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Representing Your Design and

Data in Posters and ReportsEF 152 Final Project Spring 2016

Agenda

• How to Best Represent:

• Visuals

• Theoretical Equations

• Data Analysis (Data Collected)

Visuals

• Why should we include visuals on a poster or in a report?• We do not typically have our device present during a poster session• The reader of a report will not have physical access to your device

• What type of visuals are we talking about?• Anything that clearly displays what our device looks like/helps describe its

functionality• Drawings/Schematics of designed device• Pictures of completed device• Drawings or pictures showing individual components of importance• Drawings or pictures showing assemblies

• All visuals should have a purpose for discussion

• If it’s not helpful in discussion, you should not include it on your poster or in your report

Visuals

• General Guidelines for Visuals on a Poster or in a Report

• Prominent display on poster (large enough to be clearly seen from 5 feet away)

• Color pictures display more detail than black and white

• Never display a visual without include some text to describe its purpose (this holds for reports as well)

• Include as much detail on the visual as possible

• Dimensioning

• Descriptions of steps, if a process

• Descriptions of novel features

Solar Heater Visual #1Pros

• Shows general concept of design

• Color shows good details

Cons

• Picture does not describe how solar heater works

• Picture does not describe size of device

• Picture does not show special features of this design

Solar Heater Visual #2Pros

• Shows general concept of design

• Color shows good details

• Picture does show special features of this design

Cons

• Picture does not describe how solar heater works

• Picture does not describe size of device

Solar Heater #3Pros

• Shows general concept of design

• Color shows good details

• Picture does show special features of this design

• Picture does describe how solar heater works

Cons

• Picture does not describe size of device

Theoretical Calculations

• Why do we include a discussion of theoretical calculations?• It communicates what scientific principles you based your work on as well as

assumptions that you made. • It provides confidence to your audience that you aren’t just “making stuff up.”• As engineers, we always base our work on theory as a place to start.

• How do we display this information on a poster?• Include governing equations used for analysis • Do not include each step of the analysis• Display governing equations in a visual way, is possible

• E.g., governing equation shown on a step by step process diagram

• Equations never ’stand-alone’: They must be included in a discussion.

• These guidelines can also be followed for a report, though a more thorough discussion of equations should be included in a report

Data Analysis and Data Collected

• There are many ways to display data but some are more effective than others

• The method of display that you choose communicates an interpretation of that data, whether you intend it to or not

Guidelines for Displaying Data

• Only display the data set that you expect to discuss during your poster time or in your report

• Make sure you include data that is pertinent to your project

• If the data is not relevant to the conversation of that specific project, do not include

• Match the type of data that you have to a specific type of chart

http://img.labnol.org/di/data-chart-type.png

A few more items…

• PROOFREAD!!!!

• If multiple people are contributing content to a poster or a report, one person should be responsible for bringing all the pieces together and ensuring that there is continuity

• Similar tense is used

• Similar language and vocabulary is used

• Similar font and font size is used (PLEASE!!!)

• Discussion points are not repeated multiple times