How to Set up a Lab Notebook

The Scientific Method

Cover of Notebook

• Name

• Name of course

• Class period

Table of contents

• Leave the first page of your notebook blank to list table of contents

• Number the pages of your notebook as you go

Every lab write-up will include the following

• Title and Date

• Question

• Background Information

• Hypothesis

• List of Materials

• List of Procedures

• Data/Data Analysis/Observations

• Conclusion

Title and Date

• Animal Behavior Lab

• 8/6/2014

Question

• Write a question or purpose statement about your investigation

Background

• After you research your lab topic/subject, summarize what you’ve learned. This may take a paragraph or two.

Hypothesis

• An if/then statement

List of Materials

• Create a list of EVERYTHING required to execute the experiment

• Example:• 2 small petri dishes

• 2 ml deionized water

• 10 pill bugs

• Etc……

List of Procedures

• Use a numbering format to list all the steps you followed to execute the experiment. THIS SHOULD NEVER BE IN PARAGRAPH FORM! TOO HARD TO FOLLOW THAT WAY!

• 1. Soak a large sheet of circular filter paper with 5 mls of distilled water

• 2. Line the bottom of a large petri dish with the wet filter paper

• 3. Place 10 pill bugs in the petri dish

Observations/Data/Data Analysis

• Collect your data and note observations

• Then organize it into chart form (independent and dependent variable)

• Then create a graph (independent variable on the x-axis and dependent variable on the y-axis)

• Write a statement about the trends you observe in the data

Charts and Graphs

Graphs should ALWAYS be drawn on GRAPH PAPER and should include the following:

• Title

• Labeled axis

• Indicate units next to labeled axis

• Legend

• Line graph vs. bar graph

Conclusion

• In paragraph form

• Never simply write: “Our hypothesis was correct.” Write a description about what you learned from performing the experiment and what you will do next.