Guidelines for Laboratory Notebooks Experience in carrying out standard organic lab procedures is essential to the development of good organic chemistry laboratory skills. However, learning how to properly document experimental results is also very important. Documentation of results requires the keeping of a detailed laboratory research notebook. It is generally accepted that such a research notebook is necessary for the documentation of any scientist's work. For example, an industrial research notebook is the legal basis for defending and obtaining patents. A research notebook should be a permanent, original, and honest scientific record of all observations made and data obtained while working in the lab. General Instructions.
Important Do's and Don'ts
Format. The notebook entries for each experiment should be divided into two sections, (1) the "Pre-lab Plan" and (2) the "In-lab Journal". Each of these parts should be done on its own separate page(s). Do not start the in-lab journal on the same page as which the pre-lab plan ends. "Pre-lab Plan"- To be completed before the start of each new experiment and facsimiles turned in at the beginning of the lab period during which the experiment will be started. Each student must prepare their own individual pre-lab plan in their own lab notebook. This section consists of the following: Experiment Number, Title, Date and Course & Section Number Balanced Chemical Equation: If the experiment involves a chemical reaction, then the balanced chemical equation should be given and should show the structures of the reactants to be used and the major product expected. References: Give the title, author, and page numbers of all reference materials used. Purpose: In two or three sentences describe the experiment in more detail than the title conveys. Tell exactly what will be done and how the results will be evaluated. Table of Chemicals (TOC): Include all reactants and products of any chemical reaction being performed. Also include catalysts, solvents, and reagents for the purification steps. The structure, molecular weight, relevant physical constants, (i.e., densities of liquids to be measured by volume, bps of liquids, mps of solids), and amount to be used of each chemical (in moles as well as in the units in which it will be measured) are all needed. Make sure to do any needed calculations of amounts to be used before lab. Also include the theoretical yield of the desired product. Planned Procedures:This should be a
relatively brief outline (preferably in the form of a
flow-chart or step-by-step list) extracted from the
procedure given in the lab text and/or handout. Your
planned procedures should be complete enough to allow
you to be able to do the experiment while referring to
your notebook only. Include sketches of any glassware
apparatuses you will have to assemble. In addition, the
sequence in the carrying out of important steps should
be emphasized. Safety Precautions/SDS
information:
Include all special safety precautions associated with
the specific experiment to be performed. Identify
the hazards associated with each chemical to be used by
looking up an SDS for it and note these in your TOC. "In-lab Journal" - To be completed during the lab
and photos or duplicates turned in to the instructor
before leaving the lab. Make
sure you start a new page for every new day in the lab.
The date at the top of the page should be the actual
date when all of the writing on that page was done!
Observations and Data go in the right-hand column of the notebook page. Observations
Data
Actual Procedures go in the left-hand column of the notebook page.
Note - Please also read chapter 3 in
Mohrig for another perspective on how to keep a
laboratory notebook. |