Why every lab needs a handbook

Abstract

A lab handbook is a flexible document that outlines the ethos of a research lab or group. A good handbook will outline the different roles within the lab, explain what is expected of all lab members, provide an overview of the culture the lab aims to create, and describe how the lab supports its members so that they can develop as researchers. Here we describe how we wrote a lab handbook for a large research group, and provide resources to help other labs write their own handbooks.

Keywords

• research culture
• lab handbooks
• early-career researchers
• principal investigators
• careers in science
• onboarding