The goal of this document is to provide an expanded discussion of the requirements of each element of the rubric, as well as some common pitfalls to avoid when writing your report. If you have questions, be sure to seek help from your GA or from the Physics Writing Lab.
Includes the five required elements
What to do: Be sure to include all the required elements. The Abstract (if required) belongs on the cover page. Be sure to make note of your lab partner(s) name(s) while you are still in lab.
Also, be sure you know who your lecture instructor and lab instructor are.
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because:

Lab partner(s) name(s) are missing. Clearly indicate lab partner(s) – make note of their name(s) while you are still in lab.

Lecture instructor and lab instructor names are missing or misspelled.
Abstract conveys a sense of the full report concisely and effectively. Provides the reader with specific numerical results. – Could be used by a future student to understand the key points of the lab exercise.
What to do:

Clearly state the specific purpose of this experiment.

Briefly describe what you did – but note that this is not the procedure.

Describe your conclusions and whether or not you achieved the purpose of the lab.

Use key numerical results to support your conclusions. Think about what key results actually support the conclusion.

The entire abstract needs to be less than 75 words, but do not include the word count

Be sure to address all parts of the experiment.
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because:

The purpose is incomplete or vauge.

There is only a list of equipment instead of a brief description of how they used the equipment.

There is no conclusion given.

There are numerical results, but they are not related to a conclusion.

There are numerical results, but those numerical results do not support the conclusion.

The Abstract is significantly more than 75 words in length. Your GA can easily spot an
Abstract that is too long.

The Abstract does not address all parts of the experiment.

What to do: Be sure to write the entire Introduction in your own words. This is where you convey to your reader what you understand about the purpose, general principles and laws, equations, and equipment that are relevant to this experiment.
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because they only paraphrase the material in the Objective, Introduction, and Theory sections of the lab manual. Paraphrasing the lab manual constitutes plagiarism, and it is not tolerated.
The entire report must be written in your own words.
Effectively presents the objective and purpose of the lab
What to do: Ask yourself the following questions and write the answers in your own words

What is the objective or purpose of this experiment?

What are you trying to accomplish in this experiment?
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because the purpose or objective is vague or incomplete.
Successfully discusses the general principles and laws
What to do: Ask yourself the following questions and write the answers in your own words

What scientific concepts, principles, or laws are used in this experiment?

Discuss scientific concepts that are necessary to achieve the purpose.
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because
 not all the principles and laws relevant to the experiment have been discussed

Principles/laws are discussed in the specific context of the current experiment rather than in a general manner.
Successfully describes equations and their uses
What to do: Ask yourself the following questions and write the answers in your own words

What equations are needed to describe those scientific concepts?

Discuss the equations, and be sure to define each variable used.
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because:

Only the equations in the Introduction and Theory section of the lab manual have been discussed. This may not be all the required equations, or it may be more than necessary.
If you have questions about what equations are required, be sure to talk with your GA.


The variables used in the equations are not defined in the discussion surrounding the equations.

Equations are not formatted using Equation Editor in Microsoft Word – your GA can easily spot equations that are not formatted correctly.

Equations are discussed in forms that are specific to the current experiment – remember that this is a discussion of general equations.
Discusses the role of the equipment
What to do: Ask yourself the following questions and write the answers in your own words

What is the role of the equipment used in this experiment?

Describe why you are using particular equipment to achieve the purpose of the lab.

Remember to discuss the purpose or role of all the equipment.
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because:

Discussion of the equipment is just the procedure of how they will use the equipment instead of discussing the purpose or role of the equipment.

Some students find this part hard to write because they do not understand the role of the equipment – if you have questions about the role of the equipment, be sure to talk with your GA.

Not all the equipment is discussed – sometimes discussion of common equipment is missing.
Presents visuals (tables, graphs & figures) clearly and accurately – all tables and graphs should have appropriate titles and figure captions
What to do:

Check the list of formatting guidelines found in the “Table and Graph Requirements” document on the course website.
 Titles should be more descriptive than “Table 1. Part A”, such as “Table 1. Finding the
Coefficient of Kinetic Friction.” Be sure to also include a Caption for each Table or
Graph.

Variables in trendline equations should correspond to the variables plotted

Remember that titles and captions go below tables and graphs.
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because:

The formatting guidelines provided were not followed

The significant digits of calculated quantities are not correct


Column headings are missing units

Tables/graphs are only labeled with a number – “Table 1” – and no title/caption.

Variables of trendline equations are not changed from the default “y” and “x” in Excel to variables that correspond to the quantities plotted, such as “F” and “r”.
Effectively describes, in a couple of sentences before each table, graph, or figure how the data was obtained or the graph or figure was drawn.
What to do:
Before each table:

Give a clear description of what you did so that the reader understands how you obtained the data, but note that this is not a procedure o Diagrams of the setup can sometimes be helpful, but be sure to integrate it with your discussion o For PHY 222/224, include schematics of your circuits.

Identify what equipment you used to measure each quantity.

Identify what quantities were measured and what quantities were calculated.

Be sure to discuss all parts of the experiment, including any relevant results that you obtained from any pre-lab assignments.
Before each graph:
 Identify what quantities you plotted, such as “We plotted F vs. x”

Identify which table the data is located in that you are using to create this plot, such as
“…using data from Table 1.”
Common pitfalls:
For Tables, students often do not get full credit because there is an incomplete description of what they did and how they obtained the data. PHY 222/224 students often do not get full credit because schematics of their circuits are missing.
For Graphs, students often do not get full credit because source of their data is not identified.
A sample of each required calculation is shown (read the lab manual carefully to identify all the necessary calculations)
-- used correct units & significant digits
-- all equations should be typed and appear as they would in a physics textbook
-- calculated answers are correct
What to do:

Be sure to include all required sample calculations.

