Writing a Lab Report

Experiments are a crucial part of physics lectures because they are hands-on activities that boost our learning. Writing down what we do and why we do the experiment makes our learning more permanent which is the main purpose of writing lab reports. We also evaluate ourselves and think about what could make the data better. In order for someone who wasn't present to comprehend and repeat your results, the crucial work you did in the lab should be communicated in your lab reports. They also advise new research and experimentation, as well as changes to current techniques. In this article, we will talk about how to write lab reports.

The Procedure for Writing a Lab Report

It's important to be crystal clear about your goals while writing a scientific report. A scientific report's principal goal is to explain the research's findings and help the reader in understanding them. A description of the methodology used to obtain the findings should be included in the report so they may be repeated and checked at a later time. It should be written as a stand-alone record that may be read without additional author interaction.

Prioritize the audience for your report at first, since this will help you choose the appropriate amount of complexity and explanation. Consider who you are writing to, how much they will already understand, and what information they are seeking. A typical lab report should detail what was done, how it was done, the results, and the author's opinion of those results. The procedure should be delivered through logical information distribution. A technical report should be organized logically. The structure of these parts and the presentation style have developed to deliver critical information in the most compact and effective way feasible. Depending on what is documented, each report will differ. There are, however, standard sections that will apply to the vast majority of reports you submit.

The Format of a Physics Lab Report

A physics lab report consists of different sections. It starts with a cover page to give information about the report and the experimenter. The experiment is briefly explained in the introduction section. Afterward, the theory behind the experiment is discussed. In the method section, how the experiment is conducted is discussed in detail. After obtaining the results, the findings are shared in the data section. Finally, the experiment is evaluated. Let's take a look at the sections of a physics lab report.

The Parts of a Physics Lab Report

Front Page (Lab report cover)

On the front page, you should write the name of the experiment, the lecturer of the course, the instructor who made the experiment, the name of the experimenters, the date the experiment was conducted, and the delivery date.

Abstract

Abstracts are sometimes written on the cover page but always come before the introduction. An abstract provides a brief summary of the research and the results obtained.

Introduction

In this section, brief information about the experiment should be given and the purpose of the experiment should be stated. It should also contain information about any prior research that was built upon. You can also provide a brief discussion on the methodology used in the research, outlining research questions and rationale.

Theory

In this section, general theoretical information about the experiment should be given without unnecessary details. Such information should be written by researching from related books, articles, lecture notes, or sources whose accuracy is sure. Before conducting the experiment, this part should be recorded in the lab report.

• All equations should be written with a line centered and one line spaced at the top and bottom.
• Equations should be numbered and written in parentheses, close to the right margin.
• Equations should also be referenced in the text, like figures and charts.

For example:

$F=\frac{dp}{dt}$ $\left(1\right)$

Method

Experimental procedures should be clearly explained in order. You can get information about this part from your experiment sheet. Before conducting the experiment, this part should be recorded in the lab report. Each figure added to the report should be written in the text together with its number and a short explanation should be given if necessary.

For example:

Figure 1: xxx brand miliammeter. Creative Commons

The xxx brand experimental device used while performing the experimental methods is shown in Figure 1. By using this device, … operations were performed on …… samples, and … results were obtained.

Experimental Results

Experimental Data

The results obtained in the experiment should be given in an appropriate format which is figures and/or tables. The cited figure, table, or equation should be on the same page as the sentence to which it is cited. If its dimensions do not allow it, it should be given at the beginning of the first continued page. Note that units and significant figures must be included and correct to ensure that the research is valid and credible.

For example:

In Table 1, varying density values are given depending on the applied pressure. While obtaining the data, the stages of the method were used and the values were changed at ... intervals based on … in order to observe the change.

Table 1: Change in density with pressure

Calculations

Necessary calculations are made in detail, the obtained values should be given as a table. This section is the heart of the lab report. All of the statements you have stated in the purpose of the experiment section must be proven by making the necessary calculations. The path to be followed should be as follows.

How to make the calculations:

First of all, it is necessary to write the formulas and relations you use while making the calculations (if they are to be regular, they should be numbered from the beginning of the calculations). Then the calculations should begin. The units of the calculated values should be stated explicitly. If units are not specified, they should be derived using the necessary formulas. You need to write the values you find in the relevant places.

