hints

Jen's hints:
1. If you don't know, ask! Chances are, the guy next to you doesn't know either.

2. Don't make up stuff on your report. Getting a "bad" number is not penalized. (Calculation errors, though, are!)

3. In your conclusion, don't forget to write down what you are actually concluding!

Example: the objective says "The objective of this lab is to determine what factors affect the period of a pendulum." You should tell me somewhere in your conclusion what factors affected the period, according to your data.

Another example: "The objective of this lab is to determine the spring constant." Somewhere in your conclusion should be your spring constant: "The spring constant was 2.3 +/- 0.1 N/m."

4. Bad equipment is not responsible for errors larger than one order of magnitude. Some labs have large equipment errors (large amounts of friction and the like), but this is not greater than a power of 10. The culprit is more likely to be a mistake in calculation (especially units)!

5. Calculation mistakes are not uncertainties. Uncertainty has nothing to do with mistakes that you make in calculation. Do not write about calculation mistakes in your report.

6. Read Writing Reports . Don't get huge mark downs on your report because you just didn't follow directions.

Students' Hints (these are hints from the students in the previous semester's class):
These remarks are from students, exactly as they gave them to me, with the exception of [bracketed] words. Those words are supplied by me in the event of a missing word or confusing grammar. They are in order of most common topics.
1. Quizzes:

"Study for quizzes"
"Study the previous labs - know the calculations!"
"Make sure you actually study for quizzes. I mean really understand the labs before coming to lab. Quizzes can be tricky sometimes."
"Try to finish your [report] before the next time you meet in lab so you're ready for the quizzes."
"Study at least 10 min. for quizzes"
"Reread the previous lab handouts before coming to class"
"For quizzes, know how to do the previous labs calculation and know the procedure of the upcoming lab"

2. Error analysis:

"Learn how to do error analysis"
"Read error analysis"
"Error analysis is important - write choke"
"Error Analysis is the key to survival so learn and understand it, especially uncertainties."

3. Miscellaneous:

"Make sure you do you lab books on time"
"[The] most important thing is you have prepare[d] the lab before [you] come to class"
"Take advantage of the Java programs"
"Go to the TA's office hours to finish the lab if you're having trouble."
"Don't try to do the two lab reports over the weekend, you will easily get messed up"
"Always ask what you don't know in class"
"If you need to do graphical analysis, do this before you leave class"
"Ask which calculations and error things need to appear on the report"
"Write down the equations and graphs given during the prelab lecture"
"Try to read the lab and not[e]s before you start lab"
"Go to tutorial sessions if you have any questions. Never assume that you know the correct answers."