KeepingaLabNotebook
GarlandCrawford,PhDMuscleAssemblyGroup
LaboratoryofMuscleBiology
NIAMS,NIH
TakeHomeMessage
Alabnotebookisatoolforeffectiveresearch,notanend.
Overview
• WhyKeepaNotebook?• TypesofNotebooks• Organization• NotebookManagement
ReasonsforKeepingaNotebook
• Recordoriginalintent• Preservedataandobservations• Assistotherswithunderstandingandreproducingyourobservations
• Supportintellectualpropertyclaims
• Defendagainstfalseallegationsofresearchmisconduct
• Primesourceforwritingadissertationorpaper
TypesofNotebooks
• Boundnotebook• Loose‐leafnotebook• Electronicnotebook– LabTrack– LiveScribe
Pens
http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/cpurrin1/notebookadvice.htm
BoundNotebook
• Pagesaresewnorgluedtogether• Advantages– Portable– Simpleset‐up– Common
BoundNotebook
• Disadvantages– Noteasilysearchable– Requiresreferencetootherdata– Difficulttoduplicate– Requireslegiblehandwriting
Loose‐leafNotebook
• “ThreeRingBinder”• Advantages– Pre‐formatteddatasheets.
– Allowsprimarydatatobekeptadjacenttoexperimentalentries
Loose‐leafNotebook
• Disadvantages– Noteasilysearchable– Easier,butstilldifficulttoduplicate– Requireslegiblehandwriting– Pagesmay“fallout”
ElectronicNotebook
http://medblog.stanford.edu/lane‐faq/archives/2008/06/class‐electroni‐1.html
ElectronicNotebook
• Computerprogramorcomputerrecord–LiveTrack• Pencapture–LiveScribe• Advantages
– Searchable– Legible– Ifappropriatelybackedup,cannotbemisplaced,lost,or
accidentallydestroyed– Easiertoincorporatecomputerfiles– Enormousamountsofdatacanbestoredinasmallspace– Security– Uniformsystem– Canbesharedbyagroup– Canbeaccessedremotely
ElectronicNotebook
• Disadvantages– Requiresencryptedlaptopforeasyportability– Theftordamage– Transcriptionerror– Datacanbelostifnotbackedup– Datamaybecomeinaccessibledueto“upgrades”– “CutandPaste”protocols
Organization
• Frontsection• Body
OrganizationFrontSection
• Frontsection– Notebookname(GLC001)– Preface
• Name,affiliation,co‐workers• Goaloftheworkandanyprogresstodate• Locationofthework,equipment,samples• Funding
– Tableofabbreviations• Listofabbreviationsused• Abbreviationsforequipment• Describesamplelabeling
OrganizationFrontSection
• Frontsection– Tableofcontents• Dates• Pagenumbers
• Subject
WritingtheLaboratoryNotebook,Kanare,ACS,1985
Exercise
• Takeafewminutes• Describewhatyousee
OrganizationBody
• Writeenoughdetailthatanotherresearchercouldrepeatyourworkbasedonyourwrittendescriptionsandmakethesameobservations
Observations
• Reagents:source,productnumber,lotnumber,expirationdate,howstored
• Numberandvolumeinwashes• Cellsused:source,passagenumber• Centrifugespeeds• Heatingratesandlevelsofagitation• Timebetweenandduringsteps• Instruments:type,calibration• Typeofwaterused• Gelpercentages
ANotebookPage
• Writtenimmediatelyafterworkwasperformed• InEnglish• Dated(24June2010)• Signed• Clear,descriptiveheadings• Legibleandgrammatical• Activevoiceinthefirstperson• Indicateswhodidthework• Readbyawitness,signedanddated
WritingtheLaboratoryNotebook,Kanare,ACS,1985
BodyHeadings
• Introduction• Experimentalplan
• Observationsanddata• Discussion• Conclusions
Body‐Introduction
• Shorttermgoalofthework• Whyisitundertaken?
• Whatpreviousworkwasdone?
• Citetheliterature• Whywastheapproachtaken?
• Whatprojecttheresearchwaspartof?
Body–ExperimentalDesign
• Descriptionoftheplannedexperiment• Whowilldothework?
• Workflow
• Referencestopreviouswork• Establishedprotocols• Materialstobeused
• Safety
Body–ObservationsandData
• Recordofobservations• Objectiveandhonest• Rawdata• Avoidinterpretations• Whodidthework?
Body‐Discussion
• Reflectonwhatyoudid• Interpreteddata• “Thinkinginthenotebook”• Notarestatementofdata
Body‐Conclusions
• Summary• Youroverallinterpretation• Wasthegoalachieved?
• Qualityofexperimentaldesign
• Whattododifferently?
• Thenextstep
NotebookManagement
ElectronicFiles
• Mediaused– Permanentstorage– Images– Sequences– Readouts
• Indexing/Referencing– Allocationofspace– Access/sharedfolders– Clearlylabeledstoragelocation
MakingCorrections
• Singlemarkthrough
• Attachingnotes– Donotpasteoversomethingelse
– Signanddate
2783 2785
WritingtheLaboratoryNotebook,Kanare,ACS,1985
MakingCorrections–Electronic
• Usesoftwaretotrackchanges• Maintainallelectroniccopies
• Donotkeeponlyasinglefile• Errorsthatchangedatainterpretation
OtherThoughts
• Donotripoutpagesorleavepagesblank• Updateestablishedprotocols• Failedexperiments
• Multiplenotebooks
• Avoid“obvious”or“abandoned”• Donottakeitfromthelab
• Blockofftimetoreview
Conclusion
• Ifyoudidn’twriteitdown,itdidn’thappen• Keepingnotebooksisadevelopedskill• Continuetoimprove
• Atoolforbetterresearch,notanendinitself
Questions