How to draw a graph:

First of all, it should start with the selection of the appropriate graph paper (logarithmic, linear....). Then it should be decided which variable should be written on which axis. As a general rule, it is necessary to place the independent variable on the x-axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis. In addition, the scales of the axes must be adjusted. In setting the scales, the smallest data is subtracted from the largest data and divided by the length of the axis. All points must then be plotted on the graph and a line of best fit can be drawn through the points. If necessary, you can calculate the slope of the graph.

This figure shows the plot of speed vs time. The values found during experiments can be plotted to a sheet and added to the lab report. Wikimedia Commons

Evaluation

Desired analyses of the data obtained in the experiment should be done. The formulas, comments, or features of the system mentioned in the theory section are compared with the data you obtained as a result of the experiment and the calculations you made using the data.

The results obtained in the experiment should be interpreted by comparing them. In the evaluation part, you should compare the experiment you have described with the experimental results you obtained and the data you obtained as a result of the analysis of the experimental data. You should write your own comments and thoughts, and these comments and thoughts should be based on the scientific data you explained in the theory section.

In addition, how much of the purpose of the experiment was achieved, why it was not achieved, etc. should be explained in a couple of sentences. Include what the experiment gave you and your thoughts on improving the experiment.

While preparing a report, form, or similar written document, first of all, how to write this document should be learned. Each institution has its own forms and reports. These change form over time by being rearranged. That's why you should learn how to write before you start writing.

Acknowledgments

If there are people or institutions that you actually benefit from while writing the report, you can thank them in this section.

References

When preparing a report or similar written document, the work of another person should never be used. If it needs to be used, you can include this information in your own articles by specifying the source. You should first read and understand any information you add by citing the source, and then add it to your report with your own sentences. If you take the information from another source and add it to your report without changing it, even if you show the source, this action you have done is a crime. Before conducting the experiment, this part should be recorded in the lab report.

No work can ever be entirely novel and is usually built upon practices that have been developed by others. Referencing sources gives credit to the original authors and provides credibility to any work done. The sources used in the text should be given as indicated in the example below.

Note that the choice of referencing style is usually determined by the journal to which the research is to be submitted.

Appendix

Surplus documents that are considered to be submitted can be given in this section, provided that they are specified in the report. Examples of documents would be tables, graphs, figures, etc.

The Meaning and Importance of a Physics Lab Report

One way we covertly document and discuss an experiment is through a lab report. Sometimes in a lab, we can only see the physical aspect of the experiment or perhaps some obvious chemical changes. These alterations show whether or not the experiment we conduct is successful. We produce lab reports, however, to more deeply comprehend the internal meanings of the experiment and to understand and achieve more from completing the experiment. Making changes for new experiments that are comparable to previously performed ones requires writing a lab report as well.

The new lab may be improved and made better in many aspects, including the technique, thanks to past experiences. The method may be clarified and refined. By doing this, we may try to reduce the risk of materials popping up in a lab experiment that could change the results. A lab would not be a lab without specific information and objectives since it cannot demonstrate anything that we are unaware of. A lab is always ineffective when there are too many alternating factors present since we are unable to concentrate on the particular subject we are looking at. A lab report is therefore crucial for improving future comparable experiences as well as the lab for which it is intended.

Physics Lab Report Examples

We will look at some examples of the different parts of a lab report to get an understanding of how best to lay out a report. The example below shows how equations are centered to make them stand out and are numbered so that they can be easily referenced in the text. The aim is also provided before the background/theory so that the motivation and rationale are known beforehand.

In the image, we see the objective and theory section for Hooke's law experiment. As you can see, it is important to first decide on our aim before conducting the experiment and we need to have enough knowledge about the experiment. Examples.com

The image below shows a table containing multiple pieces of information gathered by experimental methods. Some of the columns in the table represent raw readings or data, whereas others are calculated quantities. All data includes units and a consistent number of significant figures.

In the image, we see the experimental data for Hooke's law experiment. The variables are written in detail and it is shown which variable has changed and what it has led to as a result. You can also calculate the error in the experiment to see how far away we are from the theoretical result. We need to also check the units and significant figures. Examples.com

Lastly, the image below shows a straight line graph. It is always preferable to linearise any equations so that the slope and y-intercept can be found. These are usually related to important quantities so finding them can be vital to the outcome of the experiment.

We can include graphs in our lab report. In the image, you can see force-displacement graph based on the experimental data of Hooke's law experiment. After drawing the graph, you can calculate the spring constant via slope. Examples.com