Lab Report

Daniel Ignacio

Writing for Engineering

English 21007

Abstract

The purpose of the essay was to analyze three labs. The first lab was from an online source, “Distillation Experiment-Flooding”, written by Andrew Yu-Hao Chang, Karri Lynn Crawford, and The University of Texas at Austin. The second lab was from a current student in City College, “Lab 2: Vectors”, written by Kayanat M. The third lab was from a friend from NYU, “Lab 10: Biomedical Forensics”, written by Sophia Abraham, Abdelkarim Bisharat, Elizabeth Lee, and Jason Zhagui. In order to complete this essay, I had to compare each lab to each other and highlighted their flaws or strength. In finding these features it allow me to learn what is the best way to write a lab report.

Introduction

Lab reports are like instructional guides for figuring out a theory. The labs expand on the theory by proving or disproving the matter at hand. A good lab report includes the purpose of the experiment, the hypothesis used to address the assumption, the materials involved, calculation and data-based inferences from the experiment. Lab reports can be seen in STEM majors and are used in engineering fields, which can make each lab report unique in the way content is discussed. In analyzing the three labs I have the I looked at their length, structure, data, and content. The first lab, “Distillation Experiment-Flooding”, I analyzed was a chemical engineering lab report about distillation written by Andrew Yu-Hao Chang, Karri Lynn Crawford, and The University of Texas at Austin. The second lab, “Lab 2: Vectors” is from a City College student for their Physics lab about vectors and vector addition. The last lab is “Lab 10: Biomedical Forensics” from a NYU student for a Biomedical Forensics Lab.

Discussion

The first lab, “Distillation Experiment-Flooding”, content was by far the best lab report I have seen. When compared to the other lab it has a cover page, abstract, content page, which continues to the introduction and information about the lab. The cover page and abstract is like the basis of a lab report because it introduces the group and explains the purpose of the lab. However, even when I compare how each lab start the “Lab 2:Vectors” start with the introduction. For instance, the second lab report starts with a short introduction about the purpose of doing the lab and an overview of the lab conducted. Unlike the “Lab 10: Biomedical Forensics”, which contains a cover page, abstract and introduction. Which allows the reader to know who conducted the experiment and the purpose. As well as, like in “Distillation Experiment-Flooding”. This method of adding the cover page, abstract and then an introduction made the lab report more organized and clear.  Which benefited the lab because it was more straightforward in understanding the concept in why the lab was conducted and how. For example, “The purpose of the experiment was to determine the point at which flooding occurred in a binary distillation column used to separate ethanol from water.” (Distillation Experiment–Flooding). Also, the first lab follows the introduction with the methods used to conduct the experiment and a very descriptive figure to illustrate how the “Process and  Instrumentation Diagram of the binary distillation column.” looks like, while the other experiments just start listing the steps.

Methods and Materials

Furthermore, this section includes the steps taken in preparing for the lab, steps during the lab, and equations used in paragraph form. Unlike the second lab which lists the steps the group did. The first lab then has a Result section where there are diagrams and data collected, which follows with the conclusion. This was different than the labs because the second physics lab about vectors just included the calculations and graphs with not as much detail and answered questions in regards to the lab. Also, the third lab did not include Calculations because the lab was based on forensic science. Which highlight the contrast in between these lab because the first lab includes some calculation. But the physics lab two involves a lot of calculations of the experiment. But all the Data/Calculation Lab three collected was photos of throughout the experiment about the chemicals used, the aftermath of using the chemicals, and fingerprints collected.

In regards to the structure of the labs, the length of Lab one and three were extensive. The first lab report was thirteen pages and lab three was also thirteen pages. While the second lab was almost five pages. The length of the third lab, made the lab seem very descriptive. It has the same style of structure that Lab one had because it contained a lot of paragraph with information. When comparing the labs, I felt that they individually were organized to the liking of the lab professors. For instance, when comparing the lab’s structures in Lab 1 and 2 they are filled with graphics and a lot of information regarding the lab. However, in Lab 2: Vectors, was more organized because when looking at the structure the student used is more straightforward and the easy to reproduce the lab. For instance, she numerically numbers the steps she followed in order to achieve the experiment. For example, “Exercise 2: Adding Vectors 1. We placed a 20 gram mass on the 50 gram tray and calculated the tension on the rope” (Lab 2: Vectors). Unlike the first and third lab report that are easy to get lost in because they have a lot of paragraph and in depth step. By breaking the steps down in that fashion it makes it easier to read without confusion. In the Calculations and Data sections of the labs, the second lab was also more straightforward in how the data was collected because it includes the equations, the numbers plugged in and the way the data was created. However, the presentation is not as professional as it should be. In Lab one the data collected was presented properly and efficiently and underneath some of the graphs it analyzed the information on it and how it conceived.

Conclusion

In Conclusion, a good lab includes a structure that allows the reader to understand purpose of the experiment, the hypothesis through the abstract, the materials involved, calculation and data-based inferences from the experiment. All these lab, were a great example of lab, but the best one was the first lab, “Distillation Experiment-Flooding” because it had a clear and clean lab that allows reader to understand what is going on through all the steps. Also, it was clear because I felt like it can be easily replicated.

Reference Page

Yu-Hao Chang, A., Lynn Crawford, K., & Genna, D. M. (2005). Distillation  Experiment–Flooding. Retrieved from http://www.che.ksu.edu/docs/people/emeritus/aikens/writing/LabReportFinal.pdf

The University of Texas at Austin

M. K., (2019, March). Lab 2: Vectors

Abraham, S., Bisharat, A., Lee, E., & Zhagui, J. (2018, November 14). Lab 10: Biomedical

    Forensics.