How to Write an AP

Biology Lab Report

Step 1: Before starting the Lab

Read the lab – thoroughly (that means

every part)

There are 4 parts of the lab write-up you

can do before starting the lab:

1. Title of the lab

2. Introduction

3. Materials

4. Methods

Step 2: Initial Write-up

Part 1: Title

Title of a Lab:

Needs to be specific – NOT “Lab #1”

Cannot be the same as the title in the Lab

Manual

Ex. – How enzymes are affected by temperature,

acids, and bases

Step 2: Initial Write-up

Part 1: Title

Brainstorm some examples for the

Surface Tension Lab

Step 2: Initial Write-up

Part 2: Introduction

State the problem

State the purpose of the lab – usually

found on the first page of the lab manual

(DO NOT COPY IT)

State your hypothesis

Do Background research about the topic

on which the lab is about

Step 2: Initial Write-up

Part 2: Introduction

What would you include in your

introduction of the Surface Tension Lab?

Step 2: Initial Write-up

Part 3: Materials

These need to be listed in a bulleted list

in your lab write-up

Include details (how many pipettes, how

much water, what type of water, etc)

Don’t leave any items out – even if you

just used them for a second

Step 2: Initial Write-up

Part 3: Materials

What were the materials used in the

Surface Tension Lab?

Step 2: Initial Write-up

Part 4: Methods

Write out the steps to the experiment as

commands – like you are writing a recipe

NO Pronoun usage

Detailed commands – DO NOT COPY

THE METHODS IN THE LAB – put them

in your own words

Step 2: Initial Write-up

Part 4: Methods

What are the methods of the Surface

Tension Lab?

Step 3: Complete the experiment

Make sure to write down ALL data

yourself – even if you are working in a

group!

After completing the experiment,

complete final write-up:

1. Results

2. Conclusion

3. Citations, Syntax, and Format

Step 4: Final Write-up

Part 1: Results

Need to be written in paragraph form

AND data put into charts or graphs

NO EXPLANATIONS of WHY here

Make sure correct units are used and

graphs/charts are given a title and a

number so you can refer back to it

Step 4: Final Write-up

Part 1: Results

How would you record the results for the

Surface Tension Lab?

Step 4: Final Write-up

Part 2: Conclusion/Discussion

Explain why you got the results you got!

Reject or Accept your hypothesis and tell why you did that.

Explain any errors that might have occurred and what effects they might have had

Explain how you would expand this research for later projects or to find out different information

Step 4: Final Write-up

Part 2: Conclusion/Discussion

What would you include in your

discussion of the Surface Tension Lab?

Step 4: Final Write-up

Part 3: Citations, Format, Syntax

Citations

Must include at least 2 that are not the lab

manual – your book may count as one

Use the correct format – you can find this by

googling the “OWL at Purdue”

Step 4: Final Write-up

Part 3: Citations, Format, Syntax

Format:

Make sure it is clear

Each section needs a heading:

“Introduction”, “Materials”, “Methods”

Syntax:

No Personal Pronouns

Proofread for grammatical and spelling

errors

Grading

Each Lab Write-Up counts as 100 points