This Is What My College Engineering Lab Reports Looked Like

Overview of College Lab Reports00:00:00

Engineering and science degrees frequently include labs as part of the curriculum. These labs are typically separate classes from the lecture portion, often taught by grad students, and require weekly reports. The speaker completed approximately 100 lab reports during their college career.

Anatomy of a Lab Report00:01:12

A typical lab report is 5-10 pages long and includes an introduction/objective, a procedure section with equipment and schematics, experimental data (graphs, charts, and tables), analysis questions, and a individual conclusion. Reports are usually done in groups, though conclusions are often written individually.

Grading and Expectations00:04:00

Lab reports often constitute a significant portion (around 70%) of the lab grade. Grading criteria can vary wildly between professors, ranging from lenient to extremely strict regarding formatting and technical accuracy.

Professional Relevance of Technical Writing00:04:45

The rigor of writing lab reports prepares engineering students for their careers. In the workplace, engineers must frequently document processes, software, and hardware usage, which are essentially professional, peer-reviewed versions of lab reports.