SCIENCE JOURNAL:

 

A science journal, or a laboratory notebook, is a very detailed record of every aspect of a scientific investigation. Scientists keep records of their investigations for a number of reasons. A very practical reason is that if a detail is not written down, it is likely to be forgotten.

 

A scientist must report the details of how the investigation was conducted: how was an experiment designed, what kinds of data were collected, how often were data collected. Scientists also give credit to other scientists for their ideas, and they need to note the source for the “facts” and ideas that are a part of their background research. So, a science journal serves as the primary document containing all the information needed to create a final paper or public presentation.

A science journal serves as a personal reference document for a scientist to guide future investigations. All the notes of what worked well in an experiment, and what didn’t, are in one place for quick review. This organized system of tracking your research process saves you a lot of time and gives you a big jump on planning new research projects. In this case, a science journal is a tool for improving science.

Like a personal journal or diary, a science journal is a sequential record of everything you think about--at least everything you think about your science investigation. Remember, your research journal is not a research paper. It is a series of detailed, day-to-day notes, recording what you think, what you do, what you want to know, what you discover.

In the older days, science journals were heavy leather-bound books, often with a string to tie the book shut when not in use. Today’s research journals are diverse; they are handwritten or electronic. No matter how they are written, research journals contain a few standard items.

Be sure to include the following in your research journal: