Queen Mary University of London School of Engineering and Materials Science

Laboratory report writing instructions DEN101 - Fluid Mechanics 1 Flow Rate Measure ent E!peri ent

"# Student
Student Number: 1234567

Version 2 !" 27 November 2!1! #em$%ate for &ord '7(2!!3

Abstract
#)is do*ument e+$%ains ,)at is e+$e*ted in your -%uids 1 %ab re$ort #)e se*tions t)at s)ou%d be *overed are out%ined and a stru*ture you *ou%d fo%%o, is $ro$osed .etai%ed advi*e on )o, to edit t)e re$ort is /iven #)e do*ument *on*%udes ,it) t)e mar0in/ *riteria for t)is %ab re$ort

Table of Contents
1bstra*t 1 2ntrodu*tion 1 1 &ritin/ 1 2 3ditin/ and formattin/ 1 3 4ontent of t)e introdu*tion 2 5a*0/round and t)eory 3 1$$aratus 4 3+$erimenta% $ro*edure 5 6esu%ts 6 .is*ussion 7 4on*%usions 7 6eferen*es ' 1$$endi+ 1: Mar0in/ *riteria 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 6

1. Introduction
5efore startin/ to ,rite a re$ort" you s)ou%d t)in0 about ,)at is your audien*e 1m 2 ,ritin/ for *o%%ea/ues ,)o ,ant a %ot of detai% )o, it is done" or am 2 ,ritin/ for my boss ,)o 8ust ,ants an e+e*utive summary as )e )as no time for detai%s9 2n /enera%" t)ere is not a sin/%e ty$e of audien*e and ,e )ave to ma0e our ,ritin/ suitab%e for t)e detai%ed read" as ,e%% as t)e fast $erusa% #o understand ,)at is re:uired from you in t)is re$ort" $%ease )ave a %oo0 at t)e mar0in/ *riteria in t)e 1$$endi+

1.1. Writing
#o %imit your time t)at you )ave to $ut into t)is" and to %imit t)e time of t)e reader ;i e t)e mar0er<" 2 %imit you )ere to 3!!! ,ords = 1$$endi+ ;More about t)e ro%e of t)e 1$$endi+ be%o, < 5ut you sti%% need to )ave a%% t)e essentia% e%ements in t)at vo%ume #)in0 about your boss" ,)o )as not mu*) time" but you sti%% need to im$ress )er >ou ,i%% ty$i*a%%y find t)at 5 $a/es seems not enou/) 5ut it is? @o ba*0 to your te+t and :uery every $)rase 2s it ne*essary to su$$ort my *on*%usions9 1m 2 sayin/ it in t)e most *om$a*t ,ay" but is it sti%% easi%y understandab%e and $resents a%% t)e ne*essary *ontent9

1.2. Editing and formatting

1 number of formattin/ standards are e+$e*ted from your te+t: #it%e$a/e: art,or0 and fan*y editin/ is not e+$e*ted" but of *ourse a re$ort t)at e+udes fo*us" *%arity and aut)ority ,i%% be read more %i0e%y >ou ,ou%d additiona%%y need t)e S3MS *overs)eet on to$ of your tit%e$a/e if you ,ere to submit on $a$er" but for t)is e%e*troni* submission you donAt need a *over$a/e 1bstra*t: >ou need to ans,er your bossA :uestion B.o 2 need to read t)is9C So you need to *%ear%y s$e%% out: ,)at :uestion you are investi/atin/" ,)at met)ods )ave you used" ,)at )ave you found out Not)in/ more" not)in/ %ess #ab%e of 4ontents >our boss most %i0e%y ,i%% be %oo0in/ for s$e*ifi* se*tions and not read 1(D Ee%$ )er find t)ose se*tions Numberin/: Number your $a/es" se*tions" but a%so your fi/ures and tab%es 6eferen*e t)ose numbers in t)e te+t Mind t)at t)e Bfi/ure be%o,C may )ave moved in t)e editin/ $ro*ess" so it is better to refer to it as -i/ 3 #)e term Afi/ureA )as be*ome standard for a%% 0inds of dia/rams" /ra$)s and ot)er i%%ustrations @ive *a$tions to a%% your fi/ures and tab%es 4ross(referen*in/: .onAt number se*tions" fi/ures et* by )and >ou are bound to mess t)e numberin/ u$ if you maintain it by )and t)rou/) t)e editin/ $ro*ess @et into t)e )abit of usin/ automati* out%ine numberin/ and use automati* *ross( referen*es for your fi/ure numbers 1nd you /et a #ab%e of 4ontents for free? 2f you are not fami%iar ,it) t)at" t)ere are numerous /uides on t)e ,eb 5ut donFt for/et to u$date a%% fie%ds before submission

