Electronic laboratory notebooks
Electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs) are increasingly being used for the planning, conduct, and analysis of scientific experiments and the research data generated in the process. Compared to their analog, paper-based counterparts, ELNs offer a number of advantages, such as:
- Direct integration/linking of data already available in digital form (e.g., measurement results, image, video, and audio files, text, and tables)
- No loss of information due to illegible handwriting
- Avoidance of reading and typing errors
- Quick and easy searching and filtering by experiments, methods, and results
- Structuring and visualization of processes
- Tamper-proof storage with electronic signatures and password protection
- Creation and use of templates for repetitive processes
- Access to the lab notebook at any time from anywhere
- Backups
- Features for collaborative work (permissions and role management)
- Integration into a networked digital research environment (API, standard interfaces, import and export functions, connection to repositories and long-term archiving, etc.)
Of particular note is the ability to integrate the electronic lab notebook into the overall digital research data management (RDM) system. It can provide helpful support at every stage of the research data lifecycle (in German only), but especially during the documentation phase.
There are several different types of electronic lab notebooks:
- general-purpose systems such as word processing or note-taking software (e.g., OneNote)
- generic (interdisciplinary) ELNs
- discipline-specific ELNs
The market for electronic lab notebooks is large and complex. The ELN Finder from the University and State Library Darmstadt offers assistance in making a selection, providing a comparative list of over 40 ELNs.
At LMU, the following open-source ELNs can be used free of charge: