The introduction section appears at the beginning of the lab report, just after the abstract. Its main function is to state the purpose and the objective of the experiment. Unlike the lab report abstract, which is brief and offers an overview of the entire report, the introduction is comprehensive and is focused on providing a detailed background of the study.
Essentials of a Lab Report Introduction
The lab report introduction also establishes the context required to understand the need for and the outcome of the experiment. It can be anywhere from a paragraph to a page long depending on how much background information about the experiment is shared.
Following is a list of elements that an introduction section should include:
Scope of the experiment: The scope of the experiment details the extent to which the research was carried out and the boundaries within which the study was conducted. This part also includes details on the topic of the study. For example, if the experiment is on diffusion and osmosis, then the introduction should start with the description of what a cell is, go on to explain what diffusion and osmosis mean, and lay down what the aim of the experiment is.
Hypothesis: Hypothesis is an anticipated outcome of the experiment. While it is usually a part of the lab report introduction, it may sometimes be included as a separate section.
Literature Review: The introduction also provides additional information about similar experiments in support of the hypothesis. The existing literature on the topic is analyzed and summarized and included in the introduction; this is known as literature review.
References and citations: All the primary and secondary sources used in the literature review should be credited with proper references and citations. It is important to provide citations to avoid plagiarism.
Below is a lab report introduction example from an Osmosis and Diffusion lab report to help better understand how the introduction section can be written.
Introduction:
The purpose of this experiment was to demonstrate the process of how osmosis works in a cell. This lab activity relates to osmosis by representing how the solutions moved from high to low concentration through the permeable membrane. Osmosis has three different types of tonicity. With a hypotonic solution, for example, an animal cell expands because the solvent is moving into the cell. In an animal cell that has a hypertonic solution for example, the cell begins to shrivel because the solute leaves the cell. Unlike hypo and hyper solutions, an isotonic solution has equal amounts of concentration of solute and solvent. This allows the cell to maintain its original structure. If two solutions are separated by a semipermeable membrane, then the flow of water is either constricted or released.
Tips to Write a Lab Report Introduction
- Start with a great hook: Using a great hook is a good way to start the introduction section of the lab report. A good opening paragraph demonstrates the report writer’s ability to present scientific information in a comprehensible manner, which in turn shows their understanding about the topic of study.
- Ensure that the information is sequential: The information presented should have a logical flow, making it easy to follow.
- Come up with a compelling hypothesis: Since the hypothesis states the anticipated outcome of the experiment, it should be articulated in a way that it is easy to understand.
- Always use formal language: Students should always stick to formal writing when it comes to the lab report or any other form of academic writing assignment.
The introduction paragraph is all important because it includes every piece of essential information related to the experiment. It, however, does not detail any actual procedures carried out during the experiment because all that is detailed in the materials and methods section of the lab report.