.ia/rams: su*) as t)e setu$ of t)e a$$aratus Use your o,n ,)ere $ossib%e" in t)e same ,ay as you ,rite your o,n test 2f you use someone e%seAs dia/ram" referen*e t)em to avoid $%a/iarism @ra$)s: $%ot your o,n data *%ear%y 4%ear%y )ere means it $asses t)e Areader testA 4an my boss read and understand t)ese /ra$)s9 1re t)ey $ro$er%y siGed9 1re t)ey *%ear%y %abe%%ed ;a+es" units<9 2f 2 use *o%our" is it readab%e ;ye%%o, %ines on ,)ite $a$er are not< 2f 2 use symbo%s to distin/uis) %ines ;a very /ood idea t)at a%so ,or0s in bH,<" are t)ey distin*t and de*i$)erab%e9 2f 2 ,ant to *om$are bet,een /ra$)s ;e / t,o e+$erimenta% runs" t,o s$eeds" et* <" are t)e units on t)e a+es t)e same so 2 *an *om$are 1:19 Ir even better" *an 2 $%ot t)ose /ra$)s as severa% *urves in a sin/%e /ra$)9 3:uations: you ,i%% need to use t)e e:uation editors and ty$eset your e:uation in en/ineerin/ re$orts Learn )o, to use it S$e%% *)e*0er: Use it? S$e%%in/ errors are very un$rofessiona% 5e,are" s$e%% *)e*0ers donAt *)e*0 your /rammar" so ma0e sure you $roofread before submittin/

1.3. Content of the introduction

#)is s)ou%d *onsist of a fe, $ara/ra$)s des*ribin/ in out%ine ,)at t)e :uestion is t)at is bein/ addressed Eo, is t)is underta0en9 &)at are t)e 0ey $rin*i$%es invo%ved9 1ims ;t)e desired out*omes< and ob8e*tives ;,)at ste$s are to be *om$%eted< s)ou%d be /iven #o be *on*ise" t)e ob8e*tives *ou%d be stated as bu%%et $oints" but sti*0 to te+t ot)er,ise >ou )ave a%ready ,ritten t)is introdu*tion ;or a very simi%ar $ie*e< for t)e $eer assessment" so t)is $art ,i%% not be re(mar0ed -or *om$%eteness and your o,n overvie," sti*0 your introdu*tory essay )ere #)is s$%it bet,een Bverba%C des*ri$tion )ere and Bmat)emati*a%C des*ri$tion in t)e ne+t se*tion is rat)er arbitrary" but ,e su//est to fo%%o, it in t)is re$ort >ou )ave to 8ud/e for yourse%f in ot)er ,ritin/" )o, you ,ou%d best stru*ture your materia%

2. Background and theory

Eavin/ introdu*ed t)e broader *on*e$ts in t)e $revious se*tion" you *an no, dis*uss t)e :uantitative detai%s >ou *an assume t)at your readers 0no, t)e basi* e:uations su*) as 5ernou%%i" so you 8ust need to state t)ose to *%arify ,)i*) form you are usin/ .erive t)e re%evant e:uations t)at you are usin/ to $ro*ess your e+$erimenta% data to obtain t)e fina% resu%ts .erivation )ere does not sim$%y mean to ,rite t)em do,n" but to add e+$%anatory *omments ,)at you are derivin/ ,)i*) /uide t)e reader and demonstrates your understandin/ Number your e:uations ;automati*a%%y?< so you *an referen*e t)em in t)e te+t

3. A

aratus

Jresent a dia/ram of t)e a$$aratus and e+$%ain t)e *om$onents #)ere is no $oint in des*ribin/ ,)at it %oo0s %i0e" t)is s)ou%d be evident from t)e dia/ram 5ut do des*ribe )o, it ,or0s Ma0e sure t)at a%% t)e e%ements are s)o,n and e+$%ained t)at you ,i%% be referrin/ to in Se* 4 on t)e e+$erimenta% $ro*edure ;Note )o, 2 )ave used a *ross(referen*e )ere <

