Making and Keeping a Lab Notebook

• Slide Show
• Notebook Illustrations
• Examples

List of Things That Should Be in the Biol. Lab 1 Lab Notebook

• Syllabus
  • all handout pages (did you complete and turn in the questionnaire, separately?)
• First Day of Lab
  • all notes you take, entered directly into the notebook
  • map of the lab room with safety features noted (which way is north?)
• How to Succeed
  • all handout pages
  • any notes/comments of your own that indicate you’ve read, understand, and will make your very best effort to try to comply with the information presented in the handout
• Lab Notebook How-To
  • all handout pages, including the sample gradesheet (presumably, permanently bound in your protocol book)
  • all notes you take as you read through the “slide show” and the notebook illustrations Web pages
  • all notes you take the first day on how to keep a notebook, entered directly into the notebook
  • annotated drawing (your own!) of notebook page set-up
  • the notebook, itself, properly set-up and ready to go
  • all notebook gradesheets, after returned to you (make sure to cross-reference to the protocol and any previous notes you’ve taken)
  • all notes you take the day graded notebooks are returned (improvements/changes you need to make, etc.)
• Use of Binoculars
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book) regardless of if we have discussed them, yet, or not
  • if/when we discuss binocular use, all notes that you take and all drawings you make
• Biometrics
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take as you read through this Web page and/or during the introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • your personal and group data
  • print-out of class data (available online)
  • all requested calculations and graphs
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • evidence that you have at least tried to work the practice problems
  • drawing of the medical balance used to obtain your height and weight, including detail of exactly what the markings on the beams actually look like
  • drawings of the dial of the stopwatch and dial of the sphygmomanometer, again including detail of exactly what the markings actually look like
  • drawings of the stethoscope and blood-pressure cuff with all parts clearly shown and labeled
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Graph Construction
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take and “how-to” drawings that you make as we discuss how to construct a graph
  • graphs of pertinent lab data, when requested by a particular protocol, should also be cross-referenced to this protocol
• Observations vs. Conclusions
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all your notes and data
  • a drawing of your organism
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • if assigned, the peanut butter writing assignment (after returned to you)
• Accuracy and Precision
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • all requested calculations based on those data
  • print-out of class data (available online)
  • drawing (yours!) of meniscus
  • drawing (yours!) of balance with detail of the markings on the beams
  • drawing (yours!) of 250-mL beaker with lines appropriately placed
  • drawing (yours!) of 100-mL graduated cylinder with lines appropriately placed
  • drawing (yours!) of 100-mL volumetric flask with all markings
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• pH of Common Substances
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • print-out of class data (available online)
  • overall drawing (yours!) of pH meter with parts labeled
  • detailed drawing (yours!) of meter face, including needle and mirror
  • detailed drawing (yours!) of temperature knob
  • detailed drawing (yours!) of standardize knob
  • detailed drawing (yours!) of slope knob
  • detailed drawing (yours!) of toggle switch
  • drawing (yours!) of combination electrode
  • sample(s) of pH paper strips you used
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Sugar in Soft Drinks
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • all requested calculations based on those data
  • print-out of class data (available online)
  • (if not drawn as part of the pH lab) drawing (yours!) of thermometer used with detail of the actual markings and range (that looks like a thermometer, not like a worm)
  • drawing (yours!) of stove used with detail of markings on any important knobs or dials
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Pepsin and Antacids
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • your drawings of your set-up and results
  • your data and notes on results
  • print-out of class data (available online)
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Mayonnaise
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment (. . . amazing how many people forget to include this one!)
  • drawings of blender (detail of controls) and any other “new” equipment used (plus any of the veggies?)
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Microscope Use
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the video and introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • drawing (yours!) of the microscope that you used in lab, with all parts labeled and functions of those parts noted
  • drawings (yours!) of letter “e” at various powers of magnification (label which power, label silver crystals if seen)
  • optional drawings of slide and coverslip
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quizzes
• Beer Making
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment, both the day we mix the brew and the day we bottle it
