Sample Introduction

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Mark Isham Hanson CTC Writing Consultant
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Fall 09 Grading Support for Materials Science

• Hanson Center professional writing staff will
  grade the following assignments
• Lab Report 2 (due September 28 October 2)
• Project Proposal (due November 17)

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Grading Overview

• We will grade for logic, clarity of expression,
  and proper formatting.
• Of the 50 points you receive for each assignment
  we grade, 20 points will be based on your
  writing.
• For a closer look at our grading criteria, see
  the writing evaluation sheets online by clicking
  the Materials Science link on the Hanson
  Centers (CTC) home page.

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Signs of ExcellenceWhat We Look for as Graders

• A clear, concise, non-technical Abstract so that
  a top executive can review and act on the
  report.
• Introduction and Background and Conclusion
  sections that provide detail but remain general
  enough so that immediate supervisors can
  understand main points even if they are not
  subject- matter experts.
• Professionals in your field will understand
  Experimental Methods, Results, Discussion, and
  Appendices sections.

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The Lab Report(2 due September 28 October 2)

• The lab report measures your individual ability
  to document your procedures and explain the
  significance of the lab experiment to others.
• Write lab reports that can be understood by a
  broad audience.
• Present your procedures and findings in a clear
  and complete manner that allows experts in your
  field to easily duplicate the experiment.
• Organize your lab report as follows Abstract,
  Introduction and Background, Experimental
  Methods, Results, Discussion , Conclusion,
  References, Appendices.
• See the assignment sheet at the Hanson Center web
  site
• (http//www.engineering.uiowa.edu/ctc/course_sup
  port.htmlmaterials_science) for specific
  instructions.

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The Lab ReportAvoid Plagiarism

• Although you may do the work of the labs with
  others, you must write a report on your own.
• Copying the written work of others or any
  collaboration with others on writing the report
  may mean that you receive no credit for the lab.
  In addition, you may be charged with plagiarism
  and your teacher or the University may take
  further action.

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The Project Proposal (due November 17)

• Your team will propose a study, which involves
  testing a material for a specific application.
• You cannot write an adequate proposal in only one
  or two pages. A successful proposal should
  thoroughly describe all aspects of your proposed
  work in the most concise manner possible.
• The proposal serves as a roadmap to the project.
  To that end, organize your proposals by sections
  in the following manner Cover Sheet, Project
  Summary, Research Plan, Specific Aims, Background
  and Significance, Research Design and Methods,
  References.
• See the assignment sheet at the Hanson Center web
  site
• (http//www.engineering.uiowa.edu/ctc/course_sup
  port.htmlmaterials_science) for specific
  instructions.

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Remember

• Write to specific audiences.
• Organize coherently.
• Write unified paragraphs and use strong subjects
  and verbs in sentences.
• Cite your sources and include a reference page.
• Tell what you did, how you did it, and why you
  did it. Your audience wants both clarity and
  analysis.

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A Source for Sources

• The Hanson CTC uses the American Psychological
  Association (APA) documentation style for all the
  written assignments we evaluate. No style is
  "better" than the other be it MLA or APA, the
  key is to stay consistent and give credit where
  credit is due.

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Using APA examples of in-text and Reference
List citations

• In-text
• The aluminum alloy 2024-T3 has a hardness of 120
  using the standard Brinell hardness method
  (MatWeb, 2007).
• Reference list
• Callister, William D. and Rethwisch, David G.,
  (2008). Fundamentals of Materials Science and
  Engineering(3rd ed.). New York John Wiley
  Sons, Inc.

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How to avoid plagiarism?

• Paraphrasing means that you have taken someone
  else's ideas, concepts or language and put them
  in your own words. This practice is perfectly
  acceptable. Writers often build on other people's
  ideas or borrow from other people's work to
  support their own scholarship.
• HOWEVER, you must give credit where credit is
  due. If you use someone else's material and
  rewrite it in your own words, you must provide a
  citation after that paraphrased information.

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A Final Thought

• Visit the Hanson CTC We strongly advise that all
  students sign up for appointments to review and
  receive suggestions for improving your lab
  reports and proposal. The CTC is located in 2224
  SC, (in the Student Commons). Starting September
  8, 2009, the CTC will be open?
• Monday through Friday, 130 to 430 p.m.
  Wednesday mornings, 1100 a.m. to 100 p.m.
  Sunday nights, 700 p.m. to 900 p.m.

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Questions?

• You can find the assignments, evaluation sheets,
  discussions of plagiarism, and other useful
  stuff on the Centers web site at
  http//www.engineering.uiowa.edu/ctc.
• Weve expanded our hours Monday-Friday,130
  430 p.m. Wednesday mornings, 1100 a.m.
  100 p.m. Sunday evenings, 700 900 p.m.
• Location 2224 SC (in the Student Commons area)
• Scheduling Appointment sign-up sheet posted on
  window outside door of 2224 SC.

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Thank You