Writing about Methodology: Basic Components

1 PROVIDE A GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF THE

MATERIALS/METHODS

RESTATE THE PURPOSE OF THE WORK

GIVE THE SOURCE OF MATERIALS/EQUIPMENT USED

SUPPLY ESSENTIAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION

2 PROVIDE SPECIFIC AND PRECISE DETAILS ABOUT MATERIALS AND

METHODS (i.e. quantities, temperatures, duration, sequence, conditions,
locations, sizes)

JUSTIFY CHOICES MADE

INDICATE THAT APPROPRIATE CARE WAS TAKEN

3 RELATE MATERIALS/METHODS TO OTHER STUDIES

1. Provide enough details and references to enable a trained scientist to evaluate or

repeat your work

The Materials and Methods section should cover

 Materials (drugs, culture media, buffers, gases, or apparatus used)

 Subjects (patients, experimental materials, animals, microorganisms, plants)

For medical studies include: (a) Total number of subjects

(b) Number of subjects receiving treatment
(c) How subjects were selected
(d) Details such as sex and age if relevant

 Design (includes independent and dependent variables, experimental and control

groups)
 Procedure (what, how, and why you did something)

2. Include materials and methods, but not results

3. Provide literature references where needed

Example 3-1 Referring to previously described methods

 a. Plasmids were isolated according to Braun (19).
b. Plasmids were isolated according to Braun (19). Briefly, E.coli
cells were lyzed using X before plasmid DNA was precipitated
with Y…

Example 3-2 Referring to described methods that were modified

Plasmid were isolated according to Braun (19) with minor
Modifications. Instead of dissolving DNA pellets in sterile
Water, pellets were dissolved in buffer A.

4. Include sufficient technical details to let others repeat your work

Example 4-1 Providing sufficient detail

a. To lyze the cells, we used 250 ul of SDS-solubilization buffer
(10 mM Tris-HCI pH 7.5, 150 mM NaCl, 1mM EDTA pH 8.0,
1% SDS x/v, 1:100 100mM Phenyl-methylsulfonyl fluoride
(PMSF), and 100x Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)). After lysis,
cells were resuspended once the supernatant had been
removed.
b. To lyze the cells, we used 250 ul of SDS-solubilization buffer
(10 mM Tris-HCI pH 7.5, 150 mM NaCl, 1mM EDTA pH 8.0,
1% SDS x/v, 1:100 100mM Phenyl-methylsulfonyl fluoride
(PMSF), and 100x Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)). After lysis,
cells were resuspended in 100ul sterile saline after the
removal of the supernatant.

5. Explain the purpose for any procedure whose function is not clear.

Example 5-1 Topic sentence/Statement of Purpose

a. To purify prolyl 4-hyderoxylase from human placenta, full-
term human plancentae were collected 30 min after delivery.

6. Use parentheses for technical specification

Manufacturer’s names, lot numbers, names of machinery, statistical information, and

additional explanations/specifications

7. Indicate any statistical analysis performed

Example 6-1 Statistical Information

a. One-way analysis of variance was performed using the GLM

procedure of SAS.
b. Differences between least square means were determined by
orthogonal comparisons.
Writing about Methodology: Format
 1. Arrange experimental details as protocols grouped in chronological order or by
subsections.
Example 1-1 Cultures. Samples taken from the superficial and the deep fascia in the
forearm were prepared as previously described (12). To determine
potential sources of infection, swabs from weight room equipment were
obtained. In addition, cultures were taken from swabs of the school locker
rooms and bathrooms. Isolated bacterial and fungal colonies were
identified by standard microbiologic methods.

Examples of Subheadings:
Antibodies
Analysis of X Chemicals and Reagents
Cell Cultures Data Analysis
Cloning Outcome Measures
Materials Protein Expression and Purification
Plasmids Statistical Analysis
Sequence Analysis Study Population
Study Design Treatment Protocol
Synthesis of Y
2. Signal the link between different topics.

3. Place full descriptions of procedures or other lengthy details in an appendix.