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The Laboratory Notebook

** borrowed from many sources but esp http://www.chem.uky.edu/courses/common/notebook.html 

The Laboratory Notebook

Your laboratory notebook is a record of what you have done in the laboratory over the semester.  In a professional situation, someone might have to reproduce your work years after you have left the laboratory and the only record they will have to rely on will be what you wrote in your notebook.  In an educational setting you will be writing up these exercises as formal lab reports, days or weeks later.  And you will have to rely on what you recorded to satisfactorily complete that task.

In both academic and industrial settings, the notebook is a legal document that records your original work.

Laboratory Notebook Specifications

1. The notebook should be bound. ( that is, tied with string and not glued together)
2. The first three pages of your laboratory notebook should be reserved for a table of contents which must be kept up to date. ( Number them I, II and III) Then number the remainder of the pages (front and back) 1,2,3… etc..
3. Each experiment should begin on a new page. Never put information from more than one experiment on a page.
   Include the following items on EVERY page:
• The title of the experiment ("continued.." if applicable)
• Your name
• The date
4. Every experiment should also include:
• Purpose of the experiment.
• ALL observations (color changes...or lack thereof).
• Instrumentation or equipment used (manufacturer and model).
• ALL data collected. In table form when applicable.
• All calculations.
• Your conclusions and interpretation of the data.
5. Do not skip pages in your laboratory notebook to allow space for the completion of an incomplete experiment. The situation can be handled adequately through the table of contents and by making references on the pages involved such as "continued from page 7" or "continued on page 9".
6. All entries should be made in blue or black ink. These entries should be made during the regular laboratory period while the experimental work is in progress (except for instances indicated below).
7. NEVER use intermediate scratch sheets. All data and descriptions should be entered directly into your lab notebook. Students found using scratch sheets will have points deducted from their notebook score and may also receive a penalty for poor lab technique.
8. Mistakes are to be clearly crossed out with a single line drawn through the unwanted wording, and your initials next to the stricken section.
9. As note above, your notebook should be neat, orderly and complete. Another student or instructor should be able to take your notebook either now or months later and be able to read it and to understand what you did and the results you obtained.
10. Unused pages or portions of pages should be marked as unused with a diagonal line.  Sign your name on the diagonal line.

Guidelines for Notebook Entries

Most lab time should be devoted to experimental work rather than writing. However, it is useless to do the work unless it is properly recorded for later use and reflection. Not only should essential measurements and precise procedures be recorded, but also all conceivably pertinent observations. A slight change in procedure, a seemingly insignificant observation, etc. is often a crucial matter in the final analysis.

A number by itself is meaningless; therefore, the units, corrections, and information which make its interpretation meaningful should be carefully noted. There should be sufficient information about conditions, reagents, and equipment that the experiment can be repeated to give essentially the same results.

Preliminary

Before coming to the laboratory, write a short paragraph stating the property or properties which are to be measured, the results which are to be calculated, and how these are to be done. For example one might measure the distance a cannon ball falls during each of five different periods. The acceleration of gravity might then be calculated from a plot of distance versus time squared.

Experimental

All numerical data must go into the notebook as soon as they are determined, with no intervening scraps of paper! The following information should always be included.

1.      Procedure: This should be written as each portion of the experiment is performed. The procedure should be as short as possible and still contain enough of the detail that another chemist could repeat your work.

2.      Data: All the numbers must be written and their units indicated-even an initial burette reading of 0.00 mL. There should be some explanation or heading for every set of numbers. The uncertainty for each type of measurement should be indicated. You should do short calculations, such as subtraction of weighings, additions, etc., right on the data page before you turn it in and leave lab.

3.      Comments: Put down anything that might be pertinent or helpful. It is better to write down things which you may not need than to inadvertently leave out something significant. The comments may be in "note" form as long as they are complete enough to be intelligible to others.

Comments, Data and Procedure belong together. They should not be separated under three different headings.

4.      Equipment and Chemicals: It is not necessary to describe standard or "everyday" glassware or hardware which might be used in any experiment. Larger or special equipment and instruments should be described:

a.       Name of item (or description) and size if applicable

b.      Manufacturer and model number or catalog number

Specially constructed glassware or other equipment (such as the Choppin-Cottrel Boiling Point Apparatus) should be described either by a labeled sketch or a complete reference to the detailed description in the literature. Chemicals should be described by the name and formula. Manufacturer, grade, and lot number should be given where possible.

Evaluation

1.      Sample calculations: Illustrate all computations by writing the appropriate formula or equation, substituting a sample set of data (with units) and listing the answer, e.g.

P = nRT/V

P = ((3.00 moles)(0.0821 L atm/mol K)(373 K)/(0.211 L)) = 435 atm

Calculations should be performed in the notebook. However, for highly repetitive calculations you can do one representative calculation and simply tabulate your answers. Don't forget your units!!!

2.      Results: Collect your results and organize them so that they can be easily assimilated and compared. Tables and graphs should be titled and completely labeled. You may want to plot several pieces of similar information on the same graph for easy comparison. Computer plots using TableCurve or SigmaPlot are best.

3.      Whenever possible your experimental result should be compared with accepted or typical literature values. ( Book Values)  Record the source in your notebook for use in your lab report.

4.      Assess the accuracy and precision of your work in light of the uncertainty in the measurements which you have made. If there is a circumstance (duly noted as a comment in your notebook) which would explain good or bad results, describe it and give an estimate of its magnitude and effect.

If you have suggestions for improvements in the design or recommended experimental procedures, make them here. Be concise in this section as well as all other parts of your write-up.

Remember: It is better to put in too much data than too little!

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