What is a Lab Notebook?!

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  • Опубліковано 28 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 91

  • @C0nc0rdance
    @C0nc0rdance 8 років тому +55

    In grad school, my PI convinced me to pick up a project a former post-doc in the lab had abandoned. As I read through her notes, it was like a descent into madness. Early pages were clear, well-written, neat. By the end of the fourth book, pages were missing, there were stains and scribbles over everything, personal comments about the PI, etc. I have to admit that was my first gut-check moment in science: seeing what just two years of post-doc research had done to her mental state.
    It was... the Necronomicon of Molecular Biology. Klaatu barada... something.

    • @rolfs2165
      @rolfs2165 8 років тому +3

      +C0nc0rdance "Klaatu barada nikto" isn't from the Necronomicon, though, but The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). ;)

  • @Dixavd
    @Dixavd 8 років тому +76

    I'm procrastinating and watching this instead of writing my lab reports in my lab notebook (because I am a horrible Physics student).

    • @kerrenzou8514
      @kerrenzou8514 6 років тому +1

      Dixavd my AP physics makes us watch bullying videos. So I can’t relate cause I got no hw

    • @duds8594
      @duds8594 3 роки тому

      me too lol

  • @Androctonus84
    @Androctonus84 8 років тому +3

    I'm cross-posting this from your introductory video about your new blog, just in case you don't get back there.
    I really appreciate your talking about life as a grad student and what you do in the lab (the lab notebook and grad student question episodes were great!); I already went through it all myself, in a very similar lab (and even at the same school - Go Cardinal! - your description of the lab rotation scheme at Stanford really brought back memories), but I love having these videos to show my undergraduate students who are thinking about going to grad school, because seeing someone closer to their age who is going through it right now (as well as being on UA-cam, which, oddly, lends credibility for people that age), saying exactly the same things I keep telling them, has an impact.
    PS: Really happy to see you back!

  • @jennaseachman3973
    @jennaseachman3973 5 років тому +3

    I love your videos! I'm actually an aspiring author and my book has a few characters who work in a grad student lab. Following your progress is the coolest, and it's helping me with research so much.

  • @CuriousDust
    @CuriousDust 8 років тому +1

    Im molecular biology dropout (im going bact to university this year) and i learned the value of well kept lab notebook the hard way. Having great lab notes can make a huge difference in troubleshooting and in the end will most likely save you more time than you will spend writing it.

  • @thesomething8467
    @thesomething8467 8 років тому +1

    I totally understand you with the thing about paper vs digital. I was working in a lab for 4 months 1 day per week and I did everything on paper. Now, mostly working with a computer, I still use a lot of paper.

  • @gamestuff8213
    @gamestuff8213 8 років тому +1

    I enjoyed this video very much. Seeing your videos inspire me. I look forward to more videos on the channel.

  • @masonjones8502
    @masonjones8502 7 років тому +12

    Alex I have a question what lab notebooks do you use and where do you get them ?

  • @mikeklaene4359
    @mikeklaene4359 8 років тому +1

    Keep with the paper notebooks. Even though I am a software developer, I still use paper notebooks. I log things found, telephone calls handled, new (and sometimes conflicting directives) from managers.
    I hope you always enjoy that which you are doing. Life is way too short too have a job you do not like.

  • @RonGunsolus
    @RonGunsolus 4 роки тому +1

    hey... thx... very helpful... my former field was nuke physics with the Navy... did corrosion chem there a little bit, but mainly EE and reactor ops... o chem has always been an enjoyable pastime, but its been 30 years... your stuff is very encouraging for this old submariner... God bless you, and many many thanks!

  • @candlewick15
    @candlewick15 8 років тому +1

    We love you and your videos, Alex ♥ Keep up the great work

  • @ricarleite
    @ricarleite 8 років тому

    I had to pause for a second, at the beginning, to see how this camera angle looks so great. First, you have perfect lightning, no shadows cast, everything under the same tone of shading and color. Second, the perfect lines that come from each side of the screen on each of those desks, having this wall symmetry that resemble Kubrick's work. Then, the large focal distance that is probably accomplished by this lab being smaller than it looks, but having almost half of the labe (and you) in focus, without a lot of lights to compensate for a narrow camera aperture.
    As for the lab notebook, I suppose its self explanatory, but why not go digital?

