A Laboratory Notebook and

Practical Work Report Tutorial

Dr. Dunya Babanly

2022-2023
 Part 1

Laboratory Notebook Guidelines

Contents :
 What is a laboratory notebook ? What is it’s purpose ?
 How to organize a laboratory notebook ?
 Guidelines for keeping a laboratory notebook
 Examples from students
 What is a laboratory notebook ?
A laboratory notebook (lab notebook or lab book) is researcher's diary.
It is a primary record of your experiment / research.

 A laboratory notebook is your most valuable tool in the practical work sessions.

 A lab notebook is a complete record of procedures (the actions you take), the reagents you use, the
observations you make, and the relevant thoughts that would enable another student (or scientist)
to reproduce your observations.

 A lab notebook generally includes an explanation of why the experiments were done, including any
necessary background and references, how the experiments were performed, the results of the
experiments and conclusion about the work done.

 Researchers use a lab notebook to document their hypothesis, experiments and initial analysis or
interpretation of their experiments.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lab_notebook
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-a-laboratory-notebook-types-best-practices.html
 What is a laboratory notebook ?

 The lab notebook is the all-important document of each lab member’s (student’s)
work and contribution to the mission of the lab.
Data must be clear, not neat and
findable
Scientific obligation:
Results must be repeatable

 Lab notebooks can be critical in establishing patent rights, first rights to publication
of results, evidence of inventions, etc.

It is a notebook, not a neat book !

 What is the purpose of a lab notebook ?
 To allow other students (researchers) to gain a clear picture of your work

 Anyone with a basic knowledge of common laboratory technics should be able to reproduce your results from
your lab book notes

 They help organize your thoughts

 They record your work so that you could come back to it later

 They serve as a legal document to prove patents as legal evidence of who discovered/studied, what and
when.

 Your notebook is your scientific legacy in that lab, and it can also serve as a legal document if you ever need
to prove your work isn’t fraudulent or plagiarized

https://web.mit.edu/me-ugoffice/communication/labnotebooks.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lab_notebook
 What is a laboratory notebook ?
Alexander Graham Bell’s notebook, 1875-1876

Studies of reflections from concave mirrors. Italy, probably Digital Id

Florence, from 1508. British Library Arundel MS 263 •http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/magbell.25300201
 What is a research notebook ?
 A scientific notebook is an extremely valuable resource. You never know when you’ll
make a groundbreaking discovery, and when that moment comes, you want to have a
clear and precise record.

 They serve as a legal document to prove patents as legal evidence of who

discovered/studied, what and when.

 Your notebook is your scientific legacy in that lab, and it can also serve as a legal
document if you ever need to prove your work isn’t fraudulent or plagiarized

https://labfolder.com/7-reasons-you-need-a-laboratory-notebook/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lab_notebook
Linus Pauling’s Notebooks

Linus Pauling
(1901 – 1994)

• Nobel Prizes
• Chemistry
• Peace
• PhD Physical Chemistry and
Mathematical Physics at age 24
• Caltech/Stanford
“Many people say that it is the intellect which makes a great scientist.
They are wrong: it is character."
Albert Einstein

“For this you keep a lab notebook. Everything gets written down, formally, so that you
know at all times where you are, where you’ve been, where you’re going and where you
want to get.”
Robert Pirsig

“We can peek into evolution’s notebook and see what went on there.”
Francis Collins
 How to organize a lab notebook ?
What goes in the lab notebook ?

 Name of the lab notebook

 Cover page including:
 your name
 year
 lab address
 name of the project
 Table of contents *
 Body of notebook
 experiments
* Save Space for Table of Contents . First two facing pages at least.
 How to organize a lab notebook ?
What goes in the lab notebook ?

