Make sure you have the main protocol written up and visible whilst you carry out the procedure. You will probably also have a notebook for rough notes.
The mistake is to assume you will never need to look at these again. Most likely you will, at least for some of them. So don’t jot numbers and names down with no reference to what they mean. Put a date and title at the top and use comprehensible language to show what each bit describes. It doesn’t have to be full sentences as long as you still understand it in five days’ time.
Not only will this help you remember which sample/individual corresponds to which data set, but it will also help you analyse mistakes, or find where changes might have improved the procedure.
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