Reporting practical and project work

Practical reports, project reports, theses and scientific papers differ greatly in depth, scope and size, but they all have the same basic structure (Box 52.1). Some variation is permitted, however (see Box 52.1), and you should always follow the advice or rules provided by your department. 

AOpiionsJor, diCcu siTig(data -tW ma - njptibjftI variants pf-thg eneral stryc ute includ combining Results and - f Discussion into a single-section and. C adding a separate conclusions section, r .. r T -- -- 

Department or faculty regulations may specify an exact format for producing your report or thesis. Obtain a copy of these rules at an early stage and follow them closely. 

These are exercises designed to make you think more deeply about your experiments and to practise and test the skills necessary for writing up research work. Special features are  

Theses are submitted as part of the examination for a degree following an extended period of research. They act to place on record full details about your experimental work and will normally only be read by those with a direct interest in it — your examiners or colleagues. Note the following  

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Designed to help you report practical and project work and give oral presentations effectively, and to succeed in examinations. 

A chronological approach is good for evaluation of past work (e.g. the development of the concept of aromaticity), whereas a step-by-step comparison might be best for certain exam questions (e.g. Discuss the differences between solid phase and Soxhlet extraction in the analysis of pesticides ). There is little choice about structure for practical and project reports (see Chapter 52). 

Meyer, Stephanie is a Principal of Stratos, a Canadian-based sustainability consultancy. She works with a wide range of private and public sector clients to improve their sustainability performance through enhanced performance measurement, management and reporting practices. She was project head for Stratos s 2001 and 2003 benchmark surveys of corporate sustainabiity reporting in Canada Stepping Forward and Beyond Confidence. 

SNL personnel who direct day-to-day work activities are responsible for knowing the hazards associated with the work and the controls needed to perform the work safely. They are also expected to integrate ES H requirements fi om sitewide institutional sources, facility-specific sources, and project-specific sources and ensure that all required controls are properly in place before work begins. SNL personnel also have the responsibility for reporting to management any work situations or practices they observe that do not comply with safety responsibilities. 

PEs. This project reported the analysis " of 8 phthalate monoesters, which are the metabolites of PEs, and the simultaneous analysis of 11 PE metabolites when another metabolite is added using LC-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI)-MS/MS. In addition, electrospray ionization (ESI) and the use of LC-MS/MS for the simultaneous analysis of 15-16 materials related to PEs, including phthalic acid (PA) and an isomer, were reported.Fig. 2 shows the main chemicals used as biomarkers for the evaluation of the amount of exposure to PA. Epidemiologic analysis of exposure levels in healthy individuals and the effects on the human body was conducted using such exposure reports as those published by CDC. However, there are many unsolved problems, including the identification of exposure levels on a nationwide level and the evaluation of exposure in medical practice. Clearly, much work needs to be done. 

Evidently, if they are working in a productive environment and initiative is expected, the project performers must have some leeway. That is not to say that all procedures should be optional this has been tried often enough - it is risky on small projects and disastrous on large ones. The ideal is possibly to have two sets of procedures, the first of which is mandatory to the project team, and the second of which will be developed by team members who are as close to the level of performance as possible, subject to whatever approval seems sensible. It is important of course to ensure that individual accountability and measurability of performance are retained. The first set of procedures may include matters such as documentation control, financial accounting practice, progress and cost reporting systems, and requirements for engaging in contracts namely those practices that make project work auditable and comprehensible to others. The second set may simply be a list of other procedures which are usually found to be necessary, backed up by examples found to be acceptable in the past. 

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