REPORT PREPARATION

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING UNDERGRADUATE LABORATORIES

The following points, although they may be varied depending upon the particular circumstances,
are considered good form in the preparation of engineering reports. Usually every company will
prescribe the form to be followed in the writing of reports by its engineering staff; the following
has been adopted for reports for credit in the Chemical Engineering Laboratory.
At times you may be asked to write one or two page reports, memos, letter reports, etc. In these
cases much of the following is still applicable, however, in a much abbreviated form. The
following comments, then, are for a full report.
No more than one section should be presented on a single page. When typewritten, the typing
should be double-spaced. References should be given as footnotes as they occur, rather than
being collected in a bibliography at the end. While a neat report does not of itself indicate careful
laboratory work, a poor report is often considered indicative of poor technique.
Letter of Transmittal. This letter is placed at the beginning of the report but is not bound with
the report proper, although this request can vary between instructors. It is a business letter
addressed to the recipient and would normally accompany a report sent by mail explaining what
is included. It should include an exact statement of the problem, the date that the experiment was
assigned, the date the report is due, the names of any collaborators, etc. The first person is used
in this letter but is usually avoided in the remainder of the report.
Title Page.
Table of Contents. The page number of each section of the report, as well as of all graphs and
illustrations, should be given. By proper indentation, sections and subsections may be made
clear.
Abstract. The abstract is a brief summary of the entire report. As such, it includes a statement
of the object of the experiment, some mention of the type of equipment used, of the results
obtained, and of the primary conclusions that may be drawn as a result of the experiment. One
sentence concerning each topic is often sufficient and the abstract should seldom exceed one-half
of one typewritten page. The prospective reader should be able to decide from the abstract
whether the material presented is along the lines of their particular interest. Ranges of variables
should be specifically stated. It is advisable to write the abstract after the rest of the report has
been completed.
Introduction. The introduction should contain a statement of the purpose and importance of the
experiment. In addition there should be a statement of every important formula or equation,
which will be used later in the calculations. In these equations each symbol should be identified,
together with the appropriate units. These equations need not be derived in every case, but a
reference should be given so that the reader could check on their validity. Important assumptions
inherent in the equations should be listed. The introduction is often expanded to include a
literature survey of the state of the art but such is not required in the regular reports for these
courses.
Equipment. Describe briefly the equipment used. A diagram or photograph of the apparatus
often aids in the description. Drawings or diagrammatic sketches (not freehand) may be neatly

done in pencil or ink and must contain a title. Drawings should be on separate pages.
Procedure. Values of all important variables such as feed rates, compositions, temperatures,
pressures, etc., which were selected for study, should be given. The reasons for selecting these
particular ranges should be clearly stated. Details of the operating procedure are not required
where reference may be made to the laboratory manual. At times, the instructor may request
information not asked for in the manual. In such cases, a thorough description of laboratory
procedure should be given.
Results. The results may often be summarized in tabular form after explanation. Where the
results are also to be presented in graphical form, the graphs should be included immediately
following the tabulation of results. Care should be taken to present both tables of results and
graphs in the most advantageous manner in order that their significance may be easily grasped.
Graphs may be in pencil with a title, and with the axes correctly labeled. Like drawings, graphs
should be complete in themselves, i.e., their full meaning should be evident without references to
the remainder of the report. In plotting graphs, the usual procedure is to plot the independent
variable along the abscissa and the dependent variable on the ordinate.
Discussion of results. The discussion should emphasize the significance of the data and results.
Mention should be made of the accuracy and limitations of the data, and, if typical data are
available from the literature, a comparison should be made and any deviation from the results
that would have been expected should be given here. It is not required that a general discussion
as to the uses of the equipment, its limitations or advantages, etc., be given unless such is
specifically requested.
Conclusions. Conclusions are brief, sometimes numbered, statements of fact; they should be
directly related to the purpose of the experiment and to the results obtained in the laboratory.
General statements derived from a text or from previous experience are not satisfactory.
Appendices. Any material such as intermediate results and calculations, analytical data such as
refractive indices, equilibrium data, etc., which do not fall conveniently into one of the other
sections of the report should be included in the appendices. In addition, as part of the appendices,
there should be included a set of sample calculations in which one sample of each type of
calculation carried out in the writing of the report is presented. These calculations should be clear
and understandable without reference to other sections of the report (in particular, to the data
sheet) and, where possible, one typical run should be selected and carried through completely. It
is often convenient to write each equation or formula in symbolic form before substituting in the
appropriate numbers. Where unusual equations are encountered, if they have previously been
given in the introduction, they should be numbered so that reference may be made to that
section; if not, a reference should be given to the literature. Finally, the original data sheet, as
taken in the laboratory, should be included as an appendix.