Potato Lab Write Up
How to Write a Lab Report
Lab reports are formal papers that describe and analyze lab experiments. They follow a very specific format. If you study this paper carefully and follow its directions, you will find that these papers are not at all difficult and can have a positive impact on your Biology grade.
Paper formatting: The paper should be typed and double spaced. Use a standard 12 point font (do not use cute fonts or colored paper!). Except for the title and abstract – each section should have a subheading.
Title: The title should be placed at the top center of the first page. Lab reports do not need a separate title page. The title should be specific enough that the reader will know the subject of the experiment. Titles …show more content…
You need to give enough detail that someone could repeat the experiment from your description. Do not make a list of materials. Do not include obvious, trivial details. Look at the statements below:
1 – “The potato section was placed in 50 mL of 10% sucrose solution.”
2 – “A graduated cylinder was picked up from the lab cart. My lab partner filled it to the 50 mark with sugar solution. Then the solution was poured into a paper cup. Then a potato slice was added to the cup.”
Statement 1 is clear and concise. Statement 2 is full of trivial detail but omits 2 essential details – the concentration and type of sugar solution used. Pay attention to numbers and units. Be certain all numbers have the correct units. Do not write out numbers – write “50 mL” not “fifty milliliters”. Be certain you do not leave a number on one line with its unit on the next! If this happens – figure out how to insert a “sticky space” with your word processor.
Do not include any results or measurements taken in this section. This section is also not the appropriate place for any explanations of why you got the results you …show more content…
How might the experiment be improved? What further experiments could be done to clarify things? What further experiments are suggested by your data?
Illustrations
Graphs, diagrams, drawings, & photographs (but NOT tables) used to illustrate your report are referred to as Figures. Each figure should have a number and a caption. Number the figures in the order they are referred to in the report. The caption gives a brief description and identifies any symbols used. In the body of your paper, a drawing or graph should be referred to as Fig. 1, Fig 4, etc. Refer to the “Graphing” handout to decide what type of graph is appropriate for your data and how to properly draw the main types of graphs.
Tables are used to organize numerical data. They are referred to as Table 1, Table 3 etc. and should also be numbered in the order they are referred to in the report. Tables should have captions that identify the data they contain. Pay attention to numbers and units in tables.
What is Plagiarism??
Plagiarism in all forms is cheating and will not be tolerated. The most common forms of plagiarism encountered in lab report writing
Lab reports are formal papers that describe and analyze lab experiments. They follow a very specific format. If you study this paper carefully and follow its directions, you will find that these papers are not at all difficult and can have a positive impact on your Biology grade.
Paper formatting: The paper should be typed and double spaced. Use a standard 12 point font (do not use cute fonts or colored paper!). Except for the title and abstract – each section should have a subheading.
Title: The title should be placed at the top center of the first page. Lab reports do not need a separate title page. The title should be specific enough that the reader will know the subject of the experiment. Titles …show more content…
You need to give enough detail that someone could repeat the experiment from your description. Do not make a list of materials. Do not include obvious, trivial details. Look at the statements below:
1 – “The potato section was placed in 50 mL of 10% sucrose solution.”
2 – “A graduated cylinder was picked up from the lab cart. My lab partner filled it to the 50 mark with sugar solution. Then the solution was poured into a paper cup. Then a potato slice was added to the cup.”
Statement 1 is clear and concise. Statement 2 is full of trivial detail but omits 2 essential details – the concentration and type of sugar solution used. Pay attention to numbers and units. Be certain all numbers have the correct units. Do not write out numbers – write “50 mL” not “fifty milliliters”. Be certain you do not leave a number on one line with its unit on the next! If this happens – figure out how to insert a “sticky space” with your word processor.
Do not include any results or measurements taken in this section. This section is also not the appropriate place for any explanations of why you got the results you …show more content…
How might the experiment be improved? What further experiments could be done to clarify things? What further experiments are suggested by your data?
Illustrations
Graphs, diagrams, drawings, & photographs (but NOT tables) used to illustrate your report are referred to as Figures. Each figure should have a number and a caption. Number the figures in the order they are referred to in the report. The caption gives a brief description and identifies any symbols used. In the body of your paper, a drawing or graph should be referred to as Fig. 1, Fig 4, etc. Refer to the “Graphing” handout to decide what type of graph is appropriate for your data and how to properly draw the main types of graphs.
Tables are used to organize numerical data. They are referred to as Table 1, Table 3 etc. and should also be numbered in the order they are referred to in the report. Tables should have captions that identify the data they contain. Pay attention to numbers and units in tables.
What is Plagiarism??
Plagiarism in all forms is cheating and will not be tolerated. The most common forms of plagiarism encountered in lab report writing