How to be a Successful Organic Chemist

33 6 How to WRITE A REPORT Introduction You prepared for the lab, finished the experiment, and now you have to compile a report. This writing assignment can in many ways be equally as challenging as the actual experiment itself. In this chapter, we will cover the best way to write a sound, well-written and scientifically coherent report. 6.1 The basics Different lab courses 14 will have different report requirements, but the organic chemistry reports at PSU are based on the framework followed in most scientific research articles. These are typically divided into three parts: 1. The why: gives the information necessary to contextualize the experiment, states the goal of the experiment. 2. The how: gives information about how the experiment was performed 3. The what: provides relevant data and interpretation as it relates the goal of the experiment Below is a table showing the different pieces that need to be included in your lab reports. 14  Different scientific disciplines, and even sub-disciplines, have different reporting requirements, different ways of pre- senting information, and different ways of using technical language. Table 1. Key goals of a report # Section Name Key goals of section 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Why Why How How What What What What Title Purpose of Reaction scheme Procedure Data Discussion Conclusion References A short title of the experiment. The main goal and purpose of the experiment. The reaction scheme for the transformation attempted. A description of the procedure is provided so that a professional can reproduce your experiment. The key data obtained are presented, usually in tabulated form. The results and findings from #5 are discussed, and the outcome of the experiment as it pertains to #2 is explained A conclusion is stated, based on the results. Relevant references are provided.