LabChecklist : SelfGuide

Descriptive Labs


The Title of my Lab Report…
describes the specific content of the lab concisely but with enough detail to get the main ideas across to the reader.
The Abstract of my Lab Report…
summarizes the gist of each section of the report in a sentence (or two for an especially complex section).
arranges the sentences in the order the sections are presented in the report, Introduction to Conclusion.
stays within the maximum words allowed (usually 100-200 words, but if there is a different word limit for my class, I'll be sure to stay within it).
The Introduction in my Lab Report…
starts out by stating (in a sentence or two) the scientific concept or lab procedure of the lab and then describes what I know about that scientific concept or lab procedure that is relevant to the lab (typically one or two paragraphs).
sets down in sentence form the main lab objective(s) and then describes what these objectives will help me learn about the scientific concept of the lab (typically one paragraph).
presents interesting or useful questions or issues relevant to the lab.
The Methods in my Lab Report…
provides a concise, easy-to-follow description of how I completed the lab.
describes any materials and specific procedure used so that the experiment could be repeated just as I did it.
The Results in my Lab Report…
begins with a sentence or two describing the main finding(s) of the lab.
contains visuals (drawings, tables, or other figures) that are appropriate to the lab and are arranged in an order that best tells the "story" of the data.
clearly describes each visual and refers to the appropriate visuals in the paragraphs (Table 1, Figure 2, etc.).
reports findings from the experiment only, successfully avoiding any explanations or conclusions about the data.
The Discussion in my Lab Report…
explains how the findings link to the scientific concept or procedure of the lab.

discusses questions or issues raised in the introduction.

addresses other issues that may be appropriate, such as (1) questions from the Introduction that remain unanswered; (2) sources of uncertainty in my lab methods that may have led to unclear answers; (3) how my findings compare to the findings of other students in the lab and an explanation for any differences; (4) what further investigations I would do in order to gather more information; (5) suggestions for improving the lab.
The Conclusion of my lab report…
directly states what I have learned about the scientific concept of the lab from doing the lab.
gives enough details of what I have learned to be convincing.
describes anything else I may have learned from doing the lab and writing the report.
The References for my lab report…

includes all the sources I have used in writing my lab report, such as the lab manual, the textbook, and any reference books or articles I cited.

uses the appropriate documentation style for citations and references (CBE, ACS, etc.).
Overall issues: My lab report...
uses the correct format (titles, captions, etc.) for the tables, graphs, and drawings
is written in a scientific style (tone should be objective; sentences should be clear and to the point).
is clear of spelling errors (use the spell check on your computer).
includes all the necessary headings (each section of the report should have a heading).



 
 
 

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