Experiment Design: Writing a Procedure Design Tips

There are many ways to write a method or procedure.  The main point of any procedure is to help your audience repeat steps that have been found to be effective.  Even the best procedures can be understood differently from different people.  Some procedures are more important than others.  Consider the consequences for giving a child medicine incorrectly.  Let's look at some of the design tips for a good procedure.

Source: netdoctor.cdnds.net

Number every step.

Put the steps in the order in which they should be done. 

This makes sense, since you want the reader to do the steps in the right order. This technique eliminates the dreaded “do this after you do that” problem, which is where sequencing comes in. We’ll talk about that later.

Use command-style sentences that begin with a verb, such as “do this” and “open that.” 

If you use “you should” or “you might,” the reader may think there is another way to what you’re describing. Even worse, if you use passive voice—”will be copied” or “will be opened”—the reader may not be able to tell what to do and what happens automatically. When you use verbs to tell someone what to do you are using "imperative verbs."  These are the best for procedures.

Use one action per step. 

Example from child's medicine bottle:

1. shake well before opening
2. find right amount in the chart below
3. remove the bottle cap
4. insert the syringe and fill to dose level
5. disperse liquid slowly into child's mouth
6. repeat dose every 4 hours if needed
   source: Tylenol.com

Use the phrase "repeat steps..." when possible

Avoid repeating the same thing with one different item.  See examples below:

Example:

1. Heat 3 amounts of at least 300 ml of water to 20, 50 and 70 degrees celsius
2. Measure 300 ml of tap water
3. Pour carefully into a 500 ml beaker
4. Place 3 drops of food coloring into the beaker 1 cm from the surface
5. Repeat steps 1-4 with each temperature liquid

Instead of:

1. Measure 300 ml of 20 degree water
2. Pour carefully into a 500 ml beaker
3. Place 3 drops of food coloring into the beaker 1 cm from the surface
4. Measure 300 ml of 50 degree water
5. Pour carefully into a 500 ml beaker
6. Place 3 drops of food coloring into the beaker 1 cm from the surface
7. Measure 300 ml of 70 degree water
8. Pour carefully into a 500 ml beaker
9. Place 3 drops of food coloring into the beaker 1 cm from the surface

Feedback

Consider asking someone to read your procedure. If it is your own procedure you may think you are explaining something well, but leave something important from your set of steps.  Ask the person to identify places in the procedure that are not clear and then revise those places and make them more clear.

Works cited:

Edgerton, Rebecca N. "The 'How To' of How To's: Writing Procedures Like a Pro." The “How To” of “How To’s”: Writing Procedures Like a Pro (n.d.): n. pag. The “How To” of “How To’s”: Writing Procedures Like a Pro. Oregon State, 22 May 2000. Web. 18 Jan. 2016.
"Designing Experiments."LabCheck : Improving Your Lab Report. Web. 18 Jan. 2016.

"Welcome to the Purdue OWL."Purdue OWL: Writing in Psychology: Experimental Report Writing. Web. 18 Jan. 2016.