How to write an experiment protocol

When you have designed your experiment, you must  present it in a formal protocol.

Your experiment protocol should read easily and should not contain complex information or language. Correct spelling and grammar make documents easy to understand and is indicative of professionalism and attention to detail.

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At the end of the protocol the reader should have a clear picture of the purpose of the experiment, the materials needed, the methods to be used, the controls and the methods of interpretation.

The components of an experiment protocol

Purpose

This is a concise statement of what question you are trying to answer and what hypothesis you will test.

Materials

List all important items needed to carry out the experiment. This list need not be long or exhaustive, but it should include the essentials. Use bullet points or a table to make the list clear.

Methods

• How will you set up your experiment?
• How many experimental groups will you have?
• How will you measure the effect you wish to study?
• How long will the experiment last?

These and any other methods should be stated or referenced so that a reader has all the information they need to be able to replicate your experiment and verify your results.

Controls

Specify the control treatment. Think about the variables to be manipulated. Your control needs to be held under conditions which are not affected by the tested variable.

Data interpretation

What will be done with the data once it is collected?

Data must be organised and summarised so that the scientist and other researchers can determine if the hypothesis has been proved true or false. Results are usually shown in figures such as tables and graphs. Statistical analyses are often carried out to compare manipulated and controlled groups.

References

Any published works such as journals, books, and websites cited in your protocol should be listed in the reference section so that anyone can refer to that work.

Keep your protocol less than 2 pages long.