Writing the parts of scientific reports
23 What goes into the appendix?
General
In the appendix (plural: appendices) you include relevant supporting information that is not essential for the comprehension of the main report such as all the important results. This could be, for example, drawings, extra photographs, detailed raw data summarized in the results section, large amounts of numerical data which would otherwise interrupt the flow of your text and arguments. Material such as standards available in the public domain do not go in the appendix.
The appendix is not a “dumping ground for bits of unwanted text that you could not find space for in the main report” (Young, 2009, p.16).
Make sure that you refer to all the items placed in the appendix in your main report. For example:
- Details are provided in A1.
- See A1.
- (⇒A1)
If you cannot refer to them, you do not need them.
Overall structure
Appendices need a clear structure. You can separate the material into sections or themes. Young (2009) recommends creating individual appendices. For longer appendices create a separate table of content.
Each appendix should have its own title with a number or letter (e.g. A, B, C or A1, A2, A3 or Appendix 1, Appendix 2 etc).
If you include tables and figures, start a new sequence (Table 1, Table 2, Fig 1, Fig 2 etc).
Start each appendix on a new page.