How to Format a Physics Lab Report
Writing a lab report allows you to detail the steps of your procedure, organize your data and report the findings of your experiment for future researchers. A well-written lab report is objective and leaves room for the reader to either reject or accept the hypothesis presented. Writing a clear, concise and easy-to-follow report is an effective way to communicate and share your results with fellow students or colleagues.
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Instructions
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State the purpose of your experiment. Be sure to describe the problem or hypothesis to be investigated. Provide a direction for the experiment and explain the importance of your investigation.
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List the apparatus being used for the experiment. If necessary, provide a detailed diagram outlining the setup of the equipment and taking into account the variables being measured.
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Describe your procedure. Outline how you will execute the experiment step by step. Do not leave anything out. Future researchers may want to replicate your investigation, so provide explicit details.
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Present your data. Provide charts, graphs or a written explanation of your findings. Show multiple depictions of the same experiment to compare changes in variables.
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Analyze your results. Interpret your data making sure not to restate the results. Define what variables may have influenced your results. Describe how you would improve on the experiment in future investigations.
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Draw a conclusion. Identify what new information you have acquired as a result of your investigation. If your results are different from your original expectation, provide a theory as to why the outcome differed.
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Cite your sources. If any additional research was noted in the report, make sure to cite your references in alphabetical order by the author's last name.
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References
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