Developing a scientific report means writing a text in which the reasons why a certain experiment was performed, what the expected results were, what procedure was used and what the actual results are, as well as an analytical comment on what they mean the results. Laboratory reports often follow a very standard pattern, starting with a summary and introduction, followed by a section containing the materials and methods used, ending with the results and analysis of the latter. Let’s now see how to correctly set up a scientific report.
How to set up a scientific report
First of all, it is good to know that any theory or experiment cannot be validated if it does not produce results recognized by the scientific community. That said, the best way to write a good scientific report is to set it up as if it were a scientific article . It is therefore necessary to set up the paper following the following schedule:
- title;
- author (s);
- introduction;
- materials section;
- methodologies;
- results;
- references.
This information must be followed by a descriptive part of the study carried out and the results obtained, as well as the final discussions and conclusions. Remember that your work does not have to lead to new or innovative results, but instead has to propose additional material for future investigation.
The title of the scientific report must be concise and relevant, with the introductory part which must have the objective of describing the object of the study, starting with a broader discourse and arriving at the concepts set out in the study. The part concerning materials and methodologies must instead contain an in-depth description of what was used in the experiment and, above all, by which method. Keep in mind that this is the most important section of the entire elaborate, also because it serves to clarify the reliability of the work and, consequently, the guarantee of reproducibility. This section also helps clarify how the study results were obtained.
The section concerning results, discussions and final conclusions is certainly the most challenging, as it represents the deduction of all the work. It will be necessary to integrate the results obtained in the personal study with those already accepted by the scientific community. Furthermore, it will be necessary to list all the problems and criticalities found in carrying out the study and explain your considerations, connected to the concepts set out in the first part.
In the scientific report there must be a section dedicated to references , i.e. the citation of bibliographic sources. Remember that when exposing scientific concepts and reports, you need to be as precise and accurate as possible.
