In simple words, lab reports are descriptions of the results of a specific event or experiment. All the content of the lab report should be presented in a very consumable way and be understandable for a person that knows nothing about the topic you discuss.
While there are various recommendations on the web, including this article, we recommend you use it as additional materials for better understanding. Before proceeding to the writing lab report, ensure you have checked the general recommendations your education institution provides. So, how to easily write a chemistry lab report? Nail down the following suggestions and tips.
Hacks to Write Lab Report Quickly and Easily
- Apply time management tools.
Time is precious. We know that many scientists are more practitioners than writers, and the writing process may lead them to despair. You may have found yourself sitting on your lab report for too much time because of procrastination and delaying writing in a small box. You need to implement time management tools like the Pomodoro technique or set a timer on your phone to concentrate on work. Try to remain concentrated on the process. If you can’t meet the deadline, you can ask someone to write my chemistry lab report. - Create a lab report outline and stick to it.
A preliminary work will always repay with good results. Here we will tell the main points you need to consider in your writing.
- Introduction. Create a brief introduction that takes only one page. The reader will expect to see the logical structure of the paper, where one thought is connected to another. You can connect this report with your previous experiments and findings in the introduction. Also, don’t forget to predict the work’s future outcome, which you will vividly disclose in the results part.
- Experiment. It’s extremely important to write this part of the report logically and, in this way, other people can easily repeat the study. Tell about materials you have used, peculiarities of the process, methods, and steps you have done before you have gotten the result.
- Results. Many students get confused about what to do if they have failed an experiment. Don’t panic! Lab reports are about some actions that can have positive and negative outcomes. You need to explain how you got the results and why it has happened in such a way.
- Discussion. In this section, you need to present some ideas on how to improve the experiment. There is no purpose in redoing the investigation at this stage. Have you achieved the goal of the experiment? How can your findings explain or help other situations? What are the contradictions and exceptions of the investigation? Can you find an analogy of the result?
- Conclusion. Here you need to sum up all the sections of your work. Just three sentences, not more. And don’t add any new findings and information here, only those things that you have disclosed in the main part of the paper.
- References. If you have utilized thematic resources and cited someone’s works, you need to include them on this list. We recommend you use browser plug-ins that store cited sources or keep them in your notes.
- Abstract. Leave abstract to the last. You may wonder why? The abstract is placed at the very beginning, but to write a concise and appropriate text that meets the paper’s context, you must first write the main part. In several sentences, you need to talk concisely about the central question, methods, and results. Only when you gather your findings and analyze them will you be able to write a summary of the work you have conducted.
- Attach the proof that you have conducted an experiment.
It’s great that you have vividly described the results of your findings, but all experiments should be supported by evidence. For example, it may include graphs, questionnaires, statistical data, calculations, print-outs from specific systems you use in the course, etc. Depending on the scope and length, you may place it in the results section or the attachments.
- Take care of Backing up your work.
The worst thing you can experience is losing your work before the deadline. Sometimes, even an auto-save option in your text editor won’t help the situation. The computer can break anytime, so the best idea is to work with any cloud services from third-party providers. For example, you can try out a Google Workflow service that is an optimal tool to boost productivity as it allows you to work on the same paper from various gadgets and places. Besides, you can also store the experiment results in cloud storage, memory stick, or external drive.
- Use Note-taking services.
If you are working on lab reports in groups, consider utilizing cloud note-taking services like Google Keep, Evernote, etc. It will also be helpful for a single work also. You can add notes on your phone or tablet during the experiment, and then easily add or convert them to your report.
- Try voice recognition software.
Some students prefer to record their experiments’ comments but forget that technologies have advanced so far that voice transcription to the text has become available to anyone. For example, Google offers a speech-to-text service with the help of Google’s AI. At the moment of writing this article, Google provides a free sixty-minute audio recognition limit per month.
- Proofread and edit the text.
Don’t skip such a necessary step in polishing your report. Keep in mind that professors usually ask to use passive voice when writing lab reports. Check whether you have used correct terms, utilized proper vocabulary and neutral voice. You can ask your friend to check your writing or use online editing services like Grammarly or similar. A lab report is a part of academic work, so the essay should be polished and edited within the paper requirements.
Summing Up
For the first time, it may be extremely hard and time-consuming to create a well-structured chemical lab report. Don’t forget to take regular short breaks and take care of yourself. Over time, you will create your own procedures and approaches to write lab reports easily. All you need is practice, practice, practice.
