Q&A for How to Write a Biology Lab Report

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  • Question
    Are there differences between a scientific paper and a lab report?
    Michael Simpson, PhD
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Dr. Michael Simpson (Mike) is a Registered Professional Biologist in British Columbia, Canada. He has over 20 years of experience in ecology research and professional practice in Britain and North America, with an emphasis on plants and biological diversity. Mike also specializes in science communication and providing education and technical support for ecology projects. Mike received a BSc with honors in Ecology and an MA in Society, Science, and Nature from The University of Lancaster in England as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. He has worked in British, North American, and South American ecosystems, and with First Nations communities, non-profits, government, academia, and industry.
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Expert Answer
    In principle, a lab report is no different from a scientific paper that will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal.
  • Question
    How do you describe a lab experiment?
    Michael Simpson, PhD
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Dr. Michael Simpson (Mike) is a Registered Professional Biologist in British Columbia, Canada. He has over 20 years of experience in ecology research and professional practice in Britain and North America, with an emphasis on plants and biological diversity. Mike also specializes in science communication and providing education and technical support for ecology projects. Mike received a BSc with honors in Ecology and an MA in Society, Science, and Nature from The University of Lancaster in England as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. He has worked in British, North American, and South American ecosystems, and with First Nations communities, non-profits, government, academia, and industry.
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Expert Answer
    When describing a study, regardless of whether it is an account of an activity, you should state what was done, why and what your findings were. If you are describing an experiment, you will also want to interpret your results by asking if they were what you expected and if not, why not.
  • Question
    Do I need to add figures in a lab report?
    Michael Simpson, PhD
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Dr. Michael Simpson (Mike) is a Registered Professional Biologist in British Columbia, Canada. He has over 20 years of experience in ecology research and professional practice in Britain and North America, with an emphasis on plants and biological diversity. Mike also specializes in science communication and providing education and technical support for ecology projects. Mike received a BSc with honors in Ecology and an MA in Society, Science, and Nature from The University of Lancaster in England as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta. He has worked in British, North American, and South American ecosystems, and with First Nations communities, non-profits, government, academia, and industry.
    Registered Professional Biologist
    Expert Answer
    Figures and tables should be included in a report when appropriate. The former could include a diagram of what you observed or the design of an experiment. The latter are often the best way to present a summary of your results as it is easier to review the content of a table than a paragraph of text.
  • Question
    How long should the introduction be?
    Community Answer
    An introduction should be at least 5 sentences long, just like the body paragraphs. The conclusion only needs to be 3-4 sentences since you're just wrapping up what you've already said.
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