Alabama A & M University Photometric Protein Determination Lab Report Template: Introduction Provide background information leading up to your hypothesis

Alabama A & M University Photometric Protein Determination Lab Report Template:

Introduction

Provide background information leading up to your hypothesis. Explain why this would be interesting to the scientific community. Include any ideas or techniques that are necessary to understand the results section, using figures if necessary. Cite references to frame the relevance of the experiment. Make a prediction based on the background information you provided and frame a hypothesis.

Experimental Methods

Provide succinct procedures using scientific language. Much like a recipe, quantities, time, etc. need to be recorded, but not e.g. glassware used. Enough detail must be included so that any researcher can repeat your experiment and have the same results. Procedures must be written in complete sentences, using paragraphs to delineate major intermediates. This section is written in past tense, since all experiments are completed at the time of writing. Any major equations used are typically found in this section. Equations are numbered sequentially, and the terms of the equation are defined the first time they appear. (It is not necessary to redefine a term every time it appears in an equation.) Any terms used must be consistent throughout the text. If following an established procedure, the original source must be cited. Any major deviation from the procedure must be clearly identified. Example: Procedures were followed with minor modifications according to (book name). Measurements were taken using a GENESYS 50 UV-Vis Spectrophotometer. The concentration of the L-DOPA substrate was changed to 2 mg/mL, and volumes were adjusted as outlined in Table 1. Briefly: the concentration of the experiment’s mushroom tyrosinase was obtained using absorbance. Kinetic data were obtained by adding aliquots of L-DOPA to a known enzyme solution and recording the changes in absorbance.

Results

This section presents your data in a clear and easy to understand format. Organize your data in figures and tables, which include descriptive captions for each. Ideally, most of the experiment’s outcome can be deduced from the organization of figures and tables alone. Interspersed with your figures and tables, your major points need to be organized in paragraphs, referencing your data as necessary. The narrative of this section does not interpret data! It is a “no judgement” display of findings. Include your complete findings, even the results that may not make immediate sense

Discussion

In this section, the implications of the results section are discussed. The data is interpreted, demonstrating your understanding. The discussion section of a scientific report should be objective. Use a paragraph for each major conclusion drawn from the data, introducing new figures as necessary to strengthen your argument. Evidence for each statement needs to be included by referring to your data or citing a reference. A strong discussion needs to address any inconsistencies or limitations found during the experiment. If possible, explain how your data relate to what others have found. Major errors need to address how these may have impacted the results of the experiment. Note: “human error” is not an acceptable source of error! Systematic error arises from experimental design, due to e.g. instrumentation or failing to account for a factor. Random error is a statistical variation, due to e.g. environmental factors or reading a meniscus incorrectly (parallax).

The conclusion of the discussion section often summarizes your final findings in a few sentences. Future directions and experiments are often considered, based on the outcome of the experiment.

References References are listed in order that they appear in the report, with corresponding numbers. These are given in a format consistent with the ACS style guide. Example: 1. Dalton, H.R; Nelson, J.M. Tyrosinase from the Wild Mushroom, Lactarius Piperatus. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1939, 61, 2946-2950.

Style tips:

“Read” the report by scanning the figures in order. The figures should provide a self-explanatory overview of your data, using legends and captions. Decide what the data show, then create figures which highlight the most important points of your paper.
Use figures to present numerical trends, raw data (like a picture of a gel), or a model that explains your work. Use tables to present numerical, repetitive data. Don’t forget to include units!
All tables and figures must be numbered and have explanatory captions. Captions should allow the reader to understand the data without reading the text. Don’t forget axis labels for graphs. Include titles and legends as necessary.
Avoid making tables too large. It may be better to produce two separate tables and address each individually. • Avoid ineffective tables. Some information is better presented in one or two sentences.
Procedures and results are written generally in passive voice, to avoid personal bias and emphasize objectivity. This also stresses that the experimental outcome should not depend on the observer.
Do not write procedures as directions! E.g. “Heat the solution until it boils” is not acceptable. Instead, use “The solution was heated to boiling.”
The results section is written in past tense, since it is an account of you did in your experiment. Established scientific knowledge is written about in the present tense. o Example: “[…] was seen (Figure 3).” or “”The world is round.”
The discussion section is often written in present tense, as it reflects your current conclusions from the data. o Example: “Figure 3 suggests that […] “
Include reference numbers in your report using a superscript. Write out the corresponding full citation at the end of the report formatted according to the ACS style guide

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