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Lab Report Guidelines

These guidelines are meant to supplement the Assessment Criteria Matrix and IA Checklist.
This is a guide for what should be included in the different sections of your lab reports, but you
should also make sure that your report meets all of the criteria laid out in the matrix and
includes all of the information in the checklist. Use all three documents together to create the
best lab report possible!

1. Title
a. Give the full title of the lab.
b. Should include a descriptive name for your experiment.
c. Be specific! What are you testing and what are you measuring?
d. Avoid cute references or overly long titles.
2. Introduction
a. Include background information or observations that have led you to pursue this
investigation.
b. Any background information from the literature must be cited.
i. Include in-text citations and a Works Cited page.
3. Research Question
a. State the problem that you are attempting to solve in the form of a question.
b. Highlight your research question in bold print.
c. The problem should be focused, testable and meaningful.
d. Your research question should include your independent (IV) and dependent
variables (DV).
4. Hypothesis
a. If appropriate to your investigation, state a hypothesis that is an educated answer to
the research question.
i. Your hypothesis should be specific, address your research question, and
include your independent and dependent variables.
ii. Your hypothesis should be quantitative, and you should identify the DV
including units.
1. If further calculations will need to be performed on the DV then you
should include that information as well.
iii. Not all investigations will have a hypothesis, so if you do not have one you
should include an aim instead.
b. Make a statement regarding your experimental approach and predicted result. You
should explain what you think the relationship will be between the independent and
dependent variables. Also, include a description of the variable that you plan on
manipulating in the experiment, and the predicted result.
i. Ex: If this hypothesis is correct (description of independent variable and how
you plan on manipulating it) then (description of the predicted result) should
occur.
c. Support your hypothesis with background research/scientific theory.
i. Information from other sources must be cited.
d. Make sure that your experimental approach directly addresses the problem.
e. Make sure that your experimental approach only manipulates one variable.
5. Variables
a. In a table, identify the independent, dependent and controlled variables. Include
units and an explanation of the potential impact of each controlled variable on the
results and how you will be controlling them.
b. Example table:


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Type of Variable Variable (Units) How controlled
Independent IV (with units) N/A
Dependent DV (with units) N/A
Controlled 1. Control 1
2. Control 2
3. Etc
1. Explanation
2. Explanation
3. Etc

