SFL 1013 PHYSICS DEPARTMENT Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports

How to Write a Lab Report

Content

TECHNIQUES IN PHYSICS Lab Report Structure

LABORATORY
Formatting details
Guidelines for a Physics Lab Report

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Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
Lab Report Structure: Introduction Lab Report Structure: Introduction
There are three (3) questions to keep in mind when
A laboratory report has three main functions: writing lab reports.

• To provide a record (including the raw data of the • Could your friend (or your instructor) read the report
and understand exactly what you did?
experiments
• Could you read the report a month later and repeat
• To provide sufficient information to reproduce or the experiment and get the same results?
extend the data.
• Could another person read the summary (abstract)
and immediately decide whether to take the time to
• To analyse the data, present conclusions and read the full report?
make recommendations based on the
experimental work. Conclusion: The single most important requirement
for a laboratory report is CLARITY
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 Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
Lab Report Structure Lab Report Structure: Cover Sheet
The template can be downloaded at Myguru
• Cover Sheet
• Abstract
SFL1013 TECHNIQUES IN PHYSICS LABORATORY
• Introduction (Purpose & Theory) DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
FACULTY SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS

• Procedure and Apparatus

ID NAME SIGNATURE
• Data and Observations :
• Analysis- Graph, Calculations and Results
EXPERIMENT TITTLE
Conclusions
EXPERIMENT DATE
• REFERENCES
SUBMISSION DATE

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Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
Lab Report Structure: Abstract Lab Report Structure: Abstract
The purpose of an abstract in a scientific report is to help a reader
decide if your report is of interest to him/her. The abstract should be
able to stand by itself, and it should be brief. Generally, it consists of
three parts which answer three basic questions:
Note: The abstract should generally be less than 200 words and
What A statement of the purpose of the experiment, a concise appears at the top of the first page. You write the abstract only
you did. description of the experiment and if relevant the physics after the rest of the report is written. The abstract usually gives
principles that being investigated you an "overview" of the entire experiment and is often the most
How you How you did it; means the experimental procedures that difficult part of the report to write.
did it. are used in the experiment. It is described briefly.
Results mean; the final numerical results including units
The
and errors. The conclusion-Highlight the most significant
results
results of the experiment. It should includes conclusions
obtained.
and implications of the results or lessons learned form
the experiment.
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 Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
Lab Report Structure: Abstract (Example)
Measurement of Spring Constant, k.
Ahmad K. Ariffin
Jabatan Fizik, Universiti Pendidikan
Sultan Idris, 35900 Tanjong Malim,
Perak
Two experiments were performed to find the spring constant, k
of a steel spring. The spring constant was determined statically,
by measuring its elongation when subjected to loading, and
dynamically, by measuring the period of a mass hung from one
end and set into vertical oscillation. The resulting values of k
are (2.94 ± 0.01) N/m and (2.98 ± 0.02) N/m, respectively.
Our spring's behavior followed Hooke's law to within the limits
of accuracy of the two experiments.
(Note: 76 words)
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Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
Abstract: (Example: Experiment on Hooke’s Law)
What you did
Two experiments were performed to find the spring constant, k of a
steel spring.
How you did it.
The spring constant was determined statically, by measuring its
elongation when subjected to loading, and dynamically, by measuring
the period of a mass hung from one end and set into vertical
oscillation.
The results obtained. Results
The resulting values of k are (2.94 ± 0.01) N/m and (2.98 ± 0.02)
N/m, respectively. Our spring's behavior followed Hooke's law to
within the limits of accuracy of the two experiments. (76 words)
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Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
Abstract: (Example:) Abstract: (Example:)

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 Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
Introduction(Purpose & Theory)
• The introduction provides the reader with the background to the
work documented in the lab report.
• A brief statement of the purpose or objective of the experiment.
(What are you trying to determine by performing the experiment?)
• A brief theoretical statements related to the experiment (including
the important equations) and what you have to measure.
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Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
Data and Observations
It includes all of the "raw" data taken in the lab. "Raw" data
means the data is taken in the lab, not something you
calculated later.
The raw data is critical because it allows the curious reader
to calculate the results independently.
Data should be taken in tables with all the columns labeled,
units given, and estimated errors.
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Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
Procedure and Apparatus
• This section is a self-contained, chronological explanation of the
procedures that you have done during the experiment. It should be
stated in your own words. It should written briefly, but it should
be sufficient if other students want to duplicate the experiment.
• It should include the brief descriptions and drawings of equipment,
and circuit diagrams are also helpful in explaining the experiment if
necessary.
• One to two pages of double spaced text are usually sufficient for
this section.
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Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
Analysis- Graph, Calculations, Results and Conclusion
• In this section, you will present your observations, data, and
analysis of the data in a logical order, and what is more important
is, it should be meaningful.
• If many similar calculations are involved, just include one sample
calculation in detail. Include the reading uncertainty in your final
result.
• A conclusions should only be included if you have something
additional to discussed from what you have stated in the abstract.
(the abstract should state any conclusions and summarize the
numerical results)
• A typical length for this section will be 3 pages of double-spaced
text but, depending on the complexity of your experiment, more
text is sometimes needed.
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 Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
REFERENCES
A laboratory report should include a list of references if you have
taken information from other sources
Use APA style
https://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/apa-format/
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Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
FORMATTING DETAILS
Table captions go at the top of the table. Tables are numbered
separately by roman numerals, e.g., Table I followed by Table II.
I.
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Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
FORMATTING DETAILS
The report must double-spaced.
Plots of data, photographs, and drawings are referred to
collectively as “Figures” and are numbered in order.
You should use the full word, e.g., Figure 1, at the beginning
of a sentence but use the abbreviation, Fig. 1, in the middle
of a sentence
Captions for figures are placed at the bottom of the
illustration. E.g
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Guidelines for a Physics Lab Reports
FORMATTING DETAILS
Equations are numbered consecutively. Please make sure that the
meaning of each variable is defined in the text.
The minimum font size in the text and figures is 12 pt.
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