How to Write Lab Report

Writing the “Discussion” Section of a Lab Report

The discussion is the most important part of your lab report, because here you show that you have not merely completed the experiment, but that you also understand its wider implications. The discussion section is reserved for putting experimental results in the context of the larger theory. Ask yourself: "What is the significance or meaning of the results?" A good discussion has these two elements:

Analysis

What do the results indicate clearly? Based on your results, explain what you know with certainty and draw conclusions.

Interpretation

What is the significance of your results? What ambiguities exist? What are logical explanations for problems in the data? What questions might you raise about the methods used or the validity of the experiment? What can be logically deduced from your analysis?

TIPS:

1. Explain your results in terms of theoretical issues. How well has the theory been illustrated? What are the theoretical implications and practical applications of your results? For each major result: • Describe the patterns, principles, and relationships that your results show. • Explain how your results relate to expectations and to literature cited in your Introduction. Explain any agreements, contradictions, or exceptions. • Describe what additional research might resolve contradictions or explain exceptions. 2. Relate results to your experimental objective(s). If you set out to identify an unknown metal by finding its lattice parameter and its atomic structure, be sure that you have identified the metal and its attributes. 3. Compare expected results with those obtained. If there were differences, how can you account for them? Were the instruments able to measure precisely? Was the sample contaminated? Did calculated values take account of friction? 4. Analyze experimental error along with the strengths and limitations of the experiment’s design. Were any errors avoidable? Were they the result of...