Format for Writing a Chemistry Lab

As you write the lab, be sure to write the lab number and date at the top of the page in your Lab book.

Title: Topic that this lab falls under.

Aim: What does the experiment seek to do?

Apparatus and Materials: a list of everything you will need to carry out the lab.

Procedure: A step by step outline describing how to carry out the lab. It should be written in the command
voice (e.g. Pour the water into the beaker). And each step should be numbered.

Observations and Results: You observe things with your 4 senses. (we do not use the sense of taste at all when
carrying out labs). Here you will describe the changes you see, hear, smell or can feel. If new products are
formed, you will not identify them in your observations. You will do so in your discussion.

Observations and Results can be in many forms and each one has very specific rules that apply to it.
For example:
- They may be in the form of a Drawing.
o Rules for drawings:
 Each drawing must have a Title
 Title must be written in pen below the drawing in all uppercase letters and underlined
 Drawing and labeling must be done in pencil.
 Use a ruler to help with drawing as drawing must be very neat.
 Drawing must be done to scale.
 Label lines must all be to one side of the drawing and must be drawn using a ruler. Label
lines must never be drawn diagonally and label lines must never cross each other.
 There is to be no shading in drawings.
 Do not put any arrowheads at the end of your label lines

- They may be in the form of a Table.

o Rules for tables:
 Each table must have an appropriate title.
 Title must be written in pen ABOVE the table in all uppercase letters and underlined.
 Each headings must have the appropriate units next to it.

- Sometimes you may choose to represent your data in the form of a Graph.
o Rules for Graphs:
 A graph is usually representative of information from a table. The table must always be
recorded first in your observations and results, then your graph may be inserted.
 Your graph must have an appropriate Title located at the bottom of your graph written in
all uppercase letters and underlined.
 The axes must both be correctly labelled to include appropriate units.
 The scale for your graph must be recorded in the upper right hand corner of the graph.
 The only acceptable notations to plot points are ‘x’ or ‘ʘ’.
 Not all points go through zero. To determine if a point goes through zero, ask yourself
“if x is zero will y be zero as well?” and vice versa.
 Your graph may require you to draw a curve or line of best fit. If in doubt, please see
your teacher.
Calculations: In calculations, you will include any calculation you have made for observations or will make for
the discussion down to the most minute calculation.

First you will write the word equation for the calculation, then you will insert the numerical values and be sure
to write in the units for you answer.

Discussion: The whole idea behind your discussion is for you to use the knowledge that you have gained in
class to explain what you observed. You will need to give the definitions of any pertinent theories and explain
how they apply to this experiment. You will need to explain everything that is recorded in your observations
and say why they happened.

Precaution

Source of Error

Limitation

Assumption

Conclusion: Your conclusion should be a direct reflection of your aim. E.g. if the aim was to observe the rate
of diffusion in gases, a conclusion might be something like this “ The rate of diffusion of Gas A was found to be
X. The rate of diffusion of Gas B was found to be Y.”
Your conclusion must be a very simple statement. Never explain anything in your conclusion. That is what your
discussion is for.

Reflection: How can you relate/apply what you have learnt in this lab to real life, to society, to yourself and to
your family?