Notebook format

[robert zellmer]

As I was going through the labs this week I noticed problems with
notebooks and some people not really being prepared.  I saw data
scattered all over the notebook, as did some TAs who relayed this
info  to me.  Some people didn't have essentially the report sheet
copied to your notebook but instead had data scattered around.
Having the report sheet, at the very least the data which has to be
taken, and room for extra data, as might be described in the procedure
would make things much better in terms of recording your data and
keeping it more organized. Whenever possible having data in a
table is the easiest and best way to keep track of it and make it
presentable and easily found.  If a TA can't easily read your notebook
or find your data they will deduct points.  This includes handwriting.

Your notebook should be in an outline form and in your own words and
not essentially copied from what's in the manual.  I have examples for
exps 6 and 14 on the last page of the syllabus.  That's what your notebook
should look like.  While some people have problems with the use of the
word "cookbook" to describe it that's what it should almost look like, nice
concise steps.  It will make it easier for you to follow in lab and not 
get lost,
make mistakes and therefore not finish or get poor results.  You will not
necessarily need all the blanks from the report sheet (some are calculated
values which in this case you don't necessarily have to do in lab, although
in a real lab you would). However, it's not a bad idea to have them in the
notebook and you do need somewhere to record them any way as you do
your calculations (unless you use Excel of course).  You will need some
space for data not on the report sheet.  In particular, you will need space
for temp and time data for all three parts in exp 6 and this is not on the
report sheet.

Please look at my links and the Notebook and Report links at the following
link you use for the pre-labs and data entry.  It has an example using a 
made-up
experiment.  It has manual pages, a notebook and report.

https://uglabs.cbc.osu.edu/1250/

I saw far too many people reading the manual, fumbling around and just
not prepared for the exp.  You need to be prepared.  Writing the procedure
in your own words similar to the example I have will force you to read the
exp and understand it better.  I don't expect you to be able to do it from
memory but you really shouldn't need your manual during lab and you don't
want to always be fumbling around to see what you have to do next. If
you don't follow the notebook guidelines for how to write it up you will 
lose
points.  We will require you to use only the notebook for one of the future
exps and if you use the manual you will lose points.  I haven't decided 
which
one yet but will let you know.

Dr. Zellmer