LAB NOTEBOOK HOW TO

This will help you and others find things in the notebook quickly later. As a general rule, it is a good idea to set aside several pages at the start of the notebook for use as a table of contents.

In general, there is no set format one must follow. Bottom-line: When in doubt, write it out! Format for a Laboratory Notebookīe sure to consult your research advisor to determine what policies he/she may require in terms of notebook format.

If your data are in electronic format, you should provide the names of all the data files and identify where the data are stored in the laboratory. If you use some computer program to process and/or analyze your data, you should explain exactly how the data were processed. For instrumentation and equipment: What model? What make? Where are they located? For reagents: What supplier/manufacturer? What level purity? What lot number? Where is the supplier/manufacturer located? Your notebook should also contain all of your experimental results where practical and if impractical you should include a drawing or photograph that shows the critical elements/characteristics. You should include information on all the reagents, equipment and instrumentation that you use.

LAB NOTEBOOK HOW TO

If you did not know how to do something then assume that the reader of your notebook will also not know how to do it. The record should be as detailed as possible. Your notebook should provide a detailed record of exactly what you do in the laboratory in order to obtain your experimental results. Your laboratory notebook should provide literature citations for any relevant research and/or protocols that you follow in your work. What should you record in a laboratory notebook? Everything that is directly relevant to your work. A good record gives confidence in the reproducibility of your work, aids others in building on your research. The Purpose of a Laboratory NotebookĪ real time record of what was done at what specific point in time on a project for the individuals and/or organizations that may have funded the research, for your advisor and you to facilitate your efforts in publishing and/or patenting your work. Since this notebook normally remains the property of the laboratory and/or institution at which you are working, it is best to ask your advisor for a laboratory notebook and to use whatever notebook you are given for this purpose. If you decide to use another kind of book for this purpose, make sure that the paper is acid-free and that the notebook looks well constructed (cover, binding, etc.). Ideally, a notebook that is labeled “laboratory notebook” is preferable as it likely has been designed for this purpose. As a general rule, you can use any permanently bound book containing sequentially numbered pages for this purpose. As you begin your undergraduate research project, you should document everything that you do in writing in a lab notebook.

Lab notebook