Final answer:
A strong reading a burette or graduated cylinder involves being eye level with the liquid's meniscus and reading from the bottom of the meniscus, with precision to the nearest tenth or hundredth of a milliliter for graduated cylinders and burettes respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rule of thumb for reading a burette or graduated test tube involves a few key steps. When reading any measurement instrument like a burette, which is essential for titrations, ensure that the instrument is level and your eye is at the same level as the liquid's surface. To determine the volume of liquid in a graduated cylinder or burette, read the bottom of the meniscus, which is the lowest point of the curved surface of the liquid. In a graduated cylinder, mentally subdivide the scale between the marks to estimate to the nearest tenth of a milliliter (e.g., between 21 and 22 mL marks).
For a burette specifically, which allows volume measurements to the nearest 0.01 mL, it is crucial to take readings that are as precise as possible due to the high level of accuracy that titrations require. This involves carefully observing the meniscus at eye level and making the volume reading at the meniscus's lowest point.