Physics 221

Guidelines for Laboratory Reports

Each laboratory you work through this semester will require a laboratory report. The following list is a set of `rules of thumb' to keep in mind as you write your reports. The order of the items does NOT reflect their importance! You should keep all of this ideas in mind when you write.

1. The standard outline of any scientific lab report is the following.
   1. Motivation and objectives.

   2. Apparatus and procedure.

   3. Results and analysis.

   4. Conclusions.

2. Keep the written portion of the report to single page. Use the following pages for figures, captions, derivations, sample calculations, tables, drawings, etc. The goal here is to focus on the things that are most important instead of generating a lot of text. For example, if the apparatus is described in a manual available on the web, then summarize in a few words the apparatus and the procedure and then refer the reader to that reference `for more details.'

3. Whenever you write, you should keep you audience in mind. In this course, write so that another physics student who is not in the class can understand what you are doing.

4. Use appendices for derivations and sample calculations.

5. Significant figures should be accurate throughout anything you write.

6. Build your report around your procedure, data, and figures.

7. If you don't discuss it in the text, don't include it in the report.

8. Number the pages, figures, tables, and appendices and use those numbers when you refer to those items in the report.

9. Use proper scientific notation and symbols throughout the report. All reasonable word processors now have equation editors.

10. Use proper units.

11. Don't contradict yourself. Your conclusions should be based on what you actually observe; NOT what you expect to see or what some manual tells you.