The purpose of a lab report is to describe the results of an experiment or research study. University lab reports follow the style and format of professional journal articles, which research scientists use to share and evaluate each other’s work.
Lab report formats vary slightly among scientific disciplines, but all are based on the IMRAD outline: introduction, materials and methods, results, and discussion. The purpose of each section dictates what information to include, regardless of the specialty being written for.
Helpful Tip: It is usually easiest to write the methods and results sections first, followed by the discussion and introduction. Title and abstract (if required) should be written last.
IMRAD format:
Title
Purpose
Describes the content of the report
Allows scientists to locate research of interest when searching databases
Content and Characteristics
Clear, specific, and accurate
Loaded with keywords drawn from the body of the report
Abstract
Purpose
Summarizes the report
Helps researchers decide whether to read the entire paper
Content and Characteristics
One paragraph (200-250 words)
2-3 sentences for each section, summarizing key data and ideas
A complete synopsis, not a teaser (results and discussion must be included)
Introduction
Purpose
Gives background information needed to understand the current research, tracing the development of existing knowledge
Places the new experiments within the context of the field
Identifies gaps in existing knowledge and shows how the present research will fill them
States the specific objectives of the work
Content and Characteristics
Reviews relevant literature, including properly formatted citations
Explains why the study was conducted, and what question it was designed to answer
Briefly describes approach to the problem
Outlines hypothesis(es) to be tested, and predicted results
Written in a mixture of present tense (for generally accepted truths) and past tense (when referencing specific research
Materials and Methods
Purpose
Explains how the experiments were conducted
Provides enough detail that another scientist could repeat the experiment
Gives readers the information they need to evaluate the validity of results and conclusions
Content and Characteristics
Written in paragraph format
Materials are mentioned while describing methods, never listed separately
Describes the purpose of each procedure, as well as necessary steps Omits details that are common knowledge or would not impact the results
Written in past tense (recounts what was done, rather than giving instructions)
Results
Purpose
Describes the outcomes of the experiments
Draws attention to key findings and relationships
Allows readers to form their own conclusions based on the data
Content and Characteristics
Straightforward reporting of observations and calculations
Does not include commentary or interpretation
Detailed data is presented in tables and figures, which are referenced in the text
Written portion should summarize and emphasize, not repeat details shown in the visuals
Written in past tense
Discussion
Purpose
Interprets the results and explains their significance
Places the new data in the context of the field
Identifies limitations of the study and suggests next steps
Content and Characteristics
References key data, describing its implications
Identifies any errors made during the experiment and their impacts
Discusses any shortcomings of the protocols or experimental designs
Draws conclusions
Identifies questions that could not be answered
Cites relevant literature
Written in past, present, and future tense, as appropriate
References
Purpose
Provides full bibliographic information, directing the reader to relevant literature
Content and Characteristics
Includes only literature that is cited in the text
Follows a consistent scientific citation style, such as APA
