Cyclic voltammetry was used to investigate the surface phenomena and general electrochemical behavior encountered when glassy carbon and pyrolytic graphite are used as indicator electrodes in aqueous and nonaqueous (acetic acid, acetonitrile, dimethylformamide, and pyridine) media for inorganic (ferrocyanide and ferrocene) and organic (quinone) compounds. Factors evaluated included effects of method of preparation of the graphite, different resurfacing methods including magnitude of the induced electrostatic charge and surface regularity, interplanar adsorption of electroactive solutes, presence of surfactant, acidity, and potential ranges, and potential scanning procedures used.