Technical documents are often read as follows: skim abstract, check references, skim figures/tables/equation, and then possibly read the document if still interested. Our reports have neither an abstract nor references, so the figures/tables/equations will have to speak volumes. Approximately 70% of each lab report grade will come from reading the figure/tables/equations, so make them tell a coherent, well-ordered story.

• Lab reports should be typed, except for the print-outs from the oscilloscope.
• The reports should be in paragraph format with a title page, complete sentences, correct figure and table references, and proper English.
• Each lab report should reflect (1) the purpose of each lab and experiment, (2) the procedures of each experiment, (3) the theoretical results of each experiment, (4) the measured results of each experiment, (5) answers to any questions posed in the lab manual, and (6) any conclusions from each experiment.
• Be sure to use any relevant equations when comparing theoretical and measured results and to use the measured component values when calculating theoretical results.
• Use only one verb tense (past or present) throughout the entire report
• Use only first-person plural (active voice) or third-person plural. Do not use first-person singular or second-person singular or plural.
• Double-space or 1.5-space reports.
• Print-outs should be inserted within the report (not at the end). Either paste them in or insert an entire form-feed page.
• If pages are numbered, all pages (except the title page, of course) should be numbered.
• The oscilloscope print-outs may be pasted into the report or an entire form-feed page may be inserted into the report. Regardless, each print-out should be labeled (handwritten labels are acceptable).
• Make a habit of labeling details directly on the print-outs, immediately after making a measurement (obviously handwritten); this will help us understand what was done, and also serve as a note for writing the lab report later.
• Tables and figures should always have descriptive captions, which are properly placed.
• Each waveform in a print-out should be labeled, either in the caption or on the print-out.
• Equations are only numbered, but each separate equation should get its own number.
• All figures, tables, and equations should always be numbered and inserted in numerical order (Figure 1 always precedes Figure 2, and Figure 2 always precedes Figure 3, but of course Table 2 can come before or after Figures 1, 2, or 3).
• A table should be centered and its caption belongs above the data.
• A figure should be centered and its caption belongs below the picture.
• An equation should be indented and its numbering belongs to the right of the formula at a standardized tab stop.
• Any figure within a piece of technical writing becomes a proper noun, so its references should be capitalized.
• Do not include a figure unless the text says something about it.
• Once a figure has been included, tell the reader what is important to notice about it.
• The body of the report will contain headers, text, figures, tables, and equations. All plots, print-outs, attachments, etc. are just figures.
• Figures should not span multiple pages.
• Contractions are not appropriate in technical writing.
• Try to answer questions inline, naturally within the report without mentioning that they are questions, or we have to look-up the question and decide if it was answered correctly.
• Insert actual oscilloscope print-outs from the lab; do not insert scanned or photocopied oscilloscope print-outs.
• Where applicable, use percent error to describe how a circuit functions.
• Consider using an equation editor (in MS Word Insert® Object® MS Equation [and we recommend not checking "float over text] ) for including equations; they will look much, much better.
• Abstract, TOC, TOF, Appendicies are not necessary.
• Title Page is necessary with Bench # and time invested (lab time for both people in the group + report writing for both people in the group)
• Keep it simple. If "the schematic shown in Figure a was constructed with R = b and C = c " then just say that (We do need to know what values of resistors were spliced together). Be complete but concise.
• Anything included in the lab report is fair game for grading, so do not include too much.