KEEPING A LABORATORY NOTEBOOK

Why is proper record keeping in a bound notebook important? In the U.S., the first person to conceive of an invention, product, or process is awarded the patent for that product or process. Notebooks properly kept and witnessed are legal evidence of conception to practice an invention.

 

Why A Legal, Scientific Notebook?

Everyone involved in research or product design and development in a must keep a legal, scientific notebook. A legal, scientific notebook contains a record of all work done by the scientist.

  1. To settle patent disputes, such as when someone argues that they made a discovery first and says a discovery or process belongs to them.
  2. When a specialist must report findings from testing, such as in paternity suits or criminal cases.

If the scientific notebook is not produced in an acceptable fashion, it will be inadmissible as evidence and it will not be used. The following protocol will help you setup and maintain your legal scientific notebook.

 

 

Record Keeping Procedures:

  1. Use only your official notebook to record your work. A lab notebook is a bound book from which you cannot remove pages.
  2. Date and sign every page.
  3. Maintain a table of contents as you make entries in notebook. Leave the first few pages blank and fill them in as you go along.
  4. Make all entries legible in permanent ink only.
  5. Do not erase, ink-over, or white-out any errors. Line through errors so they can still be read. Place your initials by the correction.
  6. State the objective (purpose) of each experiment, and reference previous work or projects. Use "See page..." or "Go to..." statements. Write a summary, conclusion, and proposals for the next experiment.
  7. Record all materials, quantities used, reaction or operating conditions in sufficient detail and clarity so someone of equal skill could understand or repeat the procedures if necessary. This also enables you to repeat the experiment.  Do not underestimate how rapidly you forget experimental details.
  8. Avoid abbreviations and codes when possible. Reference or key those used.
  9. List all persons from whom samples were obtained, shared, or transferred.
  10. For important entries, such as key conclusions or new ideas, have a coworker sign and date the entry. Be sure the coworker is not a co-inventor but is capable of understanding the meaning of the notebook entry.

 

How To Set Up A Legal, Scientific Notebook

  1. Obtain a bound notebook.
  2. Use only black or blue pen to make all entries into the notebook. Incorrect entries may be scratched out with a single line only and must be labeled with your initials.
  3. Graphs and other small sheets of paper may be pasted into your notebook, when necessary. When pasting, only use a gluestick.
  4. Number every page of the notebook (in the top corner) starting with the front side of the first page being number 1 and the back of the first page numbered 2. Continue numbering the front and back of every page of the notebook.
  5. Make page #1 your Title Page. In the middle of the page, in bold print, write:
    BIOLOGY 181, SECTION (Meeting days and times)
    YOUR NAME, SEMESTER
  6. Make pages #2-3 the Table of Contents. Write Table of Contents at the top of each of these pages. Each time you start recording information for a new topic or lesson, an entry is written on the Table of Contents showing where the record of work begins.
  7. Your record of work will begin on page #4. All notes, procedures, data (tables, charts, drawings, graphs, and written observations), analysis, conclusions, and comments are recorded in your notebook in chronological order. Do no leave any blank spaces or pages.  Put a line through to void any blanks.
  8. For each experiment, introduce your experiment with a sentence or two stating background and the objective. Always take careful, complete notes on all observations and record them in your lab notebook. Enter information direction in to your lab notebook. Don't use lab data sheets (more commonly called paper towels!), expecting to transfer the information later. In some case, you may also wish to compare your data with that of other groups in the class. You may present your data as tables and/or graphs. Record with descriptions, measurements and drawings whenever possible. Drawings need not be artistic, but they do need to be accurate. Do not write down what you think we want to see or hear. Tell us what you saw, why you think that way, what, if any mistakes may have been made, etc... YOU CAN NOT BE TOO CAREFUL OR THOROUGH in this regard!  You should conclude each experiment with one or two sentences about the next question or experiment that seems obvious to ask.
  9. As you are working, and reach the bottom of the page, you must sign the page and date it. Also, write Go to... and tell the reader where the rest of the information for this topic is found in the notebook. If you set your notebook up this way, it should be relatively easy for you or anyone familiar with the work you are doing to find specific data, observations, and conclusions about a specific topic.
  10. As you record your activities in the laboratory, make sure that you are keeping a proper notebook. Your lab notebook should be submitted to your laboratory instructors several times during the semester for evaluation/ grading.  Before you turn in your work, consider that as it is graded.  Be sure you have followed all steps.  Check the Lab Notebook Scoring Rubric to be sure you have covered all bases.

    Adapted from Christine Case, Skyline Community College