Lab Notebook Guidelines Science Mrs. Merritt Appalachian Mountaineers Team

Purpose of the Notebook  The purpose of the notebook is to keep a record of your lab experiences and your thought processes.  The lab notebook will be used to record work from all lab activities.  It is important to follow all directions. Lab notebooks are graded according to guidelines… so be sure to follow ALL directions.

Table of Contents  Your notebook should have a Table of Contents. The Table of Contents should be located in the front of the notebook. It should be kept up to date and in order. Each day you write in your lab notebook you should record the date, the title of the days assignment, and the page number.  The Table of Contents will be periodically checked so it is important you keep it up to date.

Setting Up the Table of Contents  Turn to the very first page of your lab notebook.  At the top label the page “Table of Contents”.  Your Table of Contents will include the date, the heading of the lesson, and the page number in your lab notebook in which you are working for that day.

Table of Contents 8/30Lab Notebook Guidelines1

Notebook Do’s  Do use bound books if possible. Your lab notebook should be kept in a bound notebook. Spiral notebooks have a tendency to fall apart quicker than bound notebooks. If you do have a spiral notebook, you may use it but you may find that it is not as durable as the bound notebook.

Notebook Do’s  Do use ink if at all possible. In your lab notebook I would prefer that work be completed in blue or black ink. However, if you do not have an ink pen work completed in pencil will also be accepted. When using pens, ink color should be blue or black. Please do not use gel pens!

Notebook Do’s  Do staple attachments. Attachments such as data sheets, relevant handouts and charts/graphs should be attached in the notebook either by taping, gluing, or stapling.

Notebook Do’s  Do sign and date your notebook. Your notebook should be signed and dated on the inside front cover to mark the first day you started using the notebook. Each days work should be dated at the beginning of the entry and signed or initialed at the end of the entry. If you have attachments, be sure to initial and date them also.

Notebook Do’s  Do title new experiments. When a new activity or experiment is started, be sure to title it in your notebook. The title can be found on the class Table of Contents paper.

Notebook Do’s  Do provide detail. Record all observations, data/results and conclusions you observe. Details are important pieces of information that can be helpful when writing a lab report.

Notebook Do’s  Do number the pages. The pages of your lab notebook should be numbered. The number should appear in the upper RIGHT corner of the page.

Notebook Don’ts  Do not remove original pages. Do not tear any pages from your notebook. Tearing pages from the notebook will weaken the binding on the notebook. If you make a mistake draw an X on the page and I will not look at the page.

Notebook Don’ts  Do not loan out your notebook. Your notebook is your responsibility. You will receive a grade for your work in your notebook. If you are absent and need to make up work, see me. I will help you or assign you to a buddy, but please do not take a notebook that does not belong to you.

Lab Reports  Each time you participate in a lab activity you will be required to complete a lab report. A lab report is just a way to present your data and results in an organized way.

Components of a lab report  The components of a lab report include: Title Purpose Procedure Materials Hypothesis Data/Results Conclusion