Physics Lab

How to write a Physics Lab Report

Write the sections of your lab report in the following order.  For instance it makes no sense to write an introduction paragraphs before one knows how to write a summary of three other paragraphs.

General Principles: A good theory section begins with a discussion of the concepts and physical principles to be addressed in this laboratory activity. The introduction then moves on to a mathematical formulation of these same ideas and a derivation of the actual formulas to be used in the activity. Consult you text on both issues.  Shoot for a full page for this section.  Methods: Broadly describe the conduct of the actual experiment. Specific details should be limited to non-obvious tips for working with the laboratory equipment or experimental simulation. A step by step lab procedure, if available, should be referenced but not reproduced in this section. In other words do not cut and paste the instructions. Have mercy on your grader! Results: Give the numerical result of your measurement along with an uncertainty.

Provide any supporting analysis with data tables, the calculations, graphs.

Tell me what you confirmed or did not confirm in this activity. If you were to show that free fall acceleration is constant then references your result and STATE whether or not your results support or fail to support a constant value of free fall acceleration.  

Introduction:  Summarize the General Principles, Methods and Results sections of the lab report.  A good rule of thumb is to include one sentence per paragraph of the already written General Principles, Methods, and Results sections of the lab report.  The aim here is to summarize everything you have already written.

Conclusion:  Where the introduction was a preview of the entire lab report, the conclusion is a review of the lab report. The conclusion is also a summary, but where the introduction was forward looking, the conclusion looks back on the same material.  Typically the difference lies in word choices such as "We will show" as opposed to "we have shown." References: Cite any references and outside resources used in preparing this lab. At a minimum this should include your class text and the PHET Colorado website if a simulation is used.  Any commonly acceptable citation format is acceptable.  Just be consistent.

Title Page and Abstract: Use a standard heading format in order to identify yourself, the class you are taking, and the subject of the experiment. Below and on the same page, you will place the abstract.  This is an 8 – 10 sentence summary of the entire lab and is written in a manner that will intended to convince a reader to read the rest of your report.  The form of this section is typically, "I did _____ and then I proceeded to _____.  The result was a measured value of _____, and from this I conclude  _______."  An abstract is always written in italics.

 

Now assemble your lab report in the following order:

Page 1:  Title page with abstract.

Page 2 - 4:  Begin the body of your report with the Introduction, General Principles, Methods, Results, and finally the Conclusion.

Last Page :  Include references, all properly cited on the last page.

A grading rubric is included so that you can know how your work is going to be evaluated.

Grading Rubric

Performance Level	Satisfactory (2 points)	Progressing (1 point)	Nonperformance (0  points)
Title Page, abstract, and reference page.	Correctly formatter title page.  Abstract is 8-10 sentences long, and in italics.  Citations on Reference page are in a recognizable format.	One or more issues that prevents a rating of satisfactory.	This section is either missing entirely, or the author of the report is repeating issues noted in previous report feedback.
Introduction and Conclusion	Both sections are clearly marked, and are in the form of a summary of the laboratory report. The length of each is at least one sentence per paragraph in the body of the analysis.	One or more issues that prevents a rating of satisfactory.	This section is either missing entirely, or the author of the report is repeating issues noted in previous report feedback.
General Principles	A clear discussion of the physical principles to be addressed in the lab.  Content and clarity of presentation indicates a high degree of familiarity with the material on the part of the author.	One or more issues that prevents a rating of satisfactory.	This section is either missing entirely, or the author of the report is repeating issues noted in previous report feedback.
Methods	A full description of the steps to be taken in this analysis.  Content and clarity of writing indicates a familiarity with the laboratory procedure beyond having read the steps.	One or more issues that prevents a rating of satisfactory.	This section is either missing entirely, or the author of the report is repeating issues noted in previous report feedback.
Results	This section displays not only the data collected, but also any analysis preformed on the data. There is a clear statement of the results of the experimental measurement, as well as a statement of the uncertainties involved.  This section will include one of the following elements, sample calculations plots, graphs, and data tables.	One or more issues that prevents a rating of satisfactory.	This section is either missing entirely, or the author of the report is repeating issues noted in previous report feedback.