COMMON REPORT MISTAKES… AND HOW TO AVOID THEMENGR-101 FALL 2013

CHRISTOPHER LESTER

PASSIVE VOICE:USE WHEN NEEDED

We disassembled the camera by following the video online.

The camera was disassembled according to the directions in given in [1].

[1] Reference citation for video

THIRD PERSON:IMPERSONAL, NOT “I” OR “TEAM”

We measured the time from when the flash was charged to when it was discharged.

The length of time that the flash bulb registered an illumination of at least 50% was measured with a light detector connected to the oscilloscope.

Avoid:I

WeOurYouOne

TeamGroup

PAST TENSE:THINGS THAT WERE DONE

The camera is observed to be a simple, disposable camera.

The camera was observed to be a simple, disposable camera.

Three measurements are taken and averaged together.

Three measurements were taken and averaged together.

PRESENT TENSE:FOR THINGS THAT “ARE”

The camera had a flash bulb in the upper right corner of the assembly.

The camera has a flash bulb in the upper right corner of the assembly.

The average of the three measurements was 9.89ms.

The average of the three measurements [that were taken] is 9.89ms.

COLLOQUIAL WRITING:YOU AREN’T A NOVELIST

The electrical part of the camera was not a very simple looking circuit for only having to store a charge in a Capacitor and then release it through a bulb when the circuit was complete.

Now when the probe gets hit you need to travel inside the camera to examine how the picture is taken.

Don’t make judgments.

Don’t give fluffy descriptions.

DO be precise.

DO give quantitative descriptions

where appropriate.

ANECDOTES:UNNECCESARY AND IRRELEVANT

Coming into this lab, prior knowledge of the functions and specific parts of a disposable camera were at little to none. […] Having gained an immense amount of knowledge on how a disposable camera works by in depth detail enables proper readiness for the next part of this lab.

PRECISION:SAY EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEAN

When the Shutter is hit it swings back allowing light through the lens to the film for a fraction of a second, and it also hits together two thin metal leads from the Circuit Board. If the Charge Button is up, which pushes two leads together and allows the Capacitor to charge, and the Charge Light is on, then the two leads that are pushed together will complete the circuit from the Capacitor to the Flash and cause the Flash to go off.

PRECISION:SAY EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEAN

The quality of the picture will most likely be better on a digital camera.

Use “likely” and “probably” only when you are talking probability.

These events happen in a split-second, faster than humans can process.

Be specific when you say things like “fast” or “better”.

ACCURACY:SAY ONLY WHAT IS TRUE

The longer that a person holds down the charge button, the more powerful the flash will be.

The flash stops the transfer of light to the film.

DETAIL:TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE?

To take it apart you need to release the prongs on either side of the case so that Case 1 can be removed from Case 2, after this the two case parts can be set aside.

Don’t repeat things that are readily found in one of the handouts… reference the handout!

Avoid “step-by-step” directions.

Give enough detail for the reader to have context

CONSISTENCY:EACH THING LIKE THE OTHERS

The average flash pulse width was .0047 seconds, and the average shutter pulse width was 9.3 milliseconds.

The first number is smaller, but appears in a larger unit scale…

Also SUPER important inFormatting

EXTRAS

• Figures and Tables

• Captions, correct formatting• Units for all numbers

• The content itself matters

• Make sure you actually include all elements asked of you

EXTRA EXTRAS

• References

• Correct format• Cited in the report text

• Spelling and Grammar

• PDF file for submission

READ YOUR OWN REPORT BEFORE YOU CLICK SUBMIT

IF YOU DON’T TAKE AWAY ANYTHING ELSE: