How to Set up your lab notebook for Biotech/Dual Credit Biology

Page 1: Cover page including your name, the course, instructor

Page 2-4: table of Contents

Each Lab will contain:

• A pre-lab
• Lab writeup during lab
• Post-Lab

1.Pre-Lab

• Title
• Your name and lab partners
• Date of Lab
• Introduction/Pre-lab notes
○ All labs will have some backroundreadings assigned. Take notes on
readings. How many notes should you take? As much as you want. 1
line to 1 page??? Remember that you lab exams will be open lab
notebook. You WILL ONLY be able to use notes written in your lab
notebook on exams. You WILL NOT be able to use handouts, lab
manuals or textbooks on exams.
○ Pre-lab lectures given by me. Very good idea to record all pre-lab
notes on board.
○ NOTE: Sometimes, there may be a specific pre-lab assignment such as
a worksheet, webquest etc…..so pay attention
• Lab materials
• Lab Procedure:
○ Summarize lab procedures step bystep. How detailed? Remember
you will only be able to use these notes on your exams. Should be
about half the length of the original procedures
• Use your own language, leaving out explanations for each step. Step
numbers do not have to correspond to those on the handout but they should
be in the same general order. The prelab can either be written into your lab
notebook, using good penmanship, or typed, printed, and taped into the lab
notebook as described on the previous page. Your instructor may provide you
with an electronic copy of the laboratory exercise. In this case, you are
required to rewrite the introduction and instructions in YOUR OWN WORDS.
This action is required so that the instructor knows that you have acquainted
yourself sufficiently with the lab before coming to class (i.e. so you are NOT
figuring out what to do while you are trying to do the lab and therefore most
likely wasting time and resources). Write only on the left half of the page,
and use the right side of the page to record notes and results during lab. Use
 a ruler to draw a vertical line between the numbered steps and the space for
notes and observations. If your prelab is typed, format the document to have
two columns, type only in the left column, and cut or fold the page to fit into
the left half of the notebook page

2.Lab Write up during lab

• Notes
• Observations
• Record data-tables
• At the beginning of the lab itself the instructor will check off your pre-lab,
much as your supervisor will check off your work in industry. During lab you
will take notes in pen as described above. WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN.
Yes, we mean everything. How much did you actually weigh out? What are
the supplier and the lot number of the reagent? What balance number did
you use? What color was your solution? When did it start boiling? How long
did each sample take to come off the column? And so on. Be sure to include
any changes you made to the procedure in the lab handout, even if they
were at the instructor’s direction; always show calculations. In some labs,
even the room temperature and humidity is recorded since that can affect
the experiment. Writing down everything improves your observational skills,
helps you understand the importance of each step, and provides a record of
how an experiment might have gone wrong. Each individual should record
his or her own notes, even when working in teams.

3.Post-Lab

• Analysis/discussion Questions from lab

• Graphs
• Assigned questions from teacher