Lab Reports

"Purpose:
- Lab reports are essential in all biochemistry labs and it's major part for evaluating your work in lab.
- Specific skills required to write a formal lab report and developments of these skills are essential for increases
  the success of the laboratory experience.
- Writing lab reports has a very similar format to scientific article and thesis. So writing lab reports is a good
   practice for you.

Prepare for the lab:
1. Read the experiment from the lab manual.
2.  Understand the experiment to save time and avoid errors.

Organization:
Sections should appear in your paper in the order described below. Each section must be typed in bold letters to distinguish it from the rest of the text.
1. Cover page
2. Abstract
3. Introduction
4. Experimental (Materials and Methods)
5. Results 
6. Discussion 
7. Conclusions 
8. References

The lab report should include the following sections:
1. Cover page
    - Course name
    - Course number
    - Title of lab
    - Course / lab sections
    - Names of participants
    - Name of teacher
    - Date

2. Abstract
It includes a single paragraph summary about the work done and major results, method, and conclusion.

3. Introduction
    Record objectives of the experiments, history, background of the problem, chemical reactions, and structures.
    This can be usually found in the lab manual and other references.

4. Experimental (Materials and Methods)
   - Materials include equipments and reagents. Include actual concentrations, weights, volumes, and any
     precautions required
   - Methods include summary of procedures in your own words.
      Notes:
      1) Don’t copy the procedure from the lab manual
      2) Don’t use “I”
      3) Don’t use “First” or “Second” or “Third” etc.
      4) Don’t use numbers but write complete sentence.
      5) Use the past tense and passive voice.
          For example:
          Not: Collect the precipitate in filter.
          But: The precipitate was collected in a filter.
       6) Define all termis.
       7) Define abbreviations.
           For example:
           The Ethedium Bromide (EthBr) is a red color.
           Put a space between a number and a unit such as 10 g.
        8) Do not start a sentence with a value.
            For example:
            False: 2 gm of agarose powder was combined with 1X buffer solution.
            True: Agarose powder (2 gm) was combined with 1X buffer solution.

5. Results
    Record tables, figures, calculations, colors, and experiment results without discussing their details.
    
6. Discussion
   1) Discuss results and observations.
   2) Discuss what happened and why.
   3) Do not repeat the information from the introduction, procedure, or results section.
   
7. Conclusion
    Write a short summary include:
    1) Record new information.
    2) Record any mistakes and correct them.
    3) Record the information that you learned in the lab and how can apply it to making a new idea and
        product.

8. References
    Record all references from journals or books.
    Note: Use a pen instead of the pencil."*

*The Reference of this page is BCS

http://biochemcs.com/how_to_write_a_lab_report.htm​