Procedure (Method)
The
procedure has several parts to it:
A fully labelled
diagram of the experimental equipment.
This should
be so detailed that a person could carry out the experiment just
from the diagram !
It needs to
use recognized scientific symbols and diagram sections.... you may
also add sketch diagrams to illustrate how readings are taken.
It must be
fully labelled with specifications of the equipment (e.g. '250 ml
beaker' rather than just 'beaker'). Measuring instuments must have
their range as well as increments marked on them (e.g. rather than
'thermometer' you would put a mercury filled thermometer with a
range of -10oC to 110oC in 0.5 oC
increments)
Any readings
to be taken should be clearly marked on the diagram with carefully
drawn arrow diagrams if needed.
A full side
of A4 should be given to this!
A full list of
equipment - including minor parts
This should
be done on a separate sheet of paper as a list to be given to the
technician. S/he will return it to you with your requested items.
Full specifications
of the equipment (e.g. '250 ml beaker' rather than just 'beaker')
must be requested. Measuring instuments must have their range as
well as increments marked on them (e.g. rather than 'thermometer'
you would put a mercury filled thermometer with a range of -10oC
to 110oC in 0.5 oC increments).
Odds and ends
such as: 4 connecting wires, 2 croc clips, sellotape etc. must be
itemised.
A risk assessment
List all of the possible hazards you have identified and how you intend
to avoid them.
A set of instructions
These should
be in past impersonal tense:
'The apparatus was set up as shown
in the diagram. The beaker was filled with 100 ml water.....'
This is far better than a list of instructions with bullet points
- but you may want to start off with such a list and then translate
it into the correct form of English for scientific writing.
The order must
be logical.
Don't forget
to say that the experiment was repeated, how many times it was repeated
etc.
Remember to
say that results were recorded - in a table of whatever, averaged,
and that a graph was plotted.
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