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A LATEX-document
is an encoded text-file that's been compiled with the TEX-compiler to yield professional,
type-setting standard output suitable for scientific reports. A PostScript formatted example of such an
output can be downloaded here: formal.ps. These were the steps necessary
to produce such an output:
- edit the "formal.tex" file to your heart's content;
- on the Unix-prompt, type "latex formal.tex" (without the quotes). You have now generated a file
named "formal.dvi" as well as a couple of other files (not interesting).
- Convert the dvi-file to PostScript by typing "dvips
formal.dvi -o formal.ps". Note that the *.dvi-file can be viewed on
the
Physics-mainframe with the program Xdvi.
- View the PostScript file using GhostView or print it by typing "lpr formal.ps".
- Pack your bag and have an awesome summer.
I suggest
that you search the WWW with any or all of the keywords "Latex, Leslie Lamport" (he
wrote a book on Latex), and I'm sure you'll find lots of resources on Latex. If you find it too
complicated to get figures into a Latex-file, then I suggest that you just leave some space for figures,
and glue them in.
Another set
of examples from a previous year are presented in these files:
reportexample.tex and
reportexample.ps.
This file actually includes an example of including figures.
Some hints
and comments about the actual content of the report...
- It might be useful to look at some real physics papers. You can find a page of links
here, where you can view and download all sorts of physics papers.
- Try to avoid language like "I measure this; I did that..." and opt for the passive voice ("It was found that; Measurements showed
that...") or at least "We measured this...", etc. The passive voice gives an impression of objectivity.
- Provide DETAILS in the description of your apparatus (e.g. discriminator threshold used, dimensions of detectors,
etc.) and avoid referencing to the lab manual!
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