Comments regarding Design Project Reports:  EE562 F2000

Many people have similar problems on the design project reports.  Although I may not have all reports graded before you complete the second project, I hope this information helps guide you in writing the reports.  Remember to review the information on the Design Project Grading notes also posted on this website.

All reports will be placed outside my office as they are graded –some will be there on Saturday morning and another set on Tuesday morning.

Report Quality:

·         follow formatting rules

·         use good English

·         make report look professional

·         thoroughly but briefly cover each section

·         in general, should be clear and easy to read

Overview

·         summarize the project (1-2 sentences)

·         state project goals (design specifications)

·         state results (or comment on how closely goals were met)

·         may add comment about any significant design issues critical to this project

Methodology

This section should describe the relationship between the design specifications and the variables (like W and L) that must be determined to define the circuit.  It should be based purely on circuit theory and pre-simulation hand calculations.

·         outline the procedure for designing this circuit (before simulations)

·         specify key equations and relationships that are needed to design this circuit

·         describe the method for determining design variables to define your initial circuit

·         identify which specifications set constraints on which parts of your design

Circuit Description

·         present your final circuit (the one that meets design goals)

o       show schematic (or refer to the schematic if previously shown)

o       show data for all transistors (use .SHOW to get data)

§          specify: number/ID, type (n/pMOS), W, L, I_D, V_GS, g_m, r_ds

§          format data in a table

·         briefly describe how the circuit works (which transistors/blocks do what)

Discussion

This section should demonstrate your understanding of the inner relationship of the various design parameters and the guidelines you used to make design modifications during simulations to reach design specifications.

** This is one of the most important sections of the report, where I look to see if you appear to know what you are doing on this project.

·         discuss how you can/must alter your circuit parameters during simulations to meet design specifications

·         discuss tradeoffs that must be considered when making design modifications

·         what factors influenced your decision to make specific changes in the design

·         describe other issues that many have developed during the design iteration process

·         in general, demonstrate that you understand what is necessary to modify the original circuit to meet design specifications.

Simulation

·         state what simulation(s) where run (which analysis was used)

·         state how design results where obtained from simulation data

            easy for project 1, but more complex for final project

·         show and explain simulation output (formatted appropriately)

            can put some/all in appendix, but reference it in this section

            be sure to format and label data/plots appropriately

            indicate (highlight) important output results

Conclusions

·         1-2 sentence summary of project

·         possibly include comment about the most significant aspects/features of the design

·         summary of results

·         comparison to design goals (either in a table or in a statement)

Appendix

·         complete SPICE netlist –MUST HAVE THIS

·         <optional> copy of your hand calculations

·         additional or complex (“long and ugly”) simulation data

            be sure to properly reference this data in the Simulation section

·         any additional information you want to include and reference within your report

            try to keep reports as brief as possible and refer to additional information in the appendix