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Writing Lab Reports: Lab Notebook

Move through a step-by-step exploration of lab reports, from maintaining a lab notebook, to the writing process, to key sections of the final report.

The lab notebook

As an engineering or science student you will be carrying out work in the laboratory. Any good professional scientist or engineer is expected to keep information logged in the lab notebook.

  • You should complete your lab log during your lab session so you can record observations and any key data as it occurs.
  • Make sure you come to a conclusion at the end of every experiment.
  • Your lab log should be a hard-backed book that will serve as a diary for all your lab sessions.
  • Remember to record all observations accurately.

Sections of Lab Notebook
Title in Lab Notebook Brief Description
1. Table of contents List experiments and investigations, with page numbers.
2. Description of your work Briefly state what you did in a few sentences.
3. Experiment Give it a title, then write down the question you are trying to answer and your hypothesis.
4. Materials and equipment List everything you need to carry out this experiment.
5. Methodology Say how you carried out the experiment and add diagrams.
6. Data Prepare data tables beforehand and explain what the data represents.
7. Results  Identify key data that relates to your hypothesis, analyse and summarise the data, and present it in clear graphs or tables.
8. Brief discussion Consider whether your results support your hypothesis, state what you have learnt, and discuss how you could improve the experiment.
9. Date Don’t forget this!

Checklist for lab notebooks

  • Write with a pen not a pencil.
  • Give your lab session a date and title.
  • Write simply and clearly so that someone else could repeat your experiment from your notes.
  • Prepare data tables beforehand and complete them during the experiment.
  • Put a line through mistakes and make clear corrections. Explain what changed and why.
  • Make drawings where necessary.
  • Record your results carefully, make conclusions, offer suggestions and evaluate any errors.