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How to Organize Data for Experiments

Experimental data is best organized in a lab notebook. Proper lab notebooks have carbon copy pages so you can hand in your work and still keep a copy for yourself. A properly organized lab notebook allows you to find information quickly and efficiently and makes it easier to draw conclusions, see patterns and catch any mistakes in the experimental process. Lab notebooks can be found in most university bookstores.

Lab notebook
Pen
Ruler

Instructions

- 1
  
  Number the pages of the notebook if they are not already numbered.
  
  Write your name and contact information on the inside cover of the book so that in case you lose it, the finder can get in contact with you.
  
  Devote the first two pages of the notebook to the table of contents. This will make it easier to look up specific experiments.
- 2
  
  State everything in your own words.
  
  Clearly write the title of the experiment at the top of the page and the date on which it was performed. Summarize the purpose of the experiment underneath. Write a hypothesis for the experiment underneath the purpose.
- 3
  
  Listing materials and the plan will help you to reproduce the experiment at a later date.
  
  List the materials needed for the experiment and summarize your experimental plan.
- 4
  
  Be specific. Do not write: mass of liquid = 6.513 g. Instead write: mass of 0.400 mL liquid = 6.513 g.
  
  Devote a page to quantitative observations. Label each observation carefully and in order. You can keep this section neat by using a ruler to make a two columned table. One column will describe the type of observation and the adjacent column will describe the quantitative data. Make sure to include the proper unit of weight and other measurements.
- 5
  
  Use as much detail as possible so you will be able to tell if anything changes from one run of the experiment to another.
  
  Devote a page to qualitative observations. This section is an expansion of the summarized experimental plan with interjected observations such as sound, smell, color, opacity, and changes in heat. Write down anomalies in the plan and unexpected results. This will help you to explain inconsistent results in your conclusion.
- 6
  
  Discuss your conclusions with you lab partner. Double check to make sure that you both have the same results.
  
  Finish with a conclusion that includes all calculations. Explain all "odd" results and state whether your initial hypothesis was correct or not.

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