During your career you will write many reports. Reports document ideas and experiments. Frequently the report is the only view management (or your professor) has of the work done. Well-written reports are essential for a successful career.
Reports should not be written in the first person. Do not use I or we. Be clear and concise. Use a minimum number of words. Read what you have written. Then rewrite it for clarity and brevity.
While reports differ depending on the experiment or project, usually they should have the format suggested here.
Report Components
The title page contains the report title and the authors name.
The abstract summarizes what is in the report. It should be written last. The abstract tells the purpose of the report, key findings, significance and major conclusions.
The introduction states the purpose of the experiment and background information obtained from class, literature and the web. This section should include a description of work done by others. You should show evidence of research. Sources of information used in the experiment should be cited here and listed in the references section of the report.
In this section you demonstrate an ability to identify and formulate problems. The problem addressed by the report should be stated.
The scientific or mathematical basis of the experiment is discussed in this section. It will contain the theories and equations used.
Data generated should be in this section. Tables can be used for numerical data. Tables should have a title describing the data at the top of the table. Figures containing plots of the data have their title at the top of the figure. Axes should be labeled with units ( time (usec)). Tables and figures should be described with captions and in the body of the results section.
In this section you demonstrate your ability to analyze and interpret data. Here you show that you understand the subject. What have you found? What do the results show? Draw conclusions. What is the significance of the results? Find explanations for problems in the data. How do the results compare to what was expected? Analyze experimental error. Do the results illustrate a theory? What are the strengths and limitations of your experimental design?
The conclusion should be short. The issues raised in the abstract should be addressed in the conclusion. Briefly and simply state what was learned. (Don't use the first person (I or we).) The conclusion can contain weakness or limitations in the experiment or the implications of your conclusions.
This section is a list of references cited in the report.
Raw data, calculations, graphs and pictures not used in the body of the report are included in the appendices. You should refer to each appendix in the body of the report.