Lab notebook - Citizendia

A lab notebook is a primary record of research. Research is defined as Human activity based on Intellectual application in the investigation of Matter. Researchers use a lab notebook to document their hypotheses, experiments and initial analysis or interpretation of these experiments. A hypothesis (from Greek) consists either of a suggested explanation for a phenomenon (an event that is observable or of a reasoned proposal suggesting a possible In scientific inquiry an experiment ( Latin: Ex- periri, "to try out" is a method of investigating particular types of research questions or The notebook serves as an organizational tool, a memory aid, and can also have a role in protecting any intellectual property that comes from the research. Intellectual property ( IP) is a legal field that refers to creations of the mind such as musical literary and artistic works inventions and symbols names

The guidelines for lab notebooks vary widely between institution and between individual labs, but some guidelines are fairly common. The lab notebook is usually written in as the experiments progress, rather than a later date. Many say that lab notebook should be thought of as a diary of activities that are described in sufficient detail to allow another scientist to follow the same steps.

To ensure that data cannot be easily altered, notebooks with permanently bound pages are often recommended. Researchers are often encouraged to write only with unerasable pen, to sign and date each page, and to have their notebooks inspected periodically by another scientist who can read and understand it. All of these guidelines can be useful in proving exactly when a discovery was made, in the case of a patent dispute.

Several companies now offer electronic lab notebooks. An electronic lab notebook (also known as electronic laboratory notebook or ELN is a Software program designed to replace paper laboratory notebooks Lab notebooks This format has gained some popularity, especially in large pharmaceutical companies, which have large numbers of researchers and great need to document their experiments.

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