Presenting your Results

1. Presenting your Results An introduction to report writing

2. Why Bother? Based on work from the 1930’s and 1970’s

3. Why Bother?

5. Noble Prize in Physics 2007 1995 E. Grochowski and R. D. Halem IBM Journal of Research 2002

6. Assessment • Term 1: Experimental Skills and Data Analysis • lab books graded in session (summative) • 1 extended report (10%) • One to one feedback from markers • Term 2: Full Experiments • lab books graded in session (summative) • 2 extended reports (15%, 25%) • Continuous assessment - 50% - USES THE 17pt scale • Reports - 50%

9. General Feedback • You receive feedback during the lab-session from • The demonstrators • The staff members • Use this information to • Improve week-by-week • Make better use of the lab-session • Create better/clearer graphs • Make clear notes in your lab-book • Discussion points are there to guide you • Make notes for a possible report

10. Plagiarism The reports are a piece of work produced by you Do not copy other student’s work Do not copy from the internet Reference all work that is not your own If we find evidence for any of these you will reported to the plagiarism committee and may be asked to withdraw from the university

11. Laboratory Experimental Report • Experimental reports are a piece of persuasive writing that are constructed in a particular way: • Different from school • May seem strange • Based on a scientific paper • No marks for planning, and a lot more emphasis on the discussion and conclusions

12. Starts with the Lab-book • Number and label each section • Ensure key theory is included in brief notes • what are you trying to test • Brief observations and annotations throughout • Clear explanation and description of each experimental task • Sketches of apparatus / circuit diagrams • State assumptions • All tables and figures to be stuck in the lab-book • Short comment on fit quality • Short notes on whether the data follows the expected trend • Highlight important results and conclusions

13. It’s a story • The story is what you want it to be • Not necessarily a description of the entire experimental session (but you will need to show that you completed the experiment) • Guide a reader through • Beginning • Middle • End

14. Laboratory Experimental Report • All scientific reports should be arranged in sections • It is helpful to number sections and divide each section into subsections with meaningful subheadings where required • number all figures and equations

15. Laboratory Experimental Report • All scientific reports should be arranged in sections • It is helpful to number sections and divide each section into subsections with meaningful subheadings where required • number all figures and equations • There is no one conventional format that is followed in all cases but a good laboratory report should follow the style of scientific papers: (e.g. "Physical Review" or "Journal of Physics" ) • Use the Departmental template for assessed work (download from the module web page)

16. Laboratory Experimental Report • All scientific reports should be arranged in sections • It is helpful to number sections and divide each section into subsections with meaningful subheadings where required • number all figures and equations • There is no one conventional format that is followed in all cases but a good laboratory report should follow the style of scientific papers: (e.g. "Physical Review" or "Journal of Physics" ) • Use the Departmental template for assessed work (download from the module web page) • Grammar and spelling are very important

17. Grammar and Spelling • Write in the third person and the passive tense: i.e. "the voltage was measured at ten second intervals" rather than "I/we measured the voltage...". • Data are plural

18. Grammar and Spelling • Write in the third person and the passive tense, i.e. "the voltage was measured at ten second intervals" rather than "I/we measured the voltage...". • Use the present tense for statements which are still true rather than actions pursued in the past, i.e. "the work function was calculated from the Fowler-Nordheim equation to be 4.0 eV which is in XXXXXX agreement with the published value". • Theoretical statements are also written in the present tense, e.g. "The condition for maxima in the intensity is given by the equation...". excellent reasonable disagreement

19. Grammar and Spelling • Write in the third person and the passive tense, i.e. "the voltage was measured at ten second intervals" rather than "I/we measured the voltage...". • Use the present tense for statements which are still true rather than actions pursued in the past, i.e. "the work function was calculated from the Fowler-Nordheim equation to be 4.0 eV which is in excellent agreement with the published value“. • Theoretical statements are also written in the present tense, e.g. "The condition for maxima in the intensity is given by the equation...". • Spell check your report • Carefully proof read your work • get someone else to read it to be sure that it makes sense

20. The sections in your report Marking Pro-Forma Abstract Introduction Theory Experimental details Results Presentation of Results Discussion of Results General Discussion Conclusions Presentation References

21. Abstract Flow Diagram Introduction Background, key theoretical ideas Methodology How it was done. Details of apparatus and uncertainties. Main results and analysis. Make sure it is NOT a list of figures. Comment on trends. Results & Discussion How do your results confirm the introductory theory given their uncertainties? Improvements and further work. Summarise key points. General Discussion Conclusion

22. Abstract • Less than 200 words and generally shorter, e.g. 50 words • It should be possible to read the abstract in isolation and understand how the experiment was done • Important numerical results which are not artefacts of the particular experiment can be quoted • Where there are many numerical results only general trends or conclusions should be stated • An abstract is NOT an AIM • Do not put references into the abstract

23. Abstract - Example Demonstration of Three-Dimensional Electrostatic Trapping of State-Selected Rydberg Atoms S. D. Hogan and F. Merkt Laboratorium für Physikalische Chemie, ETH Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland (Received 15 September 2007; published 30 January 2008) A three-dimensional trap for Rydberg atoms in selected Stark states has been realized experimentally. H atoms seeded in a supersonic expansion of Ar are excited to the low-field seeking n = 30, k = 25, |m| = 0, 2 Rydberg-Stark states, decelerated from a mean initial velocity of 665 m/s to zero velocity in the laboratory frame and loaded into a three-dimensional electrostatic trap. The motion of the cold Rydberg atom cloud in the trap and the decay of the trapped atoms have been studied by pulsed electric field ionization and imaging techniques.

24. Abstract Abstract: Marking Criteria:Content and Clarity

25. 1. Introduction • The basic physics being investigated • STORY OF THE RESULTS • A brief account of the principles behind the experimental methods adopted and an indication of the scope and significance of the work • Include the key theory and formulae • An introduction to the rest of your report • Not a repeat of the abstract • Not a premature discussion of you results and conclusions

26. Introduction • Do not: • ‘In this experiment……’ • ‘The aim of this experiment was …….’ • Keep it general and finish with a short paragraph that introduces the rest of the report

27. Introduction • Often the hardest part to write! • Marking Criteria: • Scientific content and Clarity • Background Reading • Use of references • (Presenting work in Context) • Theory and Formulae • Use and quality of Diagrams • (Only receive credit for your own diagrams) • How well does it introduce the rest of the report

29. 2. Methodology • This section could include details of the apparatus and methods used - draw diagrams! • Do not describe how standard equipment works or describe simple theoretical or algebraic manipulations • The operation of special pieces of equipment may merit more space. Describe any non-standard methods which you used; comment on experimental procedures • Do not give a "recipe" for the reader. It is NOT a lab-script • Include a discussion on the sources of uncertainty in the pieces of apparatus

30. Methodology • Do not spend too long on this section – keep it simple and short • Link from the general background to the specific example • Marking Criteria: • All parts of the experiment completed • Use and quality of diagrams • Description of apparatus • Source of Errors

31. The samples were grown on 10 ×10 ×0.5 mm3 MgO(001) substrates by DC-magnetron sputtering using Ar gas with a purity of 99.9999%, at a background pressure of ∼7×10−10mbar. The thicknesses of the Fe and the V layers were typically 3 and 14.4 ML respectively. In order to precisely control the thickness of the Fe layers the growth rates for V and Fe were kept low, approximately 0.19 and 0.09 Å s−1 respectively. The growth rates were determined from x-ray diffraction measurements on a calibration sample. The samples were capped with a ∼30ÅPd film to prevent oxidation and to improve the uptake of H[16]. The magnetization was determined using the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE); a description of the measurement procedure and setup can be found in [12]. H alloying is accomplished by introducing H2 gas into the cryostat at room temperature, and the H uptake is monitored by the resistivity of the samples [17]. By cooling, further uptake and desorption is effectively hindered, resulting in a constant H concentration at temperatures below 250 K.

