ADVANCED TECHNICAL WRITING

Lecture 8

Laboratory Report

17 / 7/ 2013

Cover PageIslamic University 2

• Course Title

• Experiment Number

• The Experiment Title

• By: (name of performer)

• The title and address of the performer

• The name of the supervisor

• Title and address of the supervisor

• Date: (month day, year)

ExampleIslamic University 3

Circuit Theory IExperiment number 1

Verification of Ohms’ Law

By

Ahmed Ali Sami Adel

Submitted toEng. Mohammed

Electrical & Computer Engineering Dept.Islamic University of Gaza

July 8, 2013

Title• Reflect the factual content with less than ten words in a straightforward manner

• Use keywords that researchers and search engines on the Internet will recognize

• Avoid abbreviations, and initials.

Islamic University 4

The format of the report

Islamic University 5

AIMRAD Abstract

IntroductionMethodsResultsAnalysis

Discussion+Conclusion

Abstract (informative)

One short paragraph

•Aims•Methods•Results

Islamic University 6

Aims

Concise but informativeOne or two sentences should be sufficient

Example:

To determine the relative molecular mass of an unknown dibasic acid

Islamic University Dr.Basil Hamed 7

Methods and Results

Explain in short the method or methods you used to get the results.

Write down your results

Islamic University 8

IntroductionA few paragraphs or a few pages.Includes:• Background• Theories, equations, and rules used in

calculations• Brief about the work (hypotheses) and

expectationsRemember to quote your sources (you should

include a bibliography of your references after the conclusions section).

Islamic University 9

Method Concise but sufficient for

someone to repeat the work. List materials used, how were

they used. Describe special pieces of

equipment.

Islamic University 10

Method - continue Use third person past tense Example: A solution of barium chloride (0.05 mg in

100 cm3) was prepared in water and titrated against silver nitrate.

Avoid starting a sentence with a number

Example: 0.05 mg of barium chloride was mixed with 100 cm3 water

Islamic University 11

Results

•Tabulate the numerical data when possible

•Make sure that you divide tables by measurements units such that you write only number inside the table

Islamic University 12

Results: Avoid

VoltageVoltageCurrentCurrentResistanceResistance

12.0 (V)12.0 (V)2.02.06.06.0

10.0 (V)10.0 (V)1.71.75.95.9

7.9 (V)7.9 (V)1.31.36.16.1

Islamic University Dr.Basil Hamed 13

Results: do not avoid

Voltage (V)Voltage (V)Current (mA)Current (mA)Resistance (kResistance (kΩΩ))

12.012.02.02.06.06.0

10.010.01.71.75.95.9

7.97.91.31.36.16.1

Islamic University Dr.Basil Hamed 14

Results - continue• Title all figures and tables; include a legend explaining

symbols, abbreviations, or special methods • Number figures and tables separately and refer to them in

the text by their number, i.e. • Figure 1 shows that the activity....

• The activity decreases after five minutes (Figure 1)

Islamic University 15

Analysis

Calculations and graphingInterpretation of results go into this section

Remember to layout your calculations clearly, showing each step

Islamic University 16

Discussion

How relevant are your results ? What errors are there ? Did something go wrong ?

Try to be positive Write your ideas to improve the experiment

Islamic University 17

Conclusion

Did you meet the aims of the experiment ?

Example: The relative molecular mass of the unknown was determined to be 146.5.

The conclusion should echo the Abstract and be as short as possible.

Islamic University 18

References

All references should be listed

Islamic University 19

Guess What

Islamic University 20

Yes it is homework # 4Write a lab experiment report for one

of the lab you tookDue Next Wednesday 24/07/2013