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PHYS118 Lab Report Format

The PHYS118 Lab Report Format outlines the structure and requirements for writing a lab report, which must include a cover page, abstract, data analysis, and discussion. Each section has specific content guidelines, such as including experimental results, uncertainties, and a summary of findings. Proper scientific terminology, grammar, and past tense usage are emphasized throughout the report.

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2 views

PHYS118 Lab Report Format

The PHYS118 Lab Report Format outlines the structure and requirements for writing a lab report, which must include a cover page, abstract, data analysis, and discussion. Each section has specific content guidelines, such as including experimental results, uncertainties, and a summary of findings. Proper scientific terminology, grammar, and past tense usage are emphasized throughout the report.

Uploaded by

Thành Nguyễn
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PHYS118 Lab Report Format

Lab reports must be typed. Each report must include a cover page, an abstract, an
analysis of your experimental results (including your original data and any
additional notes, tables, or graphs), and a discussion of your findings. See the
descriptions below for what should be included in each section. Be sure to use
proper English grammar and spelling, but most importantly, use scientific
terminology appropriately! Lab reports should be written in past tense to explain
what you DID, not what you intended to do.

Cover Page

 Title of experiment
 Lab section and TA name
 Date the experiment was performed
 Your name
 Names of your lab partners (identified as such)
 Honor pledge and your signature

Abstract

The abstract is a concise summary of the lab report. A good abstract should
state the purpose, procedure, principal results, conclusion, and implications
of the lab in a single paragraph that is generally 100 to 200 words in length
(use your word processor’s word count tool to check length).
INTRODUCTION (OPTIONAL)

Introduction (Optional)

A complete scientific lab report has an introduction that gives the context for
the experiment, the background theory, and a description of the
experimental procedure and equipment used. For simplicity and brevity, you
are not required to include this section, but you may do so if you prefer. In
cases where a particular lab does not have a prescribed procedure, or you
used a procedure that was significantly different than the one described in
the instructions, you should clearly explain what you actually did either in
the introduction or discussion sections.
DATA AND RESULTS
Analysis

The analysis section contains the data and results of the experiment. The
results must be well organized and easy to read. When appropriate, tables or
graphs should be used to present data and results. Graphs must be properly
constructed with descriptive titles, labeled axes with relevant units, and
calculated parameters properly interpreted (e.g. what do the slope and
intercept represent?). All measured values must have four critical parts:

1. A label (word or symbol) that clearly identifies the measured value


2. The numerical value for the measurement (rounded to be consistent with the
uncertainty)
3. A reasonable estimate of the uncertainty associated with the measurement
4. An appropriate unit of measure (SI units are usually preferred)

Sample calculations, including an analysis of the experimental uncertainties,


should be shown for any derived or calculated values as appropriate.
DISCUSSION

Discussion

In the discussion section, summarize the results you obtained, and then
discuss any discrepancies between your results and what was expected
according to the given theoretical predictions or your own hypotheses. Did
the experimental results agree with your predictions or the findings from
other lab groups? If not, what is the most likely reason for the discrepancy?
Remember to consider the uncertainty of your results when determining
agreement. Identify the primary source of error in your results and justify
your answer based on your uncertainty estimates. (Note: General statements
without justification and explanation are not acceptable. “Human error” is
not an acceptable source of error since it is too general to be useful.) How
could you improve the quality of your measurements with the available
equipment? What did you learn or discover from this lab? The discussion
section for most labs should be about one to two pages in length. Remember
that your discussion will be graded on the quality of your explanations, not
the quantity.

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