Reports should usually include a narrative text that describes and explains the information presented. Use the results section to explain the purpose of every figure, schemes, equation and table. Published research results never include "orphan" data, that is, information that is not explained or put into context by the written text. This is also a good rule to follow in lab reports.

When referring to a figure, table, or equation, use its number in the text, for example:

A plateau was observed at reduced pressures greater than 0.1, as indicated in Table 1.

It follows that every figure, table and equation needs a number. Figures and tables require a caption that includes the number and a descriptive title:

Figure 1. Mass uptake vs. reduced pressure for Zeolite 5A.

Table 1. Powder Diffraction Data Obtained for Zeolite 5A.

Note that the labels "chart" and "graph" are somewhat antiquated terms, and have been largely replaced by "figure". Equations will normally have a number placed in parentheses at the right margin:

Here are some additional tips for preparing figures and tables:

  • All graph axes require labels that include both the variable name and units.
  • Axes should use reasonable scales to clearly show the data and have labeled tic marks. The axis labels do not need to show the full number of significant figures.
  • Table columns should specify the units employed under each heading.
  • Table entries do generally need to indicate the appropriate number of significant figures (you may need to adjust the spreadsheet column formats appropriately).

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