The objective of this electrical engineering lab is to familiarize the students with the operation of basic lab instrumentation such as oscilloscope, function generator, multimeter, etc. Students will learn the proper lab techniques and procedures. In addition, students will get to work with a circuit simulator. Another goal of conducting the lab experiments is to reinforce the theoretical knowledge learned in the classroom with practice and vice-versa.
Each of the experiments specifies the objective of the experiment, the equipment that will be needed to conduct that experiment and the measurements that need to be taken. All experiments have a brief write-up of the theory behind the experiment. Each experiment also has three sections to it (i) the theoretical calculation of the results (this is typically done as a per-lab effort) (ii) a simulation section using the circuit simulator and (iii) an experimental section. The pre-lab allows the student to understand the material presented in the classroom and to know what to expect during the lab experiment. The final lab report, that needs to be submitted for each experiment, should contain a comparison between the calculated, simulated and measured values. Any discrepancies obtained should be clearly explained. It is essential that the students learn how to write a detailed lab report and to address all the question listed within each experiment.
In the execution of the experiment, the highest benefit is gained if the student can distinguish between performing the experiment step-by-step following instructions and actually understanding the reasons behind the methodology and the process. To understand the experiments it is essential that both the theory of the circuit under test and the instruments used to test them are known clearly.
Most experiments are designed to be one week experiments. The pre-lab with the calculated and simulated results, is to be completed prior to coming to the lab to do the measurements.