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Chemical Lab Reporting

Guidelines and reference sources for writing a chemistry lab report at LSC-Kingwood

Guidelines for Writing Lab Reports

Whether you are filling out lab worksheets or writing up entire lab reports, there are a few tips that will help you to create more detailed and professional documents and to assist in grading:

  • Always label your units
  • Show all of your calculations (don’t leave out steps)
  • Use complete sentences
  • Write neatly
  • Strike out mistakes with a single line
  • Be aware of significant figures, noting the sensitivity of the device you are using for your measurements

Why Do We Write in Passive Voice?

It’s part of the scientific point of view.  We observe and record as objectively as possible, avoiding personal bias by removing ourselves.  Using the passive voice also clarifies procedures and descriptions so they can be easily reproduced and compared.

NOTE: DO NOT write reports as directions, such as those given in your lab manual. For example, do not write, "Heat the solution until it boils." Instead, write "The solution was heated to boiling."

What is passive voice?

"Voice" refers to the way the verb is used in the sentence. Remember that a sentence has to have a subject and a verb, and many verbs require direct objects. Here’s an example of active voice:

             subject           verb               direct object

            Purdue Pete      hit                 the baseball.

               doer             action             receives action

In passive voice, the subject of the sentence also receives the action.  The doer of the action is someone else.  Here’s an example of passive voice:

             subject             verb           

         The baseball         is hit         by Purdue Pete.

       receives action      action        who did the action

 

Correct:

200mL of distilled water was poured into a 500 mL beaker.

Incorrect:

I poured 200mL of distilled water in a beaker. (active voice)

Pour 200mL water in a beaker. (direction/command)

Correct:

The covered crucible was mounted on a ring stand.

Incorrect:

We put the crucible on a ring stand. (active voice)

Set the crucible on a ring stand. (direction/command)

Correct:

The temperature was initially measured at 75°C.

Incorrect:

I  measured the temperature at 75°C. (active voice)

Measure and write down the temperature. (direction/command)

It is understood that all actions were done by the experimenter.

What is Plagiarism?

Be familiar with the Lone Star College System's definition of  and consequences of plagiarism and academic integrity standards:

Other useful websites that explain plagiarism and good practices to avoid it:

Lab Report Examples

Examine these examples of chemical lab reports. Keep in mind your instructor may request other information in addition to what you find in these basic reports.


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