A biology lab report is a paper people involved in the field write regularly for a reason. The piece is based on a specific experiment. It provides the necessary information for the audience to understand the paper’s importance, reasons for writing the work first, strategies used to conduct the study, results, and implications.
Although clear for professionals, those who study biology often ask, “How to effectively write a lab report for biology?” This article provides a biology lab report walkthrough to help students craft a good piece.
Do the basics first: Conduct an experiment and take notes as you go
First and foremost, a lab report must revolve around an experiment, study, or observation. So, your job is to carry out something to be able to write a piece. Also, don’t forget to take detailed notes of your steps when experimenting. What to conduct depends on the requirements and curriculum you follow. If you are unsure about the experiment and the task, don’t hesitate to contact your teacher and seek clarification.
Research the area and find sources
Research is part and parcel of every lab report, and biology is no exception. Researching the subject relevant to your lab is essential and positively impacts the entire piece. Not only does meticulous and effective research make your document look professional, but it also improves your expertise and helps you locate the appropriate sources for the paper. Speaking of sources, what are they, and where to find them?
Primary and secondary sources
Since a lab report is a so-called following of the previous works done in the area, it mainly focuses on primary sources. These are peer-reviewed articles and observations related to the field. You can find such articles in research journals. It’s crucial to rely on primary sources when writing a lab, as these are pieces that describe original research.
Secondary sources are equally important and must also be included in the document. They help you prepare your lab and enhance your competence in the subject. Usually, secondary sources are documents that analyze various articles and summarize them, providing results and findings. Secondary sources may appear in multiple forms, including but not limited to reviews, commentaries, articles, textbooks, etc.
Locating references
Searching for sources is manageable if you know where to look. Professionals from a paper writing service suggest starting with omnipresent Google Scholar and shifting to more specialized web pages that provide full-text journal articles. You can also visit an on-campus library and borrow articles.
Include essential components
A lab report is a structured piece that always has a set of essential components. They make the paper professional and allow readers to better understand what, why, and how. Before delving deeper into the biology lab report’s structure, please keep in mind that academic institutions reserve the right to adjust the structure, so you should consult your professor for preferred formatting requirements. If they require following a standard format, here are the fundamental elements:
Title: The title is usually short and accurate, informing the reader of its experimental purpose, research question, or findings.
Author: Stating the author–you–is a must if the lab report isn’t submitted for peer review. If you participate in a collaborative project, including everyone who contributed to the research is necessary.
Abstract: The abstract wraps up the research study and comprises five elements: introduction, research question, experimental design, results, and conclusions. Write an abstract last.
Introduction: The intro explains the writer’s reasons for doing the study in the first place. This section has a background about the subject, research question, and hypothesis. Bonus tip: refer to secondary sources in your introduction to strengthen your writing intentions.
Methods: This section must appear in the past tense and be transparent so others can repeat it. Methods include experimental setup, data collection, and statistical analysis.
Results: The results section summarizes findings and provides clear descriptions, such as means, values, deviations, etc. Notably, the results don’t include explanations.
Discussion: Discussion focuses on analyzing the findings and explaining their implications. You can address your results differently. Depending on the topic, you may want to relate the results to your hypothesis and state whether testing it was successful. Or, you can compare them with already published findings. Alternatively, you can speculate about unpredictable results and/or depict a future study. Don’t forget to conclude this section.
References: Place all sources cited in the text.
Remember to revise the piece
Since the lab report consists of multiple elements, editing the entire piece may be tiresome. But doing that before handing the work in will perfect it and allow you to score high. So ensure to invest time in analyzing your work; take one step at a time and polish it until it shines.
There you have it. Writing a biology lab report is demanding, but it doesn’t mean you can’t handle that. An experiment, research, and the knowledge of structure are three essential things you need to craft a good lab. As you progress, you will have to consider many other things. For now, though, focus on the mentioned, and you will manage to compose a thought-provoking and top-notch piece.