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Appendices and Statements

Error appendix

In this section, you are expected to detail your error propagation.

  • You must start with the errors you know (either random or apparatus/method related) and propagate them through to the errors you quoted on your final results.
  • There is no need to quote numerical values, but you need to show all the steps in the propagation, so the marker knows that your method was correct.
  • Importantly, this appendix should only contain the calculations you have made to get the errors quoted in your text. Discussions on the sources of the errors or explanations on how the original errors were evaluated should be in Method, Results or Discussion.

For further information about errors see here.

For more details on what is required at each level, visit Report Structure (sharepoint.com)

Generative AI statement

If generative AI has been used in your work, you are required to outline how it is used. The absence of a statement will be taken as an implicit statement that you have not used generative AI tools in the report's production.

For more details, see the departmental guidance https://durhamuniversity.sharepoint.com/teams/PhysicsHub/SitePages/Guidelines-for-use-of-Generative-Artificial-Intelligence.aspx

Summary for a general audience

A brief, 200-word summary of your report aimed at a non-scientific audience. This is included to assess your ability to communicate science beyond your peers. The summary should give an outline of the broader context into which your work fits and relate the abstract concepts to more familiar, everyday phenomena and technology.

Some things to keep in mind are:

  • It should be aimed at the level of an educated non-specialist
  • Avoid the use of overly technical language and jargon
  • Avoid just describing the work you did with the technical words removed. Instead, create an interesting narrative description of your work, perhaps with a real-world example, and how it would be significant outside of the laboratory
  • Don’t feel the need to tick a set of boxes in the summary. Focus on communicating what you’re doing and why it’s important

For more details, including examples with commentary, current students can visit Report Structure (sharepoint.com)