  • @DamianShaw86
    @DamianShaw86 8 років тому +1

    This is great and really fascinating, even if there's next to no chance I'm suddenly going to start a career in science it's still inspirational in other ways.

  • @xja85mac
    @xja85mac 8 років тому +1

    When I was doing my thesis I had a really disorganized laboratorio notebook, so disorganized I sometimes did not find what I was looking for.
    I wish my tutor required me to be better organized and teach me how to do it properly.
    If I ever start a career as a researcher I might take inspiration form that.
    Good to see you again, btw!

  • @ostrichlives9363
    @ostrichlives9363 8 років тому +7

    Hmmm, "The Lab Notebook" might be a good title for this series actually. I mean, "Untitled Science Vlog Series" works too though.

  • @RandalJaffe
    @RandalJaffe 8 років тому +2

    I used to have students use lab books with carbon copies so they would be able to take the carbons with them when they leave. The original stays with the lab. The other thing you did not mention which I insisted on was that everything be written in the lab book and pages never be removed. This included calculations. That way especially with beginning students I could review everything they were doing. Insisting on a daily lab book helps reduce the chance of scientific misconduct.

    • @AlexDainisPhD
      @AlexDainisPhD  8 років тому

      +Randal Jaffe These are all very good points! I cut out the part where I talked about never removing pages, always writing in pen, etc, but it's really important! The more I put in my lab notebook, the more confident I feel about what I'm doing and what I have done!

    • @RandalJaffe
      @RandalJaffe 8 років тому

      +Alex Dainis I forgot to mention the pen! Would be interested in hearing your take on the hours one spends in lab, the culture of seminars, taking the PhD qualifying exam (if Stanford does this), going to meetings (I actually developed a strategy after my first meeting because I am quite shy - I set a goal of meeting one new person and really getting to know them each day - this was something I could do and was not overwhelming. You can imagine after several meetings you know quite a few people well). I enjoy your posts and really keep them up.

    • @AlexDainisPhD
      @AlexDainisPhD  8 років тому +1

      I hope to make videos about all of these things :)

  • @wbedard
    @wbedard 8 років тому

    Great Job, Alex!

  • @sjWiz
    @sjWiz 8 років тому

    Thanks for making me aware of an electronic notebook; didn't even realize that was even an option. What are some popular ones used at your school?

  • @Seegalgalguntijak
    @Seegalgalguntijak 8 років тому

    It would be interesting to have an exaple where you video document some of your work, like, when you said "noticed this", or "had that idea" and so on, I think this would make for a really hands-on science vlog video!

  • @NikolajLepka
    @NikolajLepka 8 років тому

    So glad there's someone else who feels the same way as I do in terms of notebooks
    namely that paper > digital

  • @wateraardappel
    @wateraardappel 8 років тому

    dear Alex, please keep doing these things, i find them interesting. please do show that machine thingy. support you!

  • @nunitchagucci3047
    @nunitchagucci3047 6 років тому

    Excellent video. It's so helpful!

  • @هناءعبدالستار-ذ8خ
    @هناءعبدالستار-ذ8خ 3 роки тому

    Really helpful and amazing

  • @JohnRaschedian
    @JohnRaschedian 5 років тому

    I liked this video. Thank you Alex.

  • @MrMikeHawkey
    @MrMikeHawkey 8 років тому +2

    Thanks so much for this vlog Alex, I'm going to use it with my upper primary (elementary) science classes to help them understand how I want them to use their Science Journals in class. It's also really good for them to see females doing science and break their stereotype ideas early.

    • @AlexDainisPhD
      @AlexDainisPhD  8 років тому +3

      +Mike Hawkey Glad I could help on both fronts!

  • @supersmashsam
    @supersmashsam 8 років тому

    We too at our lab mostly use an hybrid approach. Best of both world I guess! Being in a chemistry lab, we trend to perform reactions again and again, so not having to rewrite everything again and again is nice.
    Electronic notebooks on the other hand still seem to be quite expensive and might not suit the needs of everyone. Also, electronics in a chemistry lab might not always have the longest life expectancy, so there is that too.
    By the way, are you recording these videos early in the morning or late at night? There seems to be no one else in your lab!

