MATERIALS & PROCEDURE
Materials
List all the materials (including the quantities (how much) of each item) that is needed to complete the experiment. Don't forget things you are using to measure your items in your experiment -- measuring cups, scales, rulers, pH meter, etc. Be VERY specific!!!
Picture excerpted from ScienceBuddies.org
Procedure
A procedure is a list of detailed steps of how the experiment/test is carried out. These steps should be detailed enough that someone else could repeat your steps and get your same outcome.
HELPFUL REMINDERS:
4. If you are repeating the same steps for your independent variable, it is OKAY to
have a step that states "Repeat step #? thru step #?".
5. Be sure to INCLUDE a step(s) that tell the tester to "Record observations/data in
the data table" OR "Record observations in observation log".
HELPFUL REMINDERS:
- Your must perform a test a MINIMUM of 3 times but MORE IS BETTER!!
- If you are doing something that can be tested at the same time, like growing plants or bacteria, then you can grow them (3 or more) at the same time but in different containers.
- The ONLY time you don't have to repeat the experiment 3 or more times, is when you are doing an experiment that requires testing or surveying different groups -- BUT you must test or survey a large number of participants to insure that you are getting reliable results.
4. If you are repeating the same steps for your independent variable, it is OKAY to
have a step that states "Repeat step #? thru step #?".
5. Be sure to INCLUDE a step(s) that tell the tester to "Record observations/data in
the data table" OR "Record observations in observation log".
FOR EXAMPLE: An experiment that tests the saliva pH level of a cow, horse, and goat.
GOOD PROCEDURE POOR PROCEDURE
1. In the morning, go get your cow, horse, and goat that you are going to test.
2. Label 3 Q-tips and 3 pH strips for with each animal type and time of day -- example: "cow-AM". 3. For each animal: Swab a sterile Q-tip in the mouth of each animal until Q-tip is well moistened with saliva. 4. Wipe the moistened Q-tip on a pH testing strip. 5. Wait 10 seconds then read pH strip by matching the color of the strip with the pH color key. 6. Record pH level and time on data table. 7. Repeat steps 1 thru 6 for noon and evening time of that same day. 8. Repeat step 7 for 2 more days. |
1. Test each animal in the morning.
2. Test each animal at noon. 3. Test each animal in the evening. 4. Test for 3 days. |