RULES TO BE FOLLOWED IN PERFORMING AN EXPERIMENT

& MAKING A LABORATORY REPORT

Laboratory work supplements classroom work by providing practical experience in

experimental procedures and analysis of results. Proper laboratory work forms a very valuable
part of your theoretical training.

Procedures for doing the experiment and writing the laboratory report are two important
aspects of laboratory work and certain guiding principles apply. A logical procedure for doing
experiments will enable you to carry out the experiment much more smoothly, easily and
certainly more understandably. It will assist you in writing a clear report.

HOW TO PERFORM AN EXPERIMENT

1. Read over the Experiment Manual carefully, particularly the assignment, until you have a
clear understanding of what the experiment is about and what is expected of you in the
form of results.

Note: It is wrong to set up your experiment and follow the procedure blindly -- just to get
your results down.

2. One member of your laboratory group should be appointed as the leader for the
experiment. This position should be changed from member to member on a rotational
basis.

3. After you and your members have gathered the equipment required, the leader should
make the necessary connections. Make sure that ranges on which your instrumentation has
been connected are correct and safe for the probable measurement. For direct current
measurement, make sure that the polarities of your voltmeters and ammeters are
appropriate. These connections should then be checked by the other members.

4. Only after each of you is satisfied that the connections are correct should you then ask your
instructor for verification. Never perform an experiment without his authorization.

5. Almost all experiments are to determine a “cause” and “effect” relationship -- that is, what
happens to each parameter of the system (effect) when one parameter is varied (cause).
Thus, you must determine which measurements are going to vary. Among you and your
members, you should decide who is going to read what instruments. Usually the member
reading the fewest instruments is given the assignment of recording the results.

6. The leader responsible for varying the “cause” parameter should make the necessary
adjustments. All instruments should be read at the point in time as quickly as possible. Be
sure that you are reading the measurement in the correct range as there is nothing more
frustrating than to try to make sense of your results when one of your measurements has
been consistently made in the wrong range.

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Rules to be Followed in Performing an Experiment and Making a Laboratory Report
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7. Whenever appropriate, it is usually a good idea to make a trial test quickly before starting
on the series of measurements called in the experiment. This also gives a check on the
correct ranges of your instrumentation.

8. Now you can start to perform your experiment according to procedure.

9. Many experiments will call for measurements to be taken in overload condition for an
extended period of time. Often, it is a wise idea to reduce the load to normal limits or zero
load between each of the overload measurements.

10. The majority of the experiments call for a series of readings, which are later plotted on a
graph. It is usually a wise precaution to work out the answer for at least two or three
points on the graph to see if they are reasonable before putting the equipment away.

HOW TO WRITE A LABORATORY REPORT

The writing of reports, letters and original papers is a major activity of the engineer in
the industry. All reports are similar because they reflect the engineering method of attack --
object, method, results, and conclusions. It is logical to report a project in the sequence in which
it is done, and many engineering reports are organized on this basis, with successive sections
covering: (1) objectives; (2) introductory information or theory; (3) materials needed; (4)
methods and procedure; (5) data and results; and (6) analysis, conclusions and interpretation.

While this historical sequence is logical, an important condition in business and industry
militates against its use; viz., there are more things written than the target audience has time to
read.

The following lists will furnish suggestions the quality and completeness of a report.
Abbreviated reports will sometimes be called for, but discretion should be used in setting up
such short forms. Reports should be written in the third person impersonal, past tense.

1. All records of laboratory work should be entered at the time the experiment in your
Laboratory Report in such a manner that an experiment could be repeated in exactly the
same way at a later date.

2. Generally, a sample of a complete calculation of each type involved in the determination of

calculated data and the solution of problems should be included.

3. If a graph is to be plotted, it should normally show the independent variable as abscissa (x-
axis) and the dependent variable as the ordinate (y-axis). Simple scales should be chosen
to avoid mistakes in plotting and reading. Sizes of scales should be chosen so as not to
make errors of observation to prominent. In general, both axes, should begin at zero. Each
graph must have a title and sufficient additional information, such as the value of other
variables, which are kept constant.

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4. Finally, it is important to state clearly the experimental results obtained and any
conclusions drawn from them.

THE PRELIMINARY REPORT

1. The preliminary report should be checked by the Laboratory Instructor.

2. The preliminary report should be accomplished on yellow pad or on the experiment

handouts (if available).

