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Laboratory Record
Each student has to take own laboratory records. These laboratory records have to be kept in bound
form (bound book, not a folder) in A4-format. Quad paper is recommended, since this allows for an efficient
and clear form of taking the laboratory record. An experiment can only be performed, if the laboratory record
is carefully prepared.
The laboratory record has to be regarded as a documentary proof of the experimental work done. Sometimes
laboratory records can be essential in legal matters such as patent or copyright controversies or in scientific
matters such as claims of originality or first observations. Therefore all records should be made with document
proof writing materials (ink, ballpen, etc.) and should be reasonably complete and self-contained. In case of
sketches and graphs, the latter on millimeter paper or specialized graph paper, pencils might be used. Graphs
made with scientific software have to be printed and pasted into the laboratory book.
In the following a recommendation is given for the structure of a clearly arranged and exact laboratory record.
The head should contain: name, date, study course, name of the experiment, tasks, list of instruments. This and
the first section "Basics" have to be prepared at home. A careful and comprehensive preparation of the
experiment is a prerequisite for the admission to the experimental session.
1 Basics (Preparation before the start of the experiment)
In this section the basic physical laws have to be reviewed that are
necessary for the solution of the experimental tasks. Important equations have to be written down;
the concepts behind these equations and their deduction have to be briefly sketched. Equations needed
for the calculation or estimation of the measurement uncertainty, especially equations concerning error
propagation, have to be derived and written down (Measurement uncertainty
). Measurement methods and techniques,
instruments, electrical circuits etc. should be briefly sketched. The experiment should be planned
to allow for an efficient measurement sequence and procedure. Tables necessary for the recording of
measurement values and for the data evaluation should be prepared.
2 Measurement values
Directly measured values are entered into appropriate tables that eventually also contain additional columns for conversion or intermediary results. Uncertainties in reading or setting measurement values, manufacturer's information on instrument accuracy, other instrument-specific data relevant for the estimate of measurement uncertainty as well as experimental and environmental (e.g. air pressure) conditions have to be noted. It is often useful to make simple numerical estimates on the correctness of the results already during or briefly after the measurement. This helps in spotting inappropriate values or parameters ranges before the extensive data analysis starts.
3 Analysis
The calculations as well as the most important intermediary results have to be written down. Graphical representations and analyses have to be done using appropriate scales. Graphs made with scientific software have to be printed and pasted into the laboratory book.
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