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The Laboratory Notebook

The Laboratory Notebook A Record of Experimentation and Observation Ref: Porush, David. A Short Guide to Writing About Science.” HarperCollins, NY, 1995 Communication Flow in Science Problem Setting Experiment Observation Lab Notebook Lab report Written Communication

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The Laboratory Notebook

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  1. The Laboratory Notebook A Record of Experimentation and Observation Ref: Porush, David. A Short Guide to Writing About Science.” HarperCollins, NY, 1995

  2. Communication Flow in Science Problem Setting Experiment Observation Lab Notebook Lab report

  3. Written Communication • Writing begins in the lab!

  4. What Is a Lab Notebook For? • Serves as a record of experimentation and observation • an eyewitness account recorded at the scene of the action • carries legal weight (when properly kept) • Can be an intellectual diary • Serves as the basis of the formal report

  5. Parts of a Lab Notebook • Clear identification of time, place and people directly involved in experiment • Brief statement of the problem/purpose of the experiment • Detailed descriptions of the apparatus • Detailed instructions for setting up the apparatus …… more …..

  6. Parts of a Lab Notebook (cont.) • Instructions for conducting the experiment • Description of the method for collecting the data • Complete records of data/other observations • Description of method for analyzing data • Brief analysis/interpretations of data • Brief statement of conclusions

  7. Checklist for Style for Notebook • Will other researchers be able to reconstruct the setup? • Will other researchers be able to conduct the experiment? • Will other researchers be able to understand the results? • Will other researchers be able to understand the conclusions? ….. more …..

  8. Checklist for Style… (cont.) • Have I numbered the pages of the notebook? • Does every entry have a date (and time)? • Is every entry signed? • Have I eliminated blanks with diagonal lines?

  9. Guidelines for Recording Data • Record everything in ink • Enter all data directly into the notebook • Record data in the order in which you made the observations, i.e., chronologically • Make sure each data point has a number and a dimension or unit of measurement • Record data with correct significant figures ….more…..

  10. Guidelines for Recording…(cont) • Make corrections and deletions by lining through words or figures with a single line in ink (no erasures!) • Leave minimal blank space between entries • Use diagonal lines to fill larger blank spaces • Date and sign each page • Have each page signed by a knowledgeable witness

  11. Steps in Interpreting Data • Find generalities about the data by applying mathematical/statistical methods and matching to different hypotheses or theories • Make qualitative judgments about the data • Decide which competing explanation of the data makes more sense • Note specific points of agreement or disagreement with hypothesis you were testing

  12. Lab Notebooks in MENG 3207 • Your lab notebook number will be your initials (3) and the last four digits of your student number (e.g., ABC1234) • Use this number along with page number(s) when referencing lab data in lab reports • Put your name, MENG 3207-01, and lab notebook number on inside front cover • (optional) include your address or telephone number in case you lose the notebook

  13. Lab Notebooks in MENG 3207 • All entries are to be made in ink • Don’t leave any pages blank • use “To Page No./From Page No.” to indicate sequence of pages • Maintain a Table of Contents, listing the experiments included in the notebook • Each experiment is to include the “parts” of a lab notebook described earlier

  14. Lab Notebooks in MENG 3207 • Come to the lab with drafts of the following in your own words • brief statement of the objective(s) of the experiment • description of the apparatus and materials • instructions for setting up the apparatus • instructions for conducting the experiment • data sheets

  15. Lab Notebooks in MENG 3207 • Confirm that your drafts are factual, then enter them into the lab notebook before taking any data • note: if the descriptions of the setup and methods in the lab handout are correct, sufficiently detailed, and lengthy, you can substitute a summary of these, then reference the original document and (properly) include it in the notebook

  16. Lab Notebooks in MENG 3207 • Record all data chronologically and directly in the notebook, not on “scratch paper” • Make observations in the notebook during and after collecting data • Have pages witnessed before leaving the lab

  17. Lab Notebooks in MENG 3207 • After collecting the data, continue to use the notebook to complete the lab • describe method(s) for analyzing the data • record all results of data analysis • use appropriate significant figures • give brief analysis/interpretation of data, including charts and graphs • give brief statement of conclusions • have all pages witnessed

  18. Summary • Lab notebooks serve as a record of experimentation and observation • In this course, the lab notebooks will contain • all information needed to conduct the experiment (entered before data collection) • all data collected during the experiment • all observations and analyses made during and after conducting the experiment

  19. End

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