1 WRITING THE REPORT CHFEN 4903 WRITING THE REPORT Terry A. Ring Department of Chemical Engineering November 1 & 3, 2004.

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CHFEN 4903WRITING THE REPORTWRITING THE REPORT

Terry A. RingTerry A. RingDepartment of Chemical EngineeringDepartment of Chemical Engineering

November 1 & 3, 2004November 1 & 3, 2004

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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing IHow 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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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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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 ProcedureDiscuss the apparatus diagram/sketchesGive a brief step by step procedure

•Results and Discussion of ResultsDiscuss tables and figures, do not just show themGive your interpretation of the data and results

•Conclusions and Recommendations

•Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

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Starting is often difficult

How I start :

• Assemble Figures and Tables in Complete form

• List Preliminary Conclusions and Supporting Evidencediscuss 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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Tables:

• Number in text using Arabic numeralssequential as referencedif in appendix, may use Table A-1, etc.

• Column and row headings must includename 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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Figures:

• Number using Arabic numeralsinsert after first citation in textsequential as referenced

• Figure captions are requireddescriptive caption at the bottom of each figurecaptions are complete sentences, text-like

• Axis labels (with units) are requiredname, quantity, dimensionslegends are usually helpful if plotting several

things

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Figures (continued):

• Correlation Curves and Error Barstypically do not draw outside data rangekeep simple, clear, not complicated

• Plots with theoretical linesuse data symbols for experimental datause lines (solid, dashed, etc.) for theoretical linetheoretical 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 IContents 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 Procedureapparatus and instrumentation diagrams are

essentialdiscuss 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 ResultsTell the reader what you think the results meanError analysis - details in an appendixCite relationships, generalizationsAgreement with prior work? Values

reasonable?

• Conclusions and Recommendationsimportance of the work- short and sweetsummarize evidence for every conclusiongive recommendations - be positive,

constructive

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CHFEN 4903WRITING 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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Quotation of Material:

• Avoid plagiarism - learn to use quoted material Refer to the Student Code on cheatingwww.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 indicate the source of this material

http://www.admin.utah.edu/ppmanual/8/8-10.html

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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 IIStyle, Grammar, Punctuation

Style:

• Read first section in Learned file, pg. 4-8, 12-14

• Review file - Sample Formal Report

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Grammar & Punctuation:

- Read file - “Errors Common to Report Writing and How to Avoid Them” by W. M. Learned

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Grammar & Punctuation:

• Voice (Item 1 in Learned Section)Use active as much as possible

Passive: A numerical example is now given toillustrate the above example.

Active: The following numerical exampleillustrates this result.

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• 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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• Dangling Participle (106)

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• 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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• Wordiness:Be brief and concise. Omit phrases like “it was

found that” or “it would appear that”.

Better:Wordy:

owing to the fact that

on the order of

at the present time

a very limited number of

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• Wordiness:Be brief and concise. Omit phrases like “it was

found that” or “it would appear that”.

Better:

because (since)

about

now

few

Wordy:

owing to the fact that

on the order of

at the present time

a very limited number of

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• 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 studiedComprise, 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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• 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 systembubble-cap trayliquid-gas interfacea 20-percent increasea two- or three-year studyprecooled not pre-coolednonpolar not non-polarExceptions: co-worker not coworker

co-ion not coion

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• Nonsexist Language:Nonsexist language can be accurate and unbiased, and not

necessarily awkward.SexistThe effects of compounds A-B were studied in rats and man.

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necessarily awkward.SexistThe effects of compounds A-B were studied in rats and man.NonsexistThe effects of compounds A-B were studied in rats and humans.

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SexistMan’s search for beauty and truth has resulted in some of our greatest accomplishments.

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SexistMan’s search for beauty and truth has resulted in some of our greatest accomplishments.NonsexistThe search for beauty and truth has resulted in some of our greatest accomplishments.

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• Units of Measure:Spell out the unit of measure when no quantity is given

several milligrams not several mgDo not use plurals for abbreviated units of measure

50 mg not 50 mgsIn ranges and series, retain only the first unit of measure

10-12 mg, between 25 and 50 mlWhen 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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• Capitalization (31-39):Numbered items should be capitalized when referred toin 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 nounAvogadro’s numberLewis acidNon-Newtonian liquid

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How to Do Figures

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-10

-8

-6

-4

-2

0

2

4

6

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Time (hours)

Rel

ativ

e T

emp

erat

ure

Wet Air Cycle

Leach

Dry Air Cycle

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 Concentration or Value

Detection Limit

pH 7.25 Conductivity 2840 micro mho/cm Temperature 21 C

Alkalinity 303 mg/L 10 mg/L Hardness 557 mg/L as CaCO3 5 mg/L

Total Dissolved Solids

1670 mg/L 20 mg/L

Total Suspended Solids

<detection 3 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 4903GRADING THE REPORT

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CHFEN 4903 - Report Writing IIGrading

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?

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C. Technical Accuracy 45

D. Professional Standards – English, Form, Visuals, Citations, Lab operations, Safety, Use of equipment, Cleanup

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TOTAL 100

1 WRITING THE REPORT CHFEN 4903 WRITING THE REPORT Terry A. Ring Department of Chemical Engineering November 1 & 3, 2004.

Documents

memo report

plot use loglog

equipment diagrams

data symbols

text sequential

descriptive caption

semilog plots

piping diagrams