collective precautions - for newbie in th lab (Oct/11/2006 )
One of the best advices is to label both the cork on the tube and the tube itself (for example a Falcon tube)...Once I was working with 20 different samples and I've opened the tubes to let acetone evaporate from my pellets and what do you know, didn't know later which sample was which because I didn't label the tubes!
Never microwave a bottle with the cap on (even loosen) without close attention.
Agarose gets superheated and will suddenly boil over if disturbed. So always cap the bottle tightly before moving it out of the microwave
Agarose gets superheated and will suddenly boil over if disturbed. So always cap the bottle tightly before moving it out of the microwave
This is true for any liquid.
I know someone burnt (slightly) because she wanted to boil water for her tea.
Always give a little shake far from your head and eyes and bared arm to check if there is not an over heating
Be careful with the centrifuge.
I have not seen anything go wrong till now but after reading one thread; man, nasty things can happen with that machine
If something goes wrong or did not work, it is much more likely your fault than an error by the device/apparatus you used.
About results going wrong : write exactly what you got, even if you think that the results are strange because you would have inverted two tubes. Don't "correct" the mistake, I mean the inversion, in your lab book. However ou can write something like "that looks strange, did I inverted two tubes?"
I had once this problem using increasing amount of an inhibitor, I had something like 80% ; 20%; 80%; 90% inhibition while increasing the concentration. I had it twice.
I checked the results from my colleague, and it was written in her lab book 20; 80; 80 ; 90%.
I really thought that I was not concentrated enough, but when it happened for the third time to me, I asked her : she told me she might have inverted two tubes and corrected it.
Actually the inhibitor was not so specifc and we had effects on several signaling pathways, depending on the concentration.
Just to say : write everything as truly as possible !
Hello there 
I've just finished my honours year and have learnt a whole lot about being in the lab. My tips are:
-as already mentioned by others, write down EVERYTHING you do, down to the batch numbers of media you use, you never know what you will need to know, and there is never any harm in having records that are too accurate
-record EVERY result you see in as much detail as possible (again, you can never have too much information)
-ask questions and understand why you are doing everything, so you can troubleshoot if things don't turn out the way you expect (which happens more often than not!!!)
-analyse your data as you get it, know why you use the stats you are using
- this is the most important one.........whatever it is you are planning to do for the first time, it will always take at least 2 and half times as long as you think it will
and try and remember that apparently you enjoy this and thats why you are doing science.......
Don't start an experiment without a proper plan/procedure.
If you have one, don't start the experiment, check everything once again.
An experiment that is well planned, saves nine 
Take a lot of time to think about your controls.
Here are some other bits of good advice,
Always note down the lot number of restriction enzymes & buffers, PCR reagents etc.
This way, if a particular reaction doesn't work, you will know which reagent lot to avoid if
the problem appears to be due to the reagent being faulty.
Make sure you calibrate all your pipettes regularly.
Have your own aliquots of solutions that other members of the lab don't access.
Keep a reagent box with aliquots of essential reagents (e.g. molecular weight markers, taq,
RE enzymes, buffers, etc) for a rainy day - helps in an emmergency when supplies of a particular reagent are low. Also make an archive box and keep spare aliquots of experimental reagents - e.g. plasmid preps, just in case the stock runs out.
Always back up computer data monthly.
Hope this helps.
Suvanthie
When you run gels, be they agarose or protein, make sure you have an image of them as soon as possible, and put it into your workbook. Comment as soon as possible, while it's all fresh.
With all of your electronic data, back up, back up , back up! With all of your physical stuff (samples etc) label, label, label!
If an application requires filename that is not obvious (limited number of characters in the name etc), have the description of the filename written down (the application we used to scan our EMSAs only allowed 8 characters, defined by the software, would you believe?).
As you do expts, generate an index in the front few pages of your workbook. Code them in some way so you can go to all of your expts easily, rather than having to trawl through 4 books!
As soon as you have completed a piece of work, make a summary of some kind, just to make sure you understand the implications of the results. This will make any writing-up easier. (I know a guy who submitted his PhD less than 1 month after finishing his last expt...and it wasn't one of those "I-have-to-go-back-into-the-lab" type of expts!)
Ask older students and postdocs about your results and their results (but don't make a nuisance of yourself!!).
Learn good time-management. If an expt has a 2 hr incubation, get it going first, then do other, shorter things.
Learn to take some brain-time. Get out of the lab occasionally.
Enjoy. No, really. These can be among the best years of your adult working life.