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Writing an Organic Chemistry Lab Report

The document provides guidelines for writing an effective laboratory report, including formatting, sections, and content. A well-written report should preserve experiment steps, observations, results, and conclusions. It must be reproducible, clearly communicated, and follow the accepted scientific format. This includes sections for the pre-lab procedure, observations, calculations, results, discussion, and conclusions. Maintaining an organized laboratory notebook is also important.

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Ernesto Carpio Jr
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60 views2 pages

Writing an Organic Chemistry Lab Report

The document provides guidelines for writing an effective laboratory report, including formatting, sections, and content. A well-written report should preserve experiment steps, observations, results, and conclusions. It must be reproducible, clearly communicated, and follow the accepted scientific format. This includes sections for the pre-lab procedure, observations, calculations, results, discussion, and conclusions. Maintaining an organized laboratory notebook is also important.

Uploaded by

Ernesto Carpio Jr
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Organic Chemistry 212 Laboratory

How to Write a Laboratory Report


The main objective in producing a written laboratory report is to preserve and convey the
steps taken during an experiment, the observations made, the results and the conclusions
drawn; as effectively as possible. The report is a demonstration that the student learned
what was expected. A well-written laboratory report must:
a) Be reproducible within the acceptable limits of error: Accuracy and detail in
recording are the keys to achieve reproducibility. On the other hand, sloppiness and
dishonesty are factors that augment the reproducibility of an experiment.
b) Be clearly communicated both in the procedure summary and in the expression of the
thought process in the interpretation of results obtained: Relevant details should not
be left out to just save time or paper space. The report needs to be well organized.
Presentation is not everything but it is very important.
c) Follow the format agreed upon by the scientific community, in order to facilitate
comprehension and minimize ambiguity.

The Accepted Format for Written Scientific Reports:


A full laboratory report should be consisted of the following parts, in the sequence shown
below:
 Pre-Laboratory procedure
 Observations
 Calculations: All of the calculations performed.
 Results: A simple statement of the main result(s) of the experiment. A table should
include any numeric results
 Discussion of results: Analysis, explanation, and interpretation of the results.
Analysis of error, explanation of chemical or physical processes of the experiment.

 Conclusions: Identification of unknowns along with a brief statement of reasoning,


brief summary of results, comparison to known data as a indicator of purity, percent
yield, etc. (this section should be fairly short and to the point.)
 References: A list of all the literature sources used for the experiment and the report.
Maintaining the Laboratory Notebook:
1. Name: Your laboratory notebook should be labeled with your name.
2. Page Numbers: Since all the pages are numbered, you should use the pages
sequentially.
3. Table of Contents: Dedicate the first two pages of the notebook to the "Table of
Contents". Draw the table first and update it every time you add more experiments to
your notebook.
4. Cleanliness: The notebook has a semi-resistant cover. It is wise, however, to wipe it
with a damp cloth, to keep it in a decent shape as long as possible.
Pre-laboratory Procedure:
A pre-laboratory protocol must be completed BEFORE the laboratory (sorry for
mentioning the obvious!). It must have the following parts sequentially:
 Date: The starting date for the experiment.
 Title: The title of the experiment.
 Purpose: The main purpose of the experiment, stated in the form of a COMPLETE
sentence.
 Equation for the main reaction(s): If any.
 Mechanism for the main reaction(s): If applicable. Usually with chemical synthesis
experiments (where a product is obtained from reactants, the reaction mechanism is
necessary.

 Materials: A data table of chemical substances which includes the structures, the
relevant physical properties and the amounts used. This should also include the
products and the structural and physical data – the amount used would not be
included.

 Safety information: A data table of chemical substances which includes the relevant
safety information, and the disposal notes for reactants, chemicals used in purification
and products.
 Apparatus: Includes hardware and glassware pieces. This list of equipment could be
a table. Since many of the techniques will be used again in the future it is best if a
sketched diagram of the apparatus is included
 Summary of the procedure: This section will ultimately become your only reference
source to the experimental steps. In order to make the procedure section easy to
follow, the summary should be written on the left half of the notebook pages, and any
observation for the steps should be recorded on the right half, across from its
corresponding step.

