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The purpose of this laboratory manual is to help you learn fundamental laboratory techniques and good practices that are important in any bioscience laboratory. During this laboratory course, you will learn how to properly document your work, make meaningful measurements, apply math to problems in the laboratory, graph and analyze data, use laboratory instruments, make laboratory reagents, and other basic tools of the biologist. Doing these basic tasks correctly is emphasized so that you can be confident that your laboratory results are of high quality. Whether you are planning to be a technician in a company or a research scientist exploring the intricacies of living systems, every bioscience professional needs to be skilled in basic laboratory methods. Some laboratories are governed by regulations (laws) or voluntary standards that codify good laboratory practices. In the pharmaceutical industry, the Food and Drug Administration enforces laws that affect laboratory workers. In laboratories affected by regulations or standards, inspectors or auditors may periodically come in and inspect your work. Regulated settings are characterized by attention to detail and comprehensive documentation programs. As you work through this course, you will be acquiring the skills and “mind-set” to work effectively in a regulated setting. We will focus on three key quality questions throughout this laboratory course:
As you will discover, quality laboratory work requires thoughtfulness, an ability to recognize problems, and a willingness to solve them. These are skills and attitudes that are invaluable in any scientific career.
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