ME 212 MATERIALS SCIENCE - FORMAT FOR LABORATORY REPORTS

Title page: Use the standard cover page downloadable from course website:
(http://web1.boun.edu.tr/ercanbalikci/laboratory_materials.htm)
A laboratory report must contain the following sections in the given order:
Index(Table of Contents): List names & page numbers of all sections and subsections in order.
List of Figures: List names & page numbers of all figures in your report in order of appearance.
List of Tables: List names & page numbers of all tables in your report in order of appearance.
Abstract: In this section, state very briefly what you have done, why you have done it, and what the
outcomes are. An abstract is usually 100-200 words in length. It is written as one paragraph on a separate
page, and it may include numerical information about the procedures and the results. It should not include
any information that is not given in the report. Abbreviations should not be used unless they are spelled
out in the abstract. Citations or references are not given in the abstract. Simple present and/or present
perfect tense is usually preferred.
Introduction: – max. 2 pages – Give literature survey about purpose and scope of the experiment.
Experimental Procedure: – max. 1 page – Define the materials used: type of material (i.e; steel,
aluminum, etc.) and initial condition (i.e; size, microstructure, etc.). State why that particular test
equipment is used and provide technical information about it. Describe the procedures followed to carry
out the experiment in laboratory.
Results and Discussions: – max. 3 pages – Give the results of your experiment and discuss them.
Compare and contrast your observations with those reported in the relevant literature. Use tables and
figures as necessary. Also, answer the questions at the end of your experiment sheet in this section.
Conclusions: – max. 1 page – A brief summary and restatement of information given in Introduction,
Experimental, and Results & Discussions parts above. No new topics are introduced or discussed;
citations or references are not given. Conclusions/implications are drawn.
References: References must be numbered in square brackets in the text and figure/table captions in
increasing order and must be listed in the same order in the end of your report in the following format:
1. W.D. Callister, Jr., Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering – An Integrated Approach, John Wiley &
Sons, Inc., USA, 2005.
Tables and figures, used in Introduction, Theory, and Discussions sections, should be numbered
separately. Roman numerals will be used for tables, whereas Arabic numerals for figures. Each table and
figure must have a caption. Figure captions should be located below figures, whereas table captions should
be placed above tables. (e.g.; Table I. Hardness data for 1040 quenched steel. Figure 1. A plot of hardness
versus depth.). Unless you prepare by yourself, give the reference of figures and tables in references part.

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT:
1. One can use books, journals, WEB sites as a reference. A minimum of 6 references will be cited, out of which a
half will be of book or journal article in nature. When a WEB article is referred to, author name & affiliation must
be provided as for the books or journal articles. You are not allowed to give lecture notes or lab notes as a
reference.
2. Be aware that PLAGIARISM may get you expelled from the university. Copying a text directly from an article
without giving it in quotations (even if a reference number is given) is plagiarism. DO NOT DIRECTLY COPY
(STEAL) INFORMATION. REWORD/REPHRASE IT. MAKE IT YOUR OWN. Similarly, copying information
from lab reports of your friends or from lab reports of previous semesters is strictly forbidden and will not be
tolerated.
3. Be clear and concise in your writing. Dumping unnecessarily long information WILL NOT earn you any credit.
4. Explain figures/tables and refer to them in the text appropriately to help readers understand your text better. Do
not give a figure or table if not explained in the text. Tell the reader what the figure/table shows and why you are
using it.
5. Use A4 size paper with the following page margins: Left=25mm; Right=20mm; Top=25mm; Bottom=20mm. Use
font “Times New Roman”, font size of 11, and line spacing of 1. Insert page numbers at bottom right.
6. Formal writing suggests the use of a passive form, so avoid the words I, we, our, my in your report.

For any question, please contact Arün Altınçekiç; room: KB 212, e-mail: arunaltincekic@yahoo.com