How should one take the reading with a laboratory thermometer?
By placing the thermometer in the liquid such that it does not touch the base or the side of the container
As a kink is not present in laboratory thermometers the reading should be taken when the thermometer is still immersed in the liquid. The thermometer should not touch the sides or the base of the container as the container may not have the same temperature as the solution (especially if the container is not a very good conductor of heat). Thus, having the thermometer touch the container may give an inaccurate reading.