LAB NOTEBOOKS - Reed College



Reed College

Biology Department Safety

• Shoes will be worn at all times in science buildings.

• Closed-toed and closed-heeled shoes will be worn when performing laboratory work. Do not wear sandals in lab.

• Lab coats and/or clothing adequate to protect the legs from splashes and spills should be worn.

• Confine long hair and loose clothing.

• Do not eat or drink in any science laboratory.

• Mouth pipetting of any material is forbidden.

• Avoid practical jokes or other behavior (juggling, magic tricks) which might confuse, startle, or distract another worker.

• Dispose of all needles or other sharps in a designated biohazard container.

• Dispose of all broken glass in a designated broken glass container.

• Labeling is essential. Be sure to include the complete chemical name, appropriate warnings, and the name of the responsible party.

• Obtain safety information regarding chemicals in use through your instructor, the stockroom manager, or the environmental health and safety coordinator. Material safety data sheets (MSDSs) are available for most of the chemicals in use at Reed College.

• When handling chemicals in the laboratory, proper protective equipment will be used. Depending on the chemical in use, this protective equipment may include:

a) Splash goggles or safety glasses

b) Gloves appropriate for the chemical in use

c) Properly functioning fume hoods, as necessary

• In general, do not dispose of any chemical into the sanitary sewer or regular trash. For proper waste disposal, consult with your laboratory instructor, the stockroom manager, or the environmental health and safety coordinator.

• Clean up your laboratory work area before leaving the laboratory. At a minimum, wash the work surface with clean water. Wash your hands before you leave the laboratory.

The reader must sign statement before starting any laboratory work.

STATEMENT:

I, _______________________________________________________, (print name) hereby declare that I have read and understood the Reed College Biology Department’s Safety Guidelines. I hereby undertake not to engage in any laboratory work whatsoever except that under the direction of my instructor. In addition, I agree never to remove chemicals or equipment from the Biology Building, without prior written approval of my instructor. I understand that any Biology Building activity on my part that is counter to these guidelines may result in disciplinary action by the Biology Department or by the College Administration. In the case of persistent and/or severe infringement of the regulations, I may expect to be denied registration in the College.

Signature: _____________________________________________ Date __________________

Signature of witness: _______________________________ ________Date ___________________

Name of Biology instructor witness: ______Carey Booth or Ned Knight____________

Advice for Introductory Biology Students

1. Lecture and textbook use:

Always go to lecture (M 4:10-5pm VLH, T + Th 9-10:20am VLH).

Take thorough notes including equations and diagrams (when given).

Ask questions during or right after lecture. Email is a good way to ask questions too.

Skim relevant sections of the textbook before lecture to become familiar with the concepts.

After lecture, use the textbook to reinforce what you've learned in lecture.

Read extra references put on reserve in the library or on the web for some sections.

Read your email for updates on course information.

2. Before coming to lab:

Read the entire lab handout for that week.

Make a step-by-step outline of the procedure in your lab notebook to ensure that your lab goes quickly and smoothly. This may sometimes include making tables for data and observations and calculations of solution recipes.

3. During lab:

Read the notes on the board and annotate your lab handout with any changes in procedure.

Ask questions of your lab instructor as lab progresses (that's what they're there for).

Record all data and observations in your lab notebook. Think about what the results mean.

Analyze data (as much as possible depending on group or class data set availability).

Start writing your lab report and get feedback from your lab instructor.

Participate and take notes during lab discussions when they happen at the end of lab.

Lab periods provide good opportunities to ask questions of the professors regarding lectures.

Agree on a meeting time with your lab partners (get their names) to finish the report when a group report is due.

4. After lab:

Begin writing your report while the lab is still fresh in your mind.

Reread the introduction to the lab and the lab report instructions before writing.

Refer to the 'How to Write a Laboratory Report' handout while you are writing.

Use Biology Science Center (Sun-Thurs 7-9pm B5/7) for computer access and help from tutor.

You could have Carey or Ned look over your first draft with you the day before it is due.

Print out the final version the night before it is due.

5. In preparation for exams:

Outline your lecture notes.

Use the textbook to help clarify lecture topics.

Check the Courses Server for sample test questions (for some sections) and other resources.

Attend the review session.

Ask questions of faculty and Carey.

Organize a study group.

Drop by the Biology Science Center (Sun-Thurs 7-9pm B5/7).

Individual tutors are available through Student Services/Academic Support Services.

6. After getting your lab reports and exams back:

Read the examples of good lab reports (on bulletin board outside of B7).

Review keys to exams (on bulletin board outside of B7).

Ask lab instructors and faculty for clarification, if needed, on your lab report and/or exam comments.

We're here to help! Janis Shampay, Jay Mellies, Bob Kaplan, Carey Booth, Ned Knight

Streamlined version:

Come to lecture and take notes.

Come to lab prepared to participate and get the most out of it.

Produce quality lab reports.

Study for exams using a variety of resources.

Follow up after lab reports and exams are returned to you.

Help is available:

Individual tutors can be contacted through student services.



The Biology Science Center will be open Sunday -Thursday 7-9 pm in the Intro. Bio. labs B5 and B7. A Biology tutor will be available to assist you with questions about the course material, and computers will be available for working on lab. reports with your group.

The Writing Center will be in ETC 112 Sunday-Thursday 7-9pm (some tutors specialize in lab. reports).

The Quantitative Skills Center will be in ETC 112 Monday-Friday 1-6pm (for brushing up on your math skills).

Lab report rough draft review:

Use this web page () to access the Reed College Meeting Room Booking System to make 15-minute appointments with Carey (office B12) to go over your lab report rough drafts (or whatever you want to talk to her about). This is available to all students whether you are in Carey's or Ned's lab section.

