MSE Lab Reports
2024
Graphics and Technical Writing Guidelines
Qualities of an e ective graphic
1. Has a clear purpose
2. Presents lots of data/information in a small space
a. No wasted space (properly sized axes)
b. No extraneous features
• No titles on gures in a report
• Grid lines and tick marks only appear if needed to interpret the data
• Label di erent data sets directly on the plot, eliminating the need for a legend
3. Doesn’t distort or misrepresent the data
a. Axes of bar chart must start at 0
4. Motivates the reader to think about the meaning of the data
5. Encourages the reader to compare di erent data sets
a. When possible use identical axes limits when a gure contains several similar plots
6. Graphics should be easily interpreted if printed in black and white
Graphic types
1. Tables
a. Summarize key values in a clean, logical format
b. Don’t include all raw data (unless speci cally requested in the report template)
c. Often contains results of statistical analyses of the data
d. Don’t include grid lines
e. Don’t shade alternate rows unless absolutely necessary for readability of large tables
2. Line graph
a. Used to plot continuous data
b. Axes labelled including units
c. Use lines thick enough to be easily seen
d. Can use markers to identify di erent lines on same plot
• Make sure markers don’t coverup any details in the data
e. Can use di erent line types to identify di erent lines on same plot
f.
Use consistent set of lines/markers in all similar plots in a report
3. Scatter plot
a. Used to plot discrete data
b. Axes labelled including units
c. Markers are not connected by lines
d. Lines denoting trend lines/curve ts of the data should be present
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4. Bar graphs
a. Used to plot categorical data
b. Axes labelled including units
c. Axis must start at 0 to enable comparison of bars
d. Use horizontal bar graph if category names are long
Captions
1. Every graphic or table must have a caption
a. Appears below gures
b. Appears above table
2. Starts with either Figure X or Table X
3. A gure title appears after the gure number
a. Descriptive:: Figure 1. E ects of dam construction on sh biodiversity
b. Declarative:Figure 1. Dam construction results in loss of sh biodiversity
4. Remainder of the caption provides information needed to interpret the table or gure
without having to reference the report text.
a. Identi es any symbols, line types, colors used in the gure
b. De nes any acronyms used
c. Information about statistical analyses
• If averages are presented state the number of samples used
• What is the basis for the error bars (range, standard deviation, standard error)
5. Use a single gure number if gure contains multiple plots
a. Label each individual plot A, B, C ..
b. Describe each individual plot in the caption
6. Citation to the source of the gure if you didn’t create it
7. Include “ gure was adapted from” then provide a citation if you modi ed someone else’s
gure
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MSE Lab Reports
MSE Lab Reports
2024
Example of good table and caption
Table I. Mechanical properties of 3 metals and 1 plastic determined from historical tensile tests
(n=28 per material) and those performed by the odd numbered sections in MSE 1500L in 2022
(n=6 per material). Error on each property is ± 1 standard deviation
1018 Steel
1045 Steel
2024
Aluminum
Polyethylene
379 ± 61
760 ±167
482 ± 37
28 ± 2
Odd sections 361± 40
804 ± 80
450 ± 40
25 ± 3
0.29 ± 0.07
0.12 ± 0.07
0.42 ± 0.97
6.5 ± 2.2
Odd sections 0.37 ± 0.05
0.10 ± 0.03
0.20 ± 0.3
5.6 ± 1.8
7.2 ± 1.2
7.2 ± 1.2
2.9 ± 0.97
0.94 ± 0.02
Odd sections 7.6 ± 0.2
7.7 ± 0.2
2.8 ± 0.09
0.94 ± 0.03
52 ± 10
115 ± 42
177 ± 32
29 ± 2
Odd sections 48 ± 5
104 ± 9
163 ± 17
27 ± 3
Property
Tensile
Strength
(MPa)
Fracture
Strain
(mm/mm)
Density
(g/cm3)
Specific
Strength
(MPa/(g/cm 3))
Historic
Historic
Historic
Historic
Examples of good graphics and captions
Figure 1. Resistivity as a function of temperature for A) copper, and B) Kanthal Fe-Cr-Al alloy.
Dashed line on each plot is a linear t to the data. Fit for copper is r =7.23x10-11T+1.62x10-8,
R2=0.93. Fit for Kanthal is r =6.30x10-10T+1.09x10-6, R2=0.99.
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MSE Lab Reports
2024
Figure 2. A) Stress-strain curve for cold rolled 1018 steel. The
original specimen diameter was 5.99 mm and the original
gauge length was 43.09 mm
Figure 3. Experimentally determined density
( lled bars) and accepted density (un lled
bars) for the 19 materials involved in this
study.
