University: Abdelhafid Boussouf Mila

Department of Biology
Module: Techniques of Scientific Communication and Expression
Level: 2nd Year
Tutor: N. Bedjaoui

Lecture Three: Biology Lab Report

I. What is a lab report?

A lab report is how you explain what you did in your experiment, what you learned, and
what the results meant. In other words, lab reports are written to describe and analyze an
experiment that explores a specific concept.
These reports and all scientific writing are generally written in the past. The information is
objective and written in a way that is short and concise.

II. Biology Lab Report Format:

A good lab report for biology has a specific structure:

1. Title:

A title is important to any lab report and it must be clear and specific i.e. it should be to the
point, descriptive, accurate, and concise. It should consist of well-chosen words indicating the
subject of the report. For example do not simply state “cell division” if you were studying the
effect of vitamin B12 on the rate of cell division of human skin cells grown in culture.
 Also, avoid “cute” titles – keep the title professional.

2. Abstract:

An abstract is a concise summary of your experiment. It should include information

about the purpose of the experiment, the problem being addressed, the methods used for
solving the problem, overall results from the experiment, and the conclusion drawn from your
experiment. The abstract typically comes at the beginning of the lab report, after the tile, but it
should not be composed until your written report is completed. Here is a short example:

This particular experiment has been carried out in order to define the factors have a
positive effect on the rates of enzyme reactions in cellular activities due to the fact that
certain enzymes appear to be more effective than others. The catecholase activity of
enzymes has been measured through its rate of absorption in a spectrophotometer, with
the use of light that has a 540 nm wavelength. In the course of the experiment,
we compared samples with a different concentration of enzymes. The comparison was
based on their absorbance rates. The experiment has shown that those samples that had a
higher concentration of enzymes, respectively showed the higher percent of absorption
rate – the difference is significant, 95% against 24%. This proves that a higher production
rate is ensured by a higher concentration of enzymes.
3. Introduction:

In biology lab reports, the introduction is like a framework for the whole text and it
shows that you fully understood the topic and the purpose of the experiment. In this part, it is
helpful to jot down facts and references and you can use lecture notes. The introduction should
not be too long and it has to contain the specified terminology related to the subject.
Generally speaking, the introduction of a lab report states the purpose of the experiment. It
provides background information needed to understand the experiment. The hypothesis should
be included in the introduction, as well as a brief statement about how you intend to test your
hypothesis. An example is provided below.

It is a proven fact that enzymes are catalytic proteins whose function is to accelerate reactions
by means of lowering activation energy (Campbell, 1996). In the experiment, we studied the
rate of reaction between oxygen and catechol and their ability to form benzoquinone in a
condition where the concentration of enzymes (catecholase) was different. We supposed that
the concentration of enzymes directly influences reaction rates.

4. Materials and Methods:

The materials and methods section thoroughly describes how you carried out your
experiment and should provide the reader with sufficient information to replicate the
experiment. In this part, the methods of how data was analyzed should also be explained. The
explanation - of the study that was conducted - should all be in past tense and written in
paragraph form instead of lists.
Example:

Preparing an extract of catecholase, we used a washed, skinned, and diced potato and we
used a scale in order to get precisely 30 grams of potato. We also poured 150 ml of water into
a beaker. We added water to the potato, removed the cover of a kitchen blender, and added
both ingredients to a blender; we then put the cover back on and pressed the start button,
noting the time. Then we pushed the button again to stop the blender. We used four layers
of cheesecloth to filter the result and then we stored the obtained extract in a clean, closed
container.

5. Results:
The results include all data found, observations made, figures, tables, and graphs. In
addition to tables and figures, the results section should have a brief paragraph in which you
give the results in written form. Do not explain them in this section, just report them. The
written description should simply summarize the results illustrated in graphs and figures, but
should not include explanations or opinions. For example do not use the phrase “these results
were significant” unless you have done statistical analysis to prove they are statistically
different.