Either on the inside cover or on a separate cover page, you should write your full name and the year you are starting the notebook. Along with your name should be the name of the project associated with the lab notebook, and the lab’s mailing address with your principal investigator’s name.
What should a lab notebook look like?
Your notebook should be like a diary , recording what you do, and why you did it. You should feel free to record your mistakes and difficulties performing the experiment – you will frequently learn more from these failures, and your attempts to correct them, than from an experiment that works perfectly the first time.
Do lab notebooks have to be written in pen?
You want your records to be permanent, so always use a pen when writing in your lab notebook . Errors and/or changes should be crossed through with a single line. Do not attempt to scratch out or erase them, since you want to be able to see previous errors and/or changes.
What are the requirements of keeping a laboratory notebook?
All data and observations recorded in the laboratory should be kept in a duplicating notebook and written in indelible ink. Data should never be recorded elsewhere for later recopying into the notebook. In particular loose scraps of paper are not permissible for records, since such loose scraps are often lost.
Why are lab notebooks written in pen?
Writing with permanent ink ensures that another person cannot alter your notes accidentally or intentionally. A second reason to avoid the use of pencil is that constant handling of the notebook causes the pencil writing to become smudged and illegible .
How do you prevent loss of data on a lab notebook?
If this results in blank pages appearing in your notebook, simply draw a single diagonal line across the blank page(s) to avoid additional data entry; positioning the start of each experiment on an odd page will make it easier for you to locate experiments at a later date.
Why are spiral bound notebooks unacceptable for lab?
Spiral-bound notebooks are undesirable because it is too tempting to rip out pages in moments of frustration or when you make silly mistake . ... Some laboratory notebooks have a “carbon copy” function that allows a duplicated sheet to be created and then removed to a second, safer location.
Why is it important to keep an accurate laboratory notebook?
1. A Lab Notebook Helps You Keep Track Of Your Work. The biggest reason to keep a well maintained lab notebook is that it gives you a record of the progress of the experiments you conduct . ... The notebook also helps you double check your work before you move on to an important step.
What are the three essential attributes of a laboratory notebook?
What are three essential attributes of a lab notebook? (1) Record what you did. (2) Record what you observed . (3) The notebook should be understandable by a stranger.
What happens when you work alone in the laboratory?
Working alone, especially after hours, can be unsafe and should be avoided whenever possible . When it cannot be avoided, procedures to protect lab workers in the event of an emergency situation must be used.
Does Walmart have lab notebooks?
Rediform, RED43649, Laboratory Research Notebook, 1 Each – Walmart.com.
What is record keeping in laboratory?
Laboratory notebooks are the means for keeping a permanent record of the details of an individual’s day-to-day research and development work in the laboratory or office.
What is the best way to correct an incorrect entry in a lab notebook?
If you make a mistake in your notebook, draw a single line through the incorrect entry and then write your correction . It is often helpful if you very briefly state why you chose to correct the original entry.
What is a bound notebook?
What is a spiral bound notebook? ... Unlike notebooks where the paper is either folded to create a spine, or in some way glued together at the spine, a spiral bound notebook has two separate covers and the pages in between are only held in place by the binding .
How do you write a lab record?
A typical lab report would include the following sections: title, abstract, introduction, method, results and discussion. Title page, abstract, references and appendices are started on separate pages (subsections from the main body of the report are not).