    • @AlexDainisPhD
      @AlexDainisPhD  8 років тому +1

      +supersmashsam I've been recording on weekends. People are in and out all day on the weekends, but there are enough "out" times for me to get some recording in without bugging anyone!

  • @christinagomez
    @christinagomez 2 роки тому

    Thanks for sharing!

  • @RacingEnigma
    @RacingEnigma 8 років тому

    So I can print anything I want and put it in my Lab Notebook as along as it relates to the experiment I'm doing right?

  • @Bloodmuffin6
    @Bloodmuffin6 8 років тому

    You're a super diligent notetaker!

  • @sodayoda4563
    @sodayoda4563 3 роки тому

    Can you please please make a playlist of how you analyze data, I always always have trouble with analysis

  • @ChristianBeringer
    @ChristianBeringer 3 роки тому

    I am torn about paper notes. On one hand side I like the "handy" and personal touch, but on the other hand side our instruments and determination are working all digital. Paper notes might work well in biochemistry or other non-automated research. In environmental chemistry we often deal with "Big Data" or projects containing machine-learning or other higher algorithms. With lab automation more than 1000 samples each day are possible and our paper notebooks are clearly out of date. Even Excel is not the best tool in these case.
    Also blockchains, timestamps and encryption enchanced our work as well as the ability to share data and experimental records/protocols within projects team-members or even external partners in real-time. It's also possible to use fully GLP/GMP-functionality like an audittrail.
    And since I have seen a whole lab-building burning down and the other part been washed away by water and extinguishing foam, I feel more safe with the ability to back-up my work in a safe place in realtime. One important point why I like ELN-systems: They also work outside the lab. So I always carry my lab notebook "with me" even when working from home, or on the train.

  • @CanaleYourGame
    @CanaleYourGame 8 років тому

    i love these kind of video,especially because i'm studying chemistry at high school, keep up the good work! and do science! and maybe,you know,if you can,more these-kind-of-videos-that-you-still-have-to-name

  • @qlusia
    @qlusia 2 роки тому

    I have 15 years of lab experience I wanne tell you that lab book is crucial!

  • @massimilianotron7880
    @massimilianotron7880 8 років тому

    Do you have to write it "formally" with all the science language?

  • @JediNg135
    @JediNg135 8 років тому +1

    I'm with you on the physical paper lab notebooks. sorry trees :(

  • @mc4444
    @mc4444 8 років тому

    I had a friend who started his lab notebook (we called it a work diary) like: "Dear work diary,..." and then continued by mixing technical terms with diary style writhing. It wasn't a real lab notebook just some middle school exercise thing, but it was still funny hearing him read it to us or seeing the professors face when she first saw it xD

  • @SPACKlick
    @SPACKlick 8 років тому

    my partner said lab notebooks in industry are important for patents. any idea why?

  • @tannewton
    @tannewton 8 років тому

    So, do you print out all pages, and bind them all into a book? Or do you just stick them all into your notebook?

  • @j.d.sawchuk5485
    @j.d.sawchuk5485 8 років тому +8

    Lol-Control "F"it.
    I think when I can't find things in real life, I'm going to start saying "Control F-it"
    I'll see what my 7th graders think of it this week!

    • @AlexDainisPhD
      @AlexDainisPhD  8 років тому +4

      +J.D. Sawchuk Hahaha, I say this out loud all the time but I hadn't realized how odd it sounds until now...

    • @hnlkitup
      @hnlkitup 8 років тому

      +Alex Dainis I do the same thing. I have become aware of who will get the cultural reference / joke and who will not. The same thing applies to saying "control Z" when you mess something up and want to let others know how immediately you would have loved to undo whatever it was that you had just done.

  • @skgofficialpk7136
    @skgofficialpk7136 11 місяців тому

    Please please please please....I need lab tech notes... Can you linked for me?

  • @way2jaded1
    @way2jaded1 8 років тому

    I think you just summed up why I could not make it as a scientist.

  • @AnasBashar
    @AnasBashar 8 років тому

    loved the music!!

  • @ltericdavis2237
    @ltericdavis2237 8 років тому

    I'm gonna be honest and say that the stringency of keeping a lab notebook has been my least favorite part of my labwork. We always have to have an objective, methods, result and discussion section. But what are we supposed to write when we spent the day preparing culture media?And I'm really on the fence about digital versus paper. So much of the data has to be digital anyway, and printing it out and pasting doesn't work if you don't have access to a printer.

