GUIDE IN WRITING THE POST LABORATORY REPORT

1. General Format

✓ maximum of 6 pages
✓ 1.5 spacing
✓ Arial or Times New Roman
✓ Font size 11 pts

2. Useful reminders for each section

ABSTRACT

An abstract summarizes, usually in one paragraph of 300 words or less, the major
aspects of the entire paper in a prescribed sequence that includes:
1) the overall purpose of the experiment
2) the basic design of the experiment
3) major findings or trends found as a result of your analysis
4) a brief summary of your interpretations and conclusions.
https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/abstract

I. INTRODUCTION

• Place your objective and introduction here. State the objective clearly in a com-
plete sentence. A few explanatory sentences may be included, if needed.

• The introduction must start in a separate paragraph; should explain all equations,
theoretical principles, and assumptions that are used in the experiment and the
analysis. The primary purpose of the introduction is to show how the raw data is
manipulated to become results. Relevant equations used are to be presented and
described to illustrate their basis and origin.

• Define all variables used in the equations. Write equations using an equation
writer in a word processor. Ensure that your work does resemble the work de-
scribed in the report.

• The objective should answer the question: What is the lab objective designed to
determine?

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II. MATERIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL METHODS

• The materials section: What equipment and materials did you need for this lab
assignment? Describe or sketch how any equipment was connected. List the
name and amount of each item used.

• The experimental methods should give a detailed description in your own words
of how YOU accomplished the experimentation.

• *Tips This should include equipment used in the experiment as well as how it
was used. The description should have sufficient detail so that another experi-
menter could duplicate your efforts. For our case, how did you simulated your
processor, how did you derive your test cases, and how did you decide that your
processor was functioning correctly?

• Use sketches, diagrams or photos, to describe the experimental set-up. Label the
main components.

III. RESULTS
• In this section, you present the data in a straightforward manner with no analysis
of the reasons the results occurred or the biological meaning of the data (these
comments are reserved for the Discussion.) However, you should interpret the
data (preferably statistically), highlight significant data and point out patterns, cor-
relations, and generalisations that emerge. Write this section using the past
tense.

• Data are generally organized into tables and/or figures (graphs.) Tables and
figures must be accompanied by a narrative text. A Results section that includes
only a table or a figure and no text is not acceptable. Unreduced, unsummarised
or “raw” data should not be included. The text describes the results presented in
tables and figures and calls attention to significant data discussed later in the
report.

Use of Tables and Figures

Summarise data in a form that allows the reader to easily see any correlations, relation-
ships, or patterns that are important. Typical forms for doing this are tables and figures.
You should have a reason for each tabular or graphical representation. Certain require-
ments, however, must be met:

1) Refer to the tables as Tables; refer to all other items (graphs, pictures, drawings,
maps, etc.) as figures.

2) When you include a table and/or figure, you must refer to it in the text. For example,
consider the following sentence.

The results of the temperature experiment are somewhat confusing (Figure 1).
This sentence tells the reader that all the pertinent data are to be found in Figure 1 (a
graph, perhaps) and to refer to the figure while reading further.

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 3) Independently number tables and figures. For example, in a paper containing two ta-
bles and two figures, you would number the tables Table 1 and Table 2, and the figures
as Figure 1 and Figure 2.

4) Assign tables and figures their respective numbers on the basis of the order in which
you first mention them in the text. The first table you mentioned is Table 1, the second is
Table 2, etc. The same applies for the figures

5) Tables and figures should follow as closely as possible the actual page on which the
table or figure is mentioned in the text or be included on individual pages following Liter-
ature Cited. This makes it easier for the reader to refer to the table or figure when it is
mentioned.

6) All tables and figures must be numbered and must have self-explanatory captions.
The rules for composing the captions are the same as for composing the title of the pa-
per. The reader should be able to look at a table or figure and by reading the caption
know exactly what was done in that part of the experiment without having to read the
text for an explanation.
7) All tables and figures should include the units of measurement used (grams, meters,
seconds, etc.). Otherwise the data are meaningless. All columns in a table and both
axes (X axis and Y axis) of a graph must be independently labelled including units.

8) Headers for tables are always placed above the table, and captions for figures are al-
ways placed below the figure.

IV. DISCUSSION
• In this section, you attempt to explain the meaning of the results, giving particular
attention to the problem or hypothesis posed in the Introduction. You should ad-
dress physical, chemical, and biological factors that may have affected the re-
sults. The way the results came out may be advantageous or disadvantageous to
the biological system being considered (e.g., cell, organism) and you should dis-
cuss this. To do this competently, you should be familiar with appropriate litera-
ture including textbooks and journal articles (the background information men-
tioned in the Introduction).

• Compare the results to the background information and, in doing so, construct
explanations why the results occurred. You could also explain differences from or
similarities to any related experiments completed by other workers. Write this
section using present tense.

• In constructing explanations, you reach conclusions that explain the outcome,

support those conclusions with well-reasoned arguments, and documentation
from the existing body of knowledge (the scientific literature). In effect, you are
presenting and defending a point of view in the discussion section.

• In this section, you can also answer the post lab questions in your lab manual.

V. CONCLUSIONS
• Place your conclusions here. State your discoveries, judgments and opinions from the
results of this experiment. Make recommendations for further study. Suggest ways to
improve the results of this experiment.

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 VI. REFERENCES
Place your references here. Itemize any books, publication or websites that you refer-
enced in compiling your report. Provide authors, publisher, date of publication, page
number, etc. *Tips

Tips: Follow the standard format for typing a reference:

[1] Little, P., and Cardenas, M., “Use of Studio Methods in the Introductory Engineering
Design Curriculum,” Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 90, No. 3, 2001, pp. 309-
318.
[2] Nunally, J., Psychometric Theory, 2nd ed., New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill, 1978.
[3] Lister, B., “Next Generation Studio: A New Model for Interactive Learning,”
www.ciue.rpi.edu/pdfs/nextGenStudio.pdf.

APPENDICES
In this section, you may attach anything relevant supporting your report. Examples are given
here but are not limited to the listing items.
A. Data Tables. Place any data tables here. Data tables are for the convenience of the
extremely interested reader. These tables may contain any additional comparisons or
calculations that you have prepared. RESULTS may contain only summaries of your work.
Data Tables are the place to show everything that you did.
B. Sample Calculations. Place your sample calculations here. Demonstrate how you
performed the calculations made in the experiment. Include tabular results of computations
where such are made. Show the generic calculations to support all your work. Provide any
computer or calculator program listings, along with sample input and output. Use equation
writer in Microsoft Word or neatly write the equations by hand. An example of what can go
here is the state machine conclusion of the control unit.