A journal or laboratory notebook is a tool that can help you remember observations, keep track of what you did, why you did it, and what your expectations were.
I prefer to use a notebook, but you can use note-taking apps, a wiki or whatever fits in your workflow. The best journal is one that you actually use and can review.
## What to Keep in a Journal / Lab Notebook
* Note down any activities you do that day, expected outcomes. * Write down any thoughts you have for context: suspicion of what's going on, potential alternates you could consider, things you've ruled out. Externalize your reasoning. * Add drawings, diagrams, tables, or glue any visual aids if helpful to understand.
## What not to Keep in a Journal / Lab Notebook
* Loose unstructured notes that can't be understood without context. * Notes and entries unrelated to your project.
## Preparing a Notebook
1. Write the Topic of the journal and start date in the cover and spine. Leave some space for the end-date. 2. Write contact information so it can be returned to you in case you misplace it. 3. Number the pages. 4. Reserve the first two pages for a table of contents. Include the topic, date and page number. 5. Start each entry with a date.
## Other Resources
These links are more focused on a laboratory notebook, and have stricter policies, but I believe they're great resources on how to keep a notebook.
* [How to Start–and Keep–a Laboratory Notebook: Policy and Practical Guidelines](https://web.archive.org/web/20210404094401/http://www.iphandbook.org/handbook/ch08/p02/) (Archived) * [Maintaining a laboratory notebook](https://colinpurrington.com/tips/lab-notebooks/) by Colin Purrington