How do I write an introduction for a lab report?

How do I write an introduction for a lab report?

The introduction briefly describes the basic concepts and background information that are needed to understand why the experiment is important. This includes information about the theory this experiment is testing, the principles used, previous renditions of the experiment and briefly discussing their findings, and explaining the necessary formulas used in the experiment. This information must come from outside sources, and proper citations in APA format with in-text citations are necessary. The introduction should also provide a clear sense of the importance of the experiment and research that has been conducted by other scientists. This section is brief - roughly 2 - 3 paragraphs in length.  It is concise and direct. Finally, similar to a thesis statement, the introduction will end with a clear research question. 


To begin: 

  • The purpose of this experiment was to ___.

  • It is important to note ___. 

  • Previous experiments by ____ revealed ____ .

  • This laboratory experiment focuses on ___. 

  • This lab is designed to help ___. 

  • ____ theory describes ___ as ____ .  


To write a research question: 

  • Be specific, focused, and realistic 

  • How and Why questions are best for analyzing the problem

  • Can also use words like “critique”, “argue”, “examine”, and “evaluate” when writing your question. 

  • Describing and exploring:

    • What are the characteristics of ___? 

    • How has ___ changed over time? 

  • Explaining and Testing: 

    • What is the relationship between __ and __ ? 

    • What is the impact of __ on __ ? 

  • Evaluating and Acting: 

    • What are the advantages and disadvantages of ___? 

    • How can __ be improved? 


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