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Lab Report (Biology)

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Lab Report (Biology)

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Understand your assignment. Attend lab and complete experiment.

Before lab:

Read over lab assignment in advance.
Define your objectives, prediction or hypothesis.
Summarize your expected outcomes.
If needed, do brief literature search to understand context around experiment.

During lab: Take detailed notes in lab notebook on procedures and results and note any differences in procedures or expected outcomes. Record enough detail to allow someone else to repeat experiment based on your notes.

Learn more: A Guide to Keeping a Biology Laboratory Notebook (PDF)

As you write your report be aware of the style of scientific writing in your discipline and grammar:

Write in complete sentences.
Limit the use of "I" or "we".
Use past tense.
Generally use active voice not passive (except for Methods which is in passive)

Learn more: What makes a good lab report? (PDF)

Acknowledgments: This Lab Report (Biology) was created in close collaboration with the Biology Program, University of Minnesota.

Describe your materials and methods

Make a list of sub-headings of major methods. Use sub-headings to help organize.
Explain in detail the steps in the experiment. Be specific enough so another student could replicate the experiment.
Do not include results.
Use passive voice (use DNA was extracted versus I extracted DNA)
Learn more: What is the point of Materials and Methods? (PDF)

Analyze and describe your results

Analyze data collected or observed.
Report major results with no interpretation.

Create data tables, figure, graphs, or charts to clearly display results.

Use subheadings.

Highlight results that are important for supporting your conclusions.
If results are different than you expected do not make up or modify data.

Making up or falsifying data is considered Scholastic Dishonesty in the Student Code of Conduct and is subject to disciplinary action.
If your instructor has given you permission to use someone else data be sure to clearly indicate that in the results section.

Learn more: What is the point of Results? (PDF)

Conduct library research.

Search for review articles to find relevant material and theories to provide context and rationale. Review articles summarize the literature on a topic and can be a better starting placed than primary articles that describe new research.

Be sure to include citations throughout report to any sources you use.

Develop introduction

As you write your introduction focus on information that provides background and context to your reader for your experimental questions or hypotheses.

Try to answer the following in your introduction
Why is the experiment important? What does an outsider reader need to know to understand importance and questions asked
Describe background and context for experiment
Give background on materials (e.g. organisms, chemicals, etc.) used.
Explain the theory behind the techniques.

Learn more:

What is the point of the Introduction (PDF)?

Be sure to include citations to any sources you use.

Learn more: How do I include In-text Citations and References? (PDF)

Get online or in-person writing support at the U of M's Center for Writing

Learn about Writing in the Disciplines-Biology

Interpret and synthesize your results in the discussion and conclusion

Refer to your hypothesis, outcomes or predictions as you discuss conclusions.
Support each conclusion with experimental evidence. Describe your rationale for your conclusions and any patterns or relationship your results demonstrate. Also support conclusions with information found in the literature.
Compare results to the expected results and to those found in the literature (include citations).
Discuss the limitations of your experiment: what can't you conclude? What other interpretations may be correct? What were the limits of the methods you used?
Discuss how your results fit into a broader context such as practical applications or other situations, species, systems, etc.

Write your abstract. Develop a title. Revise and rewrite

The abstract is generally 100-200 words and summarizes the whole lab report in a concise and descriptive manner.

Learn more: What is the point of the Abstract? (PDF)

Get online or in-person writing support at the U of M's Center for Writing

Put lab report in final form

Double check the formatting requirements including title page, page numbering, etc.
Read report for spelling and grammar errors.

Use the Lab Report Final Checklist (PDF) to check your work.

Create list of sources using correct citation style. Ask your instructor if you are unsure which style manual to use.

How do I include In-text Citations and References? (PDF)

Get online or in-person writing support at the U of M's Center for Writing

Write Cover letter/Response to Reviewers (if needed)

Look back over the comments of any reviewers.
How did you response to the comments?

Double check references

Include citations to any sources you use. Create list of sources using CSE/CBE (Council of Science/Biology Editors) style.