A Guide to Laboratory Report Writing 2

Scientific writing style, a few important points

1. Structure may vary from one department to another. (You need to check this).
2. Your writing should be in complete, grammatically correct sentences.
3. Be concise. If you can use one word instead of a phrase with two or more words, then
choose the one word (get around = avoid).
4. Be objective. Limit your use of personal pronouns (I, you, we) emotionally loaded words
(wonderful, useless, lovely).
5. Do not use contractions (isn’t, doesn’t, it’s), these are common in speech, in formal writing
the full form (is not, does not, it is) is used.
6. Use the Harvard style for citations and references appropriate documentation style for
citations and references. See
http://www.librarydevelopment.group.shef.ac.uk/department/engineering.html
7. When writing the report you write about what you did. Therefore, actions should be in the
past tense. (Say what you did not what you should have done).
8. If there is an apparatus, a good description of the apparatus is important, make sure you
have:
A. A neat labelled drawing(s) showing how the apparatus works and any important detail.
B. A description of how it works.
C. Technical specifications, and how it can be combined.
Common mistakes in Lab report writing
1. A figure or table not only should be referenced if taken from another work, but also the
reference must appear in the figure caption and the figure caption should give all the
information necessary to understand the figure.

2. Students need to know how to use the Harvard system to cite and list references. They
can be confused over the use of initials or first names and over the use of et al.

3. Overseas students tend to write more than they need, they need to be reminded to keep
statements simple as possible.

4. They also confuse tenses and singular/plural.

5. The main complaint is the use of copying and pasting. The students are being tested on
their ability to construct sentences in English about a technical subject. It is not acceptable
to copy paragraphs from elsewhere and submit it as your work. Your work must be entirely
your own words, a part from any necessary quotation, which must be in quotation marks
and referenced. Any quotations are limited to 50 words and 5% of any course work.

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 A Guide to Laboratory Report Writing 2

6. The other complaint is students who start with a definition from a dictionary or Wikipedia.
Distillation is defined as. . . " "
They need to know that Wikipedia is not allowed as a reference, nor the various sites that
just copy Wikipedia such as absolute astronomy. However, it is not necessary to reference
things that are well known, or you would be expected to know anyway, such as the fact
that Force = mass x acceleration.

7. All ‘inserts’ put into the text of a report should be labelled as a figure, table or equation and
numbered. All figures and tables should have a standalone caption and also every single
one should be referred to in the body of the text by label and number.

8. Writing the abstract first.

The abstract is the first section of a report, but it should be written last.
9. Using personal style, and using and/or commanding the reader.

Both can be avoided by using the passive

 Personal pronouns such as I and we should not be used. This is often achieved by
using the passive rather than the active. Instead of ‘we measured the resistance’
use “the resistance was measured”.

 Informing rather than commanding the reader:

Instead of ‘measure the resistance’ (imperative), use ‘the resistance was measured’

10. Making mistakes in tense use.

The table below presents general guidelines for tense use:

Abstract Because the abstract is a summary, the tenses will reflect those used in the
original sections of the report.

Introduction The present simple is used to state the aim and permanent states.
The past simple is used to refer to previous experiments.

Materials The past simple (passive voice) is mainly used for experimental procedure
and because the experiment happened in the past and is finished.
Methods However, the present simple may be used to explain a figure, equation or
model, or to explain the permanent qualities of a material being tested.

Results The present simple is used to explain what a table shows, the past simple to
state what the findings were.

Discussion Modal verbs, such as ‘may’, ‘might’ and ‘should’, are often used and these do
not show tense.

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 A Guide to Laboratory Report Writing 2

Conclusion The present perfect may be used to state “This report has shown…”
The past simple is used to state what was done or found.
Modal verbs might be used to suggest further study or add caution. Modal
verbs do not show tense.

Things to remember when writing a paragraph

1. Start with the main idea( topic sentence)

2. Provide examples
3. Provide explanations
4. Provide reasons
5. Provide support/evidence from (books, journals, online, research).

Things to remember when presenting visual data (tables, figures, graphs, images)
Make sure you always:

1. Introduce the visual data by using signposting language. For example:

table1/figure1shows… / as can be seen in table 1/ diagram 1 shows…
2. Provide a caption to every table or figure, which is a (title explaining what the table/figure
is).
3. label the figure/ table clearly=( give the names of the parts or sections)
4. Provide the source and reference appropriately.
5. The title of a table should be at the top and for the figure should be at the bottom (foot).
6. Each equation used in the report should have a number.

A check list for effective reports

1. Does it answer the purpose stated (or implied) in the brief?

2. Does it answer the needs of the projected reader?

3. Has the material been placed in the appropriate sections?

4. Has all the material been checked for accuracy?

5. Are graphs and tables carefully labelled?

6. Is data in graphs or tables also explained in words and analysed?

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 A Guide to Laboratory Report Writing 2

7. Does the discussion/conclusion show how the results relate to objectives set out
in the introduction?

8. Have you discussed how your results relate to existing research mentioned in your
literature survey?

9. Has all irrelevant material been removed?

10. Is it written throughout in appropriate style (i.e. no colloquialisms or

contractions, using an objective tone, specific rather than vague)?