3. The preliminary report should contain the following:

3.1. Experiment Number

3.2. Experiment Title
3.3. Name of the Group Leader
3.4. Names of the Group Members who are present during the Performance of the
Experiment
3.5. Date Performed
3.6. Experimental Results
3.7. Instructor’s Signature

4. The preliminary report should be handwritten in a neat and organized manner.

5. The preliminary report should be presented to the Laboratory Instructor at the end of the
laboratory experiment, for the Instructor’s signature and evaluation of the report.

6. The preliminary report should be submitted to the Laboratory Instructor together with the
final report.

THE FINAL REPORT

1. The final report should be accomplished on 8-½” x 11” bond papers.

2. The final report should be computer-generated with:

2.1. one-inch (invisible) borders on all sides.

2.2. double spacing.
2.3. graphical presentations also computer-generated and labeled properly.

3. The final report should follow the pre-defined format:

3.1. Cover Page (see next section)

3.2. Report Outline:

I. Objectives:
II. Introductory Information or Theory

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 III. Materials Needed
IV. Procedure
V. Data and Results
VI. Analysis and Conclusion
VII. Answers to Guide Questions

4. The final report should be submitted one week after the performance of the experiment.

5. Reports that are submitted not on a given assigned date will receive five per cent (5%)
deduction for each day of overdue.

Title Page

1. A title page should be used, with full identification, including names and dates.

2. Title should be brief but fully descriptive.

Objective

1. The object should be concisely stated, in the past tense, using complete sentences.

2. Education of the experimenters is only a secondary object and should not be stated as the
primary object of the experiment.

Introductory Information

1. Pertinent principles, laws and equations should be stated, and any unfamiliar terms defined.

2. Analytical diagrams should be included here.

3. The nature and significance of experimental coefficients, correction factors, or efficiencies

should be indicated.

Data and Results

1. Summary tabulations of data and results should be included here.

2. Graphical representation should be used for added clearness. Use of other scales (e.g.
logarithmic) should be considered.

3. Data should be examined and analyzed by cross plotting, by computing mean deviations or
errors, by comparing with theoretical curves, etc.

4. Apparent discrepancies should be pointed out and explained, and deviations from smooth
curves carefully checked.

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Rules to be Followed in Performing an Experiment and Making a Laboratory Report
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Analysis and Conclusion

1. Conclusions should be stated with reference to the object of the experiment.

2. Each conclusion should be supported by specific reference to the tabulations or curves.

3. An analysis of accuracy is always in order, indicating effects of probable errors in observed

quantities, or duration of runs, of frequency of readings, and of methods of calculation and
analysis.

4. Constructive criticism of apparatus, instruments, and test methods, should be given, with
positive suggestions for improvements.

5. Recommendation should be made for any further work that will help to accomplish the
original object.

6. A discussion that could have been written without doing the experiment is not a set of
conclusions.

Hints on English

1. Simple technical English should be used, and reports written in third person, impersonal,
past tense.

2. Engineering and trade terms should be used, but the style should be dignified, though not
necessarily formal.

3. Correct spelling is very important.

4. Correct sentence construction is even more vital. A sentence must be grammatically,

syntactically, and logically correct.

5. Acknowledgments and references may be inserted.

6. A report should be edited before typing. Few persons can compose a report at the
typewriter and use the best English. Do not assume that you are among those gifted. Put
down your report in writing first. When finished, read the entire report and make the
necessary corrections before typing the report.

7. Avoid redundancies and hanging sentences. Avoid extremely long statements, which may
exceed three lines.

( Cover Page )

Prepared by: Engr. Jayson P. Rogelio

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 UNIVERSITY OF PERPETUAL HELP SYSTEM
College of Engineering
Electronics Engineering

Experiment Number : _________________________

Experiment Title : _________________________

Date Performed : _________________________

Date Submitted : _________________________

Instructor : _________________________

Subject/Section : _________________________

Group Number : _________________________

Group Leader : _________________________

Group Members : _________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________

Presentation : __________________
Data and Results : __________________
Analysis and Conclusion: __________________
Answers to Questions : __________________

Total : __________________

Remarks : ____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Instructor’s Signature: _______________________

Prepared by: Engr. Jayson P. Rogelio

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