 Cover page should include :

 Your name
 Year
 Lab address
 Name of the project
 How to organize a lab notebook ?
What goes in the lab notebook ?
 Cover page should include :
 Your name
 Year
 Lab address
 Name of the project

NOTE:
 Always use a bound or stitched notebook, not loose leaf, spiral or three ring binder notebook
 Always use pen (no pencils, no erasers), write neatly and clearly
 Use ballpoint pen, not aqueous-based pens (e.g., most felt-tips).
 How to organize a lab notebook ?
What goes in the lab notebook ?
 Table of contents should include:

 Subject / Experiment
 Date
 Page number

NOTE:
 Leave several pages blank at the beginning for a table of contents
and update it when you start each new experiment
 Each experiment’s date, topic and starting page should be included
 Body of notebook.
For Every Experiment, record:
 Start Date: on all pages
 Title: centered
 Why: brief statement of purpose
 How:
 protocol with reference of origin; calculations; concentrations; dilutions; reagents; safety;
equipment etc.
 What Happened:
 All that happens (planned or unplanned protocol changes; machine settings;
unexpected delays; problems encountered etc.)
 Raw experimental data
 Data analysis
 Processing of raw data; graphs; calculations etc.
 What It Means:
 Your interpretation, conclusion (summation with oddities and comments)
 For Every Experiment, record:

 Start Date: on all pages

 Title
 Why: Brief statement of purpose / objective

NOTE:
 Date every page on the top outside page
 Start each new experiment on a right-side page
 Record the TITLE and PURPOSE of each experiment
at the top of the first page of the notebook
dedicated to this topic.
 Details of “HOW”
How to write an experimental procedure ?

 How:
 protocol with reference of origin; calculations; concentrations; dilutions; reagents;
safety; equipment etc.
 What Happened:
 All that happens (planned or unplanned protocol changes; machine settings;
unexpected delays; problems encountered etc.)
 Raw experimental data
 Data analysis
 Processing of raw data; graphs; calculations etc.
 What It Means:
 Your interpretation, conclusion (summation with oddities and comments)
 Details of “HOW”…

 Chemicals and materials: (glassware, equipment etc..)

 Chemicals : source, product number, toxicity
 Solutions: how they were made
All details such as:
• Type of water used
• Number and volume of washes
• Heating rates and levels of agitation
• Time between and during steps
• Your own observations such as color changes, bubbles, coagulation etc..
• Drawings, formulas, reactions, schematics…
• Data typed into computer printed and taped into your lab book
• If you go away for a meal and come back 1 h later…
• What went wrong etc…
must be included.
 Lab book checklist
As you record your activities in the laboratory, ask yourself, "Did I...“

 Keep up with the table of contents ?

 Date each page ?
 Number each page consecutively ?
 Use continuation notes when necessary ?
 Enter all information directly into the notebook ?
 Properly introduce and summarize each experiment ?
 Include complete details of all first-time procedures ?
 Include calculations ?
 Include all data typed (table, graph etc.) into computer as a printed copy ?
 Make conclusion with descriptive comments on observations ?

https://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/tools/notebook/notebook.html
 Lab book checklist

The last and most important question to ask yourself:

"Can I recreate this experiment / my results after 1 year with what I

have written down ? "
 General ethics for a lab book:
 All data must go in to the notebook
• Even "bad" data points or “outliers”
• Failed experiments or contradictory experiments

 No pages come out of the notebook

• Do not take any pages out or remove any data
• Do not skip pages in your notebook

 Correct mistakes, do not remove them

 No pencils! Erasers are a definite no-no!
 No white-out! Cross out mistakes with a single line and explain initial errors
 Paste in corrections without covering anything
 Sign and date all corrections
 Honesty is the best policy !

https://kellylab.umbc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/418/2018/06/Checklists-1.pdf
https://sites.psu.edu/ethicsofdatamanagement/unit-2-generating-data/2-3-lab-notebook/
Examples from UFAZ students

Example 1
27
28
Examples from UFAZ students

Example 2
 Part 2

How to Write a Practical Work Report

Contents :
 What is a practical work report ?
 Practical work report structure – typical sections
What is a practical work report ? What is it’s purpose ?

 The main purpose of a practical work report is to demonstrate your

understanding of the scientific method by performing and evaluating a hands-on
lab experiment.

 It conveys the aim, methods, results, and conclusions of a scientific experiment.

