Communicating science

A concise overview and summary of the theory, experimental method, and key results. The Abstract should place the current experiment in the context of the greater research project, if applicable. The Abstract must itself be a complete document as it is often read separately from the entire report. (up to /4 page) Introduction An overview of the experiment conducted, the objective(s) of the experiment (often in the form of a research question), the rationale for the experiment being conducted, and relevant background information to put the experiment in the context of the larger project. The introduction sometimes ends with a one-sentence summary of the conclusion, “I found that ...”. (/2 – 2 pages) Theory The theoretical foundation underlying this experiment. From the theory, one can predict the experimental outcome. (/2 – 1 page) Materials The equipment and supplies used to conduct the experiment. For equipment, include the make and model and any modifications. For supplies, include the manufacturer and lot number. ... laboratory report ... ... redacted in preview ... 5.4 Laboratory reports—221 Method—or—Procedure A detailed description of how the experiment was conducted, including instrument settings during data collection. A schematic of the experimental setup aids in understanding. The procedure must be complete enough that anyone with similar training can conduct the experiment. Note: a laboratory manual lists the steps necessary to complete the experiment; a Methods section is written in paragraph form as a process. (/2 – 2 pages) Results This section presents the data obtained and the analysis of that data. Data are commonly presented in tables and graphs; use chemical and/or mathematical formulae to explain how the results are derived from the data. (/2 – 2 pages) Discussion This section presents a detailed interpretation of the results in the context of the research question. This is the most important section of the report, as understanding is only achieved when meaningful information is extracted from the data. (/2 – 2 pages) Conclusions This section summarizes the key points from the results and discussion and relates the results to the experiment objectives. (up to /2 page) Bibliography—or—References—or—Works cited A list of the resources you used to prepare the report. Common references ... laboratory report ... ... redacted in preview ... 222—Documents and presentations A clear, concise title that accurately reflects the project and is understood by a broad scientific audience Progress report to name Introduction An overview of the project that is a summarized version of the Introduction in the original proposal (section 5.6). The Introduction should focus on the component(s) (experiments or investigative steps) of the project that you are working on. The introduction does not change between progress reports unless there is a change in the project plan. (/4 – 1 page) Results For each component that you are working on, focus on the work since your last progress report. • Summarize the work completed to date. Compare the work completed against the schedule and budget in the proposal. week: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Sub-project 1 Sub-project 2 Activity A Activity B Timeline: