Ten Tips for Proper Pipetting

Overview

Like most recurring or common tasks, pipetting is sometimes taken for granted. But since even minor variation in operating technique can produce measurable errors in accuracy and precision, the importance of pipetting technique shouldn’t be underestimated. Incorrectly- or inconsistently-performed pipetting steps will directly impact transferred volumes and, ultimately, test results.

Laboratory instrumentation is not the only thing that needs frequent calibration or assessment. This American Laboratory article covers ten fundamental steps – and explains their significance – to improve and standardize the skills of those who operate pipetting instruments. After all, repeatable actions yield repeatable results; using proper pipetting technique will repeatedly yield accurate and precise results.