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Writing an Effective Discussion Section of the Lab report

What is a lab report?

A lab report outlines a scientific experiment’s purpose, procedures, results and recommendations. The main aim of a laboratory report is to demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method by conducting and evaluating a practical laboratory experiment.

The most critical section of your lab report is the discussion. You show that you have completed the experiment and are aware of its broader implications. The discussion section relates the experimental results to the general theory. What do you think is the significance or meaningfulness of the results?

Many best lab report writing services provide step-by-step guidelines on how to write different sections of a report. Still, this blog will explain the elements of the discussion section and provide top-notch tips to write a perfect discussion of your lab report.

Basic Elements of Discussion

There are two fundamental elements of the discussion chapter of the lab report.

Analysis

What do the results show unambiguously? Conclude and describe what you know with certainty based on your results.

Interpretation

What are the consequences of your results?

Logical justifications are there for problems with the data?

What conclusion can be logically drawn from your analysis?

Tips and Tricks

1.  Try to Discuss Your Results in The Context of Theoretical Questions

ü  How well do the examples support the theory?

ü  What are the theoretical and practical implications of your findings?

ü  Describe the trends, ideas and relationships that your findings reveal.

ü  Describe the relationship between your findings and the literature you listed in your introduction and expectations. Explain any similarities, inconsistencies or exclusions.

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ü  Describe what additional studies might help clarify or resolve inconsistencies.

2.  Connect Your Experimental Target to The Results

Make sure you have identified the metal and its properties if you want to identify an unidentified metal by determining its lattice parameters and atomic structure.

3.      Comparing The Results Obtained with The Expected Results

Explain the differences, if any, and check if the instruments were accurate enough to measure. Was the sample biased?

4.      Discuss The Results

What impact do your findings have on ongoing research? Why was your research significant?

5.      Submit Suggestions for Upcoming Research

 Did your research spark any questions for additional study? What steps will this area of study take next?

A Strong Discussion Section Should

ü  Be similar in structure and scope to the introduction

ü  Confirm or refute your hypotheses

ü  Describe how your findings compare to previous studies

ü  Raise questions for future research

An Effective Discussion Section Should Not

ü  Repetition of Results

ü  Refer to the appendices, tables or figures

ü  Imply that something has been “proven.”

ü  Explore beyond the scope of the paper

Concluding Remarks

The discussion section aims to give a brief overview of your findings, relate them to your hypotheses and place them in the context of your field. You will present your views and thoughts in this most extensive part of the report. Remember that this part ends the hourglass and completes the scientific method.

Writing lab reports can be very time-consuming. As a budding scientist, making and testing hypotheses is much more exciting and valuable than summarizing the results.If you are ready to ask someone to “write my lab report”, opt for the best report-writing service in the UK. And free yourself from research!

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