Rules of the lab - Add more (Aug/21/2007 )
1) If an experiment works, something has gone wrong.
2) When you don't know what you're doing, do it neatly.
3) Experiments must be reproduceable, they should fail the same way each time.
4) First draw your curves, then plot your data.
5) Experience is directly proportional to equipment ruined.
6) Always keep a record of your data. It indicates that you have been working.
7) To do a lab really well, have your report done well in advance.
8) If you can't get the answer in the usual manner, start at the answer and derive the question.
9) In case of doubt, make it sound convincing.
10) Do not believe in miracles--rely on them.
11) Team work is essential, it allows you to blame someone else.
12) All unmarked beakers contain fast-acting, extremely toxic poisons.
13) No experiment is a complete failure. At least it can serve as a negative example.
14) Any delicate and expensive piece of glassware will break before any use can be made of it.
(found in the net. Wonder where these apply)
11) Team work is essential, it allows you to blame someone else.
15) Mark tubes only with 1,2,3,... you will remember what's in it.
and do this at least three times. The shape of the numbers will instantly recall memories of experiments conducted 3months ago.
This would be very complicated esp for the "numerically-challenged"
. I have a better system, more descriptive and works all the time:16) For human clinical samples, label tubes with the alphabet e.g., A (for the angry guy who got lost in the hospital for half an hour looking for the lab); B (for the bald guy with beautuful blue eyes); C (for the cool lady with the multi-colored spiked hair-do); D for the dutch-speaking guy with the grateful dead tattoo
; H (for the hot guy in a Hugo Boss suit) and so on and on and on... Once you ran out of single letters, imagine all the combinations you can make. This is foolproof I guarantee it Make it foolproof and someone will make a better fool.
17) Load your protein marker in the 7th lane (of a 15 lane gel), if you don't like the results one way, try looking at it from the other side. (this is actually a corollary to Einstein's quote: If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts)
That also works if you put markers in both of the outside lanes of your gel.
That also works if you put markers in both of the outside lanes of your gel.
If the bands are not of the correct MW, put the film upside down
18. If the sample is contaminated, don't worry. Penicillin in the media takes care of some of the organism while for the rest of them, God is there to help. Have faith.
If you do a cloning expt, and it doesn't work, you're made a mistake.
When you repeat it, and it doesn't work, you've made an error.
When you repeat it, and it doesn't work again, you've made a calculation error
When you repeat it, and it doesn't work, you did something wrong.
If the experiment still doesn't work, there's something wrong with your solutions.
If it still doesn't work, there might be something wrong with your plasmid.
BUT, always remember this:
your supervisor is never wrong in their assessment (until your third year of your degree)