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Ensure that the ink is permanent, not water or solvent reactive, and does not smear. When recording experiments, do not use pencil or strange-coloured inks. Good quality paper should last at least 30 years. The permanence of the records is a prime consideration and it is therefore important that the paper can stand the tests of time. A backup hard copy notebook documenting the important steps and discoveries and properly dated and witnessed will protect you in the event that inventorship is challenged. The keeping of laboratory notebooks entirely electronically is probably not advisable, since computer records and the date of entry are easily alterable, although there are now proprietary recording systems that claim to be secure in this respect. Such a system helps to reduce the possibility of any successful challenge to the validity of the notebook entry. The pages of the notebook should also be numbered. Loose-leaf, spiral-bound or other temporarily bound books allow for page removal, insertions and substitutions. The record bookįirst of all, it is important to use a record book that has a permanent binding. If you need to know the reasons behind this move across the scientific world then read this page. A well written and maintained laboratory notebook is an excellent starting point for the patent attorney when the time comes to prepare and file a patent application.
#Lab notebook how to
The following is intended as a general guide on how to keep a notebook. About Research Innovation and Knowledge Exchange.
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