1.5  Writing Reports

You’ve written many lab reports by now—this section is not about teaching you how to write from scratch. Rather, it is a brief guide to the format and expectations specific to this course, with reminders about the principles of effective technical writing. For more detailed guidance, please see (Purdue University, 2025).

1.5.1 Purpose of a Lab Report

Your report is a technical document, not an essay. Its primary purpose is to:

• Inform the reader of your experiment’s purpose, methods, results, and implications
• Present findings clearly, precisely, and concisely
• Enable others to replicate or build upon your work

A strong report allows the reader to extract essential information without reading every word.

1.5.2 Organization and Format

Use the following standard structure unless otherwise instructed:

1. Abstract – A brief overview of the entire report (1 paragraph, 150–250 words). Include:

   1. Purpose of the experiment
   2. Summary of method
   3. Key results
   4. Main conclusions

2. Introduction – State the problem or objective, explain the background and significance, and describe what the reader should expect.

3. Methodology – Describe what you did and how, in past tense and passive voice: > “A thermocouple was inserted at the base of the fin…”

   1. Do not explain concepts here (save that for the intro or discussion)
   2. Provide enough detail for replication

4. Results – Present your raw and processed data using figures, tables, and charts. All visuals must be:

   1. Labeled and numbered (e.g., “Figure 1: Temperature Profile”)
   2. Referenced in the text (e.g., “As shown in Figure 1…”)
   3. Accompanied by clear, focused commentary that highlights key trends, relationships, or anomalies

5. Discussion – Analyze and interpret your results:

   1. Do the results confirm expectations?
   2. Are there discrepancies? If so, why?
   3. How do your findings compare with theory or prior work?

6. Conclusion – Summarize what was learned, what remains unresolved, and what the next steps might be.

7. References – Cite any external sources (papers, handbooks, websites, etc.) using the citation style specified for the course.

1.5.3 Visual Design

• Use white space, headings, and subheadings to structure your report.
• Incorporate graphics only when they help communicate a point, and always explain them.
• Do not assume the reader will interpret the graphic without your help.

1.5.4 Style and Tone

• Be concise and precise
• Use specific and concrete language (e.g., “The heat flux was 375 W/m²,” not “It got hotter.”)
• Avoid flowery transitions or overly casual phrasing
• Use technical vocabulary correctly, but avoid unnecessary jargon

1.5.5 Final Steps

• Proofread your report for grammar, clarity, and formatting.
• Ask a peer to read it—if they can't follow your logic, revise.
• Make sure all figures and tables are numbered and referenced in text.
• Ensure your references are complete and properly formatted.

Remember: in engineering, clarity is a virtue. A well-structured, well-written report demonstrates professionalism and respect for the reader’s time.

1.5.6 Lab Report Template

Download the Word template