!. E" erimental rocedure

1 *%ear and *on*ise des*ri$tion of t)e e+$erimenta% $ro*edure ;bu%%et $oints may be used< 1%so any diffi*u%ties and $rob%ems o**urrin/ durin/ t)e e+$eriment s)ou%d be mentioned >ou s)ou%d $resent ra, resu%ts ;t)e data as ta0en on $a$er in t)e e+$eriment< 5ut t)ese are on%y of interest if someone ,ants to :uery t)e a**ura*y of your resu%ts or t)e *orre*tness of your data ana%ysis So t)e ra, data s)ou%d be in an 1$$endi+ Jresent t)em t)ere in *%ear%y )eaded tab%es

#. $esults
>ou are as0ed to $rodu*e a number of resu%ts based on your e+$erimenta% data See t)e %ab )andout for t)at Ma0e sure t)at you e+$%ain for ea*) set of resu%ts" )o, t)ey ,ere $ro*essed from t)e ra, data >ou s)ou%d be ab%e to 8ust refer to t)e derivation ;3: number< in Se* 2 ;note t)e use of automati* *ross(referen*es )ere< Jresent a sam$%e *a%*u%ation in t)e 1$$endi+" but ma0e sure you *ross(referen*e bot) te+t $arts Ma0e sure your /ra$)s are edited a**ordin/ to t)e re:uirements /iven in Se* 1 2 1fter )avin/ ,ritten your *on*%usions" *)e*0 ,)et)er your resu%ts $resentation *%ear%y s)o,s t)e ne*essary detai% to su$$ort your *on*%usions

%. &iscussion
.is*uss your findin/s &)at )ave you found out9 .oes it mat*) t)e t)eory9 Eo, re%iab%e is your e+$eriment9 &)at are t)e ma8or sour*es of error9 Eo, ,i%% t)ey )ave affe*ted your resu%ts :ua%itative%y9 4an you :uantify t)e errors in your measurements9 1nd *an you :uantify t)e errors in your resu%ts9

'. Conclusions
Summarise ,)at )as been *arried out and ,)at ,as a*)ieved Summarise your 0ey findin/s Kustify t)em" are t)ey *orre*tL*redib%e9 &)at do your findin/s mean9 >our boss $robab%y on%y ever reads #it%e" 1bstra*t" 2ntrodu*tion ;if )e )as too mu*) time< and t)e 4on*%usions So ma0e sure t)at t)e reader *an understand t)e 0ey findin/s from 8ust t)ose $arts

(. $eferences
2n*%ude referen*es for a%% t)e fa*ts you use but do not derive yourse%f Ma0e sure t)at t)e referen*es are not 8ust %isted at t)e end but t)at it is s)o,n in t)e te+t ,)ere t)e information is used 1 Earvard sty%e %ist ,it) a%$)anumeri* 0eys su*) as MMunson 2!!7N is easier t)an a numeri* %ist M1N ,)i*) you need to maintain by )and Ma0e sure you $ra*ti*e *om$%ete formattin/ for referen*es 1void ,eb(based referen*es" t)ey *arry %itt%e or no aut)ority and s)o, to t)e reader t)at you )ave been too %aGy to see0 out $ro$er referen*es Sti*0 to te+t( boo0s ;for t)is re$ort< or s*ientifi* 8ourna% $ub%i*ations ;in resear*) re$orts< Ma0e sure you avoid $%a/iarism 2f in doubt" *)e*0 t)e S3MS ,eb for )e%$ on t)at

). A

endi" A* +arking criteria

>our re$ort ,i%% be mar0ed a**ordin/ to t)e mar0in/ *riteria s)o,n in #ab%e 1 ;note t)e use of *ross(referen*es<
$able 1% Mar&ing criteria Criterion Marker Comments

Formal presentation
te+t9 1**e$tab%e s$e%%in/ and /rammar9 4%ear%y formu%ated" easy to fo%%o,9 &ritten in an a$$ro$riate a*ademi* sty%e9 #e+t a$$ro$riate%y se*tioned9 4%ear and neat formattin/9 #ab%es and -i/ures numbered" *a$tioned and referred to in t)e te+t9 1+es %abe%%ed" %e/ends for symbo%s" units9 Neat and readab%e9 Uniform *)oi*e of /ra$) a+es" ,)ere a$$ro$riate9 2s t)ere a tit%e $a/e9 1bstra*t9 4on*ise" des*ri$tive ;states $ur$ose" met)ods and $ro*edures" $rin*i$a% findin/s<9 #ab%e of *ontents9 &it) *orre*t $a/e and se*tion numbers9 6eferen*es used and %isted9 1%% *orre*t%y formatted9 6eferred to in t)e

Mark (/100, weight: 25%):

