A generalized grading rubric for 151/152 lab reports What follows are some general guidelines for how your reports will be graded. See the sample lab report for a better idea of how your report should look. Tables: Each column in a table is worth 5 points. The label is worth 1, the units are worth 1 and the content of the column is worth 3. If you need to calculate a column in your table (for example, you have a column that is the sum of two other columns in the table) then you must show the calculation of at least one value in that column. Failure to show work will result losing the 3 points for the entries in that column. Label (+1) Units (+1) Label (+1) Units (+1) Label (+1) Units (+1) x1 y1 f1 x2 y2 f2 x3 y3 f3 x4 y4 f4 x5 y5 f5 This table is worth 15 points, 5 for each column. If fi is calculated from xi and yi, you must show the equation relating these parameters, and one example with values of x, y and f. If you do not do this, you will lose the 3 points for the column f data. Plots: Each plot is worth 10 points, and is broken down as follows: 10 points: Plot 1 point: Chart Title 1 point each (2 total) Axis labels with units. Must have both to get point for each axis. 1 point: trend line 1 points: Equation of trend line 3 points: Plotted all of the correct data. If plotted incorrect data, give 0 points. If student plotted correct data but did not plot all of it (e.g. only plotted one set of the 3, plotted the average, or created 3 plots with one set on each) give 2 points. 2 points: Plotted correct axes: inverted x vs y or other serious flaw give 0 points. Plots that do not require trendlines (i.e. anything that is not linear like Malus law or the 151-T1 and T2 plots) are still worth 10 points, but the points are distributed a bit differently. Linest: The output for the least squares fit is usually worth 5 points. It makes things much easier to follow in your report if you list and label the output explicitly. Calculations: Suppose you’ve been asked to calculate and report some parameter R ±R . Generally, this will be worth 12 points broken down as follows:12 points: R ± R 5 points for R. Must show work (equation and substitution) for credit. 5 points for R. Must show work (equation and substitution) for credit. 2 points: Reporting R ±R deduct -1 for incorrect units and -1 for incorrect sig figs. To receive the 5 points for calculating R, you must show the equation you’re using symbolically like this:. VRI and then show the substitution of values like this 4.5 V150 0.030 AR If you do not show both steps, you will get 0/5 for that calculation. For the 5 points allocated to the uncertainty, you must show the error equation you are using like this: 22VIRRVI and then show the substitution of values like this: 220.35 1.1(150 ) 12.9 4.5 30R   If you do not show both steps you will receive 0/5 for the uncertainty calculation. 2 points are allocated for reporting the answer with proper units and significant figures in the proper format like this: R ± R = 150 ± 10  In the event that calculations are repeated (suppose we had four pairs of V, I to calculate four different values of R) then the work need only be shown once. Subsequent repeated calculations are usually only worth 4 points-one for R, one for R and two for units/sig figs in keeping with the current