  • detailed drawing (yours!) of an airlock
  • drawings of any other “new” equipment used and any other brewing supplies used
  • optional sample(s) of label from can of hops, yeast packet, etc.
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • optionally, all notes and data you gather if you are able to visit a brewery or winery or look up related information online
  • optionally, all notes and data you gather if you make bread at home
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Root Beer
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • if we do the lab, all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • if we do the lab, all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • if we do the lab, drawings of any “new” equipment used
  • if we do the lab, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
• Cells and Organelles
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • drawings (yours!) — at whatever power works best for that tissue) of each tissue examined, to scale (proportions relative to each other are about right) with all visible organelles and all powers of magnification labeled (cork bark, buccal smear, Elodea leaf, potato pulp, onion epidermis, yeast cells, tomato pulp, kale leaf, Moses-in-the-Boat flower, etc.)
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Bunsen Burner Use
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you learn to use the burner
  • drawing(s) (yours!) of a Bunsen burner with all parts labeled and of a striker
  • a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Diffusion and Osmosis
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • drawing (yours!) of the osmosis set-up (dialysis tubing “bags”, etc.)
  • drawings (yours!) of any other parts of the experiment such as diffusion
  • print-out of class data (available online)
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Spectrophotometer Use/Beer’s Law
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • properly-constructed graph of your personal data
  • print-out of class data (available online)
  • drawing (yours!) of spectrophotometer with detail of the scale on the meter face, functions of each knob indicated
  • drawing (yours!) of cuvette with markings
  • drawing (yours!) of 1-mL and 5-mL pipets with detail of all markings on the pipets and pipet bulb or pipet filler
  • drawing (yours!) of vortex with detail of controls
  • optionally, color drawing showing what your mixed solutions look like
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Photosynthesis
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • drawing (yours!) of chromatography set-up
  • optional sample of chromatography paper &/or Parafilm backing &/or the leaf you used
  • notes on chromatography results
  • labeled (which band was which and where were they?) drawing (yours!) of finished chromatogram
  • your in-class spectrophotometer data
  • your properly-constructed graph of your group’s spectrophotometer absorbance data
  • any other notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • print-out of class data (available online)
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Mitosis, Meiosis, Genetics
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the introductory mini-lecture
  • drawings (yours!) of mitotic stages in onion (Allium) root tip
  • drawings (yours!) of mitotic stages in whitefish blastula
  • drawings (yours!) of stages in Ascaris
  • drawings (yours!) of spermatogenesis in grasshopper
  • drawings (yours!) of meiosis to form pollen in lily
  • if done, notes on taste-testing (PTC, etc.)
  • coin toss data, calculations, and any other related notes
  • corn kernel data & calculations
  • drawing of ears of genetic corn
  • completed genetics practice problems
  • family pedigree for eye color
  • any other notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • print-out of class data (available online)
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Blood Typing
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the video and introductory mini-lecture
  • all notes and data you gather as you perform the experiment
  • drawing (yours!) of Rh viewbox
  • drawings (yours!) of other equipment used
  • drawing (yours!) of agglutination (your blood?)
  • your blood type
  • print-out of class data (available online)
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
  • any returned, graded pop quiz
• Frankincense and Myrrh
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • all notes you take during the demonstration
  • answers to all discussion questions, a summary/conclusion in your own words, and any suggestions you may have
• Organisms Used
  • all handout pages (in separate protocol book)
  • any notes you take as you read through the handout
• For each hike
  • list of/notes on all organisms that were seen and discussed
  • optional illustrations thereof
  • at least one (preferably more) correctly identified, souvenir specimen (drawings don’t count as specimens)
  • a map of where we went with north indicated and with locations indicated for new species that were seen
  • for the first hike, assuming this is discussed then, illustration(s) of simple vs compound and opposite vs alternate leaves
• Other Items
  • typed Table of Contents (each page listed, title and date of what’s on that page) should be up-to-date for each notebook grading period
  • typed Cumulative Lists should be up-to-date for each notebook grading period
  • all cross-references should be up-to-date for each notebook grading period
  • all hike quizzes (and any other quizzes), midterm, final, and any other returned, graded assignments
  • any other information handed out in class