CHFEN 4903
WRITING THE REPORT
Terry A. Ring
Department of Chemical Engineering
November 1 & 3, 2004
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing I
How To Prepare the Report
Materials and Facilities:
• Word processor, spreadsheet, drawing and graphing
programs
• Use spelling and grammar checker, but still proof read.
Spelling and grammar checkers are not fool-proof. Use
dictionary if necessary
• Keep electronic backup copies at every stage
• Printer - make sure toner cartridge is not on empty and
leave plenty of time to print your report
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing I
How To Prepare the Report
Early Preparation:
• Theory (decide on notation, be consistent)
• Introduction (start a rough draft, decide what is important to tell)
• Equipment - decide on drawing/sketch, write down important
information on major pieces of equipment, i.e. manufacturer, model
number.
•Figures and Tables (decide on format)
Remember Figures: Caption at the bottom
Tables: Caption at the top
•Do Uncertainty Analysis make sure that it appears on Tables and in
Figures
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing I
How To Prepare the Report
Writing the Memo Report :
• Introduction paragraph
• Theory Paragraph
•Any equations that are to be used should be listed with a
reference. You do not list any statistical equations like average,
standard deviation, propagation of error, etc.
•Apparatus and Procedure
Discuss the apparatus diagram/sketches
Give a brief step by step procedure
•Results and Discussion of Results
Discuss tables and figures, do not just show them
Give your interpretation of the data and results
•Conclusions and Recommendations
•Proofread, Proofread, Proofread
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing I
How To Prepare the Report
Starting is often difficult
How I start :
• Assemble Figures and Tables in Complete form
• List Preliminary Conclusions and Supporting Evidence
discuss with your group members
• Assemble list of items to be discussed in the report
• Prepare an outline of the complete report
•Write the easy parts first
•Theory
•Procedure
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing I
How To Prepare the Report
Tables:
• Number in text using Arabic numerals
sequential as referenced
if in appendix, may use Table A-1, etc.
• Column and row headings must include
name of quantity, symbol used, and units
• Organize with thought, don’t just copy spreadsheet
• Should “stand alone”, self explanatory
• Descriptive heading should be at the top!!!
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing I
How To Prepare the Report
Figures:
• Number using Arabic numerals
insert after first citation in text
sequential as referenced
• Figure captions are required
descriptive caption at the bottom of each figure
captions are complete sentences, text-like
• Axis labels (with units) are required
name, quantity, dimensions
legends are usually helpful if plotting several things
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing I
How To Prepare the Report
Figures (continued):
• Correlation Curves and Error Bars
typically do not draw outside data range
keep simple, clear, not complicated
• Plots with theoretical lines
use data symbols for experimental data
use lines (solid, dashed, etc.) for theoretical line
theoretical lines may be drawn to edge of plot
• Use log-log and semi-log plots when appropriate
• Flow sheet and piping diagrams, Equipment diagrams,
control and computer system diagrams are all figures
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing I
Contents of Formal Report (in order of appearance):
•Introduction - objective, literature, your approach
• Theory - start with basic principles, write equations using
an equation editor
• Apparatus and Procedure
apparatus and instrumentation diagrams are essential
discuss accuracy of the instruments and measurements
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing I
Contents of Report (in order) - continued:
• Results - tell the reader what was observed without
bias or interpretation present and discuss data
• Discussion of Results
Tell the reader what you think the results mean
Error analysis - details in an appendix
Cite relationships, generalizations
Agreement with prior work? Values reasonable?
• Conclusions and Recommendations
importance of the work- short and sweet
summarize evidence for every conclusion
give recommendations - be positive, constructive
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CHFEN 4903
WRITING STYLE
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing
Writing Style:
• Usually active voice but can use passive.
•Passive voice should not be overused
•active –
•“The drafter improved upon the line quality”
•passive –
•“The line quality was improved upon by the drafter”
• Avoid editorial “we”
• Edit frequently - read, revise, read, revise, …
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing
Quotation of Material:
• Avoid plagiarism - learn to use quoted material
Refer to the Student Code on cheating
www.admin.utah.edu/ppmanual/8/8-10.html
• Short quotations - placed between quotation marks
and the source cited
• Long quotations - single spaced and indented on the
left and right margins. Cite your source.
• For this class only - you may use copyrighted material
without permission (copy charts/graphs) but you must
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indicate the source of this material
CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing
Symbols and Abbreviations:
• Define all symbols when first used and/or in a table of
nomenclature - see sample report
• Abbreviations are frequently overused. Define
nonstandard abbreviations in text when first used.
Examples:
30’ = 30 feet
The new center is called CBI (Center for
Biopolymers at Interfaces).
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SAMPLE Memo REPORT
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing(Day 2)
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
Tools/ References:
• Laboratory Writing Manual by W. M. Learned
• “Writing for Technicians” book by Marva T. Barnett
• “The Elements of Style” by William Strunk and E. B.
White
• “The ACS (American Chemical Society) Style Guide” by
Janet S. Dodd, Editor
• A dictionary, word processor with grammar check
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
Style:
• Read first section in Learned file, pg. 4-8,
12-14
• Review file - Sample Formal Report
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
Grammar & Punctuation:
- Read file - “Errors Common to Report Writing
and How to Avoid Them” by W. M. Learned
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
Grammar & Punctuation:
• Voice (Item 1 in Learned Section)
Use active as much as possible
Passive: A numerical example is now given to
illustrate the above example.
Active: The following numerical example
illustrates this result.
