LAB REPORTS

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LAB REPORTS

• A quick synopsis

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Every report must say

• Who who wrote it, for whom it was written
• What what is the subject of the report
• Why why the report was prepared
• How how you did the analysis or study or
  investigation
• Where the context/location

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Every report must

• Present a logical case to explain and support
  your conclusions and recommendations
• FLOW smoothly, from the general to the specific
  and from your starting point to your conclusions

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Literature review (for a scholarly paper)
• Methodology or calculations
• Analysis and findings
• Conclusions and recommendations
• References cited
• Appendix

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Specific Outline for CE 453

• Cover Project title, team members (with who did
  what), and date
• Table of contents
• Executive summary (varies with the specific
  project)
• Body of report (see table of contents)

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Introduction

• Problem statement the purpose of the analysis
  you are reporting

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Background Information

• Where is the project located
• What is the purpose of the analysis you are
  reporting
• Background data (such as existing traffic, etc)
• Statement of assumptions and/or sources

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Method or Calculations

• Build your case by starting with the foundation,
  that is, list the basics.
• For example, a table listing the development you
  expect with building size parameters such as
  square feet, number of motel rooms.
• A simple layout plan showing the locations of the
  buildings

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Method or Calculations (cont)

• Show a sample of your equations (with sources if
  not yours)
• For example, show how you used the populations of
  adjacent cities to proportion the base traffic

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Analysis and Findings

• What results did you get?
• For example, based on our evaluation of recent
  census data for Hardin County, which showed an
  annual growth rate of less than 1, we conclude
  that a traffic growth rate of 1.0 is appropriate
  for this project.
• Use graphics whenever possible to show your
  results

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Conclusions and recommendations

• What do these results mean?
• What should be done based on these results?

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Conclusions and recommendations

• For example, Based on the projected traffic for
  the intersection of (Hardin) County Highway D35,
  we recommend that consideration be given to
  providing for future expansion of the proposed
  interchange to accommodate projected growth.

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Appendix

• Massive tables of data (but be sure to include
  key results in the body of your report)
• Background data
• Other figures that may be requested