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Laboratory Notebook Guidelines
Purpose of a Laboratory Notebook
A laboratory notebook provides a permanent record of research, ideas, concepts, data, analysis, and/or
observations. It is a legal record of your work and may be used as evidence for patent ling, patent protection,
or other legal purposes. Documentation and maintenance of your records is a fundamental part of GLP (Good
Laboratory Practice) and is essential for the management and protection of intellectual property rights. The proper
use of a laboratory notebook will ensure that the progress from conception to reduction to practice can be retraced
in a chronological and logical manner, thus providing a solid basis for patent purposes. Moreover, the contents of
the laboratory notebook must be able to withstand any challenges to their validity or accuracy.
General Guidance
A laboratory notebook should be permanently bound and tamper evident with sequentially numbered pages.
Pages must never be removed or tampered with.
A laboratory notebook is a legal document and must be handled accordingly. Entries should start at the top of each
documentation page. Spaces, which are free of entries, must be crossed out. Do not start a new page until the
previous page is full or has been marked so that no additional entries can be made on it. Do not write outside the
documentation area. If an entry will be continued on the next page, this should be noted in the spaces provided.
Entries must be made in ink, preferably archival ink. Never use pencils or any non-permanent writing instrument.
It is permitted to afx entries, such as raw data tables, folded graphs, or computer printouts to the documentation
pages in an appropriate, chronological location. This must be done so that the entry is permanent. Initial both the
afxed entry and the notebook page. The purpose of these supplemental entries should be clearly described nearby.
Never attempt to remove, obliterate, blot out or erase entries. Before a page is signed and dated, you may correct
an entry by marking with a single line through the specic error and add your initials next to it. It is important that the
error is still legible.
Every laboratory notebook page must be signed by the author and countersigned by at least one corroborating
witness. This witness should not be directly involved in the documented activities. The witness conrms with
their signature and the date that she/he understood the entries and that the activities performed took place on a
certain date.
After a page is signed and dated, no further changes, interlineations, deletions, or additions are permitted. If an entry
must be corrected subsequently, use a new page and refer to it in your new entry.
The person assigned the laboratory book is responsible for its content and safe keeping. Entries by a third party are
not permitted, with the exception of the witness when signing and dating a page.
Immediately enter your work in a clear, concise, structured and legible manner. Entries should be recorded with the
intent of an independent person, who is skilled in the art, being able to comprehend and reproduce your results.
Record all experimental work, calculations, sketches, diagrams, and any other related information directly into
the notebook.
Retain a consistent language, numbering system, and indication nomenclature throughout the laboratory notebook in
order to avoid confusion. Abbreviations must be dened and remain constant throughout the entire book.
Provide gures and equations with numbers or letters and refer to them within the description.
LABORATORY NOTEBOOK ISSUANCE PAGE
Notebook Number:
Continued from Notebook Number: Continued to Notebook Number:
Date of Issue: Date of Completion:
Issued by:
Issued to:
Signature: Date:
Company:
Department:
Address:
City: Post code:
Country:
Phone:
Email:
Cat. No: Z766917