Managing Laboratory Data Using Cloud Computing as an Organizational Tool

One of the most significant difficulties encountered when directing undergraduate research and developing new laboratory experiments is how to efficiently manage the data generated by a number of students. Cloud computing, where both software and computer files reside online, offers a solution to this data-management problem and allows researchers to coordinate their efforts just as easily whether they are working in the same laboratory or laboratories halfway around the world. This article discusses the use of Google Docs, a free cloud suite of office programs, for the management of a research project and in the development of a new experiment for the undergraduate organic laboratory.