xiv LABORATORY REPORTS
One of the important phases of carrying out any experimental project is the reporting of the results to interested individuals. Rightly or wrongly, in this course as well as in future professional activities, performance will be judged frequently on the basis of written reports. It is therefore very important that students learn to prepare and submit well-organized reports. The following format may help organize the information desired into useful reports:
1.Title. Always submit a report with the formal title of the experiment. Include the
names of lab partners if there are any. Also period and date are required
2.Purpose or Abstract. Give a brief (1 to 2 sentences) statement describing the
major goals of the experiment. This should be different than that stated in the lab
manual.
3.Procedure. In the formal report of an experiment you have designed, describe in this
{; section how you went about doing the experiment. Since in most cases for CHM
| \ 1045L and CHM 1046L, the procedure is already described, students need only cite
the reference to the laboratory manual. Remember to note in this section any changes ! or deviations made to the procedure referenced. (Complete sentences are best.)
|; EXAMPLE: CHM 1045L-1046L Laboratory Manual, 1994, Experiment 3, page 25.
ii
4.Data. Present summarized experimental data carefully and neatly. This need not be
as complete a data table as that in the lab notebook, but should contain all the pertinent
data used in calculations. Headings should be enough that they stand alone without
reference to the manual..
~*<-if
5.Calculations. Show all equations and calculations (neatly organized and ' ^•tVJ'
documented) used to arrive at final results, and show the final results clearly. For ^^^
repetitious calculations, you may show the general formula and one example. This " .
section should also contain any graphs and tables.' 7?
6.Conclusions. Prepare a brief conclusion in which the results of the experiment are
discussed. Was the purpose stated at the beginning achieved? If not why not?
Include in this section a discussion of major possible errors and their projected impact
on the experiment. Also in this section, answer any questions or exercises included as
part of the experiment.
7.Discussion questions:
NOTE TO STUDENTS: Constructive written criticism of the experiments and/or their write-ups are welcome and will be given serious consideration.