Lab Report
Chem 105 Guide to the
Formal Laboratory Report The purpose of a formal report is to communicate effectively to another person the goal, procedure, data analysis method, and results of your laboratory work. The report is divided into several well-defined sections. Each section must be present in a complete report. To earn an outcome point for the laboratory report, a student must submit a formal lab report that earns a score of at least 90/100. Each error (factual, grammatical, typographical, spelling) results in a deduction of 5/100. Several opportunities will be offered through the second half of the semester for students to submit a successful report. Sub-par reports may not be resubmitted for regrading. The report structure below must be followed, and notes at the end of this handout should be heeded. For Chem 105, only the Cover Page, Introduction and Experimental Procedures sections are required. In Chem 106, complete formal reports will be written. Lab reports must be posted in Blackboard within two lab periods after the experiment is finished. Late reports will not be accepted. A sample of an acceptable formal lab report is attached to the end of this handout. Cover Page Include the title of the lab experiment, the date it was performed, your name, and the name of your partner (if any). Abstract This section is at most three sentences in length but must be a thoughtful summary of the goals and main points of the lab experiment. This section should be written in the past tense. Experimental Procedure This section is analogous to the Procedure section of your notebook entry. It contains all of the actions you performed in lab, plus observations such as colors, heat production, gas evolution, etc... The lab report should not read like an instruction manual. It should read like you are telling the story of your day in lab. It should include all the details required for another chemist (at your level of ability) to
Formal Laboratory Report The purpose of a formal report is to communicate effectively to another person the goal, procedure, data analysis method, and results of your laboratory work. The report is divided into several well-defined sections. Each section must be present in a complete report. To earn an outcome point for the laboratory report, a student must submit a formal lab report that earns a score of at least 90/100. Each error (factual, grammatical, typographical, spelling) results in a deduction of 5/100. Several opportunities will be offered through the second half of the semester for students to submit a successful report. Sub-par reports may not be resubmitted for regrading. The report structure below must be followed, and notes at the end of this handout should be heeded. For Chem 105, only the Cover Page, Introduction and Experimental Procedures sections are required. In Chem 106, complete formal reports will be written. Lab reports must be posted in Blackboard within two lab periods after the experiment is finished. Late reports will not be accepted. A sample of an acceptable formal lab report is attached to the end of this handout. Cover Page Include the title of the lab experiment, the date it was performed, your name, and the name of your partner (if any). Abstract This section is at most three sentences in length but must be a thoughtful summary of the goals and main points of the lab experiment. This section should be written in the past tense. Experimental Procedure This section is analogous to the Procedure section of your notebook entry. It contains all of the actions you performed in lab, plus observations such as colors, heat production, gas evolution, etc... The lab report should not read like an instruction manual. It should read like you are telling the story of your day in lab. It should include all the details required for another chemist (at your level of ability) to