Student Writing Handbook Fifth+Edition

Technical Report / 381

• Place^ all^ subheadings,^ typed^ with^ initial^ capital^ letters^ and^ underlined,^ flush^
  with the left margin.
  -^ Indent the paragraphs five spaces.
  -^ Place each table or figure close to the relevant text pages.
  -^ Number the text pages in the upper right corner. Most lab reports require a
  running head that includes the writer’s last name.
  -^ Begin the appendix at the top of a new page. Center and type the word
  APPENDIX in capitals. Follow these specific suggestions for items in the
  appendix:
  
  
  • Place each table, figure, or other piece of information on a separate page,
    labeled as referred to in the text.
  
  
  • Place each piece of information in a separate appendix, headed Appendix A,
    Appendix B, and so on.
  
  
  • Do not include information in an appendix to which there is no reference in
    the text.
    -^ If you include background information, add a bibliography after the appendix.
    If you include endnotes and a bibliography, place both after the appendix. [See
    Chapter 34, Research Paper, for proper parenthetical, endnote, and bibliography
    forms.]
    -^ Prepare a title page. Center the information, horizontally and vertically.
    Include a title for the report, your name, any specific meeting or occasion for
    which the report was prepared, and the date.
    -^ Make a table of contents. Center the words TABLE OF CONTENTS. Then
    follow these suggestions:
  
  
  • Type in capitals any text heading that appears so in the text.
  
  
  • Indent and type in initial capital letters the text subheadings.
  
  
  • Double-space between main headings.
  
  
  • Use dots to help the reader find page numbers.
  
  
  • Use lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii), centered, at the bottom of the
    page, to number the table of contents page(s).
    -^ Prepare a list of tables and figures in a manner similar to that for the table of
    contents. Number the page(s) at the bottom, with lowercase Roman numerals,
    following sequentially after the table of contents page(s).
    -^ Prepare an abstract. [Usually lab reports omit abstracts. To see a model abstract,
    see Chapter 34, Research Paper, Sample APA Style Paper.] The abstract may
    be a sentence or paragraph, but no more than a single page no matter how
    long the report. [See Step 2.] Center and type the word ABSTRACT in capitals.
    Number the page at the bottom with a lowercase Roman numeral, following
    sequentially after the list of tables and figures.