Section outline

  • Course Overview

    This course will equip you with the skills to write a clear, well-structured lab report. You’ll learn how to effectively use visuals to support data, properly cite sources to avoid plagiarism, and organize your ideas clearly. You’ll also assess your work against established criteria, improve clarity and accuracy through editing and proofreading, and ensure your report meets all formatting and citation requirements. By the end, you’ll be confident in producing a polished, professional lab report.

    Learning Outcomes

    This course will help you to:

    1. Effectively use visuals to support data, organize ideas clearly, and avoid plagiarism through proper citation
    2. Evaluate and refine your work using established criteria to enhance clarity, accuracy, and structure through editing and proofreading
    3. Produce a polished, professional lab report that meets all formatting, citation, and content requirements 

    • Course Instructor: Diana Hopkins

      • Diana Hopkins

        Diana Hopkins has been working in the area of Academic English Teaching for over 20 years. She has worked as an educator in the UK, China, Japan, Turkey, Bangladesh and Malaysia teaching students from a range of backgrounds and levels. Whist at the University of Bath, she led programmes offering discipline-specific input on academic skills across the university. She has written a number of publications including Sage’s The Academic Skills Handbook with Tom Reid, and has run workshops for academics on communication skills in both the UK and abroad, including at universities in Brazil, Mexico, and Poland. Diana is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Authority (SFHEA) and now works as a freelance academic skills consultant and writer.

        View Bio for Diana Hopkins

      • Pre-Course Self Assessment

        Before you dive into this course, spend a few moments reflecting on your familiarity with the topic and your current level of skills confidence.

        You will then re-visit the same questions in our Post-Course Self Assessment and reflect on how the course has helped you develop in confidence and grow your skills.

        • Module One: What Is a Lab Report?

          This module will help you to:  

          1. Explain the rationale behind writing lab reports  
          2. Structure the key sections of a lab report  
          3. Identify what information is required in each section  
          4. Recognize the differences between lab reports from different disciplines 

        • Module Two: How Do I Write My Lab Report?

          This module will help you to:  

          1. Gain the confidence to begin writing
          2. Navigate the writing process
          3. Stage your writing to ensure a successful final product   

        • Module Three: Using Visuals and Sources in My Lab Report

          This module will help you to:  

          1. Include visuals to support your lab report
          2. Use and cite sources in your lab report
          3. Recognize the importance of acknowledging the work of others to avoid plagiarism  

        • Module Four: Is My Lab Report Any Good?

          This module will help you to:  

          1. Apply your department’s assessment criteria to assess your own work
          2. Use techniques to improve your work through editing and proofreading
          3. Determine when you are ready to submit your work 

        • Glossary of Key Terms

          In addition to the glossary you’ll find woven throughout the course, you can find the full glossary collated in one place here.

        • Post-Course Self Assessment

          Now you’ve completed the course, spend a few moments reflecting on where your familiarity with the topics and your confidence skills levels are at now. 

          Has the course helped you develop new skills and grow your confidence?

          You'll need to complete the Post-Course Self Assessment in order to download your certificate. If you didn't do the Pre-Course Self Assessment before starting the course, please go to the top of the page and reflect on your familiarity with the topic and your level of skills confidence before you started the course.

          • Completion: Certificate

            Completing all modules (plus the pre and post-course assessments) will unlock the course certificate, which you can then download here. Your course certificate will only be made available once you have completed all these sections.

            If you have difficulty accessing your certificate, please contact the Sage support team at: onlinesupport@sagepub.co.uk. You can also check out this FAQ page which may be helpful.

            • Give Feedback About This Course

              Did you enjoy the course? Please take two minutes to share your feedback. We use learner feedback in future course updates and developments to provide an excellent learning experience.

            • Accessibility

              We have high standards of accessibility on Sage Campus and as of May/June 2024 all activities within this course are keyboard and screen reader compatible. For more details on accessibility standards, please see the Sage Campus Accessibility Guide.

              For those using assistive technology, please note that within this course:

              • Tab components: JAWS and NVDA behave slightly differently. For NVDA to keep reading, it is best to exit focus mode and go back to browse mode. 
              • Matching: JAWS does not read out question label on dropdown focus.