  • @GALM1Cipher
    @GALM1Cipher 8 років тому

    what are you researching?

  • @unapologeticmoi
    @unapologeticmoi 7 років тому

    I love your videos so much

  • @Sannoon93
    @Sannoon93 8 років тому

    I actually scanned my lab book just to be on the safeside if it gets lost or damaged 😁

  • @theblukatlife
    @theblukatlife 8 років тому

    Watching all your videos I notice that you are starting to feel insecure about them I can see it in your ending when you used to say Go forth Do Sciece and now you kind of dont know what to say or do. I'll say feel confortable there are a lot of kids that are thinking about becoming what you are and they need now more than ever a teacher like you that teaches them and motivates them the way you do. You are a great leader and an amazing teacher and you already know you are an awesome scientist. Go Forth, Do Science. Sorry for bad english, im Mexican 😊

  • @Hypurman1
    @Hypurman1 8 років тому +1

    "Ah crap, I wasn't supposed to mix those two chemicals.. Control F IT!!!!"
    "Ah crap, I put the cat in the oven, and I'm petting the roast turkey. Control F it!"
    Yup. Counterterrorism analyst here. I'm no labrat, but you just found my new favorite phrase. Thanks!

  • @carlesgelada2043
    @carlesgelada2043 8 років тому

    i really want to know more about your research

  • @MrxstGrssmnstMttckstPhlNelThot
    @MrxstGrssmnstMttckstPhlNelThot 8 років тому

    My professor won't let me leave any blank space in my lab notebook. I did plenty of searches online of lab notebook's insides (including those of greats like Francis Crick) and there was plenty of blank space in those.
    Is she just being picky and rude when she scratches out lines through the blank space or does she have a good reason to do that when she's made the discussion sections not due for weeks and I'm leaving that space blank to write those discussion sections later?

    • @AlexDainisPhD
      @AlexDainisPhD  8 років тому

      +ArpholomuleNutt Not picky! I cross out blank sections in mine as well (unless they're super small). It just helps to keep things in chronological order when you go back and look later. If your discussion pertains to something you did on a previous day, you can always put it on a new page and refer back to the original experiment (For example, a discussion which refers to "Result A, pg 30." ANd just because the discussion is due for weeks doesn't mean you should wait that long to do it ;)

    • @MrxstGrssmnstMttckstPhlNelThot
      @MrxstGrssmnstMttckstPhlNelThot 8 років тому

      Okay. Thanks for responding. I still find it annoying when she does it.
      And yeah, I'm an awful procrastinator lol.

  • @naragala01
    @naragala01 8 років тому

    "How to train your Dork"
    You can talk about equipment and methods
    When They are useful.
    What cool things they show you.
    How to use them like a pro. (and what happens when you don't)
    How They work. (the physics behind it)
    If you go from very basic (like weighing scales) to progressively more advanced it could be a good resource for lecturers and students like me.
    If you fit all of that into like ten mins you might be onto a winner.
    It's systematic in its planning so a bit like periodic table of videos.
    And so little to no extensive planning.
    It completely by passes the whole P.l. sensitivity thing.
    please dont be mad if the idea sucks I can't tell, sorry.

  • @AdrianDucao
    @AdrianDucao 7 років тому

    if i may, may i ask, i'm not a physicist, chemist or engineer but i have this hobby of doing some genetic engineering, i love doing some plants and animals experiments, and a little bit of astronomy, the question is am i considered to be a scientist? or not?

    • @supermanboy1255
      @supermanboy1255 7 років тому

      IAN DUCAO Anyone can be a scientist it's just if you're a professional I like space and arthropods and physics alot si I plan for them to be my career I like robots too so I'm a tough cookie when it comes to what I want to do

  • @thefishyfish8544
    @thefishyfish8544 7 років тому

    What kinds of electronic lab books are common to see in field/labs?

  • @Nimweh
    @Nimweh 8 років тому

    I know this sounds like a stupid question, but may I ask you how do you take notes on your lab notebook? Just becouse I'm a bit confused about it... last year I had some sort of a lab notebook during my organic chemistry lab class, and my professor said that in a true lab you have a notebook were you handwrite all what you're doing (which I think annoying beacuse you might stain it). So: do you handwrite your notes on a sheet and then type in a computer? Or do you just directly type?
    I'm an undergrad student, so I'm still a bit ignorant on these things. ^.^"
    And I'm Italian, so I apologize for my bad english.

