Laboratory Manual

The Laboratory Manual is a reference manual for students and school personnel. It
provides with information on internal procedures to be used as an agency policy for science
experimentations, report writing, safety, research, and review of laboratory reports.

Laboratory activities had a distinctive and important role in the science curriculum and
science educators have suggested considerable benefits of engaging students in science lab
activities. A school science laboratory is a place where basic experimental skills are learnt by
systematically performing a set of prescribed and suitably designed experiments. Performing
experiments by one’s own hands is not only a thrilling experience but is also important because it
entails learning by doing. It also facilitates understanding the concepts of science. The
experiments and project work suggested at the secondary stage intend to develop basic skills of
measurement; handling of some common measuring instruments, equipment and chemicals;
setting simple apparatus; handling microscope and preparing slides; making observations;
collecting data and presenting it

Science Laboratory Rules and Regulations

Safety in the science laboratory is the FIRST PRIORITY for students, instructors, and
parents. To ensure a safer laboratory, the following Science Laboratory Rules and Regulations
have been developed for the protection and safety of all.
Your instructor will provide additional rules for specific situations or settings. The rules
and regulations must be followed AT ALL TIMES.

After you have reviewed them with your instructor, read and review the rules and sign the
permission slip. Your signature is required before you will be permitted to participate in any
investigations. Your signature indicates that you have read these rules and regulations, understand
them, and agree to follow them at all times while working in the classroom.

Standards of Student Conduct in the Laboratory:

1. When first entering a science room, do not touch any equipment or other materials in the
laboratory area until you are instructed to do so.
1. Conduct yourself in a responsible manner at all times in the laboratory. Never fool
around in the laboratory. Horseplay, practical jokes, and pranks are dangerous and
prohibited.
2. Lab safety information and procedures must be read before starting any activity. All
verbal and written instructions shall be followed in carrying out the activity.
3. Do not eat food, drink beverages, or chew gum in the laboratory. Do not use laboratory
glassware as containers for food or beverages.
4. Work areas should be kept clean and neat at all times. Work surfaces are to be cleaned at
the end of each laboratory or activity. Backpacks and books are to remain closed and
stored on one place during labs.
5. Unauthorized activities or experiments are prohibited.

Proper Laboratory Attire/ Get-up

1. Dress appropriately for laboratory work. A shirt that covers the stomach and lower back
as well as the upper arms. Do not wear loose or baggy clothing or dangling jewelry on
laboratory days. Shorts (regardless of length), short skirts, sleeveless shirts, tank tops, and
halter tops are not considered safe attire and are not permitted.
 2. Laboratory aprons or lab coats may be worn to provide extra protection from accidents
and spills.
3. Safety glasses shall be worn at all times in the laboratory, including during clean-up, unless
the instructor specifically states that the activity does not require the use of glasses.
4. Use hair ties to tie back long hair and tuck into the collar.
5. Shoes that completely cover the foot is strictly recommended

Avoid wearing the following items to lab:

 Sandals or open-toed shoes (sandals with socks is not considered appropriate attire)
 Contact lenses
 Mesh shirts
 Shorts or skirts that do not cover your knees when you are sitting

When performing an experiment:

1. Do not taste anything in the laboratory. This applies to food as well as to chemicals.
2. Do not place your mouth on any chemical equipment.
3. Keep your hands and face clean. Flush any spill on your body with cold water for at least
15 minutes. Wash your hands with soap and water before leaving the laboratory.
4. When glass is broken, contact your instructor immediately. He/she will determine if a
repair is possible. Receptacles under sinks are for paper and miscellaneous trash
items. Glass should only be discarded in containers marked "BROKEN GLASS".
5. At the end of every experiment, unplug hot plates and turn both dials to the OFF
position.

Steps to More Successful Experiments

Scientists come up with many great ideas to show how things work, but for an idea to
become accepted, it has to be tested. One of the critical skills required for any scientist is the
ability to consistently design and carry out successful experiments. There are of course many
variables that can cause an experiment to fail, but there are some basic steps that, if taken
routinely, can increase your chances of success every time.

1. Define your objective. Why are you doing the experiment and what are the expected
results? A good experiment will tell you something, even if you get negative data.
Make sure to include all necessary controls!
2. Always listen to your instructor’s instruction. With so many procedures out there, it
can be overwhelming to try and narrow it down to just one. Listen to your instructor
for a more concrete and successful experiments.
3. Write out the procedure. This step will help you identify all the things you will need
for your experiment, and help you measure the time that you will need to carry out
the procedure. Visualize all the steps and write them out so you have a flow chart or
outline of the procedure.
4. Obtain all necessary apparatuses in advance, and make sure they are all in good
condition. You don’t want to be in the middle of your experiment when you
suddenly found out that you forgot to request a certain material. Make sure you have
booked the necessary equipment ahead of time, and avoid interruptions.
5. Prepare a timeline. Try to realistically estimate how long each procedure will take,
and if you’re not sure, double the time that you think it will take. Don’t try to cram
too much into one day – you are more likely to make errors when you are rushing.
6. Do the experiment. Prepare everything you can in advance, and start EARLY. The
procedure you wrote out in Step 3 should make this step a lot easier! If multiple
people are involved in the experiment, make sure everyone knows their role ahead of
time.
7. Record everything. Write down all the data you have gathered during the
experiment. Organize your work and write legibly. Use enough detail so that it will
enable another person to redo the experiment and get the similar results. Summarize
or abbreviate the details given in the manual using outlines, flowcharts, and/or
diagrams. Also, mark down any abnormalities from the procedure, and any difficulties
you experienced carrying out the experiment. This will help you make better sense of
the data and troubleshoot the experiment if necessary.
8. Analyze the results. Hopefully the experiment turned out as you expected, and the
data have lead you to the next step of the project. If not, it’s not the end of the
world! Go back to your notes and find out where the experiment could have gone
wrong. Ask your instructor for help and technique to help you troubleshoot, and
don’t be afraid to ask around for advice! If things always worked the first time, they
wouldn’t call it “research”.