Notebooks come in many shapes and sizes, from simple composition books to elaborate gridded journals. As you search for a lab notebook, there are a few things to keep in mind while weighing your options. Read on for the ultimate guide to finding the right lab notebook for your science course; your semester will be easier and more engaging when you’ve got the right materials.
The Right Setup
What sorts of notebooks are you looking at? A plain lined notebook can work if you are diligent in keeping it organized. An electronic lab notebook is neat and easy to access. A student lab notebook, however, has sturdier paper and pages that are easy to organize. Scientific Notebook’s student lab notebooks are section-sewn and firmly bound. It’s also harder to tear pages out of a bound notebook, so if you make a mistake, you must correct it visibly instead of ripping it out.
The Right Paper
The college-ruled notebooks you would find in stacks at the grocery store often have thin paper that doesn’t hold ink very well. They are useful for quick, penciled notes and essays, but scientific study requires that your words and graphs be legible. Look for a lab notebook with archival-quality paper.
The Right Organizing System
A student lab notebook is a useful tool if you want to pursue science as a career; it trains you in best practices for keeping a lab notebook in the future. Remember that a lab notebook is not only for your benefit, but it serves as your legacy in the lab. If you need to prove a patent in the future or defend yourself against accusations of fraud, your lab notebook is a vital piece of evidence. Choose a notebook that encourages you to make legible and complete notes.
When shopping for school supplies, think of your needs for the upcoming semester. For your science classes, the right lab notebook can be the difference between learning proper technique and making a mess of your notes. Scientific Notebook’s selection of lab notebooks encourages thorough and complete documentation of experiments. With this guide to finding the right lab notebook for your science course, you will learn valuable skills for a future in scientific study.