Writing Undergraduate Lab Reports
A Guide for Students

A practical guide to writing impactful lab reports for science undergraduates through the use of model outlines and annotated publications.

Christopher S. Lobban (Author), María Schefter (Author)

9781107540248, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 27 July 2017

94 pages, 46 b/w illus. 2 tables
22.7 x 15.2 x 0.6 cm, 0.17 kg

'This guide for undergraduates - lightweight, and peppered with illustrations and diagrams - will demystify the process of creating an effective lab report. … This text's straightforward approach and rich but concise details make this item an invaluable resource for science majors and elective takers alike.' J. Clemons, Choice

Writing clear, impactful reports is a crucial skill for science students, but few books focus on this area for the undergraduate. Particularly useful for biology students, this text adopts a hands-on approach, using example reports and published papers as models to put guidance into practice. An introductory chapter familiarizes undergraduates with the principles of writing science. Two model reports are then developed, walking students through experimental and observational teaching-lab reports. The structure and content of the Introduction, Methods and Materials, Results, and Discussion are explained, together with tips for the title, abstract, and references. Students are then guided on how to polish their first draft. The last section of the book analyzes two published papers, helping the reader transition to reporting original research. Clearly and concisely written, this text offers a much-needed lifeline for science students facing science report-writing for the first time, and for those looking to hone their writing skills.

Acknowledgements
To the student
Part I. Introduction: 1. Introduction to science and scientific writing
Part II. Writing the First Draft: Format: 2. Starting to write
3. Introduction
4. Materials and methods
5. Results
6. Discussion
7. Title and abstract
Part III. Crafting the Final Version: Scientific Style: 8. Revising your paper
9. References
Part IV. The Anatomy of Scientific Papers: 10. Transitioning to writing about original research
References
Further reading
Index.

Subject Areas: Other technologies & applied sciences [TT], Environmental science, engineering & technology [TQ], Biology, life sciences [PS], Physics [PH]