SESSION 3:

REPORT WRITING

Instructor: Dr C. Narasigadu
Course: ENCH2CP
WHAT REPORTS WILL YOU HAVE TO
WRITE?
 Two laboratory reports for this module (as
part of the assessment), these are full reports
[one as a group and the other as an
individual report]
 Reports when required in other courses (eg.
3rd year level practicals)
 Laboratory/industry project reports
 Third and fourth year design reports
 Vacation work reports
 Reports for projects in the work environment
 FOR ANY REPORT
 There must be a structure which allows the
reader to follow the work carried out
 It must be clear what the aims and
outcomes of the report are
 The report must be pleasant to read

(persuasive)
 The report must be word processed and
all non-original work must be credited
 REPORT STRUCTURE
 Cover Page – Title and Authors, should
not be numbered and should have large
font.
 Abstract (also known as Synopsis or
Summary) again, should not be numbered
and should be directly after the cover
page.
 Table of Contents may be numbered
using Roman numerals (i., ii. etc.)
 REPORT STRUCTURE
 Title page
 Abstract

 Contents page

 List of tables (optional)

 List of figures (optional)

 List of photographs (optional)

 Nomenclature (could also go in the

Appendix)
 REPORT STRUCTURE
 Actual body of report has many sections:
1. Introduction
2. Theory
3. Experimental apparatus and procedure
4. Results
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion and recommendations
7. References
 Report structure (ctd)
 Appendices – could have more than one
e.g. Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.
 ‘BODY’ OF THE REPORT
 Introduction – should explain the aim or
objectives of the experiment or project and
supply background information as to why the
questions asked need to be answered
 Theory: There needs to be a section
regarding the ‘theory’ or literature related to
the project (properly cited and referenced)
 Experimental Equipment and Procedure:
include equipment diagrams or pictures,
safety
 FINDINGS AND THEIR ANALYSES
 Results- this must contain the major results.
Only those which can directly answer the
aims/ objectives of the practical
 Discussion – the most important section.
This is where you deduce meaning from
the main results which will prove or
disprove the theoretical answers to the
questions you are trying to answer
 CONCLUDING THE REPORT
 Conclusions – short and succinct, what are the
important findings as outlined in the
introduction. Best represented as bullet
points.
 Recommendations – what further work could
be done to improve or further the findings of
the experiment?
 References – whose work was consulted? The
references must follow the Harvard
Referencing Format (including body of
report)
 EXAMPLES OF REFERENCES IN
REFERENCE SECTION
 Ashcroft, S. J., Shearn, R. B. and Williams, G. J. J., (1983),
“A Visual Equilibrium Cell for Multiphase Systems at
Pressures up to 690 bar”, Chemical Engineering Research
and Design, Vol. 61, pp. 51-55.
 Smith, J. M., Van Ness, H. C. and Abbott, M. M., (2001),
“Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics”,
6th edition, McGraw-Hill, New York.
 Taylor, B. N., Mohr, P. J. and Douma, M., (2007), “The NIST
Reference on Constants, Units, and Uncertainty”, available
online from: www.physics.nist.gov/cuu/index.html
EXAMPLES OF REFERENCES IN BODY
 According to Walas (1985), care must be taken to
ensure that the temperature and pressure are
measured at the point where equilibrium really
exists.
 Kalra and Robinson (1975) made use of a Teflon-
coated magnetic stirrer in the equilibrium cell.
 Secuianu et al. (2003) made use of a variable
speed stirrer with impellers mounted into the
equilibrium cell.
 EXAMPLES OF REFERENCES IN BODY
(cont.)
 Stainless steel (SS) is known to succumb to
pitting and crevice corrosion in warm chloride
environments (Sinnott, 2005).
 Other important features of silicone oil
include: little change in physical properties
over a wide temperature range, the fluid can
be used from 233 to 553 K, it has a low
surface tension so the fluid wets clean surfaces
and it also has low toxicity (Power Chemical
Corporation).
 APPENDICES AND ADDENDA
 Appendices should include sample
calculations and the raw data gathered.
 If a specific step by step procedure was used
in the experiment which is detailed and not
of importance in the report body this can be
in the appendices
 Safety requirements

 An addendum is a further comment resulting

from subsequent investigation. It is not part
of the main report but is related.
 IMPORTANT SECTIONS
 Practical reports: discussion, conclusion
and abstract are most important.
 The abstract should only be written after
completing the rest of the report as it
highlights the aim and the main findings
 It should be possible to gain as much
understanding of the importance of the
work from the abstract as from the entire
report.
 GENERAL INFORMATION
 Use the passive voice (not ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘we’) so
that the focus of attention is the
experiment not the experimenter.
 Language Usage: spelling, grammar, etc.
 Make sure that you use sentences and
paragraphs properly in the report.
 Always proof read a report before
handing it in, don’t rely on Microsoft
Word – not designed for ‘Engineering
language’
 FURTHER READING

 There are many handbooks regarding

writing reports – beware that the format
may be different.
 There is a trend towards the use of the
active voice but this is at present not used
within engineering
 A lab report writing guide is on the
learn.ukzn.ac.za website
 ASAP can assist when you have a draft
 WHY IS MY REPORT IMPORTANT?
 35% of final mark
 GROUP REPORT – 15%
 INDIVIDUAL REPORT 20%

 Starting point – learning to write reports

 Important to be able to effectively

communicate your findings