Lab Reports – IMRAD
The
purpose
of
a
lab
report
is
to
describe
the
results
of
an
experiment
or
research
study.
University
lab
reports
follow
the
style
and
format
of
professional
journal
articles,
which
research
scientists
use
to
share
and
evaluate
each
other’s
work.
Lab
report
formats
vary
slightly
among
scientific
disciplines,
but
all
are
based
on
the
IMRAD
outline:
introduction,
materials
and
methods,
results,
and
discussion.
The
purpose
of
each
section
dictates
what
information
to
include,
regardless
of
the
specialty
being
written
for.
Helpful
Tip:
It
is
usually
easiest
to
write
the
methods
and
results
sections
first,
followed
by
the
discussion
and
introduction.
Title
and
abstract
(if
required)
should
be
written
last.
IMRAD
format:
Section
Purpose
Content
and
Characteristics
Title
• Describes
the
content
of
• Clear,
specific,
and
accurate
the
report
• Loaded
with
keywords
drawn
from
• Allows
scientists
to
the
body
of
the
report
locate
research
of
interest
when
searching
databases
Abstract
• Summarizes
the
report
• One
paragraph
(200-‐250
words)
• Helps
researchers
decide
• 2-‐3
sentences
for
each
section,
whether
to
read
the
summarizing
key
data
and
ideas
entire
paper
• A
complete
synopsis,
not
a
teaser
(results
and
discussion
must
be
included)
Introduction
• Gives
background
• Reviews
relevant
literature,
information
needed
to
including
properly
formatted
understand
the
current
citations
research,
tracing
the
• Explains
why
the
study
was
development
of
existing
conducted,
and
what
question
it
was
knowledge
designed
to
answer
• Places
the
new
• Briefly
describes
approach
to
the
experiments
within
the
problem
context
of
the
field
• Outlines
hypothesis(es)
to
be
tested,
• Identifies
gaps
in
and
predicted
results
existing
knowledge
and
• Written
in
a
mixture
of
present
tense
shows
how
the
present
(for
generally
accepted
truths)
and
research
will
fill
them
past
tense
(when
referencing
specific
• States
the
specific
research
objectives
of
the
work
©
The
Writing
Centre,
Saint
Mary’s
University,
2014
This
handout
is
for
personal
use
only.
Reproduction
prohibited
without
permission.
Lab Reports – IMRAD
2
IMRAD
format
continued:
Section
Purpose
Content
and
Characteristics
Materials
and
• Explains
how
the
• written
in
paragraph
format
Methods
experiments
were
• materials
are
mentioned
while
conducted
describing
methods,
never
listed
• Provides
enough
detail
separately
that
another
scientist
• describes
the
purpose
of
each
could
repeat
the
procedure,
as
well
as
necessary
steps
experiment
• omits
details
that
are
common
• Gives
readers
the
knowledge
or
would
not
impact
the
information
they
need
to
results
evaluate
the
validity
of
• written
in
past
tense
(recounts
what
results
and
conclusions
was
done,
rather
than
giving
instructions)
Results
• Describes
the
outcomes
• straightforward
reporting
of
of
the
experiments
observations
and
calculations
• Draws
attention
to
key
• does
not
include
commentary
or
findings
and
interpretation
relationships
• detailed
data
is
presented
in
tables
• Allows
readers
to
form
and
figures,
which
are
referenced
in
their
own
conclusions
the
text
based
on
the
data
• written
portion
should
summarize
and
emphasize,
not
repeat
details
shown
in
the
visuals
• written
in
past
tense
Discussion
• Interprets
the
results
• references
key
data,
describing
its
and
explains
their
implications
significance
• identifies
any
errors
made
during
the
• Places
the
new
data
in
experiment
and
their
impacts
the
context
of
the
field
• discusses
any
shortcomings
of
the
• Identifies
limitations
of
protocols
or
experimental
designs
the
study
and
suggests
• draws
conclusions
next
steps
• identifies
questions
that
could
not
be
answered
• cites
relevant
literature
• written
in
past,
present,
and
future
tense,
as
appropriate
References
• Provides
full
• includes
only
literature
that’s
cited
in
bibliographic
the
text
information,
directing
• follow
a
consistent
scientific
citation
the
reader
to
relevant
style,
such
as
APA
literature
©
The
Writing
Centre,
Saint
Mary’s
University,
2014
This
handout
is
for
personal
use
only.
Reproduction
prohibited
without
permission.
