What Are The Steps That Are Involved In Conducting An Experiment?

To conduct an experiment there are various important steps.

First you need to identify what you want to study in the experiment. This may be a problem you have come up against, an ongoing interest or something assigned to you by someone else.

Second, you need to find out what others have done. This will involve a study of the literature and talking with others who have some expertise.

Third, you need to design the experiment. What materials will be needed? What equipment would be useful? What environmental conditions would suit the experiment?

Fourth, you need to suggest a hypothesis. This is a prediction of what might happen in the experiment. It should estimate how the materials will be affected.

Fifth, you actually conduct the experiment as planned.

Sixth, you collect the results and record them.

Seventh, analyse the data and reach conclusions. You will need to compare what actually happened with the predictions in the hypothesis. The conclusions may lead to a modified experiment.

Eighth, write a final report, using the outline of these steps and giving recomendations for further work.

Steps in Conducting an Experiment

Generally there are almost 12 steps in conducting an experiment, which are as below:

1. Make a hypothesis that is appropriate for experimental research.
2. Decide about an experimental design that will test the hypothesis within practical limitations.
3. Decide how to create a situation that induces the independent variable.
4. Develop a valid and reliable measure of the dependent variable.
5. Set up an experimental setting and conduct a pilot test of the treatment and dependent variable measures.
6. Locate appropriate subjects or cases.
7. Randomly assign subjects to groups and give careful instructions.
8. Gather data for the pretest measure of the dependent variable for all groups.
9. Introduce the treatment to the experimental group only (or to the relevant groups if there are multiple experimental groups) and monitor all groups.
10. Gather data for posttest measure of the dependent variable.
11. Debrief the subjects by informing them of the true purpose and reasons for the experiment. Ask subjects what they thought was occurring.
12. Examine data collected and make comparisons between different groups. Where appropriate, use statistics and graphs to determine whether or not the hypothesis is supported.

I need to submit a report along with an experiment on building a eukaryotic cell. How do I format the report?