    • @AlexDainisPhD
      @AlexDainisPhD  8 років тому +1

      +Nimweh So what I do is that I often compose my experiment in a word document (Title, AIM, background if any, step-by-step protocol of what I plan to do, etc) and then print it out before I begin. Then I go to the bench with this printout and check off steps as I complete them, as well as making any notes about things I changed/noticed (example: Added 2ul of DNA instead of 4ul, Used new culture media, etc). Then once the experiment it set up, I tape the sheet into my lab notebook. After that, I'll write results/later observations in as well. I feel like this is the best way for me, but every scientist/lab has its own style and requirements!

    • @Nimweh
      @Nimweh 8 років тому

      Alex Dainis you've been very clear, thanks! I also wanted to thank you for all your videos, they've been interesting and, some of them, really useful for me.

    • @AlexDainisPhD
      @AlexDainisPhD  8 років тому

      +Nimweh Interesting and useful is what I'm striving for :) Thanks for watching!

  • @Lucassymons
    @Lucassymons 8 років тому

    Enjoying the vlog, as a non-scientist that always wanted to be one :)

  • @Justin-pu6tg
    @Justin-pu6tg 8 років тому

    Omg I've been really looking towards college for as long as I can remember but this sounds like hours of work and time (even if it's spread out_ to do all of that stuff and it sounds stressful to have to always do it and remember to. I forget a lot of things...

  • @scottwardADD
    @scottwardADD 8 років тому

    I can see those are university specific but do you have any recommendations for more general books to use?
    As a physics major, I'm sick of using generic, graphed comp books and when I look online I tend to only find bulk solutions.

    • @AlexDainisPhD
      @AlexDainisPhD  8 років тому

      +scottwardADD I wish I did have a recommendation. They stopped making these and I do not like the new hardcover version my lab has been using. After this one I'm gonna branch out and try to find another one very similar to the ones I show here.

    • @scottwardADD
      @scottwardADD 8 років тому

      +Alex Dainis Thanks for the near immediate response! I'll keep shopping around.
      I think I'm going to resort to using a sketchbook as I like the choice in paper quality and would rather write on blank sheets instead of how imposing grids can be when you don't want them.
      Keep me in mind if you find something nice, please!

  • @Friemelkubus
    @Friemelkubus 8 років тому

    I'll be honest. I'm glad I no longer have to do lab work. For somebody as chaotic as me it wasn't exactly a lot of fun.

  • @danroesancio
    @danroesancio 8 років тому

    nice, your good...

  • @andyklavins
    @andyklavins 5 років тому

    Go ...Science Vlog!!!!

  • @GatesOlive
    @GatesOlive 8 років тому

    What do you exactly call a protocol? Research procedure?

    • @tinyman392
      @tinyman392 8 років тому

      +Felipe Portales en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protocol_(science) Essentially, a procedure/method like you said. In other applications, it can also be a set of rules that must be followed to do X.

    • @GatesOlive
      @GatesOlive 8 років тому

      +tinyman392 Thank you!

    • @tinyman392
      @tinyman392 8 років тому

      +Felipe Portales You're most welcome...

  • @YourWealthCome
    @YourWealthCome 6 років тому

    Adding #hashtags would help in electronic.

  • @nguoichiasemoithuxungquanh4133
    @nguoichiasemoithuxungquanh4133 4 роки тому

    Được

  • @AngelMartinez-vg1nz
    @AngelMartinez-vg1nz Рік тому

    Pocket ant theme song

  • @Eyerleth
    @Eyerleth 8 років тому

    Title idea: "Go Forth and Do Science"

  • @anzwertree
    @anzwertree 8 років тому +2

    This is one of those rooms they bring dinosaurs back to life in! It's a conspiracy. That's why she didn't show any dinosaurs or mention them at all. It's a cover up. It's unfortunate too because dinosaurs are good people. If I had a miniature velociraptor I'd name him Chihuahua.

    • @ltericdavis2237
      @ltericdavis2237 8 років тому

      +Anzwertree Velociraptors are already about that size.