diff --git a/test_notebooks.py b/test_notebooks.py
index 70baf99..94ec904 100644
--- a/test_notebooks.py
+++ b/test_notebooks.py
@@ -182,3 +182,40 @@ def test_cell_contains_output(notebook_filename):
         for cell in nb.cells:
             if cell.cell_type == "code" and cell.source != "":
                 assert cell.execution_count is not None
+
+
+def test_show_plot_used_instead_of_matplotlib(notebook_filename):
+    """checks if plotting is done with open_atmos_jupyter_utils show_plot()"""
+    with open(notebook_filename, encoding="utf8") as fp:
+        nb = nbformat.read(fp, nbformat.NO_CONVERT)
+        matplot_used = False
+        show_plot_used = False
+        for cell in nb.cells:
+            if cell.cell_type == "code":
+                if "matplotlib" in cell.source or "pyplot" in cell.source:
+                    matplot_used = True
+                if "show_plot()" in cell.source:
+                    show_plot_used = True
+        if matplot_used and not show_plot_used:
+            raise AssertionError(
+                "if using matplotlib, please use open_atmos_jupyter_utils.show_plot()"
+            )
+
+
+def test_show_anim_used_instead_of_matplotlib(notebook_filename):
+    """checks if animation generation is done with open_atmos_jupyter_utils show_anim()"""
+    with open(notebook_filename, encoding="utf8") as fp:
+        nb = nbformat.read(fp, nbformat.NO_CONVERT)
+        matplot_used = False
+        show_anim_used = False
+        for cell in nb.cells:
+            if cell.cell_type == "code":
+                if "funcAnimation" in cell.source:
+                    matplot_used = True
+                if "show_anim()" in cell.source:
+                    show_anim_used = True
+        if matplot_used and not show_anim_used:
+            raise AssertionError(
+                """if using matplotlib for animations,
+                please use open_atmos_jupyter_utils.show_anim()"""
+            )