6. Materials/Apparatus
a. Create a bulleted list of the materials used during the lab.
b. Eliminate obvious materials (pencil, paper, etc.)
c. Include a labeled diagram of your apparatus, especially if the experimental set-up is
complicated.
7. Method
a. Write the method in a step-by-step format, using a numbered list.
b. Clearly indicate the set-up, referencing the diagram of the apparatus if necessary.
c. Include descriptions of controlled variables that were kept constant.
d. If you have a control group, explain why your control group is appropriate.
e. Clearly indicate independent and dependent variables.
f. Make sure that only one variable (independent variable) is being manipulated during
your experiment.
g. Be very clear how the independent variable is being manipulated, in terms of the
amount of change or kind of change during each trial.
i. Include a minimum of 5 increments of the independent variable.
ii. Include a suitable range of increments, and explain why that range was
chosen.
iii. Include sufficient repeats at each increment to help ensure reliability and
allow for statistics to be performed.
h. Be very clear how you are measuring your dependent variable.
i. Be very clear on your method for recording results, including units and uncertainty
of tools.
j. Give some indication of how the results will be analyzed, including how you will
present the data, how the data will be transformed into processed data, any
statistical tests explained, and any safety/ethical issues addressed.
k. MAKE SURE THAT SOMEONE COULD ACCUTATELY REPEAT YOUR
EXPERIMENT IF GIVEN THE INFORMATION IN YOUR PROCEDURE!!!
l. If you reference any other methods used either in class or in the literature (i.e.: any
published protocols), you must cite the source.
8. Results
a. All data tables should have consistent decimal points, uncertainties, and units
of IV and DV.
b. Organize raw data in a table with title, headings and units.
i. The independent and dependent variables should be labeled.
ii. All headings should be in appropriate, metric units.
iii. Units should be on the headings of each row and column.
iv. Make sure that data is recorded properly (all certain digits plus the first
uncertain digit).
v. Include uncertainties of measurements on all tables.
c. Record qualitative data (descriptions/observations) in an organized and logical way.
d. Organize processed data in a table with title, headings and units.
i. The independent and dependent variables should be labeled.
ii. All headings should be in appropriate, metric units.
iii. Units should be on the headings of each row and column.
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iv. Make sure that data is recorded properly (all certain digits plus the first
uncertain digit).
v. Include uncertainties of measurements on all tables.
e. All necessary calculations (including sample calculations) and statistics should be
included in this section.
f. If possible, include a graph of your data.
i. Choose the appropriate graph for your data! If you are looking at a
correlation you probably want a line graph. Comparing different treatments
might mean a bar graph.
ii. Make sure that your graph has a title, labeled axes and key.
iii. Include error bars on your graph, if appropriate. Make sure that you are clear
on the error bar source (i.e.: standard deviation, maximum/minimum values,
etc.)
iv. Include a best-fit or trend line where appropriate.
g. Include a statement of your results in this section.
9. Conclusion
a. Restate the problem and the hypothesis.
b. Answer your research question, based on your experimental results. This should
indicate whether or not your hypothesis was supported or refuted. You should NOT
talk about proving or not proving your hypothesis!
c. Describe the relationship (if one exists) between the independent and dependent
variable.
i. State patterns and trends in the data refer back to your graphs and tables!
ii. Make comparisons within the dataset, if appropriate.
iii. Use qualitative data to further support your findings.
iv. List/reference the aspects of your data that brought you to either support or
refute your hypothesis. This should provide clear, meaningful evidence for
your conclusion.
d. Base your conclusion on the data that you have collected, NOT on incidental or
outside information.
e. Describe the relevance of your findings.
i. Why are these findings significant?
f. Cite any support in the literature for your results, OR, discuss any possible
contradictions between your results and published results.
g. Suggest ideas for further experimentation.
i. Based on what you found in the course of your experiment, what are some
further areas of study?
ii. If your hypothesis was not supported, discuss any alternative hypotheses you
could test.
10. Evaluation
a. Discuss the reliability and validity of your experiment.
i. Discuss whether or not your conclusion is valid.
ii. Refer to error bars.
iii. Explain whether there was sufficient data to address the research
question/aim.
iv. Discuss the appropriateness of the range of IV values with regard to the
research question/aim.
v. Refer to sources of error
vi. Explain any anomalous points/outliers in data.
vii. Include qualitative data where appropriate.
b. Include a table with the limitations of your experiment and ways that those
limitations could be fixed or improved next time.
c. Example table:
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Limitations Improvements
1. Limitation #1
2. Limitation #2
3. Etc
1. Improvement to address Limitation #1
2. Improvement to address Limitation #2
3. Etc

i. Limitations:
1. Random biological variation.
2. Possible sources of measurement/instrument errors (Ex: lack of
precision, low sample size, etc.)
3. Possible sources of experimental design errors (Ex: potential variables
that could not be controlled or were inappropriately controlled for,
failure to specify how a variable was controlled, etc.)
4. Possible sources of systematic/procedural errors (Ex: spills,
equipment failures, contamination, etc.)
5. Other limitations related to your experiment.
ii. Improvements
1. Include in your table improvements that could be made to the
experiment to address the sources of error/problems identified
2. Address the research question/aim with your suggestions for
improvement.
3. As much as possible, make the suggestions realistic, achievable, and
quantitative.
4. Make sure that the improvements are specific and clearly explained
5. If you suggest improvements related to published protocols or
techniques, or a procedure from class, make sure that you cite them.



















DP Biology
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Edgar Acosta

Mrs. Childs

Biology HL