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Tense (3)
past tense for procedural, narrative parts,
calculations - present tense for theory, known
facts, and discussing figures, tables and diagrams
Past:
Early investigations were reviewed.
Present: The following numerical example
illustrates this result.
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Dangling Participle (106)
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Dangling Participle (106)
A verbal phrase that does not refer clearly and
logically to another word or phrase in the sentence.
Incorrect: Using the procedure described previously,
the partition function can be evaluated.
Correct: The partition function can be evaluated by
using the procedure described previously.
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Wordiness:
Be brief and concise. Omit phrases like “it was
found that” or “it would appear that”.
Wordy:
Better:
owing to the fact that
on the order of
at the present time
a very limited number of
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Wordiness:
Be brief and concise. Omit phrases like “it was
found that” or “it would appear that”.
Wordy:
Better:
owing to the fact that
because (since)
on the order of
about
at the present time
now
a very limited number of
few
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Commonly Misused Words:
Affect, verb, to influence
Heat affects the surface.
Effect, verb, to bring about
A radical change was effected.
Effect, noun
The Coriolis effect will be studied
Comprise, verb, contains or includes
The text comprises all three modes of transfer.
Compose, verb, made up of, constituted of
The mixture is composed of sand and gravel
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Hyphenation (16,17,27):
When two or more words modify another word, and the
words work as a unit, the hyphen must be used but do not
hyphenate most prefixes added to common nouns.
Acetic-acid water system
bubble-cap tray
liquid-gas interface
a 20-percent increase
a two- or three-year study
precooled not pre-cooled
nonpolar not non-polar
Exceptions: co-worker not coworker
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co-ion not coion
CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Nonsexist Language:
Nonsexist language can be accurate and unbiased, and not
necessarily awkward.
Sexist
The effects of compounds A-B were studied in rats and man.
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Nonsexist Language:
Nonsexist language can be accurate and unbiased, and not
necessarily awkward.
Sexist
The effects of compounds A-B were studied in rats and man.
Nonsexist
The effects of compounds A-B were studied in rats and humans.
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Nonsexist Language:
Nonsexist language can be accurate and unbiased, and not
necessarily awkward.
Sexist
The effects of compounds A-B were studied in rats and man.
Nonsexist
The effects of compounds A-B were studied in rats and humans.
Sexist
Man’s search for beauty and truth has resulted in some of our greatest
accomplishments.
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Nonsexist Language:
Nonsexist language can be accurate and unbiased, and not
necessarily awkward.
Sexist
The effects of compounds A-B were studied in rats and man.
Nonsexist
The effects of compounds A-B were studied in rats and humans.
Sexist
Man’s search for beauty and truth has resulted in some of our greatest
accomplishments.
Nonsexist
The search for beauty and truth has resulted in some of our greatest
accomplishments.
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Units of Measure:
Spell out the unit of measure when no quantity is given
several milligrams not several mg
Do not use plurals for abbreviated units of measure
50 mg not 50 mgs
In ranges and series, retain only the first unit of measure
10-12 mg, between 25 and 50 ml
When a sentence starts with a specific quantity, spell it
out as well as the unit of measure
Twenty-five milliliters of acetone was added.
Use the percent symbol with a number, without a space
25%
45-50%
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Style, Grammar, Punctuation
• Capitalization (31-39):
Numbered items should be capitalized when referred to
in the text of the report. Write the numbers as figures.
…as shown in Figure 1.
See Table 2
… as given in Equation (3).
But for non-numbered items, do not capitalize
…as shown in the figures.
Capitalize only the name of the eponym but not the noun
Avogadro’s number
Lewis acid
Non-Newtonian liquid
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How to Do Figures
6
4
Leach
Relative Temperature
2
0
-2
Wet Air Cycle
-4
-6
Dry Air Cycle
-8
-10
-12
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Tim e (hours)
Figure 4.3.5-1 Temperature effects during the typical humidity cell weekly
cycle showing evaporative effects during the dry air cycle with a
temperature drop of 4 C. Note the rise in temperature after most of the
water was evaporated. This experiment used 1 liter/min of total gas flow
through the humidity cell, which consisted of marble (control cell) ground
to the same grain size as the waste rock in this study. The relative
temperature is the difference between the cell temperature and the
ambient temperature.
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How to Do Tables
Table 1. Chemical Analysis of Selenium-contaminated Wastewater used in the study.
Species/Property
pH
Conductivity
Temperature
Alkalinity
Hardness
Total Dissolved
Solids
Total Suspended
Solids
Concentration
or Value
7.25
2840 micro mho/cm
21 C
303 mg/L
557 mg/L as CaCO3
1670 mg/L
Detection
Limit
<detection
3 mg/L
10 mg/L
5 mg/L
20 mg/L
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CONCLUSIONS
• Writing is a learned skill
• Preparing your report takes organization
• Tables, figures, references have to be done
a certain way
• Proofread your reports – grammar,
punctuation, style
• Follow requirements, turn in the report on
time
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CHFEN 4903
GRADING THE REPORT
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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing II
Grading
A report is not acceptable and must be revised and turned in again if the
instructor determines that the report does not meet the minimum
standard for senior chemical engineering students
Category
Score
A. Teamwork
10
B. Coherence – Does the report tell a technically
coherent story? Are objectives stated and met?
25
C. Technical Accuracy
45
D. Professional Standards – English, Form, Visuals,
Citations, Lab operations, Safety, Use of equipment,
Cleanup
20
TOTAL
100
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