This template will enable you to produce a polished Lab Report.  Simply complete each section below, pasting in all your completed data tables, graphs, and photographs where indicated.  Before you submit your Lab Report, it is recommended that you run it through Turnitin, using the student folder, to ensure protection from accidental plagiarism.  Please delete this purple text, and all the instructions below, before submitting your final report.

Introduction

Background paragraph: Provide background on the lab topic, explaining the key concepts covered in the lab and defining (in your own words) important terms relating to the lab.  Explain why the lab topic is important to scientists. Using APA format, cite at least two outside credible sources (sources other than textbook or lab manual) in your statement. Your background paragraph should be 5-7 original, substantive sentences long.

Objectives paragraph: In 4-5 sentences, explain the purpose of this lab. What is it intended to examine or test?

Hypotheses paragraph: State your hypotheses for this lab. Be sure to cover all the lab activities, one at a time. For each hypothesis, explain why you originally thought that would happen.

Note: Do not mention the actual results of the lab here – they go later in the report.

For additional help in writing your Introduction section, refer to the Ashford Writing Center Resource, Introductions and Conclusions.

Materials and Methods

Using your own words, describe what you did in each of the lab activities. Answers should enable a lab report reader to repeat the lab just as you did it – a process known as replication. Clearly explain any measurements you made (including the measurement units).

Results

Data Tables: Copy and paste each of your completed data tables here, in order (Weeks One, Two, Four, and Five Labs only).

Observations: Provide your observations for each lab activity here, in order (Week Three Lab only)

Graphs: Paste your graphs here (Week Four Lab only).  Include a numbered figure caption below each one, in APA format.

Photographs: Paste your photographs here, in the order they were taken in the lab.  Include numbered figure captions below each one, in APA format.

For additional help with the data tables and images, refer to the Ashford Writing Center resource, Tables, Images, and Appendices.

Discussion

Accept or reject hypotheses paragraph: Based upon the results of each lab activity, explain whether you accepted or rejected each of your hypotheses, and why.

Follow these steps:

  • Restate your original hypothesis for the lab activity.
  • Communicate the results of the lab. Then,
  • Compare your hypothesis to the results of the lab and decide whether to accept your hypothesis or reject it.
  • State if your hypothesis is supported or not, and explain with evidence.
  • Move on to the next lab activity and repeat the process.

What I have learned paragraph: What important new things have you learned from this lab? Use at least one credible outside source (not the lab manual or textbook) to answer this question. Cite the source using APA format. Answers should be 5-7 original, substantive sentences in length.

Sources of error paragraph: What challenges did you encounter when completing this lab? (Identify at least one.) How might those challenges that you experienced have affected the accuracy of the results that you obtained?

Future research paragraph: Based upon what you learned in this lab, what new questions do you have about the topic of this lab? In a few sentences, how might you design a new lab activity to answer those questions?

References

List the references that you cited in your report, in APA format and alphabetically by author’s last name. If you did not actually cite the source somewhere in your paper, do not include it.

For additional help in formatting your resources section, refer to the Ashford Writing Center’s resource for Formatting your Reference List.