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Laboratory Notebooks

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Why are notebooks and patents

related?

Patents in the US go to the first person to

invent

The date of invention must be proved

Provide evidence of the date of conception

Prove diligence in reduction to practice

Exhibit #1!

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Who should witness?

Noncollaborator

Someone who has read and understood

described work

Someone who has no other conflict ofinterest and will respect confidentiality

Read and understoodFrances RichmondSeptember 2 2004

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Diligence

Does steady uninterrupted work follow the invention?

Are there unexplained period of inactivity?

Unless diaries are kept, no record may be available of

absences and interruptionsand diaries are not witnessed!

July 12-15: on vacation

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Rules for Notebooks

Permanent binding

Numbered pages

Paper of good quality Permanent, light resistant ink, no pencil

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But I want to use an electronic notebook!

What are the problems?

How do we solve the problems?

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Electronic records

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You must not.

Tear out pages Erase or

obliterate

entries Write on non-

sequentialpages

Leave pagesempty

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Changes to Entries

Cross out with a single line, change below,

then sign and date change

Mass = 2.4 kg

Mass = 2.4 kg2.8 kg, F Richmond Sept 20 2004

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Content

Identify the project under study

A peer should be able to reconstruct the

experiments from your notes

Affix permanently the printouts of

electronic equipment

Make records of progress and changes Detail matters!

No derogatory remarks!!!

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Storing notebooks

Store working notebooks in a secure location

Archive old notebooks according to a

system, usually for 20 years

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Notebooks in a multiuser

environment

Avoid entries in multiple notebooksa

single project should preferably have a

single book, and different contributors

should sign and date contributions

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Keeping Track of work

Issue numbered notebooks to specific

users who are responsible for the book

Issue guidance and training on the use of

the book

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Who owns my notebook?

Not you, unless you are working for free

with your own space and materials

Generally your employerbe sure you

understand who owns the book if you have

more than one employer

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Front Matter

Name, address, email, phone number on

front cover

Notebook number on front cover if relevant

Table of Contents ( 2 pages)

Table of Abbreviations

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So where and what do I write?

Begin each experiment on a right-handed page

Write date unambiguously in upper corner

Title

Objective Chemical equations

Required materials

Numbered steps for procedure

Record results and insights immediatelyno detail toosmall!

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Quality matters!

If the notebook is messy itwill be discredited as areliable source

If a book is too clean, it willbe discredited as well!

If it contains mistakes,

valuable time andresources may besquandered