Format all equations using Equation Editor.

Include the formula you used, plug in the values, and then show the calculated answer.

Include units for all values in each calculation.

Make sure calculated quantities are correct.

o You should verify that the value calculated by Excel in your data table is indeed correct.

You only need to include one sample calculation per formula. o If you use a particular formula to calculate a quantity in multiple tables, you only o o need to include a sample of that calculation the first time you use the formula.
However, if the formula has changed form, then you need to show a sample calculation for the new form.
If you have questions about what sample calculations to show, be sure to talk with your GA.
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because:

Not all sample calculations are included

Sample Calculations are improperly formatted. Your GA can easily identify this.

Units are not included on all quantities

Answers are not formatted with proper significant figures.

The value calculated by the formula in Excel is assumed to be correct – be sure to check
Successfully integrates verbal and visual representations
-- briefly describes, after each table or graph, tends seen in tables or graphs
-- when applicable, indicates why certain data points do not fit the trends
What to do:

Make sure there is cohesive flow between text, data tables, and graphs.

After each table or graph, discuss the relevant trends. o Often this will be commenting on the trend of a dependent variable as the independent variable increased or decreased. o o
When discussing conservation laws, the trend is more likely to be discussing the relative values of initial and final quantities in a data table.
For graphs, be sure to discuss the trends between the dependent and independent o variables, not just the trendline.
Include discussion of key results that come from the trendline on the graph.
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because:

Tables or graphs are split across page breaks.

Title/captions are not on the same page as the table/graph.

Discussion of trends is completely missing.

There is discussion about low % differences but not the trends in the independent and dependent variables in the tables.

Discussion of trends in graph is limited to the results of the trendline on their graph without discussion of the general trends of the data in the graph.

Correctly identifies at least two sources of error
Successfully discusses how each error would affect the measured and calculated outcomes
Fully justifies discussions of error with calculations
What to do:

Identify two specific sources of error that actually affected your data.

Keep in mind that your data already contains the error.

Be specific when discussing how each source affects your measured and calculated data. o Does it cause your measured values to be larger than or smaller than what you o o would expect if the source of error was not present?
How does this also affect calculated values?
If you can numerically quantify how the source of error affects the measured data, then you should include calculations to show how you would compensate for this source of error, which should lead to lower percent difference/error.
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because:

There is only discussion of how the source of error might affect the data, instead of discussing how it specifically does affect the data.

Students forget that the data already contains the error.

There is not discussion of how the source affects both measured and calculated results.

Compensating for the source of error does not lead to reduced percent difference/error
Effectively summarized the point(s) of the experiment and the conclusions drawn
-- reflects back on the main objectives of the lab
What to do:

Restate what the purpose of the lab is – you have already identified the purpose in the
Abstract and the Introduction, so summarize that same purpose here

Summarize what you did but do not give a procedure. Be sure to discuss results and conclusions from all parts of the experiment, including any relevant results that you obtained from any pre-lab assignments.

Discuss what conclusions you can draw from these results.

Your conclusions should relate to the purpose of the lab.
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because

The purpose of the lab is missing.

The Conclusion only contains discussion of the QFTs.

There are no clear conclusions from the data.

The conclusions do not relate to the purpose of the lab.

Results and conclusions from all parts of the experiment, including any relevant results obtained from pre-lab assignments, are missing.

Uses specific data to support conclusions
What to do: Include key numerical results that support your conclusions. Consider carefully what data supports your conclusions.

If you have created a graph, then there is some result from the graph that should support your conclusion.

If you are examining laws of conservation, then percent differences will be the key results to include.
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because:

No specific numerical results to support their conclusions are included

Numerical results are included, but those numerical results do not actually support their conclusion.

Tables or graphs are referenced for support of conclusions, but no numerical results are included.
Questions presented in the lab manual are addressed with support from data
What to do: Follow the instructions for formatting your answers.

If the answers are part of your Conclusion, then rephrase each question into a statement and integrate the answer into your discussion of results and conclusions.

If they are not part of the Conclusion (just Answer Questions), then type out the questions, followed by your answer.
Be sure to use your numerical data to support your answers whenever possible
Common pitfalls: Students often do not get full credit because

They do not answer every question

They do not include data to support their answers
Writer inappropriately includes procedures in the Introduction
What to do:

Discuss the principles/laws in a general manner

Discuss the purpose and role of the equipment. Describe why you are using particular equipment to achieve the purpose of the lab.
Common pitfalls: Students often lose credit here because

Principles/laws are discussed as they specifically relate to the steps of the experiment

The equipment is discussed in terms of the procedure and how it was used instead of just discussing the purpose and role of the equipment.

Writer does not use proper grammar and correct spelling
What to do: Read what you have written out loud before submitting it.
Common pitfalls: Students often lose credit here because they do not carefully proofread what they have written.
Report is not written in scientific style: clear and to the point
What to do: Write effectively so that any reader (your GA or a fellow student) can easily understand the key ideas of the lab.
Common pitfalls: Students often lose credit here because they think more is better. Remember, your report will be graded on the quality of what you write, not on the quantity you write.
Report is written in passive voice rather than in active voice
What to do: Describe what you did
. For example: “
We measured the displacement of the cart.”
Common pitfalls: Students often lose credit here because they describe what was done , such as
“The displacement of the cart was measured
.”
Writer has not attached the correct rubric.
What to do: Be sure to attach the rubric before you submit your report.
Common pitfalls: Students often lose credit here because they do not attach the rubric.