HOW TO REPORT – OUTLINE

The following report outline is required for content and order of presentation:

1. TITLE PAGE: Must include lab title, date performed, and student names with corresponding
identification numbers and lab section.
2. ORIGINALITY FORM: Each student from the group must print their name, sign and date.
Students who do not fully print, sign and date will be assessed a zero grade for the lab report. Forms are
available at
3. OBJECTIVE: State the objective clearly in a concise manner in your own words.
4. INTRODUCTION: Background information preparing the reader as to what is done during the
experiment. Do not copy what is written in the manual. Any theory mentioned or relevant information
must be referenced.
5. PROCEDURE: A general description of the procedure should be given. This description should be
comprehensive, but brief. It should include a generic list of equipment used and a sketch to show how
the equipment items are related. The enumeration and detailed description of multitudinous mechanical
operations or sequence of such operations such as closing switches, reading instruments, turning knobs
and so forth, should in general be avoided.
However, when a specific method of mechanical operation or sequence of such operations is necessary
in order to insure the validity or accuracy of the test data, it is important that the essential details be
included in the description.
Note that it is unacceptable to simply use or copy the procedural instructions from the
manual.
6. RESULTS: Answer all the questions posed in the laboratory manual. All observed and calculated data
should be tabulated when possible. Headings and subheadings (titles) identifying items of data or sets of
data should be used.
a) SAMPLE CALCULATIONS: Show a sample of a complete calculation of each type involved in
the determination of calculated data and the solution of problems. These sample calculations should be
first shown in symbolic form with all symbols properly defined. Then numerical data should be used
with units shown in the actual calculations.
b) CURVES: All curves sheets should conform to the following specifications. A sample curve is
shown in Figure 1.
• Use a good quality plotting program like Excel or Sigma Plot. The graph should be plotted on 8 ½ x 11
inch paper.
• Include scales, axis labels and figure titles on the graph.
• Choose scales that are easy to use and that do not allow points to be plotted to a greater accuracy than
justified by the accuracy of the data.
• Indicate the points plotted from data by small circles or other symbols.
• Draw, plot or calculate a smooth average curve through the plotted points, except in cases in which
discontinuities are known to exist. The average curve does not necessarily pass through every datum.
If during the performance of the experiment, there was strong evidence that an equipment malfunction
or a procedural error affected a datum, it is appropriate to disregard that point when drawing the curve.
Such appoint should be consistently disregarded in all results affected by it.
• Place a title containing all pertinent information on each curve sheet.
• Draw or plot only related curves on the same sheet. Keep in mind that when curves truly are related it is
frequently helpful to interpretation to present them on the same sheet. For example, for a gasoline
engine torque, power, and specific fuel consumption are all functions of speed; and the engine
performance is more easily interpreted if they are all on the same graph with separate ordinate scales
for each variable.
SAMPLE GRAPH

Figure 1:- Engine Brake Torque and Power as Functions of speed

This illustrates an acceptable method of showing two curves on one graph. Note that these curves
are closely related in theory. Note that the figure has a title in words. The axes are plainly marked. The
scales chosen are easy to use. Each axis has a label, in words, and units given. Symbols and line codes are
defined. Symbols are used around discrete data points and the curves pass smoothly near, but not
necessarily through, the data points. To achieve this smoothness a mathematical curve fit procedure was
used (quadratic curve).
7. DISCUSSION: Most important section of the entire report. It should be a complete discussion of the
results obtained. Part of this discussion should deal with the accuracy or reliability of the results. It is
suggested that this section consist, when applicable, of a careful treatment of the effect upon the results of
the following:-
A) Errors resulting from the necessity of neglecting certain factors because of physical limitations in the
performance of the test
B) Errors in manipulation C) Errors in observation
D) Errors in instruments
E) Comparison of the results obtained with those that would reasonably have been expected from a
consideration of the theory involved in the problem. Whenever the theory is apparently contradicted,
the probable reasons should be discussed.
When results are given in graphical form as curves, the shape of each curve should be carefully
explained. Such an explanation should state the causes or the particular shape the curve may have. It is
not sufficient simply to state that a particular curve has positive slope, the reason for such a slope should
be given. If the slope is not constant, that is, if the curve is not a straight line, its nonlinearity should also
be explained. Any original conclusions drawn as a consequence of the laboratory procedure and a study
of the results obtained should be given in this section and should be justified by the discussion.
Constructive criticism of any phase of the experiment that may seem pertinent may also be included here.
8. CONCLUSIONS: In this section the conclusions which were supported and drawn in the
Discussion are succinctly restated, usually as a numbered list. No new information should appear in this
section. All justification of conclusions should have occurred in prior sections.

9. REFERENCES: Publication or other authorities which help explain the experiment, calculate
results, and explain errors, draw conclusions etc., should be acknowledged. References to original
sources for cited material should be listed together at the end of the paper; footnotes should not be used
for this purpose. References should be arranged in alphabetical order according to the last name of the
author, or the last name of the first-named author for papers with more than one author. Each reference
should include the last name of each author followed by his initials.
a) Reference to journal articles, papers in conference proceedings or any other collection of
works by numerous authors should include:
• Year of publication
• Full title of cited article
• Full name of the publication in which it appeared
• Volume number (if any)
• Inclusive page numbers of the cited article
 b) Reference to textbooks, monographs, theses and technical reports should
include:
• Year of publication
• Full title of the publication
• Publisher
• City of publication
• Inclusive page numbers of the work being cited
c) Reference to web sites should include:
• Complete web site address including subdirectories
• Date when accessed
In all cases, titles of books, periodicals and conference proceedings should be in
italics.
10. APPENDICES: Materials that support the report but are not essential to the
reader‘s understanding of it are included here. The laboratory data sheet should be an
appendix.

SUBMISSION
Students must submit their report to the laboratory instructor at the following laboratory session
(I.e. exactly 2 weeks from the performance date of the experiment). Students submitting late
reports are not accepted resulting in a zero grade for the experiment. The corrected reports will
be returned to the students in the next laboratory session or can be picked up at the laboratory
teacher‘s/Lab Assistance/