Lab Report Grading: PRL Format & Acoustic Perturbations

This lecture covers the grading criteria for final reports in the Experimental Methods in Engineering Mechanics course. Students are expected to follow the format of a Physical Review Letters paper for their final measurement report, focusing on clarity, figure presentation, and rigor. The lecture emphasizes the importance of lab notebooks, proper figure captioning, and concise writing. Additionally, it explores the use of acoustic perturbations to control suspension viscosity in the shear thickening regime, as demonstrated in a study featured in Physics. The lecture provides a detailed rubric for grading final reports, including adherence to the PRL format, clear figures, concise writing, and the quality of measurements. Students are encouraged to aim for excellence in their reports by addressing unanswered questions, presenting results effectively, and discussing the implications of their work.