
Writing a data management plan: metadata - documentation example - laboratory notebooks
For laboratory researchers, laboratory notebooks are crucial components of data management.
They can play an important role in supporting claims relating to intellectual property developed by University researchers, and even defending claims of scientific fraud.
In less extreme circumstances, they demonstrate adherence to standards of good practice, academic and ethical integrity, and compliance with contractual provisions permitting sponsors to audit work carried out in pursuit of sponsored-research.
Therefore, thorough and effective management of laboratory data and the routine documentation of all lab procedures is a highly important responsibility for all laboratory researchers.