Q&A for How to Write a Good Lab Conclusion in Science

A conclusion is a summary of the results of an experiment, with a discussion of whether the results support or contradict the original hypothesis.

Typically, you begin by restating the goals of the experiment. You might also briefly state whether the experiment successfully achieved those goals.

Many university websites offer examples and guidelines for writing lab reports, including conclusions. Simply search for “example lab report conclusion” to find some. You can also try putting in more specific terms, like “sample biology lab report conclusion.”

Yes. 1.) Write a statement either accepting or rejecting your initial Hypothesis. 2.) Write a statement correctly answering the Problem question. 3.) State the effect of the Manipulated Variable on the Responding Variable. 4.) Give supporting data (the average of all trials and giving the range of conditions investigated).

Around 4-6 sentences. Make sure you explain everything. If you have a marking key, just follow that.

No, but it is highly recommended as it sounds more professional, formal. Remember that whoever is grading your paper may not necessarily know who 'I/we/they' are.

The conclusion wraps up your general findings, and the analysis delves deeper into what you discovered.

Yes, you must evaluate your procedures and suggest improvements. (This includes identifying the weakness(s) and limitations, and suggesting realistic improvements.)

With a stick, preferably. If you want to use your pen, use the blunt end, so that dirt doesn't clog up the ink.

Usually, lab reports should include a hypothesis. A hypothesis is just a statement of what you expect the result to be, which you write in the beginning before performing the experiment. If you didn't write one yet, you can add one. If it's not required for your report, then you can just skip that part.

I suggest using Google Docs. If you have a Gmail account, that is the best possible thing. It allows you to revise your work from multiple devices, and there are multiple apps you can add. Microsoft Word or Open Office are other options.

There is no specific required length, but you need to make sure to cover the necessary information in depth (as instructed by the article).

Expand your vocabulary . If you'd like to find a better word to use, use a thesaurus to look up synonyms for the word.

You do what the article says, so you put why people would need this info, explain why you got the results (e.g. the plant was well watered and had a lot of sunlight, and the result was it grew more), and in the end, write what you were uncertain about and couldn't control.

Like a normal conclusion, but modified to fit your experiment, such as, "We discovered ____ about the _______ in the soil."

It depends. If your teacher/instructor told you to, it is preferable. Since you are writing a report, I highly suggest doing one.

If and then statements are generally used when writing a hypothesis rather than a conclusion. However, saying something like "My hypothesis was proven that if...then..." is also effective. It really depends on your teacher's requirements for your specific lab report.

You could replace personal pronouns by speaking in a passive tone - for example, "___ was done in order to ___".

You have to write in third person when writing laboratory reports and conclusions. This means you'd need to revise your draft.