In one of my first-year soil mechanics laboratories, I noticed a few students standing back while others did the work. I asked one of them why he was not taking part, and his answer was honest: he could not see the purpose.
As far as he was concerned, the only thing that mattered was obtaining the required result. He did not understand why he should get his hands dirty mixing soil when someone else could do it.
I explained that the laboratory was teaching him more than how to calculate a number. It was developing skills he could discuss on his CV, demonstrate in an interview and apply throughout his engineering career. I also told him about laboratory technicians whose careful work supports engineering design and provides a valuable professional career.
Something changed after that conversation. He and the students around him began to participate, ask questions and put real effort into the work. That experience is one reason I wrote this article.
Look beyond the number
For many students, laboratory work becomes a race to obtain a result, draw a graph and submit a report before the deadline. In soil mechanics, the result might be a moisture content, shear strength or coefficient of permeability.
Those results matter. But the professional skills developed around them deserve equal attention. Here are five.
Equipment calibration: can you trust what you measure?
Before trusting a reading, you need to understand the instrument producing it. Is the balance reading correctly? Has the equipment been calibrated or checked? Is it suitable for the measurement you are trying to make?
Calibration establishes how an instrument’s readings compare with a known reference. Together with routine equipment checks, it helps establish whether your measurements can be trusted.
An incorrect reading can travel quietly through your calculations and appear at the end as a convincing answer. No amount of neat calculation can rescue an unreliable measurement.
Where this appears in professional practice
Professional laboratories maintain equipment and calibration records because test results are only as reliable as the instruments behind them. Understanding this allows you to discuss data quality confidently in an interview or workplace.
Codes and standards: why must we follow a particular method?
Students sometimes ask why a test must be performed in a particular way, using a specified sample preparation method, loading rate or sequence.
The reason is simple: the method can influence the result. Codes and test standards provide an agreed framework for carrying out work, assessing it and communicating what was done. This allows other people to understand your results and compare them meaningfully with their own.
You are learning that professional work requires more than saying, “This is how I decided to do it.” You must be able to explain the basis of your method and any departure from it.
Where this appears in professional practice
When you can identify the standard you followed and explain why it matters, an employer can see that you understand how engineering work is checked and relied upon.
Health and safety: who could be affected by my actions?
A laboratory contains more than equipment and specimens. It also contains people.
Depending on the activity, you may encounter heavy components, hot surfaces, moving parts, chemicals or pressurised systems. Learning to identify hazards and follow appropriate controls is part of learning to work responsibly.
Safety is not simply wearing a laboratory coat for a photograph. It requires preparation, attention and a willingness to stop when something is unclear or unsafe.
A successful experiment produces useful evidence without harming the people carrying it out.
Where this appears in professional practice
The habits you develop in the laboratory influence how carefully you work with colleagues, supervise others and make decisions on site. Employers notice graduates who already consider how their actions may affect other people.
Fundamental theory: what does the result mean?
A machine may provide a reading, but understanding that reading requires knowledge and judgement.
Why did the specimen behave that way? What assumptions sit behind the calculation? Does the result make sense for the material and conditions tested?
If a result differs from what you expected, it may reflect:
- the actual behaviour of the specimen;
- sample disturbance;
- a measurement problem;
- a procedural error; or
- the limitations of the theory being applied.
The responsible response is to investigate the evidence, not adjust the result simply because it does not resemble the textbook example.
Where this appears in professional practice
Engineers are trusted for their judgement. Every time you examine an unexpected result honestly, you are practising that judgement.
Procedures and reporting: can someone understand what you did?
You may have performed an excellent experiment, but the person reading your report was probably not standing beside you.
Your report should explain:
- the material tested;
- the method and standard followed;
- the important observations;
- any departure from the procedure;
- the results obtained; and
- the limitations affecting your conclusions.
A clear report connects the method, evidence and interpretation. It also separates what you measured from what you inferred, allowing others to understand the basis of your conclusions before relying on them.
Where this appears in professional practice
Almost every engineering role involves writing for people who were not present. A strong laboratory report can also become evidence of technical communication in your student portfolio.
Before leaving your next laboratory session, ask yourself
- Can I trust the equipment and measurements?
- Which standard or procedure are we following?
- Who could be affected if something goes wrong?
- Does the result make physical sense?
- Have I recorded important observations, departures and limitations?
- Could another person understand and repeat what I did?
Save these questions and use them during your next practical session. They will help you look beyond the number at the end.
The learning beneath the experiment
The next time you enter a laboratory, pay attention to how you prepare, check, question and explain.
These habits develop through practice. Every carefully recorded observation and honestly discussed limitation contributes to the professional you are becoming.
Just as engineers investigate the ground before designing a foundation, we should examine the evidence before building a conclusion.
Your result is one outcome of the laboratory session. The judgement you develop is another.
What has laboratory work taught you beyond calculations and results? Share your experience in the comments.
Frequently asked questions
Why is obtaining the correct laboratory result not enough?
A result is useful only when the measurement is dependable, the procedure is appropriate and the interpretation is supported by evidence. Professional judgement includes understanding how the result was produced and what its limitations are.
What should I do if other students are operating the equipment?
Do not remain a spectator. Ask to take a turn, observe the equipment checks, record readings, note unusual behaviour and help interpret the result. Every member of the group should understand the complete test, not only one assigned task.
How can I describe laboratory experience on my CV?
Name the test or project, the standard or procedure followed, the equipment or software used and what you personally contributed. Include how you checked, interpreted or communicated the results rather than writing only “completed laboratory work.”
What should I do when my result differs from the expected value?
Do not change it simply to resemble a textbook answer. Check the equipment, calculations, sample condition, method and observations. Explain credible reasons for the difference and state any limitation affecting your conclusion.
Do I need to mention codes and standards in a university report?
Where a recognised test method was followed, identify it correctly and explain any important departure from it. Follow the reporting requirements given by your lecturer, laboratory or institution.
Is laboratory experience useful if I do not want to become a laboratory technician?
Yes. Calibration, safety, data quality, technical judgement and reporting are relevant across design, construction, research, consultancy and many other engineering roles.
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Damilola Akinniyi
Damilola is a geotechnical engineer, educator and mentor with experience across industry, research and university teaching. He helps students, graduates, professionals and organisations build practical skills, think clearly and create opportunities through engineering education, reflective tools, mentorship and training.
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