32. Experimental Results • You may remind the reader of what it is you are trying to measure and show how this is to be accomplished • You should always give a concise description of how your results were deduced from your raw data • Discuss the sources of error, the problems encountered in your own investigation and their effect on the end result • Make sure that you present your data in prose

33. You must show your results! • The raw data, or processed data, should be presented in the clearest possible way - tables or graphs – but not both. • Consider plotting more than one curve on a graph and the use of insets. Graphs should be drawn using a data plotting package • The derivation of results from graphs must be shown clearly • Scales should be carefully chosen to most clearly indicate any features in the data • Carefully explain how you errors were estimated. Error bars/crosses should be shown on some if not all of the points

34. You must show your results! • If you have measured the same thing several times, you must come to a conclusion as to what your best result is • Discuss the robustness of your results and the confidence you have on the results • Comment on the quality of the fits • Highlight systematic uncertainties

35. Displayed material • Figures should be given self contained figure captions • Figures and tables should be numbered consecutively i.e. Figure 1, Figure 2a, Figure 2b, Figure 3, etc.; Table 1, Table 2 • All diagrams, photographs, etc. are also Figures • Carefully consider how to combine data sets in each figure to clearly display your data

36. Graphs Figure 1. Magnetisation versus Mn composition, x, for a series of Y(Al1-xMnx) intermetallic samples. The data (■) were collected at a temperature of 5 K in an applied field, H, of 50 A/m using a SQUID magnetometer. The red line is a weighted least squares fit to the data using the model of Jones et al. [1] and confirms the predicted linear dependence of magnetisation concentration for Mn.

37. M. Baibichet. al Phys. Rev. Lett. 61(21) (1988) 2472-2475 M.Parnasteet. al J. Phys. : Con. Matt. 17 (2005) L477-L483

38. Results • Marking Criteria: • Data Presentation including figure captions • Clear and logical order • Quality prose • Quality and labelling of graphs • Assessment and manipulation of errors • Reporting of Results • 5 Golden Rules

39. 4. General Discussion and Conclusions • Discuss the significance of your results when compared with the published results or accepted theories (INTRODUCTION) • Consider the advantages and disadvantages of the experimental method you have used and the effect this could have in your conclusions • Discuss if the experimental method introduced limitations in the work, and how this could be improved • You could include a section summarising the contents of your report, reiterating the points you feel are important and giving the conclusions of your experimental investigation

40. General Discussion Link the experimental results back to the introduction • Marking Criteria: • Systematic review of the data in terms of the introductory theory • Discussion of uncertainties • Not a list of excuses • Possible improvements in experiment • Links to previous sections • Quality of conclusions

41. References • List the primary sources you have used to write your report • Cite these references in the text, e.g., "...previous studies have shown [1]..." and at the end of the report list these references in order of their reference number: • Bibliographic material can be included, for example, “...a more complete discussion is given in ref. 2.” then in the references: • If you cite the same source more than once you need only list it once in the references, for example [ref 2, page 10] could be followed later by [2, chapter 6]. • Never cite Wikipedia

42. Make sure your references are given in an acceptable format [1] I.D. Hughes et al., Nature 446, 650 (2007). [2] S. Blundell, Magnetism in Condensed Matter, (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001). [3] Figure reproduced from http://www.muppets.com [Accessed 10/10/2010]

43. Physical Review Letters Reference Examples (Accessed Oct. 2002) Do not reference wikipedia or the lab script

44. Abstract Flow Diagram Introduction Methodology Results & Discussion General Discussion Conclusion

45. Practical Details • The target length for the report is 5 pages. The maximum length for the report is 6 pages. • Laboratory reports must follow the Departmental template for assessed work (see module web pages) • You should complete a report checklist and attach it to the front of your report (see module web pages) • Late work incurs a 5% per day penalty

46. Feedback • Feedback will be given on each report • On the marking pro-forma • Written on the reports • Oral feedback -report 1 • It is your responsibility to act on this information