Chemistry 315
Lab Report Guidelines
Overview
Use the file Lab Report Template on Compass 2g to prepare lab reports for submission
in Chem 315 Instrumental Characterization of Chemical Systems.
Using the template
Open the template file and save under a new name as a .doc or .docx for the report.
Replace/delete text in square brackets with your work.
Citations should be made as in-line superscripts, not footnotes! (Here is an example.1)
You may also use Endnote if you wish, although this is not necessary.
References should be written in ACS style. Guides for this are available online or at the
UIUC Chemistry Library. Examples:
1. Gewirth, A. A.; Thorum, M. S. Inorg. Chem. 2010, 48, 3557-3556.
2. Yang, J. A.; Murphy, C. J. Langmuir. 2012, 28, 5404-5416.
Equations should be centered on their own line and labeled with a number in parentheses
as follows:
(1)
where A is the absorbance of the sample, is the molar absorptivity in M-1cm-1, l is the
path length in cm, and C is the analyte concentration in M. Equations should be indented
and numbered independently of figures and tables. An explanation of EACH variable
(with units, if appropriate) should follow the equation, with variables italicized whenever
they appear in text. Microsoft Equation Editor is a good Windows tool to use for this.
Whenever this equation is used in the report (to make as little as one calculation or as
much as an entire graph), it should be referenced in the text as Equation 1.
1
Molecular structures and chemical reactions should appear on their own line, centered
on the page, and numbered as an equation. More complex reactions should be reported
as a figure (see figure rules below). Handwritten figures are not acceptable; use a
molecular drawing software program, such as ChemDoodle or ChemDraw, available at:
ChemDoodle (request a site license activation code for your @illinois.edu email address):
http://www.chem.illinois.edu/clcwebsite/ChemDoodle.html
ChemDraw: http://computing.scs.illinois.edu/content/chem-draw-scs-illinois
Do not show a general reaction mechanism in your results or discussion, unless the lab
text specifically asks for one. Show the actual chemicals involved in the reaction you
performed in lab.
Use significant figures carefully, and avoid reporting extra decimal places that imply an
accuracy/precision beyond that of the technique or instrument. Although accuracy &
precision in this course are not graded explicitly, points will be deducted for highly
inaccurate results and for results reported with unreasonable significant figures. For
more on significant figures and error propogation, see Skoog, Kellner or any other
analytical chemistry textbook.
If you had no lab partner for an experiment, state this rather than omitting the section.
Other stylistic advice:
Data are, not: data is
Spectrum is, spectra are
Units should have a space before them: 10 mL, not 10mL.
Numbers less than one should have a leading zero: 0.0112 M, not .0112 M.
Integers between (and including) zero and ninety-nine should be written out.
Describe work performed in the past tense.
Avoid contractions: do not instead of dont.
2
Avoid: I believe, I think, or I guess Write authoritatively in the 3rd person.
Superscripts and subscripts should be used whenever appropriate, e.g. cm2, NOT cm^2.
Acronyms must be written out the first time they are used, e.g. high-performance liquid
chromatography (HPLC) was used. HPLC is a useful method for separation of
Use a spell and grammar checker. It is the easiest way to avoid unnecessary and easily
overlooked errors.
Underlining is discouraged: use italics for emphasis and bold for headers.
Words to avoid: just, obviously, simply, create, very, nearly.
React is transitive. Acceptable: A and B react. Unacceptable: A was reacted with B.
Chemical names and element names are not capitalized, we use copper, not Copper.
Use small caps for oxidation states: e.g. copper(II) not copper(II). To do this simply write
copper(ii) and highlight and right click ii and format font to small caps.
This as a noun is vague and must be avoided. Vague: This was added to the solution
Clearer: This reagent was added to the solution.
In case you do not know:
Laboratory reports (and all other coursework) must be written independently by you.
Identical reports or sections of reports are considered plagiarism as is copying reports
from previous years. This will be awarded a zero grade.
Tables and figures
Table 1. The calculated rate constant for each experiment and the completion time for
each experiment. Experiment 2 occurred at a faster rate than experiment 1.
Experiment Rate constant /s-1 Time to completion /min
1 0.0124 12.1
2 0.0143 11.7
3
The caption for Table 1 is centered ABOVE the table and contains a brief description in
1-2 complete sentences. Any tables or figures given in the data or results sections should
not contain data interpretation: just the facts. Note the caption states the facts of the two
experiments without addressing WHY.
Table 1 is centered on the page and all the information is centered within the cells. The
data is reported to a REASONABLE and CONSISTENT number of significant figures
(see below). The column headings contain units where appropriate. This table should be
referred to as Table 1 any time its data is referenced in the report text.
Graphs
Reaction of Copper (II) Ion
0.25
0.20 y = -0.0188x + 0.705
R 2 = 0.993
Relative Absorbance
0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00
0 10 20 30 40
Time (s)
Figure 1. Absorbance as a function of time for the reaction of copper(II) ion.
The caption for Figure 1 is centered BELOW the figure and contains a brief description.
Figures and tables are numbered independently.
Several formatting changes have taken place since the figure was first created in a
spreadsheet.
4
The figure has a very brief title (not necessary, but helpful in reports) and descriptive axis
titles (with units!).
The gray plot background and all gridlines have been removed.
The plot background has been boxed in entirely.
A trend line has been added to the data showing the slope and the R2 value (not always
necessary).
The number of significant figures on each axis has been set to be consistent over the
entire axis.
The number of significant figures in the line equation and the R2 value are manually set.
The spreadsheet default is generally four digits after the decimal, but only 3 SFs were
reported in Table 1, so only three are reported in Figure 1, since the data is directly
related in this case.
The axes are rescaled to fit all data points and make full use of available plot area.
Use tables when the data cannot be presented clearly as narrative, when many precise
numbers must be presented, or when more meaningful interrelationships can be conveyed
by the tabular format. Tables should supplement, not duplicate, text and figures. Tables
should be simple and concise. It is preferable to use the Table Tool in your word-
processing package, placing one entry per cell, to generate tables.
