CHM-115L Formal Lab Report Guide The laboratory report for an experiment should consist of the following parts: 1) Title Page 2) Abstract 3) Data and Calculations 4) Results 5) Discussion 6) Notebook Sheets It is assumed that the theory and procedure given for the experiment in the manual were followed. There is no need to include in the report a detailed outline of theory or procedure except to identify differences in the procedure or methods of calculations which were actually used. Since electronic submission is often required it is recommended that Word be used. Other document preparation software can be used if it can create a pdf or docx output. It is also recommended that a hard /printed copy be submitted. The pages should be bound together with staples. Do not use report covers or paper clips. Title Page A title page containing the title of the report, the author’s name, and date is required. APA format is required. Abstract An abstract is a brief, one paragraph, statement of the results obtained and the method(s) used. Make sure to report actual values for one or two of your most important results. Introduction/Overview This section should be a clear statement about the problem presented in the laboratory and why it is important to study. It should include a concise background discussion that addresses the scope and significance of the work. Limitations of the methods or approach should also be mentioned. An ideal length of the introduction is one or two paragraphs. Data and Calculations This section summarizes the data and calculations used to obtain the final results reported. Essential items should appear in the body of the report These are typically in tables, though occasionally a plot of the raw data may be appropriate. All items should be accompanied by units and an estimate of uncertainty. Each type of non-trivial calculation should have one calculation shown. These sample calculations should: state the equation in terms of variables, define the symbols used, and show the equations with numeric values and units in place. Each calculation should account for significant figures and include units. Arithmetic details should be omitted. Values should be rounded to the first figure of uncertainty when reported. Graphs can be created in a program like Excel and cut and pasted in. When plotting the graph make sure to use the correct type. Most of the data collected in the laboratory can only be plotted using a “xy scatter plot”. Plot the data as points and avoid using lines to connect the data points. This is especially important when the data will be “fit” using least squares, or adding Trend line if using Excel. The graph should include axis titles and units for the values plotted and a legend. Results Final results should be reported with a literature value for comparison whenever possible. If possible the results and literature values should be placed in a single table. Always cite the literature references from which values were obtained. Discussion The discussion should include an evaluation of the quality of the obtained data and results. This evaluation is based on evidence within the acquired data, the experience of the experimenter, and on comparison of the results with literature values. When reviewing the acquired data, check for, and comment on, systematic error. An example of this would be when the difference between multiple measurements is much larger than the expected uncertainty. It is also important to look for unexpected trends in the data. Are the results obtained in agreement with the literature data when accounting for error? If not is there evidence of systematic error? Try to predict the effects of errors on the values obtained. It is often necessary to carefully consider the calculation to determine the effect of an error on the final result. Data Sheets Attach copies of the notebook pages that were used in this laboratory.