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The Lab Reporter

Want To Get An A+ On Labs and Get Better Grades?

Advice offers added value and convenience without increasing time, work or effort

There are several parts to the process of preparing a good lab report. 1) Proper form by using assignment sheets and by using the lab outline. 2) Careful and observant lab work. 3) Working safely in the lab..

Assignment sheets display the needed information for quick and easy use. Each lab has its own customized data sheets for ease of documenting laboratory results.

All reports are done on assignment sheets. The customized data sheets also follow this form. These sheets are 8 ˝ inches by 11 inches with one inch margins on the left and right sides as well as at the top.

The name of the college is placed in the upper left of the page and the department is placed in the upper right. Beneath the college name are placed, from left to right across the page, the course number, the date, the lab topic and the student’s name. Each page is numbered, with reference to the total number of pages, in the extreme upper right.

If you use a word processor, you can make a template by copying an incompleted assignment sheet. Enter the needed information on this template and then save under another name.

If you use a typewriter or prefer to letter by hand, reproduce copies of the assignment sheet and then type in or letter the needed informatioin.

Use the correct data sheets for the appropriate laboratory exercise. These data sheets will accompany lab materials. Data sheets must be initialed by the lab instructor after data is taken by the student.

Lab Report Outline

Please follow this outine in the order given. Many jounals and periodicals have a prefered order of presentation for ease of review. Follow this outline and your report will be easily constructed and be easily read.

  1. Goals or Objectives: a short explanation of the purpose of the lab activity.

  2. Summary: a paragraph or two summarizing the very heart of the lab activity. This part is written after the lab has been completed and all the other parts have been written.

  3. Equipment and Materials Used: a simple list of equipment, materials and any reagents used in the lab activity.

  4. Procedure: a complete written description of the lab activity which would enable another student to successfully complete the exercise. Include safety issues here.

  5. Data: include data here.

  6. Calculations: show all work for calculations in this section.

  7. Questions Answered: answer all questions posed in the activity if given.

  8. Conclusions: a short section giving the results of the lab activity.

  9. Error Report: a short explanation of any error that was encountered or inherent in the lab exercise.

Safety with Style

Follow these instructions carefully and you too can create great lab reports, get better lab grades and improve your understanding of the course material. All this is within your grasp by just following procedures, doing careful work, applying all safety guidelines, and using the simple laboratory report outline. Remember…forty percent of your grade for the course depends upon your laboratory grades.

Our Students Questions & Answers

Students Ask

What are MSDS sheets and where do we have access to them?

MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheets. These are kept in the lab for faculty and student use. When using hazardous chemicals this information should be consulted.

Why is the laboratory report in such a fixed format?

Many periodicals and journals have a format or style of presentation for ease of reading. Also you will find the laboratory report easier to construct if you have a set outline to follow. Since there are several reports to create, a set outline will make the following lab reports a snap to do.

Where can I find more safety information?

The Lab Safety Guidelines and the Hazmat Training are documents that will be given to you at the beginning of the course. If you wish to view these on the internet, please see the question about information on the internet.

Is there information about safety on the internet, and how would I access it?

The following internet site may help you learn more about hazardous materials handling and other important safety concerns: http://www.ncia.net/users/joe/college/htuniv/univinfo/htmenu.html. When you are at the site, select Safety First and then select Hazardous Materials Communication Program. If you should need MSDS sheets for some chemical or product, you can find sites to visit that may give you the MSDS.

Can I use my first lab report as a guide with a word processor?

Certainly! This can save you time in setting up the format for the assignment sheets as well as the main sections of the report. First save the file under a new name and then edit the file to reflect the changes of the new report. This will come in handy if you need to use similar material over again such as the wash and rinse procedures for glassware.

How can I get a better grade on the Lab Report?

Your lab instructor will allow you to rewrite the lab if minor changes are needed. Please do not use this as a means of meeting a deadline with intentions to do better work later. Lab instructors are not that foolish and this will harm your lab grade!

Is there help available to write lab reports?

Yes. Visit the Learning Center and sign up for help with peer tutors as soon as possible. Go as early in the semester as possible! Now!

The Learning Center is one of you best bets for a great grade and the price is right!