11. Is it jargon-free and clearly written?

12. Has every idea taken from or inspired by someone else’s work been acknowledged
with a reference?

13. Have all illustrations and figures taken from someone else’s work been cited correctly?

14. Has it been carefully proof-read to eliminate careless mistakes?

Activities on lab report writing 2 style

Task 1
Identify areas of good or bad practice in the students writing samples A, B, C.
Use the following questions as a guide. For example:

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 A Guide to Laboratory Report Writing 2

1. Did the students use an academic style?

2. Did they use sign posting language to introduce figures, tables, and
equations?

3. Did they use appropriate tenses, such as, the past passive tense in the
methods sections?

4. They give all figure, tables, and equations captions and numbers?

5. Did they label all figures and tables correctly? 

6. Did they use citations appropriately and provide the sources of

figures/tables?

7. Did they structure the writing according to the guidance to lab report
writing?

Task2
Read the following text and identify the errors in style then rewrite it in an academic style.

A sample of lab report writing

I’m not sure but maybe some measurements, like the pipe roughness, were wrong

but I measured the pressure drop across a bit of pipe taking into account different

flow rates. After I’d worked out Reynolds number, but it was obvious that I’d got

some quite good data because it covered laminar flow and turbulent flow too. Work

out the friction coefficients to compare them to the theory and in fact the laminar

flows were ok but the turbulent flow wasn’t very good as it didn’t agree at all with

the theory.

Task 2 suggested answer: Better version of the writing

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 A Guide to Laboratory Report Writing 2

Pressure drop was measured across a section of horizontal pipe for a range of flow rates. By

calculating Reynolds number the data was seen to cover both laminar and turbulent flow

regimes. Calculated values of friction coefficient were compared with established theory.

Excellent agreement was found in laminar flow region, but agreement in turbulent region was

poor. This may be because the assumed pipe roughness was incorrect.

Task 3
Read the following extracts from reports.
In each case identify the main problem with the writing style, and then rewrite the
problematic sentences so they are more suitable for an academic report.

Example 1:
After adding the solution, the mixture in the test tube went a bright scarlet red, which we did not
expect, as this was not the same as the washed out pink colour it was supposed to go according to
the book. We shook the test tube up and left it for a while in the test tube stand. When we came back,
the mixture had settled to the bottom and dried out, which it was not supposed to have happened; this
was a bit of a problem.

Example 2:
The results of the aforementioned experiment were collated in a systemized manner with all due care
and attention. Once the results had been collected and processed with the appropriate process, it
was necessary to perform the analysis upon them which was conducted using the computer statistical
package previously mentioned in the methodology.

Example 3:
The questionnaire will be carried out in the pubic space next to the town hall, were local residents can
be found and stopped. If we can't find enough local people to answer our survey, we'll do down the
street and see if we can find some more in the shopping centre as there tends to be local youths
hanging around their who we could ask.

Example 4:
This is a feasibility study of the proposed extension to the property "22 Trumpington Terrace"
commissioned by the residents Mr and Mrs Phelps. The house is a semi-detached, two bedroom

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 A Guide to Laboratory Report Writing 2

property with glazed windows and a red door. It is situated on a quiet, winding street with nearby
houses of a similar design and the residents have started a local Neighbourhood Watch group. The
Phelps inherited the house from Mr Phelps' uncle and have been in residence there since 31st
August 1998.

Academic Writing for Reports Answers

These are suggested rewritings of the paragraphs, but yours may be slightly different.

Example 1:
This writing is too subjective ("bright scarlet red") and inaccurate ("left it for a while"). It also mixes
results and interpretations of results in with the method, instead of simply describing the procedure.
The overall style is too personal ("this was a bit of a problem"), as opposed to the objective style
expected in a scientific report.

A better version:
After adding the solution, the test tube was inverted and shaken three times. It was
then left in the test tube stand for 10 minutes for the reaction to occur. The colour of
the mixture was then compared to the scale in the book.

Example 2:
This style is overly complex and wordy ("aforementioned" and "systemized"). It manages to say very
little and could be condensed to a single sentence - saving 38 empty words.

A better example:
The results were collated, processed, and then analysed using the appropriate
statistical programme.

Example 3:
This extract has not been proofread carefully as shown by the use of "pubic" instead of "public",
"were" instead of "where", and "their" instead of "there". The style is too informal, as there are
colloquial expressions from everyday speech ("go down the street") and also contractions of words
("can't" instead of "cannot"). Also the method is not very scientific and it would be better to explain
why more residents and another location needs to be found. The writing style is also personal ("If we
can't find..."), so it may be more appropriate to rephrase it in the third person.

A better version:

The questionnaire will be carried out in the public space next to the Town Hall,
where local residents can be found and stopped. If there are not enough residents
to complete the required sample, an alternative location will be found where there
are more passing residents, for example in the shopping centre.

Example 4:

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 A Guide to Laboratory Report Writing 2

This extract includes a lot of unnecessary detail. The audience of the report is the property owners,
so they will already know that they inherited the house from an uncle and that they have been living
there since August 1998. Also is it really necessary to include information about the door colour and
Neighbourhood Watch scheme in a report on a house extension?

A better version:

This is a feasibility study of the proposed extension to the property "22 Trumpington
Terrace" commissioned by the residents Mr and Mrs Phelps. The house is semi-
detached with two bedrooms and double-glazed windows. It is situated on a quiet
street alongside similar properties.

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