Give each section a job
Introduce the question and relevant background. Describe the work actually performed in Methods. Present findings in Results, then interpret them in Discussion. Follow the required headings and cite your sources.
Connect figures to the question
Label axes, units and groups. Describe the important comparison in the text and refer to the relevant figure or table. Keep an observation separate from a proposed explanation.
Example
Invented classroom data for illustration, not real experimental results or an archive submission.
- Question
- Suppose a classroom exercise compares seed germination in two labelled groups.
- Illustrative result
- In this invented dataset, 8 of 10 seeds germinate in group A and 5 of 10 in group B.
- Results sentence
- Group A had three more germinated seeds than group B in the observed sample. A labelled chart could show the two counts.
- Discussion limit
- The counts alone do not explain the difference or establish a treatment effect. Discuss the design, conditions and replication before interpreting it.
Review your draft
Check counts, units and figure references. State missing data and limitations honestly. Never replace missing observations with invented results; ask how the course expects missing data to be handled.
Further reading: University of Connecticut: writing a lab report.
Past biology lab-report requests
Real historical request types, described without student text or files.
- Graph, slope and error discussion in a lab report — September 2021
- Report organization for a classroom assay — September 2021
- Genetics report on inheritance patterns — April 2021
- Observation and interpretation in a microbiology report — April 2021
Common questions
What is the difference between Results and Discussion?
Results presents the findings. Discussion explains how they relate to the question, prior work and limitations.
What if the results do not match my prediction?
Report the observations accurately. Discuss possible explanations and limits without changing the data to fit the prediction.