Checklist for a Biology Lab Report at Gallaudet University

Developed by Derek Braun and Raymond Merritt, Gallaudet University Department of Biology

Title and Abstract

• Does your title appropriately summarize your conclusion, in one sentence?
• Does your abstract summarize the paper in one paragraph, beginning with a brief introduction to the paper and ending with a summary of your conclusions?

Background or Introduction

• Do you provide sufficient background information so that the reader can completely understand the experiment?
• Do you present a hypothesis?

Materials and Methods or Methodology

Is the methodology clearly presented, and described in detail?

Results and Discussion

• Is there an appropriate analyses of your data?
• Is your data presented neatly in chart form, with graphs and/or figures where required?
• Have you summarized and explained your results?
• Do you have a clear conclusion, where you either support or refute your hypothesis?

Format, Clarity, and Readability

• Have you followed the appropriate format for a lab report? Have you organized material appropriately?
• Have you properly cited material, which you took from other sources, in all sections of the paper except for the abstract?
• Is the paper written in a clear manner? Is it easily understandable? Is it free of both grammatical and spelling errors?