Content
2ntrodu*tion: states broader *onte+t of t)e e+$eriment9 1ims and ob8e*tives9 Iut%ine of re$ort stru*ture ;roadma$< /iven9 ;-rom J1" not mar0ed )ere: 5a*0/round" brief verba% des*ri$tion of 5ernou%%iFs e:u and )o, it a$$%ies in t)is e+$eriment< .erivation of t)e used formu%ae from t)e basi* e:uations9 .es*ri$tion of t)e a$$aratus and )o, it ,or0s9 6eferrin/ to dia/ram9 4%ear%y %abe%%ed neat dia/ram9 I,n dia/ram9 2f *o$ied from )andout" $ro$er%y attributed and not $%a/iarised9 3+$erimenta% $ro*edure: des*ribed *%ear%y" but *om$%ete%y9 6a, resu%ts $resented in t)e 1$$endi+9 4ross(referen*ed in te+t9 6a, resu%ts *%ear%y tabu%ated and %abe%%ed9

Mark (/100, weight: 35%):

Un erstan ing

Mark (/100, weight: !0%):

Criterion

Marker Comments

.erivation of t)e inte/ration $ro*edure for t)e Jitot mass f%o, /iven9 4orre*t9 3+$%anation )o, t)is is a$$%ied to t)e dis*rete measurement $oints9 @ood understandin/ of t)e derivation demonstrated in t)e ,ritin/9 4orre*t%y a$$%ied9 1na%ysed resu%ts $resented9 2n tab%es and fi/ures9 5rief dis*ussion of $rob%ems in t)e e+$eriment9 1nd )o, t)ey affe*t t)e ana%ysed resu%ts and t)e *on*%usions9 1re t)e errors in t)e ana%ysed resu%ts estimated" :uantified9 Qua%itative *om$arison of t)e observations ,it) t)e t)eory" does t)is mat*) ,)at ,e e+$e*t9 4om$arison of t)e t,o a$$roa*)es to measure mass f%o,9 Quantifi*ation9 6e%ate t)e dis*re$an*y to t)e e+$ errors9 .is*ussion ,)et)er aims and ob8e*tives )ave been a*)ieved9 4on*%usions: *on*ise summary of t)e dis*ussion se*tion9 1ny $ra*ti*a% and t)eoreti*a% im$%i*ations of t)e resu%ts mentioned9 Ivera%%" are t)e ar/uments %o/i*a%%y *onstru*ted and fo%%o, ea*) ot)er in a$$ro$riate se:uen*e9

"ther #omments

What these ratings mean Most of you will not get a rating of 100% in all areas of assessment. This does of course not mean there is a problem; for instance, a rating of 60 simply means that that particular area requires continuing de elopment. !f your rating is "0 or #0 in a particular area, then that particular aspect of your report needs impro ing and you might discuss this with one of the course organisers. $ rating below "0% means that you urgently need to address this area in your writing.

Overview
A writing task is associated with the laboratory in DEN4101: the 2 page introduction section of

the lab report on how Bernoullis equation is written and submitted before the lab.
This writing task is peer-assessed: you give and receive feedback from your peers. Peer assessment (PA) is run in DEN4101 since 2009. The students response is

overwhelmingly positive every year since then (do give feedback on the PA!).
You receive 5% of the module mark for your writing from your peers, marking criteria will be

developed in this session.

You receive 5% of the module mark from the lecturer for the quality, volume of your feedback

and the accuracy of your marks.

Motivation for Peer Assessment

The writing task is set to improve your writing skills, also, but not only, for the main lab report in

DEN4101. This is achieved through a good volume of constructive feedback. Around 250 students are on the module, marking with good feedback levels is a major challenge. The tutor could not provide detailed feedback for that many students and could not provide tailored and specific feedback. Feedback from a range of markers will be more varied than just from one marker, in the same way as you have to write your reports not for just one reader. Peer assessment exposes you to a wide variety of peers writing quality, sets benchmarks and standards. Asking you to assess other students coursework compels you to engage more thoroughly, leads to deeper learning.

Student Feedback: how helpful was the feedback

...understand, by reading strong reports, how things should be done, and weaker reports, how

they never ever should be done. I learnt by reading other peoples report[s] how to improve my report writing skills. It helped me realise what was wrong about my own report and how to correctly structure referencing and calculations. It is really helpful to see the mistakes that people do almost systematically. We also see the importance of reading the final essay before handing it in. I had an insight into [how] other students were approaching the essay [which] gave me a much broader thought to what I could have also added to my essay.