General lab techniques
First of all a general remark: We have compiled a lot of interesting information in the folder "Knowledgebase" on our network drive. Browse through the files you find there to get an impression what we have there, so you know where to find the relevant information should you need it.
However, there are so many other great ressources available you can use to get familiar with the different techniques used in our labs.
First of all, read books. In our group library, we have some nice textbooks you should read. Also, go to the library (physically! ;-) ) and have a good look around.
Also, the internet (lab pages, youtube, ...) is a good resource to learn a lot about methods. But be critical - not everything that is presented on the internet makes much sense - use your own judgement and talk about the things you learn with others...
A fantastic compilation of methods and techniques used in chemical labs has been put online by colleagues of the Institute of Chemistry at the Free University in Berlin, Germany. This compilation can be found here. It is a great read and contains many, many tips and tricks and helpful advice!
It is important to speak to each other in the lab - you will learn a lot by speaking with the lab mates. Observe how your lab mates work. Ask questions.
Never use an instrument before knowing exactly how to work with it. Sometimes also your lab mates will not know everything about the equipment they frequently use - so it is also a good idea to have a look into the manuals - first hand information from the manufacturer might be more useful than lab traditions... So, RTFM! You will be surprised how much you can learn from reading the manual!
If you notice that someone uses a piece of equipment somehow wrong, do not hesitate to politely (!) help out - not only to help your lab mates to get better results, but also to save our valuable equipment! Wrong use of equipment costs a lot of money in the long run!!!
If you explain a technique to a new member of the lab, be sure to check with her or him after some time, to see if there are any open questions and to see if she / he is doing OK.