Scientists' roles include writing lab reports clearly so their experiments may be understood and replicated. To write effective reports, the format and style need to be consistent and also reflect the discipline for which they are intended (e.g. biology as opposed to engineering).

For undergraduate students, the purpose of a lab report is to show an understanding of the scientific concepts in the course. It is a good idea to reread the background theory in the lab manual, answer the questions in the lab manual, and consult the lab demonstrator or teaching assistant for clarification before writing a lab report.

The links below offer students advice on how to write so that readers can understand complex material and how to write general science and discipline-specific lab reports. Many of the sites provide useful examples. There one links to several style manual sites as well.

Discipline specific science lab report writing

Lab report writers for all disciplines need to consider their audience, the purpose of their lab report assignment, and the expectations for each of the elements in the lab report. It is also important to maintain a clear focus and to edit the report for grammar and punctuation. The following list of web links includes specific criteria for science departments when writing science lab reports. If you cannot find the information that you seek on a website for one discipline, you may find it on a website for another discipline. First and foremost, follow your lab manual or your instructor’s directions for writing the lab report.