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Science
Lab Reports

How To Write Up Lab Reports

How to write up a formal lab report

The purpose of experiments is to better understand a concept or for the discovery of a new one. Presenting the findings
of the experiment is done through a lab report that outlines how the experiment worked and what the results were.
Rules for Writing a Lab Report:

Should be done in blue or black ink. The lab report can be typed up in black ink.
All lines made in the report (for underlining, for charts or certain graphs) must be made with a ruler
Each student will write up their own lab report and turned in individually

LAB WRITE-UP
If typed, use blank paper (not lined); if written, use lined paper
Put the Title of the Lab on the top middle of the first page, Capitalized, and underline it
Must include ALL of the following headings (which are underlined)

Problem:
Write down the purpose of the lab; what you are trying to determine
This should be done in one sentence
Can be written as a question
Sometimes this is given to you (from teacher or textbook)
Hypothesis:
This is an educated guess as to what you think is the possible reason or relationship
This is NOT a question, but a statement that includes what your prediction is based on what is happening
This can be true or not. You do NOT have to be correct, but it should be your best guess as to what you
feel is correct
Eg. If I mix blue paint with red paint, I will get white paint
Eg. I think that my marks will increase if I study more than 10 minutes for a test
Materials:
List ALL the materials in bullet form that will be used in the experiment
If it is in your textbook, you may refer to it as See page ### in Science Investigations
Procedure:

Write down step by step instructions in order to perform the experiment

Number each step separately (like a recipe)
If it is in your textbook, you may refer to it as See page ### in Science Investigations

All of the above sections should be done BEFORE the experiment is started
This is important so that you understand what will happen in the experiment and possibly help you to
understand what the results will be

Observations:
This is the recording of data or information gathered while doing the experiment
It can be done as notes, charts, graphs, sketches or recordings of the experiment (including titles, labels, units)

Discussion:
After gathering the data, this is the section for finding out what happened and making some connections as
to what happened and possibly why
Why did the experiment turn out the way it did? What could or should you have done differently?
This will include answering questions about the experiment or interpreting the results

Up to this point, the information in the lab report can be similar with your group members, but NOT copied or
printed out for one another
Each student is responsible for understanding the experiment and the results, so make sure you know what was
going on

Conclusion:
This is written as a small paragraph ( a few sentences) that will answer the Purpose of the experiment
First state whether or not your hypothesis was correct
Secondly, prove or disprove your first sentence with the results or actual data
Eg. Our hypothesis was incorrect. Red and blue paint did make white paint. Our results showed that red
and blue paint made purple paint.

COPY OF THE FORMAL LAB MARKSHEET

Self-Checks
Points to Consider
Cover Page
Sections
Hypothesis
Observations
Discussion
Conclusion
Underline

Blank, Title, Info, Group Members

Lab/Title, Problem, Materials,
Procedure
Related to Problem, Complete
Sentence, I Think
Diagram, Correct Chart, Proper
Data, Complete
Write Out Questions and
Answer All
Correct/Incorrect, Hypothesis,
State Results/Data
Straight Lines for Underlining,
All Sections, Titles

Rubric
Lab Report is complete with
all parts AND Write Up is
well done.

10

Lab Report is missing a few

parts OR Write Up lacks some
understanding

Lab Report is missing a few

parts AND Write Up lacks
some understanding

Lab Report is missing lots of

parts OR Write Up lacks lots
of understanding

Lab Report is missing lots of

parts AND Write Up lacks lots
of understanding

Total: