General notes and comments on common physical science laboratory problems
Use past tense when referring to the events of the laboratory.
Keep sentences short. Use a noun-verb-noun construction. Subject-verb=direct object. Do not splice together sentences using "and" or commas. One idea per sentence. Simpler is better. Less is more.
Do not fear periods. Embrace them.
Read the sentence out loud. Does the sentence make sense or nonsense?
Present tense can be used in a procedure list. This is an exception to the general rule that past tense should be used.
Avoid starting every sentence with "And then..." Consider using a numbered procedure list if you are describing a procedure. For example:
Measure the diameter of the sphere
Calculate the radius.
Cube the radius.
Determine the initial amount of water in the graduated cylinder.
Ensure that subject and verb agree when using singular or plural subjects.
Give credit to the other members of the laboratory group by including their names as seen in the sample laboratory report.
Science laboratories are usually written in the third person. Occasional use of "I" or "we" might be necessary for clarity. In general, however, avoid using first person constructions. Use the equipment or the measurement as the subject of the sentence.
Use a dictionary and look-up words you do not know.
Record all raw data in tables, not just a final calculation.
Where appropriate, provide a column of data labels in a table.
Take care to use the appropriate chart type. A common mistake is to use a line chart. The course never uses line charts. The course most often uses xy scatter graphs.
When writing up the conclusion, remember to discuss the goal of the laboratory. What was the point of the laboratory? If the laboratory generated a linear regression - a best fit line - what was the meaning of that line? What was the meaning of the slope? Was the value an expected value?
Double space your laboratory reports: I need the spaces between the lines to write comments, make suggestions.
Avoid the use of the pronoun "it" where you can. "I pounded the sakau using a stone in my hand. Upon striking repeatedly, it broke." What broke? The stone? The sakau? My hand? The word to which "it" refers is unclear.
When you report a numeric value in your laboratory, include the units. Slopes and intercepts also usually have units.