 Lab reports are commonly used in science, technology, engineering, and

mathematics (STEM) fields.

https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/lab-report
https://guides.lib.purdue.edu/c.php?g=352816&p=2377942
 Typical sections of a PW report

 Title Page
 Abstract (is mandatory for scientific papers)
 Introduction
 Materials and Equipment
 Methods / Experimental Procedure
 Results
 Discussion
 Conclusion
 References
 Appendix or Annex
 Title Page

Should include:
 Department, Group number
 Name of the lab subject
 Name, surname
 Team member’s name, surname
 Submitted date
 Title of the report
 Tutor’s name
 Abstract

An abstract is a short preview of your full lab report.

It condenses a lab report into a brief overview of
about 150–300 words. It should be written last, in
the past tense, after you’ve drafted all the other
sections of your report, so you’ll be able to succinctly
summarize each section.

An abstract summarizes 4 essential aspects of the lab

report:
 The purpose of the experiment
 Key findings
 Significance
 Major conclusions

https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/lab-report/
https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-write-a-lab-report-606052
 Introduction
The introduction defines the subject of the report, provides
background information, outlines scientific purpose and objective.

 The introduction is a place to provide the reader with necessary

background research on the topic and properly cited sources used.
 Summarizes the current literature on the topic
 States the purpose of the experiment and the hypothesis.
 Explain the motivation for your experiment. Why is your scientific
question important?
 A clear statement of your scientific question and the goal of your
experiment
 The typical length is a few paragraphs to one page

https://www.vanderbilt.edu/writing/resources/handouts/introducing-a-lab-report
https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/lab-report
https://libguides.lmu.edu/c.php?g=324079&p=2174135
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/writing/resources/handouts/introducing-a-lab-report
http://www.laspositascollege.edu/physics/assets/docs/LabReportGuidelinesRehagen.pdf
 Materials and Equipment

 List the chemicals or materials you used during

experiments and state the name for any specialized
equipment
 Provide information about toxicity and hazard of
used chemicals and safety considerations during the
experimental procedure

https://www.vanderbilt.edu/writing/resources/handouts/introducing-a-lab-report
https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/lab-report
 Methods / Experimental Procedure

Tips on writing experimental procedure:

 Discuss the procedure in as much detail as possible and clearly

 Include enough detail for someone else to repeat your procedure
 Describe what you actually did, even though it may be different from the ideal procedure
given in the protocol/ manual
 Be sure to use the proper abbreviations for units. Example: The 100 mL sample was kept at
10ºC for 48hrs
 Explain every thought you had, and every wrong turn your group made in the course of the
experiment
 Use past tense in passive voice for writing this section: was/were + past participle of the verb

https://labwrite.ncsu.edu/res/po-quickguide.html
https://libguides.lmu.edu/c.php?g=324079&p=2174135
 Results / Data section
The results section contains all of the data collected during your experiments without interpretation. One
of the best ways to represent the results of your report is by using graphs and tables, because they are
easy to read and they convey a lot of information in an efficient way.

Tips on writing results section:

 Summarize the data from the experiments

 Organize the data into tables, figures, graphs, etc.
 Number and title all figures and tables separately
 Don't try to interpret/analyze the data in this section
 Save your interpretations for the Discussion section
 If you have lots of raw data, present them in the Annexes section

https://labwrite.ncsu.edu/res/po-quickguide.html
https://libguides.lmu.edu/c.php?g=324079&p=2174135
 Results / Data section
Some key points to keep in mind when including tables and figures in your lab report:

 Graphs and figures must both be numbered and labeled with a descriptive title
 Tables and figures should be self-explanatory and should include enough information to be able
to "stand alone" without reading the entire report
 All columns in tables and all axes on graphs should be clearly labeled, including units of measurement
 Any table, figure or graph must be mentioned in the text, usually in the Results section.
 There are two ways to cite your figure or table in the text:
a) Mention the figure directly in the text, like this: "Figure 1 shows the impact of phosphorus enrichment on
pond water oxygen concentration."
b) Add a citation in parentheses at the end of a sentence, like this: "Oxygen concentration of the pond water
decreased with an increase in phosphorus (Fig. 1)."

https://phoenixcollege.libguides.com/LabReportWriting/results
https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/lab-report/
 Table of data

Table of data - should contain all of the data

that has been collected in your experiment. It
may contain several elements (BahaDoran,
2019):

 Table number and table title

 Row headings (for example groups)
 Column headings
 Row subheadings (for example categories
or groups)
 Column subheadings (for example
categories or variables)
 Footnotes (for example statistical analyses)

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31372173/
 Graph / figure
Common elements of the graph (BahaDoran, 2019):

 Graph number and title

 Labels of the x-axis and y-axis including proper units
 Figure legend (for example a brief title, experimental,
statistical information, or definition of symbols).

