Notebooks
The purpose of keeping a research notebook is to have an accurate and up-todate record of the experiments in progress. Someone unfamiliar with the work
should be able to replicate any experiment cited in your notebook based on the
information provided. Notebooks need to be clear, consistent and current.
Notebooks should be written in pen. They are meant to be a permanent record.
DO NOT WRITE IN PENCIL.
Records should be kept in a bound, non-spiral notebook (ex: composition
notebook or formal lab notebook).
Format:
Table of Contents: The first few pages of a notebook should be reserved to
create a table of contents
Page Number: Each page should be numbered in order
Date: Each experiment must be dated. If experiments were conducted over
multiple days, date each section appropriately.
Experiments:
1) Title of the experiment.
2) General procedure. If using a standard protocol, reference where the
protocol came from. Be sure to include any alterations/deviations from
the standard.
3) Identify sample information.
4) Provide results/data.
5) Give a short description of the results and what the future experiments
will be based on the data.
Example notebook pages:
Positive Control PCRs
8/1/14
Run PCR with known DNA to establish positive control samples for future experiments
and confirm primer specificity.
-
PCR protocol as found in protocols book, standard reaction mix
Used DNA from Dog and Human and used MSTDog, MSTHuman and
MSTGoose primer sets
4μL of DNA/tube, 50μL total PCR volume
Run MST56 PCR program:
95°C 1min
95°C 30s
56°C 30s
72°C 1min
72°C 5min
4°C hold
-
x30 cycles
Store at -20°C until ready to confirm PCR products
Gel Electrophoresis
8/4/14
Confirm PCR products from 8/1/14 on 1.5% Agarose gel using SYBRsafe dye
Sample (DNA, primer)
1 – Dog, MSTDog
2 – Dog, MSThuman
3 – Dog, MSTGoose
4 – Human, MSTDog
5 – Human, MSThuman
6 – Human, MSTGoose
Expected Band Size
215bp
162bp
97bp
215bp
162bp
97bp
1
2
3
4
5
6
Results:
No bands are expected sizes, although lower weight bands are very faint. Larger band
(~400bp) in Human w/ MSTGoose primer? Could be nonspecific binding or
contamination. Will repeat electrophoresis with higher % gel to see if any lower bands
resolve. If repeat gel fails, will repeat PCR reaction with altered conditons.