2.4: Post-Lab

Lab Manual: Analytical Chemistry at Duke · LibreTexts

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    From LibreTexts, under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, as the source states it; its equations are written in TeX, which the PDF shows typeset. This page at LibreTexts.

    This assignment is designed to help you practice presenting scientific results: you will practice writing a results section and writing a discussion section —two essential skills you will use throughout this course and in your future work as a scientist. In this post-lab, you will interpret data, communicate findings through clear figures and statistics, and reflect on your experimental design choices. These are the same skills you will apply in the three major projects later this semester.

    This assignment is graded and considered final—revisions are not accepted. Use it as an opportunity to check your understanding of calibration, error analysis, and data presentation before we move into larger projects. Completing this assignment thoughtfully will help you identify strengths and areas for improvement before those higher-stakes assignments.

    Post-Module Assignment

    1. Results Section: In your own words with data tables and plots created by you:
      • Clear figures that show your calibration curves.
        • Label each curve with the tool used (Class A glassware or automatic pipettes).
        • Overlay the curves for easy comparison.
      • Clear Descriptions: All figures should be introduced/described to the reader using text - just showing data is not sufficient.
        • State the key calibration statistics for each curve: For example, R², slope ± error, intercept ± error.
        • State whether each calibration was validated using your control solution.
        • Report the calculated concentration of your unknown sample using each method.
    2. Discussion Section: Write a short discussion (~300–500 words) that:
      • Compares the results: Which tools produced more accurate and precise data? Back this up with your statistics and your error propagation results.
      • Explains which method was easier, faster, or more practical for you in the lab.
      • States your recommendations to your future self: When would you choose Class A glassware vs automatic pipettes? What advice would you give yourself next time to design a calibration plan that works best for your goal?
    Note on Writing and Format of Post-Lab Assignments

    Beginning with this module, all post-lab report sections should be written in the style of a scientific manuscript. For Module 2, this means you are responsible for writing complete Results and Discussion sections, with clear headings, figures, and tables formatted appropriately. Later modules will expand to include additional manuscript sections (Introduction, Methods, Conclusions, etc.), but you should treat each post-lab from this point forward as a piece of a professional scientific manuscript. 

    Reminders and Tips:

    • Review the expectations for a figure (PChem Lab!) to be sure your data plots, tables, and their captions are meeting expectations.
    • Use correct units and report values with appropriate errors and certainty (sig. figs. and errors). 
    • Describe each piece of data using text in the results section. Figure captions and data alone are not sufficient for a results section.
    • Proofread your work for clarity.
    • Think of this as writing a small piece of a scientific report for your future research self.
    • Think of this as practice for writing the results and discussion sections for future assignments in this course.

    © 2026 Kathryn L. Haas · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 

    This page titled 2.4: Post-Lab was last modified on Tue, 06 Oct 2026 12:42:08 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Kathryn Haas.