Bahadoran, Z., Mirmiran, P., Zadeh-Vakili, A., Hosseinpanah, F., & Ghasemi, A. (2019). The principles of biomedical
scientific writing: Results. International journal of endocrinology and metabolism, 17(2).
 Discussion /Analysis section
Discussion is the most creative section of the report. It will help demonstrate your
understanding of the experimental process and your critical thinking skills. The typical
length of the discussion section is 1 – 2 pages.

In this section, you can:

 Interpret your results
 Compare your findings with your expectations
 Identify any sources of experimental error and uncertainty in your data
 Explain any unexpected results
 Suggest possible improvements for further studies

http://www.laspositascollege.edu/physics/assets/docs/LabReportGuidelinesRehagen.pdf
https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-write-a-lab-report-606052
https://goldbio.com/articles/article/Guide-to-results-and-discussion-section
 Conclusion
Conclusion should be the final section of your lab report. Here, you’ll summarize the findings of your
experiment, with a brief overview of the strengths and limitations, and implications of your study for
further research.

To write a good conclusion, you have to:

 state what your results show (and describe the shape of the graph if you have one);
 compare your results to your hypothesis;
 explain your results with scientific knowledge;
 evaluate your results

For evaluation, you have to answer the following questions:

 Did you carry out the experiment accurately and how you know?
 Did you make any errors and how?
 Did you control the controlled variables well?
 How could you improve the method so that your experiment was more accurate?

https://www.sciencesfp.com/how-to-write-a-lab-report.html
https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/lab-report/
 References
 No lab report is complete without a list of references
 A references list should be compiled at the end of the report citing any works that were used to
support the report
 Here you will list sources in the appropriate format (often APA for scientific papers) each article or
other source you referenced in the lab report
 Be sure to accompany your use of these sources with in-text citations throughout the report

Appendix OR Annex
 Contains supplementary documents such as raw data; literature data; safety considerations;
details of experiments; calculations; results in the case of replicated experiments multiple times
 Should follow the reference list

https://www.sciencesfp.com/how-to-write-a-lab-report.html
https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/lab-report/
https://libguides.lahc.edu/apa/format
https://www.mtsu.edu/writing-center/handouts/SWC6LabReport.pdf
 References
1. Bhandari, P. (2022, July 15). How To Write A Lab Report | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved December 14, 2022, from
2. https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/lab-report/
3. Peat, J., Elliott, E., Baur, L., & Keena, V. (2013). Scientific writing: easy when you know how: John Wiley & Sons.
4. Vieira, R. F., Lima, R. C. d., & Mizubuti, E. S. G. (2019). How to write the discussion section of a scientific article. Acta Scientiarum. Agronomy, 41.
5. Bahadoran, Z., Mirmiran, P., Zadeh-Vakili, A., Hosseinpanah, F., & Ghasemi, A. (2019). The principles of biomedical scientific writing: Results.
International journal of endocrinology and metabolism, 17(2).
6. Aggarwal, R., & Sahni, P. (2018). The Results Section. In Reporting and Publishing Research in the Biomedical Sciences (pp. 21-38): Springer.
7. http://www.laspositascollege.edu/physics/assets/docs/LabReportGuidelinesRehagen.pdf
8. https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-write-a-lab-report-606052
9. https://goldbio.com/articles/article/Guide-to-results-and-discussion-section
10. https://labwrite.ncsu.edu/res/po-quickguide.html
11. https://libguides.lmu.edu/c.php?g=324079&p=2174135
12. https://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/tools/notebook/notebook.html
13. http://ccc.chem.pitt.edu/wipf/Courses/NoteBook&Report.html
14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMiIVfh7k_Q
15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR28zf2Aiwo
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENTION!