Lab Notebooks

Lab notebooks are a permanent record of your work on a project. In industry and research settings, it is a legal document that may need to be examined years after you have left the laboratory, and would be the only record available. A notebook should:

• Say exactly what was done, and when.
• Make clear who did it.
• Enable someone else to do the same lab.
• Be durable and verifiable.

Basic rules for keeping a good lab notebook:

• Use a bound notebook, not 3-ring or spiral.
• Number all pages in the notebook sequentially.
• Do not skip pages.
• Write all entries in indelible ink.
• Do not use "scratch sheets" to record data. Write everything directly into your notebook.
• If you make a mistake, cross out the mistake with a single line so that the erroneous entry remains legible. Do not overwrite. Do not use white-out.
• Only you may write in your notebook. Likewise, you may not write in someone else's.
• Do not enter numbers by themselves. Always include quantity and units.
• Start each new lab experiment on a fresh page.
• Include a table of contents and keep it up-to-date.
• Date and sign each page of your notebook after each lab period.

For each lab experiment:

1. Introduction - Do this before you begin work on the experiement. Include the title, a statement of the problem or task, your name and your partner's name, and the date.
2. Experimental Plan - Do this before you begin work on the experiement. Use simple direct statements, or a bulleted/numbered list of instructions. Ideally, you could use as your primary reference as you are doing the lab. Draw pictures to help you visualize the experiment. Comment on special features such as storage and handling precautions, hydrates or anhydrous compounds, etc. Be sure to include safety notes: your own risk assessment of the hazards in the particular experiment.
3. Observations and Data - Record immediately and honestly, as you go along, in ink. Do not trust to memory or use scratch paper for future transcription. Raw data is precious. Plan ahead and, if you are able, write out blank tables before you arrive. Always leave space for noting your observations, such as color, texture, unexpected results and the like.
4. Discussion and Conclusion - Write calculations clearly, showing all steps and using units throughout. Relate results to what you expected to see. Record your own ideas, however brief. If you don't write them down, you're likely to forget them. If the lab manual has a list of questions, include these questions and your answers, as appropriate. Your conclusion should state what you found out, an assessment of error (what situations could cause errors, whether or not they occurred), and ideas for improvement in the experimental design.
5. Attachments - Ancillary items, such as instrumental printouts, should be kept to a minimum, and may be placed in a separate envelope, folder, or notebook, and referenced within your primary lab notebook. For some of the experiments, you may also be required to turn in a sample of your product.