Principles of Biology : Laboratory :
Instructions on Writing Lab Reports
Use the Lab Report Template!
The Lab Report Template is a Microsoft Word Document
that you should use to both save yourself some typing and also to
follow the standards for the report. I would suggest saving a local
copy for yourself and deleting all the material that is in brackets [ ]
. The main headings that are specified in the template are the required
headings whether you use the template or not. Get the Template Now!
Practice your writing skills
It is important that you develop good writing skills. Like learning
languages, this takes time and practice. You will be able to get
plenty of practice in this class, but you'll have to find the time to
actually do so. COS is lucky to have "the writing lab." You can
take your written homework and lab reports to them and they can help
you out. When writing your sections of the lab reports, you
should use complete sentences with correct grammar. Be clear in your
mind before you start writing, just what you want to say. Think about
each section in turn and you'll be able to develop a feeling for doing
the reports which will make them all much easier to do.
Answer the questions posed on the page for each lab.
Typically,
questions will be posed for the lab report on the web site. What is
handed out in lab is the "results" (the "data") section. You will
usually need to come to the web to get the questions (or additional
questions) to be addressed in the "Analysis and Conclusions" section.
For example, in Lab 1 the following questions (among others) are posed to stimulate a
short synopsis of the perception/logic problem.
What is the role of perception in our view of "knowledge?"
What is the role of reason in our view of "knowledge?"
They can be addressed
individually but they can also be addressed in a more narrative style
encompassing the answers to both questions. The idea is not to just
answer the questions but to use the questions to write cogent
paragraphs about the topics.
August 20, 8:50 am