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/sci/ - Science & Math

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2743740 No.2743740 [Reply] [Original]

Hey I have this super basic question about lab reports that always bothered me. In the introduction, should things be past tense or present tense? Should it be like "This experiment was performed by doing blah blah because blah blah" or should it be "In order to do this experiment, we plan to blahahah. " I mean, I've already done the experiment so I'm guessing past tense but since I need to include an objective in the introduction, doesn't it make more sense to write present tense? Ugh, so confused. If anyone could show me a good introduction example, that'd be great. Cute girl for motivation is related.

>> No.2743757

bump :( halp, I believe in you /sci/, I'm really hoping some of you are actually science majors.

>> No.2743766

>>2743740

It really depends how anal the professors or lab TAs are. If you want to go for safe measure, always use passive voice, and in which case, passive voice only sounds good in past tense.

>> No.2743769

it should look something like this

>An experiment was carried out to determine ____________.

>> No.2743782

>>2743769

Should I actually go in detail to explain how it was done? That sounds more like a procedure. Or should I just be general and explain why I did what I did?

>> No.2743791

>>2743782
you want to state what you were trying to understand what your prediction was how you did it and the results of the experiment

>> No.2743799

>>2743791

Shouldn't you not include the results though, because it's an introduction?

>> No.2743815

>>2743799

i mean for the whole report the report should be done in essay format just like you would on an sat or whatever
the introduction should tell the reader what they are about to read and give basic info
any other requirements are up to your teacher

>> No.2743817

>>2743740
ok OP I guess I am the one who is going ask this

1) I hope to God that that picture is a girl and not a trap
2) Who is it?
3) Moar!
4) fapfapfap (if traptraptrap I guess I lose)

>> No.2743855

Guy who's nearly finished writing his thesis/publication manuscript here:

EVERYTHING is in past tense. The only exception may be certain parts of your discussion section ("Judging from the results in detailed in this study, it would appear that...").

>since I need to include an objective in the introduction, doesn't it make more sense to write present tense?
No. Just write it like "The objective of this study was to determine if the amount of hurr could predict the amount durr. To test this we mesured hurr during a Herp Instrusments derp-o-meter 9000...". Then again maybe your instructor wants you to write this lab report weird which is often the case. Ask him, not us.

>> No.2743864

thesis first?
then actual results?

>> No.2743916

>>2743855

Thanks, that helped quite a bit :)