A lab report is a written document that presents the findings of experiments, studies, or investigations carried out in a laboratory. In a lab report, there are multiple components to take into consideration. It typically includes a title page, an abstract, an introduction, materials and methods, results, a discussion, and a conclusion. Consequently, the lab report needs to be precise and coherent. To dictate whether a lab report is credible, Mike Markel lays the foundation of what lab reports should look like in his book “Technical Communication” in chapter 19, namely “Writing Lab Reports.” This paper expects to analyze and compare the lab report “Laboratory findings in COVID-19 diagnosis and prognosis” to the standards depicted by Markel. “Laboratory findings in COVID-19 diagnosis and prognosis” was written by Atieh Pourbagheri-Sigaroodi, Davood Bashash, Fatemeh Fateh, and Hassan Abolghasemic.
Title
The title is vital to a lab report, it is to give the reader an idea of what the lab report will be about. The title is essentially a compass, which allows the reader to determine if this is what they are searching for. According to Markel, the title should be informative enough to know if the report will interest them, “An informative title helps scientists and engineers save time by using abstracting and indexing services to locate the research most relevant for their needs.” (2017, p.520). The title of the lab report, “Laboratory findings in COVID-19 diagnosis and prognosis” is informative enough for the readers to determine what the report will be about. It is directed toward a specific target audience or niche. The report is for those who are interested in the data on covid-19 diagnosis and the prognosis of covid-19. It shows that it is pertinent to the rest of the report.
Abstract
An abstract’s goal is to give a summary of the study, including the research question or hypothesis, methods used, significant findings, and conclusions. The Abstract is summarized in the same chronological order as the lab report. In “Technical Communication”, Markel states that each section of the lab report is to be summarized in one or two sentences due to space limitations (2017, p.520). In the lab report, the article’s background and purposes, the methodology, the main findings, and article’s conclusions are all briefly summarized in the abstract. The abstract emphasizes the significance of a quick and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19 and the need for laboratory testing in accomplishing these objectives.
Introduction
The introduction is where the author declares the significance of the lab report, and why it matters. In “Technical Communication”, Markel explains in the introduction of a lab report, it should state the research question and its significance, provide a brief overview of relevant previous research, and explain how the current study contributes to the field. The amount of theoretical background provided should be appropriate for the intended (2017, p.520). In “Laboratory findings in COVID-19 diagnosis and prognosis”, the introduction section provides a detailed overview of the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of accurate diagnosis and
monitoring in controlling the spread of the virus. It describes the challenges
and limitations of current COVID-19 diagnostic methods and emphasizes the role
of laboratory tests in providing an accurate and timely diagnosis.
Materials and Methods
The methods and materials section of a lab report provides a detailed description of the experimental procedures, including the materials used, the experimental setup, and the methodology employed. According to Markel, for another researcher to repeat the experiment, the materials and methods section in a research report should describe how the experiment was carried out in great detail. It should provide a concise and well-organized summary of the tools, processes, and any modifications done (2017, p.521). In the lab report, the laboratory tests and techniques utilized in the study are covered in the article’s materials and methods section. The study population, lab testing, and statistical techniques utilized to analyze the data are all fully described in detail.
Results
The information gathered during the experiment or research is presented in the lab report’s results section, typically as tables, graphs, or figures. The results should be concisely summarized in this part, with an emphasis on significant discoveries and patterns. In “Technical Communication”, Markel advises that even if your results contradict your theory, be truthful and thorough in how you portray them. The purpose is to convince readers that your results are credible (2017, p.522). In the report, the study’s conclusions are presented in the results section together with the lab test results for COVID-19 patients. Each laboratory test’s sensitivity, specificity, predictive significance in estimating disease severity, and patient outcomes are all covered in detail.
Discussion
The results are interpreted, analyzed, and the consequences of the findings are presented in the discussion portion of a lab report. A comparison of the findings with prior research or written materials on the subject should also be included in this part. According to Markel, To advance the field, researchers should not be afraid to communicate troubling facts or unfavorable findings. It’s crucial to cite prior research and offer potential explanations for any discrepancies in your findings (2017, p.522). The lab report “Laboratory findings in COVID-19 diagnosis and prognosis” does not contain a specific section fordiscussion. However, there are some instances of referencing other research andsuggesting possible explanations for differences is important. For COVID-19
diagnosis and prognosis, a combination of laboratory tests may be most effective due to variability in individual tests.
Conclusion
A lab report’s conclusion highlights the relevance of the data and its consequences while summarizing the main conclusions of the experiment or research. Markel believes that the goal of the research and the hypotheses investigated should be briefly reviewed in the conclusion, which should then be followed by a discussion of the most significant implications of the findings. Without providing any new details or analysis, the conclusion’s principal goal is to persuade the audience of the work’s importance (2017, p.522). The article acknowledges limitations in its ability to provide a definitive conclusion due to various factors. Nonetheless, a review of the scientific literature demonstrates the importance of laboratory measurements as useful biomarkers in COVID-19 patients.
References
The references section identifies the sources used to create the report. In “Technical Communication” Markel states it’s crucial to list all the references consulted in a lab report. This includes any other parts where sources were cited, such as the introduction, materials and methods, and discussion sections. It is important to ask the instructor about their preferences because scientists and engineers often have a particular documentation method for their field (2017, p.523). The lab report, “Laboratory findings in COVID-19 diagnosis and prognosis”, adequately states all the sources and references they utilized for the article. The authors chose to portray the information in this manner because all the references were accessible to the reader for a deeper search or clarification. Hence, they did not pry too much into the specifics of the diagnosis and prognosis of covid-19. Similarly, the charts and graphs were a great way to depict copious amounts of information whilst being compared in relation to one another.
A lab report may additionally have appendices, and acknowledgments in addition to these sections. Further information, figures, or tables that weren’t presented in the report’s main body may be found in the appendices. The acknowledgments section thanks those who helped or supported the research.
References
- Markel, M., & Selber, S. A. (2017). “Technical Communication” (12th ed.). Bedford/St. Martin’s, Macmillan Learning.
- Pourbagheri-Sigaroodi, A., Bashash, D., Fateh, F., & Abolghasemi, H. (2020). “Laboratory findings in COVID-19 diagnosis and prognosis”. Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry, 510, 475-482. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cca.2020.08.019
Self-reflection
In summary, the lab report “Laboratory findings in COVID-19 diagnosis and prognosis” aligns with the standards defined in Mike Markel’s book, “Technical Communication”. The title effectively and appropriately informs the reader of the report’s topic. The lab report structure is typical and includes an abstract, an introduction, methods and materials, results, and a conclusion. The introduction establishes the report’s background and significance; the methods and materials describe the experimental techniques; the results present the findings; and the conclusion summarizes the primary conclusions. The abstract provides an overview of each component of the report.
Learning outcomes from analyzing this lab report according to the standards outlined in “Technical Communication” include the significance of a clear and insightful title, which can assist readers in determining if the report is relevant to their needs. The study and its main conclusions can also be summarized in a compact and well-organized abstract. The introduction should include a quick summary of prior research as well as establish the context, explain the report’s significance, and set the report’s context. To enable other researchers to duplicate the experiment, the methods and materials should contain a thorough description of the experimental procedures as well as any alterations performed. Even if the findings contradict the researcher’s hypothesis, the findings should be plainly reported with an emphasis on important discoveries and trends. The data should be interpreted and analyzed, compared to prior research, and any inconsistencies should be discussed along with possible causes. Lastly, the conclusion should summarize the key findings of the report while highlighting the relevance of the data and its implications.
overall, using the criteria stated in “Technical Communication,” aids in creating a high-quality lab report. It highlights the significance of each component of the report and the format that should be used to present the findings of the research to the reader.
