus: Includes hardware and glassware pieces. This list of equipment could be
a table. Since many of the techniques will be used again in the future it is best if a
sketched diagram of the apparatus is included
Summary of the procedure: This section will ultimately become your only reference
source to the experimental steps. In order to make the procedure section easy to
follow, the summary should be written on the left half of the notebook pages, and any
observation for the steps should be recorded on the right half, across from its
corresponding step.
More Pointers…
1. Each section of the laboratory report must be labeled, in order to make the reading of
the report smoother.
2. The report must be written in third person (voice). (Do not use the phrase “I” or “the
student” etc. Always write about the experiment i.e. “the water boiled”.
3. The report must be written in ink (no pencil). The prelab and post lab may be typed.
4. If any mistake is made, it should be crossed out (with a horizontal line through it) and
initialed by the writer of the report.
5. ALL the lines (Including underlined titles, tables, strikethrough, etc…) must be drawn
using a ruler (no free-hand drawing).
6. The report should not convey any personal emotion (positive or negative).
7. Handwriting should be legible
8. Language and diction should be formal and professional.
9. The report should not look like a rough draft.