Approaching your 6.111 Lab ReportAtissa Banuazizi ([email protected])Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies28 February 2005What do you as a reader/engineer expect from a design report?1. What is it about?2. An overview of design/tech specs. 3. Background to understand design.4. Why certain design decisions were made. 5. Why you chose to design the device.6. Info needed to replicate. 7. The testing strategy.Goals for Laboratory 2 ReportDesigning a Traffic Light ControllerTo describe your experimental work What did you do? How did you do it? Why did you do it?To allow your design to be replicated Consider your readers’ needs:concise languageample descriptionclear organizationTo engage in a professional conversation Others will learn from your problem-solving approachPotential Pitfalls for Lab 2 Report Context is implied or unclear--What is the purpose of the device? Why should your reader care about your design? Reader is assumed to be an “insider” (e.g., “As Prof. Chandrakasan mentioned in lecture the other day....”). Relationship of information is unclear -- Author did not use headings and subheadings for visual organization. Conclusions/implications are not offered -- what did you learn from this design and what would you like other engineers to learn? Figures and tables are not anchored in the text (e.g., “See Figure 1”) and/or are not adequately titled or described. Abstract does not describe entire report (including conclusions). Title is not descriptive or compelling.Use Section Hierarchies to Clarify StructurePerformance of the Solar One ReceiverIntroductionSteady State EfficiencyAverage Efficiency Start-Up TimeOperation TimeOperation During Cloud TransientsPanel Mechanical Supports Operation TimeTube LeaksConclusionPerformance of the Solar One ReceiverIntroductionReceiver’s EfficiencySteady State EfficiencyAverage EfficiencyReceiver’s Operation CycleStart-Up Time Operation TimeOperation During Cloud TransientsReceiver’s Mechanical WearPanel Mechanical Supports Tube LeaksConclusionSection Headings Should Be Descriptive and ParallelNon-ParallelNon-DescriptiveIntroductionBackgroundMarx GeneratorsLine PulseBeam GenerationTransporting BeamPelletsResultsConclusionParallelDescriptiveIntroductionPast Designs for Particle Beam FusionNew Design for Particle Beam FusionCharging Marx GeneratorsForming Line Pulse Generating Particle BeamTransporting Particle BeamIrradiating Deuterium-Tritium Pellets Results of New DesignConclusions and RecommendationsGood MIT Resources Writing Center: web.mit.edu/writingOffers feedback on organization and delivery of practice presentations32-081 (Stata Basement); 617-253-3090Appointment preferred but nor required Mayfield Handbook of Technical and Scientific WritingAvailable online at: https://web.mit.edu/21.guide/www/home.htm(MIT certificates required)6.111 Writing ResourcesHandouts on 6.111 Web Site (under “General Handouts”)CI-M Report GuideCI-M Lecture NotesWriting Program StaffAtissa Banuazizi ([email protected])Bill Haas ([email protected])Mary Zoll
View Full Document