LABORATORY NOTEBOOK PROCEDURES

©David B. Fankhauser, Ph.D.,
Professor of Biology and Chemistry
University of Cincinnati Clermont College,
Batavia OH 45103
 
 

This page has been accessed  Counter times since 11 July 2001. 
4 June 1990, rvsd 30 Dec. 1995, 4 Jan. '97, 26 Mar '97, 16 July '97, 19 Sept '97, 3 Jan '98, 28 Mar '98, 22 Mar 01, 1  October 02
 

Book: Use graph-lined, sewn composition notebooks (10" x 7 ") so that you make a permanent record of your experiments and results. (Avoid glued books.)

Pen: Use a permanent black pen with a fine point, such as a Pilot Precise Rolling Ball V5 (my favorite), Tombow Roll Pen, Jr©, or Uni-ball Vision Micro. These are dark black, permanent, and xerox very well. A pencil or water soluble felt tipped pen are not acceptable. Ball point pens have ink which will dissolve under organic solvents.  [For Microbiology, number pages like this.]

    1. Title the inside front cover LAB SCHEDULE and the facing page HANDOUT TABLE OF CONTENTS.  Number the facing page i.  Mount these items as shown. It will look like this when you enter the handout pages.
    2. Number the next two pages ii and iii.  (for Micro, add iv, v and vi.)  Title them MY TABLE OF CONTENTS.  You will mount your own table of contents here later.
    3. Title the inside of the back cover "MY GRADESLIPS".  Mount sequential grade slips here. Title the facing page "NEW WORDSTEMS." Earn atwo points by keeping a running table of wordstems given in lecture or lab, but which are not on the handout sheet. Type them up before NB grading.
    4. Then number every right hand page at the top right with odd numbers: 1, 3, 5, etc.   
    5. If your handout packet contains a Slide List, title page 1 "LIST OF SLIDES." Mount the list on this page.
    6. Date each page in the upper left hand corner as soon as you begin an entry on that given page. 
    7. Draw guide lines at lines 1, 3, 6 and 9 along the edge of your closed book.
    8. Title each page IN CAPITALS with a specific focused title between lines 1 & 3.
    9. Begin the entries below line 9. Enter all data directly into the lab book.  Here is a sample showing date, title, page, cross ref and entries below line 9.
    10. Use a fresh page for each experiment . Neatness is of secondary importance, but leave adequate space for ease of future use. Do not tear out any pages.
    11. Cross reference pages of related material on line 6 (three spaces below the title). Give the nature of the cross reference: protocol, data, graph, illustration, conclusion, etc.
    12. Permanently mount ALL handouts with clear contact paper . Keep intact if at all possible. Mount sequential grade slips inside back cover.
    13. Use any excuse for an illustration, since it displays information or data in a manner comprehensible at a glance. (See Notebook Illustrations .) Prevent ink from bleeding through by placing illustrations on the R page, and handouts on the L (or vice versa).
    14. For dissections, illustrate: 1) cuts made, 2) spatial & functional relations of organs.
    15. For microscopic specimens, illustrate characteristic views to fill at least half a page. Clearly resolve all details observed with labels for all features mentioned in the protocol and/or in Lab. The illustration title goes above, magnification of the view at the lower right. The legend is below, indicating the source, treatment and staining procedure used. Do not hesitate to draw a second illustration to expand on the first.
    16. For each new piece of apparatus : illustrate, label and explain all functional features.
    17. Color may be added after illustrating with black pen. Use of appropriate color in illustrations can make them more meaningful as well as attractive.
    18. Title your graphs precisely, cross reference, label coordinates, note significant phases, especially according to time. Give conditions under which experiment was performed. Show all effects observed, especially according to time or changing conditions.
    19. Indent protocols or recipes, leaving space above and below for clarity. Note in detail any changes made in the protocol, difficulties encountered, or future cautions.
    20. Draw conclusions, noting the value of the exercise, and, if appropriate, making suggestions for improvement of the experiment. Include in your conclusions not only the "processed" data, but points which could be examined more closely in future experiments and questions which may have arisen as a result of the experiment.
Compare these instructions with the Sample Notebook Grade Sheets which you have received. Note that points are awarded according to the completeness with which you have followed these instructions. Early effort applied to learning correct notebook procedure will pay dividends when your notebook is graded. (Lab work, as evidenced by your notebook comprises between 25 and 40% of your grade, depending on the course.)