Scientists discourage first person pronouns (I, we) in lab reports, which often leads to passive voice.
We collected the data becomes Data were collected.
Right (acceptable passive)
Adult female locusts were opened dorsally to reveal the nervous system.
Locust Ringer was applied periodically to keep the preparation moist.
Wrong (passive with dangling modifier)
To reveal the nervous system, adult female locusts were opened dorsally.
Key to corrections for these errors.
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Ineffective passive |
Revised as active |
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Melanogaster larvae were found to mature at 25% higher rates on the sucrose/fructose mix than on the pure sucrose.
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Melanogaster larvae matured at 25% higher rates on the sucrose/fructose mix than on the pure sucrose. |
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Acorns were eaten by squirrels. |
Squirrels ate acorns. |
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The percent saturation of goldfish haemoglobin at different partial pressures of oxygen is shown in Figure 1. |
Figure 1 shows the per cent saturation of goldfish haemoglobin at different partial pressures of oxygen |
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One ml of O2 was taken up by the barley seeds at 0°C.
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The barley seeds took up 1 ml of O2 at 0°C. |
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It was found that water traveled faster between solutions 1 and 2 than it did between solutions 1 and 3 (Figure 1). |
Figure 1 shows that water traveled faster between solutions 1 and 2 than it did between solutions 1 and 3. or Water traveled faster between solutions 1 and 2 than it did between solutions 1 and 3 (see Figure 1). |
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It is suggested that the decrease in the number of protozoa in ecosystem 2 resulted from the pollutant added being a toxin. |
The decrease in the number of protozoa in ecosystem 2 suggests that the pollutant added was a toxin. |
Sources:
A Google search on “lab reports” reveals thousands of websites about lab reports. Most are teachers’ handouts giving specific instructions for specific classes. Many of these specify passive voice on grounds of convention and objectivity. Here are some that specify active voice in lab reports.
Alvi, F.S. [Undated]. Guidelines for Writing
Long Laboratory Reports. Handout for EML-4304L Experiments in Thermal and Fluid
Sciences. Florida State University.
http://www.eng.fsu.edu/~alvi/EML4304L/webpage/longreport.htm
Accessed 2003 Sep 16.
Romeo, Mónica M. 2002 Spring. Guidelines for
Writing Lab Reports. Laboratory Calculus II, Duke University.
http://www.math.duke.edu/~mmromeo/32L08/guidelines.pdf.
Accessed 2003 Sep 16.
Sinervo, Barry. 2002 Nov. How to write a
scientific paper. Handout for Bio140L Field Behavioral Ecology.
http://www.biology.ucsc.edu/~barrylab/classes/bio140l/
PaperWrittingTips.htm [sic]. Accessed 2003 Sep 16.