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MSE Lab Reports
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A)
B)
Figure 4. Mechanical Properties of three metals, one polymer, and a
composite. A) Tensile Strength (metals and polymer) or Biaxial Flexure
Strength (composite) and B) Fracture Strain (metals and polymer) plotted on
a log scale for clarity. Data were collected by the odd numbered sections of
2022 MSE1500L (orange squares, 6 samples per material) and previous
years’ students (black diamond, 28 samples per material). Error bars show
± 1 standard deviation.
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MSE Lab Reports
2024
Technical Writing
Content from The Art of Scienti c Writing, 3rd edition, Michael Alley
The purpose of scienti c or technical writing is to transfer knowledge.
Qualities of good technical writing
1. Written for a particular audience
a. Professor/boss: knows the technical eld
b. Customer: wants the big picture
c. Peer: needs details to continue the project
d. Student: needs more background information to put the project in prospective
2. Includes appropriate level of detail
3. Well organized
4. Leads the reader through the content
5. Easily understood
6. Clear, concise, precise
Be precise
1. Use the proper word (eg weight vs. mass, precision vs. accuracy)
2. Don’t use synonyms (choose a term and stick with it, be consistent)
3. Use the right level of detail
4. Be quantitative, general statements are not informative
example:
Our new process reduces emissions of nitrogen oxides from diesel engines and industrial
furnaces. (not informative)
Our new process eliminates 99% of nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel engines and
industrial furnaces. Previous processes have, at best, reduced nitrogen oxide emissions by
only 70%. (better)
Be concise
1. Make every word count!
a. As a matter of fact– adds no information
b. The fact that– adds no information
c. in order to – can use “to” and not change meaning
d. somewhat unique- something is either unique or it is not unique (like somewhat dead)
2. Keep sentences short
a. Phrases can add information but too many phrases add confusion
b. Should contain ONE idea
c. Think about rewriting a sentence if it needs several commas for proper punctuation.
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example:
The objective of our work is to obtain data that can be used in conjunction with a
comprehensive chemical kinetics modeling study to generate a detailed understanding of the
fundamental chemical processes that lead to engine knock. (Wordy)
Our goal is to obtain experimental data that can be used with a chemical kinetics model to
explain the chemical processes that lead to engine knock.(more concise)
Write clearly and simplistically
1. Write to inform, not impress
2. Use active voice
3. Avoid ambiguity through proper word order and phrase structure
4. Reader should never have to guess to what a pronoun refers (it and this commonly
misused)
5. Use words appropriate for your reader
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MSE Lab Reports
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Example response including data table and example calculations.
Include question text
Questions
1. Present your tables of measurements and calculations for the 3 different types of
samples (rectangular, cylindrical, and irregularly shaped). Show hand calculations to
Caption
prove your spreadsheets are programmed properly. (10 points)
Table I. Physical measurements and calculated density of rectangular samples
Measurement
Silicon
Titanium
Polyethylene
Copper
Magnesium
Length 1 (mm)
11.66
49.14
102.33
25.27
126.62
Length 2 (mm)
11.65
49.28
102.54
25.25
126.65
Length 3 (mm)
11.67
49.29
102.53
25.22
126.84
Width 1 (mm)
11.42
18.20
18.82
15.44
68.10
Width 2 (mm)
11.37
18.05
18.68
15.48
38.72
Width 3 (mm)
11.40
17.91
18.67
15.45
68.70
Height 1 (mm)
10.97
1.49
3.14
6.19
21.71
Height 2 (mm)
10.99
1.45
3.12
6.19
21.73
Height 3 (mm)
10.99
1.43
3.12
6.19
21.67
Mass1 (g)
3.41
6.52
6.18
22.46
335.60
Mass2 (g)
3.40
6.52
6.18
22.47
335.50
Mass3 (g)
3.41
6.52
6.18
22.47
335.50
Average Vol. (cm3)
1.46
1.29
6.00
2.42
160.89
Average Mass (g)
3.41
6.52
6.18
22.47
335.53
density (g/cm3)
2.33
5.04
1.03
9.30
2.09
Show complete calculation for one condition in the
table. This shows your spreadsheet calculations are
correct. Calculations can be hand written, if legible.
Sample calculation for density of silicon:
V̄ [cm 3] = L̄ (cm) × W̄ (cm) × H̄ (cm)
V̄ [cm 3] =
ρ̄
(
1.166 + 1.165 + 1.167
1.142 + 1.137 + 1.140
1.097 + 1.099 + 1.099
cm ×
cm ×
cm = 1.46cm 3
)
(
)
(
)
3
3
3
g
m̄
3.41 g
g
=
=
=
2.33
[ cm 3 ] V̄
1.46 cm 3
cm 3
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