Documentation and Reporting
Record what makes a reading meaningful
A potential without context is not data. Every record should carry date, time, weather and temperature, structure and test-point identification, location or GPS, reference electrode type, meter make/model/serial and verification status, interruption cycle, rectifier tap and output settings, and the criterion being applied. Note the sign convention and units explicitly.
On versus off
Never mix on-potentials, instant-off potentials, and native potentials in one table without labeling them. Stray-current areas require time-of-day notes because readings can swing through the day. Record raw values first, then any calculation such as polarization shift or resistance.
Anomalies and integrity
Document out-of-criterion readings, inaccessible test points, damaged test stations, and corrective actions recommended. Avoid transcription errors by recording in the field and transcribing once. Retain records per the owner's requirements and keep data traceable to the person and instrument that produced it.
Traps: quoting -0.85 V without naming the electrode; averaging readings to hide variation; omitting the criterion; failing to note that a rectifier was interrupted.
Worked example: a reading of -0.850 V versus CSE converts to roughly -0.730 V versus saturated Ag/AgCl, because the CSE reference sits about 120 mV more positive than Ag/AgCl. Quoting -0.850 V without the electrode type is ambiguous.
Rule of thumb: if a reviewer cannot reproduce the measurement from your record, the record is incomplete.