Physics 309

Guidelines for Laboratory Reports

We will routinely do computational laboratories in this course. Learning how to write scientifically is one of the course goals. 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. Purpose, motivation and objectives.

   2. Methods, apparatus (not much in this course), and procedure (show your work here).

   3. Calculations, results, and analysis.

   4. Discussion and conclusions.

2. Lab reports will often require math writing. Depending on your technical writing skills, typing up equations on a computer can be inefficient. Handwritten solutions to the mathematical portions of the laboratory are acceptable if neatly and clearly presented.

3. All mathematical writing will require proper notation (subscripts, superscripts, etc) and nomenclature. If you have a question while you're writing, scanning the portions of your text which contain derivations and problem solutions can be helpful.

4. Show all the steps to get full credit. If you use integral tables, Mathematica, or other resources reference the source.

5. Perform calculations symbolically first to obtain the final equations and then insert numbers. Resist the urge to insert numbers right away. You lose information when you do that. Inserting numbers inappropriately will be penalized.

6. The written portion of the report should be succinct and concise. Use 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.

7. The default limit on text will be two pages. Figures and long derivations are not included in that limit.

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

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

10. Build your report around your calculations, algorithms, and figures.

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

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

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

14. Use proper units everywhere.

15. Label all axes on plots, include a caption, and include a legend or its equivalent when you have multiple curves or data sets on a figure.

16. Don't contradict yourself.

17. Don't include random code fragments from Mathematica unless you discuss them completely. Yout plotting commands add little to the report. If you do something interesting in your code discuss it carefully.