This guide is designed for undergraduate science, technology and engineering students.
In the Science, Technology and Engineering fields, laboratory reports are used when communicating about 'an investigation' or 'research'. Becoming competent in producing laboratory (or experimental) reports as an undergraduate student will assist you to develop the skills required to write more extended and increasingly original research reports that are usually required from 3rd year onwards.
In your report you should aim to provide a factual and accurate account of an investigation:
Most schools provide a structure or 'template' for you to follow and there will be some variation from school to school. Some may even have the introduction and methods already completed. You then read these sections, carry out the investigation and record your results and interpretations. Other schools may require you to plan and write your report from the beginning. You will also need to read further relevant information for your discussion.
This guide gives a basic format for laboratory reports. Each school should have its own publication that details the requirements and this is usually made available to undergraduate students in the early stages of a course. If you are unaware of these publications you need to check if these were part of a set of publications for a prerequisite subject you did not do. This advice also applies to Masters students who may not have completed their undergraduate degree at this university.