Laboratories
Laboratories:
1. Labs occur during X period days, once every two weeks, or outside of class during free periods depending on the lab.
2. Labs reports are due one week from the day they are performed.
3. Labs count for 25% of your grade.
Honors Physics Lab Report Format
Each person should turn in his or her own report (including graphs) unless you are told otherwise.
1. Title, Name, and Name(s) of lab partner(s) and the date.
2. A drawing of the apparatus and a brief description of the experiment should be sufficient so that someone without the lab handout could understand what was done.
3. Data should be in tables whenever appropriate and should include units at the head of the columns only.
4. Graphs need a title, labels on each axis (with variables and units), and an appropriate scale on the axes. Use graphs liberally and if asked for a graph of A vs. B, A is on the vertical axis and B is on the horizontal. Use Excel whenever possible.
5. Write out all calculation and derivations and clearly indicate all results.
6. Answer questions asked in the lab handout clearly and concisely in a separate section from the results.
7. If appropriate, error (or uncertainty) calculations should be computed. A discussion on the sources of error and how they affect the results is always necessary, even if calculations are not necessary. For example, if time is measured consistently on the low side, how would this affect a calculated result?
8. A conclusion section should pull the results of the experiment together and can include comments on means of improving the experiment and reducing the percent error.
9. Don’t procrastinate, I will be happy to entertain questions about the lab, except on the day that it is due.
