Written Reports
for Measurements Lab
• Logistics: when and where
• Content: what to talk about
• Technique: Organization, presentation
Logistics
• When: See schedule
• What you will turn in:
• One report per group
• Turn in answers to questions
• please NO plagiarism either from other students or
books…
• How long?
• Around 15 pages of double spaced text
• Appendices extra
Presentation Content
Beginning: tell about the problem and why your experiment is
an important one - provide context
Middle: describe how you did your experiments and what was
found
End: summarize it all, tell what it means, did you meet goals,
what are your recommendations for future work in this
area?
Report Components
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Title
Abstract
Introduction
Experimental and/or Theoretical Methods
Results and Discussion
Summary and Conclusions
References
Appendices
Structure of Report
Start with broad
knowledge base
Abstract
Intro
Narrow to focus
of report
Results
Discussion
Broaden again,
relate back to beginning
Conclusions
Title
• Title should be concise, complete,
comprehensible, correct, descriptive (and
not the title of the lab procedures)
• Title should have the following: title,
authors, affiliation, date
• Does not have to be on a separate page, see sample
journal articles
Examples
• Pulse, Echos, and Goo”
• “The Applicability of Ultrasound in Determining
Mechanical Properties of Materials”
– Which one is good or bad?
• “A Comparison of Extended Surfaces”
• “Enhancing Convective Heat Transfer using triangular and
cylindrical Extended Surfaces”
– Which one is good or bad?
Example Title for your paper
Environmental Tobacco Smoke Particles in
Multizone Indoor Environments
Shelly L. Miller and William W. Nazaroff
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of California, Berkeley, California USA
Paper submitted to Atmospheric Environment
October 27, 2000
Abstract
• Abstract is a miniature version of the report.
• It should stand alone.
• Structure ~200 words (use “word count” in MS WORD to
make sure that your abstract is not too long!)
• What was done
• How is was done
• The principal results
• The significance of the results
• Quantitative with uncertainties
Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop Characteristics of Laminar Flow in Rectangular and
Square Plain Ducts and Ducts With Twisted-Tape Inserts
S.K. Saha and N. Mallick
The present paper reports the results of an experimental investigation of the heat
transfer and pressure drop characteristics of laminar flow of viscous oil through
horizontal rectangular and square plain ducts and ducts inserted with full-length
twisted tapes, short-length twisted tapes, and regularly spaced twisted-tape
elements. Isothermal pressure drop measurements were taken in acrylic ducts. Heat
transfer measurements were taken in electrically heated stainless-steel ducts imposing
uniform wall heat flux boundary conditions. The duct aspect ratios AR were 1, 0.5, and
0.333. The twist ratios of the twisted tapes were y=2.692, 5.385, 2.597, 5.193, 2.308, and
4.615. Short-length tapes were 0.9, 0.7, and 0.5 times the duct length. The space ratios
were s=2.692, 5.385, 2.597, 5.193, 2.308, and 4.615. Both friction factor and Nusselt
number increase by 30% (+ 5%) with decreasing y and AR for AR1 and increasing Re,
Sw, and Pr. As the tape-length decreases by a factor of 2, both friction factor and Nusselt
number decrease by a factor of 3. Friction factor increases by 80% (+ 12%) as s
decreases by 50%, and Nusselt number increases by 75% (+ 30%) as s increases by
100%. Isothermal friction factor correlation and comprehensive Nusselt number
correlation have been developed to predict data reasonably well in the entire range of
parameters. Performance evaluation says that short-length twisted tapes are worse and
regularly spaced twisted-tape elements are better than the full-length twisted tapes.
What
How
Results
Significance
This is about 200 words
Introduction
• Purpose - What you did and why you did it
– Clearly state goals
– May include a review of scientific literature to justify the what and
why, and to define the
• Scope - Range, how much, limits of applicability of what
you have done
• Background - What the reader needs to know to understand
what comes
– Fundamental ideas involved.
• Make sure you answer these questions:
– What has been done on this problem before?
– What’s the point of the report?
– What was your contribution?
Example of objective paragraph in
introduction
As a pilot study, we measured the CO, NO2, and PAH
emissions from the operation of unvented natural gas
fireplaces existing in two homes in Boulder, Colorado.
Pollutant concentrations were monitored under various
operating conditions in the room where the fireplace was
located. In this paper, we present the theoretical framework
used to evaluate our experimental results followed by a
description of the experimental methods and monitoring
locations. Finally, we present and discuss these preliminary
results, with particular emphasis on potential human health
impacts involved with the use of unvented natural gas
fireplaces.
Experimental/Theoretical
Description
• How did you do what you did? What equipment and/or
theory was used?
• Describe the procedures followed, not a detailed list (like
in the lab manuals), but just enough so that the reader can
follow you
• For modeling include major mathematical expressions as
part of a description of your methods. Number your
equations
• For experiments point out major pieces of equipment and
provide a schematic of the experimental layout. Make sure
to list equipment with who made the equipment and the
model number. For example, if you used an oscilloscope,
then list it as model DS03152A, Agilent Technologies
Example of Theoretical Description
for a Modeling Study
LIF diagnostics have been constructed by pumping from the X-state to both the A and B-states,
although pumping to the A-state (the so-called  bands) is preferable due to the longer
excitation wavelengths required. This reduces problems with attenuation of laser light and LIF
signals and complex electronic energy transfer.
In modeling the excitation process one solves a set of time dependent rate equations, one for
the population Ni of each quantum state i considered. The equations take on the generalized
form




dN i
  Q ji  W ji N j   Qij  Wij N i  Qlost N i
dt
j i
j i
(1)
Here, the first term represents the rate at which collisions (Qji) and radiative transitions (Wji)
populate state i, the second term the rate at which state i is depopulated by collisions and
radiative transitions, and the final term (Qlost) the sum of all process that depopulate…
Example of Methods for an
Experimental Study
Intrinsic Inactivation Rate of Airborne Fungal Spores to Ultraviolet Germicidal Irraqdiation (UVGI).
Experiments were conducted in the pilot-scale chamber to estimate the intrinsic inactivation rate of airborne
fungal spores to UVGI. After purging the chamber with clean air, airborne fungal spores were continuously
generated (for usually 15 minutes) to raise the concentration in the chamber to a suitable level for detection.
Two box fans (48-cm diameter, Model 3723, Lasko Inc., West Chester, PA) were turned on to ensure mixing.
No ventilation was provided during this period and the UVGI lamps were kept off. Once the fungal spore
aerosolization was stopped, sampling of the airborne fungal spores was initiated. Also in some of the
experiments, UVGI lamps were turned on at this time. Samples were collected 4 or 5 separate times with
duplicate liquid impingers as the concentration decayed over a 14 or 26 min period. For each sample, the
impingers were operated for 3 to 5 minutes. The shorter decay time (14 min) was used for experiments in
which UVGI lamps were operating, while the longer decay time (26 min) was used for tests with UVGI
lamps not in operation. After the final sample was collected, the chamber was purged again with the clean
air. Decay experiments were conducted without the UVGI system operating to measure removal of airborne
fungal spores by deposition, exfiltration, and natural die-off. No ventilation was provided during these
experiments.
A completely-mixed room model was used to estimate the inactivation rate of UVGI as previously
described (Miller-Leiden et al. 1996; Xu et al. 2003, Xu et al. 2005). In summary, the least-squares method
was used to fit lines to the log-transformed concentrations measured over the decay period, and inactivation
rates were inferred by subtracting the slope of the lines for the no-UVGI experiments from those with UVGI.
The UVGI inactivation rate has units of ACH or h-1.
Example Schematic
North Wall
East
Wall
Exhaust Air
(Ceiling)
Supply Ai r
(Ceiling)
*
Biosafety Ho od
Nebulizer
Air cyli nder
Door
Source, 1.1 m
M. parafortuitum and B. subtilis samplers
Locations
2.1 m
1.5 m
Radiometer, 2.1 m
0.3 m
Corner Wall-Mount ed UV Lamp
Mixi ng Fan
*
Center Pendant UV Lamp
M. bovis BCG samplers at 1.5 m
Figure 1. Schematic (top view) of test chamber.
Figure 1
Remember
• Functional drawings only, not pictures
• label everything in the drawing
Results and Discussion
• First present your results, including your estimates
of uncertainty
• Then discuss the significance of the results. Do
they prove your hypothesis, match a theory, etc.
• Be careful not to mix the two. In other words, do
not manipulate the way you present your results
just to support a preconceived idea
Uncertainty Analysis
• When a measurement is mentioned, include its
uncertainty
• Include your uncertainty analysis in an appendix
• Describe the details of how you estimated
uncertainty
• “We took repeated measurements, then used the SD and
student’s t-distribution to obtain the 95% CI.”
• “The mean acceleration was 10 m2/s ± 2.1 m2/s @ 95%.”
• “There was error from measuring the volume of water. The
increments on the sight glass were 1 L. Thus, we estimated the
uncertainty in V to be 0.5 L.”
Tables
•
Tables need titles! Half or full-page tables/graphs usually work the best.
Remember to refer to table in your text.
Table 1
Airflow rates measured du ring t wo-room ETS particle expe rimen ts (m 3 h-1)1
ACH
FO,N
Ff,S
Ff,N
(h-1)2
0.001
1.6  0.2
0.8  0.2
Ğ
Ğ
0.04
2.5  0.03
4.2  0.1
3.1  0.04
3.7  0.1
Ğ
Ğ
0.1
FN,S
FS,N
FS,O
Baseli ne
60  4
59  4
2.4  1.7
Segregation
Exh aust
ven til ation
1
FO,S
Scenar io
0.6  0.03 1.1  0.01
FN,O
0.001 
92  2.4
17  0.8
107  1.7
0.0  0.0
32  1.8
75  1.4
Ğ
Ğ
1.7
Enh anced
ven til ation
154  17
163  17
11  5
19  1.4
2  1.3
Ğ
Ğ
0.3
N fil tration
128  4
128  4
10  5
0.004
 0.004
2.7  1.9
0.3  0.2
2.4  0.2
Ğ
91  9
0.03
S filt ration
46  0.9
47  0.8
0.0  0.0
2.4  0.8
0.7  0.1
1.6  0.1
91  9
Ğ
0.03
The air flow rates were e s timated fro m tracerga s measurements us ing a non li nearl eas t-squares minimi zation technique (Mill er et al., 1997). Refer to Figu re 2
for airflow rate no menclature .
2
The se air exchang e rates , exp res sed i nun its of air -ch ange s per hour (ACH), represent the amount of air exchanged w it h the outdoor s forth e sys tem acting as a
s ingl e zone .
Example Figure
Tables need Captions, always underneath figure and numbered! Remember to refer to
Figure in your text.
140
120
Medium Flame
100
CO (ppm)
•
80
Flame
Extinguished
Manually
60
High Flame
40
Flame
Extinguished
Automatically
20
Low Flame
0
0
120
240
360
480
600
720
840
960
elapsed time (min)
Figure 1. Typical CO profiles measured during the operation of unvented Fireplace A at the low, medium and high
heat settings during (a) Spring 1997 and (b) Spring 1999. Vertical lines indicate the instant when the flame was
reduced or extinguished, either manually at the completion of the test or automatically during the test by the oxygen
depletion sensor. The CO monitor's maximum detection limit of 128 ppm was surpassed during the 1999 tests.
Example Figure
Must have a
Title and Figure
Number and reference
This figure number in
Your text!
Figure 1. a) Full length twisted-tape insert inside a duct
and b) regularly twisted tape elements.
Summary and Conclusions
• Start with a restatement of objectives
• Again describe briefly the methods
• State the important results: be quantitative with
uncertainty
• State the important conclusions
• Comment on what should be done in future
experiments, what would you recommend doing
next?
References
• When you use an idea from a book, or paper, or
website, you need to “cite” that idea.
• Please use the “name and year “ system when
citing in your text.
• Then in the list of references, provide details about
the reference.
• You must have 3 references, only 1 from a
website. The others can be from your textbooks,
books at the library, journal paper (can download
from web or get at library).
• No citations from Wikepedia
Example
Introduction
In the early 1990s, many epidemiologic studies suggested that air pollution, even at the lower ambient air
concentrations that had been achieved with regulations and control technology, was still associated
with cardiopulmonary disease and mortality (Samet et al., 2000); especially the fine combustionsource pollution most commonly found near heavy traffic areas (Pope, 2000).
…
References
Samet, J. M., F. Dominici, F. C. Curriero, I. Coursac, and S. L. Zeger (2000). Fine Particulate Air
Pollution and Mortality in 20 Us Cities, 1987-1994, New England Journal Of Medicine. 343:17421749.
Pope, C. A. (2000). Review: Epidemiological Basis for Particulate Air Pollution Health Standards,
Aerosol Science And Technology. 32:4-14.