1. Advanced Technical Writing
Lecture 6
Laboratory Report

2. Cover Page Course Title Experiment Number The Experiment Title
By: (name of performer)
The title and address of the performer
The name of the supervisor
Title and address of the supervisor
Date: (month day, year)
Islamic University

3. Example Circuit Theory I Experiment number 1 Verification of Ohms’ LawBy
Ahmed Ali Sami Adel
Submitted to
Eng. Al shrafa
Electrical & Computer Engineering Dept.
Islamic University of Gaza
September 20, 2004
Islamic University

4. Title
Reflect the factual content with less than ten words in a straightforward manner
Use keywords that researchers and search engines on the Internet will recognize
Avoid abbreviations, and initials.
See text pages:
Islamic University

5. The format of the report
AIMRAD
Abstract
Introduction
Methods
Results
Analysis
Discussion
+Conclusion
Islamic University

6. Abstract (informative)
One short paragraph
Aims
Methods
Results
Islamic University

7. Aims
Concise but informative
One or two sentences should be sufficient
Example:
To determine the relative molecular mass of an unknown dibasic acid
Islamic University

8. Methods and Results
Explain in short the method or methods you used to get the results.
Write down your results
Examples: Text pages 8-10
Islamic University

9. Introduction A few paragraphs or a few pages. Includes: Background
Theories, equations, and rules used in calculations
Brief about the work (hypotheses) and expectations
Remember to quote your sources (you should include a bibliography of your references after the conclusions section).
Islamic University

10. Method Concise but sufficient for someone to repeat the work.
List materials used, how were they used.
Describe special pieces of equipment.
Islamic University

11. Method - continue Use third person past tense
Example: A solution of barium chloride (0.05 mg in 100 cm3) was prepared in water and titrated against silver nitrate.
Avoid starting a sentence with a number
Example: 0.05 mg of barium chloride was mixed with 100 cm3 water
Islamic University

12. Tabulate the numerical data when possible
Results
Tabulate the numerical data when possible
Make sure that you divide tables by measurements units such that you write only number inside the table
Islamic University

13. Results: Avoid Resistance Current Voltage 6.0 2.0 12.0 (V) 5.9 1.7
6.1
1.3
7.9 (V)
Islamic University

14. Results: do not avoid Resistance (kΩ) Current (mA) Voltage (V) 6.0 2.0
12.0
5.9
1.7
10.0
6.1
1.3
7.9
Islamic University

15. Results - continue
Title all figures and tables; include a legend explaining symbols, abbreviations, or special methods
Number figures and tables separately and refer to them in the text by their number, i.e.
Figure 1 shows that the activity....
The activity decreases after five minutes (Figure 1)
Islamic University

16. Analysis Calculations and graphing
Interpretation of results go into this section
Remember to layout your calculations clearly, showing each step
Islamic University

17. Discussion How relevant are your results ? What errors are there ?
Did something go wrong ?
Try to be positive
Write your ideas to improve the experiment
Islamic University

18. Did you meet the aims of the experiment ?
Conclusion
Did you meet the aims of the experiment ?
Example: The relative molecular mass of the unknown was determined to be
The conclusion should echo the Abstract and be as short as possible.
Islamic University

19. All references should be listed
Islamic University