Society
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The Science Project Notebook| |
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Society
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The Science Project Notebook |
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The Science Project Notebook by Sheldon Greaves Scientists have a saying about data: if it isn't recorded somewhere, it never happened. In other words, it isn't enough just to do the experiment. You have to make sure that you have enough information written down so that your experiment is repeatable. In science, a sign of a good, valid experiment is that someone else can do it and get the same results. One of the keys to a good experiment (and a good science project) is writing things down systematically. A notebook is one of the most important tools a scientist has. This is because writing can be a way of thinking. When you write something down, it forces you to think about your ideas. Very often, just writing something will help you develop and refine an idea better than if you didn't keep a notebook. Not only does it help make an experiment repeatable, it acts as a place where a scientist can brainstorm, thrash out ideas, and record mistakes and false starts. It's important to record the things that don't work, so you--and others who use your notes--won't repeat your mistakes. Don't worry that recording your mistakes will make you look bad to your teacher or the science fair judges. Usually, the opposite is true. Being able to spot a mistake and change your experiment or project accordingly is an important scientific skill. Good science means being honest about your data. Making mistakes are part of the process, even for the very best scientists. For this reason, most science notebooks are written in ink. Don't be too concerned if there are things you don't know. Don't be afraid to write down those issues that you haven't figured out yet. All of science is built on those three magic words: I don't know. Judges in a science fair will not dock you if you don't know everything about your subject. However, they will take off points if you don't know things that you should. The Notebook Go to an office supply store or stationary store and look for a bound notebook. Sometimes you can buy a lab book with numbered pages, but these tend to be expensive. For most projects, a composition book or any other notebook with bound pages (as opposed to a loose-leaf or coil-bound notebook) will do. Write your name and contact information inside the front cover in case it goes missing. Write the title of your project on the first page, then leave a blank page before starting your notes. This blank page will become your index as you develop your notebook. Also, as you write, put page numbers in the upper or lower corner of each page. What to Write Everything you do in the laboratory, library, or out in the field should be in your notebook. Start with a description of your project, followed by your background research. Before you do a real science project, you need to know something about what you are doing. Are you studying meteors? Bird songs? Fractals? Go to the library and look up these subjects, and write down the books, magazine articles, web sites, etc. you consulted, and what you learned from them. Carefully describe what you are going to do and why your are doing it. If you are doing an experiment, make a sketch of your project. If you bought items to use in your experiment, make a record of what they were and where you got them. If your work involves nature study out in the field, draw or paste in a map of the area where you are working. Remember, you want someone to be able to take your notes and repeat your work. Every experiment you do should have a record in the notebook. Start each new experiment on a new page. The top of the page should contain the title of the experiment and the date. Each experiment should include the following: Title/Purpose: Every experiment should have a descriptive title. Background Information: This section should include any information about the execution of the experiment or to the interpretation of the results. For example, if it is a repeat experiment, state what will be done differently to get the experiment to work. Include anything that will be helpful in carrying out the experiment and deciphering the experiment at a later date. For the most part, notebooks are not written for today but for the future. Materials: This section should list any materials, i.e., solutions or equipment, that will be needed. Include all calculations made in preparing solutions. Procedure: Write down exactly what you are going to do before you do it and make sure you understand each step before you do it. You should include everything you do including all volumes and amounts. Writing down a procedure helps you to remember and to understand what you're doing. It will also help you to identify steps that may be unclear or that need special attention. Some procedures can be several pages long and include more information than is necessary in a notebook. However, it is good laboratory practice to have a separate notebook containing methods that you use on a regular basis. If an experiment is a repeat of an earlier experiment, you do not have to write down each step but refer to the earlier experiment by page or experiment number. If you make any changes, note the changes and why. Flow charts are sometimes helpful for experiments that have many parts. It is good practice to check off steps as they are completed or reagents as they are added to prevent you from losing you place or for forgetting to add something. Results: This section should include all raw data generated by your experiment. This section should also include your analysis of the data. Conclusions: This is one of the most important sections. You should summarize all of your results, even if they were stated elsewhere and state any conclusions you can make. If the experiment didn't work, what went wrong and what will you do the next time to try to troubleshoot? Finally, when you project is finished (or your notebook is full), go back to the index page and write down each section with the page number. You index page should look something like this: Index Project Description - - - -
- - - - page 2 And so on. Remember, your notebook is
what makes your work into real science. Take you time and do it right.
The better your notes, the stronger your science project will be. |