Available hours for the following week will be updated sometime before Friday at 5pm.

Generally available:

Monday 10:30am-4:00pm

Tuesday 10:30am-11:30am and 4:30-5:30pm

Wednesday 10:30am-1:00pm and 4:30-5:30pm

Thursday 10:30am-1:00pm and 4:30-5:30pm

Friday 10:30am-1:00pm

Not usually available Saturday or Sunday

Log in

Name : introbio

Password : dna (not DNA)

Click on the + in the desired time slot on the desired day.

Enter your name and your partners' names. Save.

Please use your real names in case I need to email you to change an appointment.

You can delete or edit your entries. You can't edit the entries of "not available".

You can edit other people's entries, but of course you would only do so with their permission.

Ned Knight's Drop In Office Hours in B2:

This is available to all students whether you are in Ned's or Carey's lab section.

Tuesday 10:30am-noon

Thursday 10:30am-1:00pm

Biology Lab/Biology Building Safety

Reed College

• Shoes will be worn at all times in science buildings.

• Closed toed and closed heeled shoes will be worn when performing laboratory work.

Do not wear sandals in lab.

• Lab coats and/or clothing adequate to protect the legs from splashes and spills should be worn. Confine long hair and loose clothing.

• There will be no eating or drinking in any science laboratory.

• Mouth pipetting of any material is forbidden.

• Avoid practical jokes or other behavior (juggling, magic tricks) which might confuse, startle, or distract another worker.

• Dispose of all needles or other sharps in a designated, biohazard container.

• Dispose of all broken glass in a designated broken glass container.

• When handling chemicals in the laboratory, proper protective equipment will be used. Depending on the chemical in use, this protective equipment may include:

a) Splash goggles or safety glasses

a.

b. b) Gloves appropriate for the chemical in use

c) Properly functioning fume hoods as necessary

• In general, do not dispose of any chemical into the sanitary sewer or regular trash. For proper waste disposal, consult with your laboratory instructor, the stockroom manager, or the environmental/safety coordinator.

• Clean up your laboratory work area before leaving the laboratory. At a minimum, wash the work surface with clean water. Wash your hands before you leave the laboratory.

• Obtain safety information regarding chemicals in use through the stockroom manager or the environmental safety coordinator. Material safety data sheets are available for most of the chemicals in use at the College.

In the event of a fire alarm or other emergency, meet outside between the Biology Building and the Library. Check in with your lab instructor before leaving the area, so that we don't think you are trapped in the burning building.

LAB NOTEBOOKS

"Science is not an individual experience... an individual's knowledge properly enters the domain of science only after it is presented to others in such a fashion that they can independently judge its validity."

– On Being a Scientist, the National Academy of Sciences, 1995

Although scientific knowledge is disseminated via the published research article, the accuracy and integrity of such presentation depends entirely on reliable record keeping. Industry is especially fastidious; with issues like patents and such on the line, a permanent, bound, record book with no missing pages and every page numbered, dated, and signed is de rigeur. But even the task of writing a lab report (or writing your senior thesis!) can be immeasurably enhanced by good record keeping. Most of the important issues can be summarized by the following principles:

Principle #1) A laboratory notebook is the written record of everything that was done (good and bad) and all relevant observations, notations, interpretations, conclusions, and plans. It is the ultimate source of data and other information necessary for putting it into a cohesive picture, and for the hindsight required for effective trouble-shooting of future procedures.

Principle #2) All of the above are useless unless the notebook is ACCURATE (faking data is in violation of the Honor Principle), LEGIBLE, and UNDERSTANDABLE to a) someone else who needs to repeat exactly what was done or b) your very own self when you come back to it after 6 months.

Principle #3) When in doubt, write it down. For example, which lot number of antibody or enzyme you used might turn out to be important later! This is partly because you should never assume you know all the variables relevant to an experiment, and partly because errors ARE made and materials can go bad.

Some specifics that derive from the above:

• Use the notebook to plan a procedure or experiment, writing out how you plan to do it and where you got the information necessary for your design.

• Number each page consecutively.

• Always indicate the purpose of an activity with a descriptive title or summary.

• Include the date of any activity.

• Write down WHAT was DONE. Don't say "incubate for 2 h to overnight." That is what the protocol said. "incubated 3:15-4:15 pm" or "incubated 55 min" is better.

• Make notes AT THE TIME you do something, not "I'll write this up later tonight." You will forget some detail, or even forget to write it up altogether.

• Use a pen that won't smudge if you spill something on it.

• Identify mistakes and explain them.

• If your page becomes so messy as to be unreadable, cross out the entries and indicate the number of the page which contains the rewritten information. DO NOT TEAR OUT THE MESSY PAGE!

• Record the results AND WRITE DOWN relevant interpretation of them. Were they as expected? If not, exactly HOW were they different? Can you go on with the experiment and why? Do not forget to label lanes, or columns of data, or whatever, with what they are. Use meaningful abbreviations if abbreviations are necessary (define them too!).

(Corollary: Give computer files logical names!!)

• If supporting records (photographs, printouts, autoradiograms etc) cannot be attached to the appropriate space in the notebook, keep them well organized, properly labeled, and readily retrievable.

• Do not forget recipes for solutions that you make up and where they came from. Concentrations (either stock or final), pH, volumes, and other details. Sources of materials; who made the stock solution and date; who gave you the plasmid or when you prepared it and what the concentration is.

Reserve some pages for a Table of Contents. Resist the temptation to keep an overly tidy, planned-looking notebook that has been whitewashed of mistakes; it is supposed to be a diary of work in progress. You can instead keep a second notebook that summarizes the key results and gives the big picture.

>> DON'T FORGET YOUR NAME and YOUR BOX NUMBER! ................
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