More Pointers…
1. Each section of the laboratory report must be labeled, in order to make the reading of
the report smoother.
2. The report must be written in third person (voice). (Do not use the phrase “I” or “the
student” etc. Always write about the experiment i.e. “the water boiled”.
3. The report must be written in ink (no pencil). The prelab and post lab may be typed.
4. If any mistake is made, it should be crossed out (with a horizontal line through it) and
initialed by the writer of the report.
5. ALL the lines (Including underlined titles, tables, strikethrough, etc…) must be drawn
using a ruler (no free-hand drawing).
6. The report should not convey any personal emotion (positive or negative).
7. Handwriting should be legible
8. Language and diction should be formal and professional.
9. The report should not look like a rough draft.

Common questions

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A pre-laboratory protocol must include the date, title, purpose, equation for the main reaction(s), mechanism for the main reaction(s), materials, safety information, apparatus, and a summary of the procedure. Each element is critical: the date and title contextualize the work; the purpose defines the experiment's goals; equations and mechanisms provide scientific background; materials and safety info protect users and ensure proper execution; apparatus listings outline required tools, and the procedure summary serves as a step-by-step guide .

Neglecting safety information in a pre-laboratory protocol can lead to serious consequences, including harmful exposure to hazardous materials, accidents, and inadequate response to emergencies. Safety information ensures that all participants are aware of potential risks, proper handling methods, and disposal procedures, which are critical for protecting health and maintaining a safe laboratory environment. Failing to include such information can compromise safety and lead to legal and ethical ramifications .

Pre-laboratory components establish the framework and preparation necessary for performing the experiment, including objectives, materials, and procedures. Post-laboratory components document the actual results, analyses, and conclusions drawn. Together, they provide a comprehensive account of both the planned and executed aspects of the experiment, enabling full understanding and replication. Pre-laboratory work ensures readiness and accuracy, while post-laboratory documentation validates and verifies results .

Adherence to a standardized format in laboratory reports benefits the scientific community by facilitating easy comprehension and comparison of reports, reducing ambiguity, and ensuring consistency across different reports. It enables scientists to quickly find and understand relevant information, and it supports the reproducibility of experiments. Standardization also helps maintain professional standards and allows for efficient peer review and dissemination of scientific knowledge .

Detailed observation recording is crucial in laboratory experiments as it ensures that all relevant data, including unexpected phenomena, are captured for analysis. It provides evidence that can support or refute hypotheses, aids in identifying sources of error, and helps in understanding the underlying processes of the experiment. Such thorough documentation is essential for reproducibility and contributes to a deeper understanding of the scientific inquiry, ultimately ensuring the experiment's success .

The analysis of error and discussion of chemical processes in the "Discussion of results" section enhances scientific conclusions by addressing the reliability and limitations of the experiment. Error analysis identifies possible deviations and their impact on results, guiding improvements for future studies. Discussing chemical processes clarifies how reactions occurred and provides deeper insights into the experimental outcomes. These elements together ensure that conclusions are not only based on observed data but are also understood within the context of potential inaccuracies and their implications .

Reproducibility in a laboratory report is important because it ensures that the experiment's results can be reliably replicated by others, which is a cornerstone of scientific validity. Factors that hinder reproducibility include sloppiness in recording details and dishonesty in reporting results. To achieve reproducibility, accuracy and detail in documentation are essential .

Writing laboratory reports in third person is necessary because it maintains an objective and formal tone, which is critical in scientific communication. This approach avoids personal bias and ensures that the focus remains on the experiment itself rather than the individual conducting it. Such scientific objectivity makes the report more credible and aligns with community standards .

Mistakes in a laboratory notebook should be crossed out with a horizontal line and initialed by the writer. This practice maintains transparency and traceability in the documentation process. It ensures that errors are visibly acknowledged and corrected in a way that preserves the original information, facilitating an honest and accurate record-keeping process .

Presentation significantly impacts the comprehension of scientific reports because clear and organized presentation facilitates easier understanding and minimizes ambiguity. If a report is poorly organized or lacks clarity, important details may be missed or misunderstood, reducing the effectiveness of communication. Therefore, a well-presented report that follows the accepted format of the scientific community aids in better interpretation and understanding by readers .

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