PHY 112 Lab Reports
After the first week (an introduction to the lab course), each PHY 112 Lab will be held over a two-week
period. There will be a total of six, plus a final lab exam. This format will allow for more time for you to
collect data, analyze the data, and complete a short written lab report. Some lab time will also be devoted
to demonstration experiments and problem solving. Remember, 25% of your grade for PHY112 comes
from the lab. This 25% breaks down into 33% from the lab exams and 67% for the 6 reports. Your report
is due at the start of the next lab session.
I will expect every student to collect data during the lab and to perform an individual analysis on it. The
computers in HH 222 and 224, equipped with PSIPLOT are available to you during most of the week.
Your lab report will be a summary of what you did in the lab, not a joint report with your partner orr a
rehash of the lab notes.
The format of the report will be as follow.
Cover Sheet
Title
Author
Co-Workers
Date
A short but meaningful title, which includes the lab number.
Your full name.
A list of co-workers (full names!).
Date the report was finally written.
The Body of the Report
Brief Rationale
Method
Results
Analysis
Result
Conclusion
A very brief reason for the lab. This will depend very much on the actual lab
carried out. Some labs intend primarily to obtain a physical value for a
parameter (To determine the value of g, ……..) but others intend to illustrate an
important physical principle (To show that momentum is conserved in …..).
Make clear what the lab sets out to do.
A very brief description of the experimental method used to accomplish the
rationale.
Usually, but not always, presented as a PSIPLOT graph. No actual raw data
need be included. All graphs in the report should be your own work - do not
reuse a co-worker's graph.
The meat of the report. A clear analysis should be presented, showing how any
physical value has been deduced from the raw data (usually, but not always, by
analysis of a graph).
Show your final result in a short paragraph. Introduce each result via a short
explanation, and then give its value (and uncertainty) with appropriate units.
The conclusion should wrap up the report and summarize it.