1. experimental procedure – the specific techniques used in conducting a particular experiment.

A procedure should be easy to follow. It should have step-by-step directions for conducting the experiment. Often it includes a sketch of how to set-up the experiment. The directions may be numbered to be sure they are done in the correct order.

The steps of research by the scientific method can be summarized like this:

1. Formulate a Question. Define the Question. Review the Literature.
2. Collect Data. Preparation: Make Hypothesis Testable (Operationalization)
3. Test Hypothesis. Organize the Data.
4. Conclusion. Look for Other Possible Explanations.

To support or refute a hypothesis, the scientist must collect data. A great deal of logic and effort goes into designing tests to collect data so the data can answer scientific questions. Data is usually collected by experiment or observation.

Data may be grouped into four main types based on methods for collection: observational, experimental, simulation, and derived.

A conclusion is a statement based on experimental measurements and observations. It includes a summary of the results, whether or not the hypothesis was supported, the significance of the study, and future research.

A conclusion is, in some ways, like your introduction. You restate your thesis and summarize your main points of evidence for the reader. You can usually do this in one paragraph. In the following example, the thesis statement is in bold.

For each paragraph, the reader should be able to identify what your key points are, based on the concluding sentence. It should not include any information that was not discussed in the paragraph. Concluding sentences can start out with phrases such as ‘In conclusion,’ ‘Thus,’ and ‘For this reason. ‘