MbShea@PWP@English@UMCP

Working title: Your First Semester in a Neuroscience Laboratory: What do you Need to Know?

Lay audience: This document is directed toward novice Neurobiology laboratory students assistants.

Context: This semester I just started working as a laboratory assistant in a Neurobiology lab on campus. One thing that I wish I had was a background information document outlining the major points relevant to this specific lab. The first part of the document will be a detailed prose introduction to the olfactory system as a model for studying neural circuits and neurogenesis. This will include information the detailed mechanism of how we smell, layers of the bulb, how this is connected to perception, and how the procedures are relevant to the research procedure. The second part of the document will include detailed simplified instructions on 3 important procedures that first and second semester students are commonly assigned.

Purpose: The goal of this paper is to inform new Neurobiology laboratory students. This will be left in the laboratory so that new students can have a summarized outline of major ideas they need to know before diving into the literature that can sometimes be intimidating. In addition, the PI requires a summary of everything we have learned at the end of the semester so this will be used for that as well.

Document type: laboratory documentation

Citation style: APA citation

M -- I think you need to narrow to the specific lab you are in. In this way, your protocols and background knowledge can be tailored.

I am glad you will support the next undergraduate researchers who join this lab after you leave.