Organizing My Lab Notebook

Organizing my lab notebook was crucial in keeping me organized this semester. I have a simple 3 ring binder with several dividers in it. In the very front and first part of my binder I had a copy of the syllabus, schedule, the FAQ's for BIOL 227L and 228L that was provided, as well as the Biology Laboratory Safety Rules and Procedure Agreement paper, the Lab Dress Code Policy, and finally, the Microscope Checklist and Microscope Usage and Handling outline. Basically all of the papers that we received in the beginning of the semester, I made copies and kept them in my binder so they were available at all times. This way, anytime I had a question about what was going to happen or how something would be graded, I knew I had it in my binder

I was not always able to sit and do all of my pre-lab activities as well as my entry ticket at one time so having my notebook sectioned off helped me keep it all straight. It took me a few weeks to realize that I should put the current week in the very front of my notebook, until I had completed that lab. That way, when I had to work on my assignments at different points throughout the week, I opened up to the beginning of my lab notebook and was able to work quick and not waste time. With time being so important to me this semester, I made keeping my notebook organized a priority. Because over these 16 weeks I was able to keep my notebook so organized, it really felt organized in other areas of my life. When taking 16 credits, things can get overwhelming and it is very easy to get cluttered and unorganized with school stuff as well as life in

It showed me that if I take the time each week to place the papers in the right place, in the end it is so much easier in the end. For example, when it was time to do this assignment and write this paper, I was prepared. All I had to do was grab my lab notebook and my computer and sit down and organized my thoughts. In the past I may have been scrambling to find all the right papers, printing ones that are missing or torn and redoing assignments that are either lost or at least unaccounted for. In the future I will reflect back on this class and use these organization tools and skills that I acquired over this semester. One of the main valuable, yet simple, lessons I learned is to not put anything off and do it now, rather then later. If I would have waited, even one day, to put my weekly assignment in my lab notebook, the room for error grows. I could have misplaced the paper I finished, therefore would lose time having to do it again. I could have showed up to lab not prepared and had to, once again, waste more time by finding or redoing the assignment, and then finding time to attend another