For the results of your experiments and scientific discoveries to be completely valid and a dependable source of information, extra care must be taken to ensure that the precision of your methodology is at the highest possible level.
The veracity of all scientific studies depends on accuracy, provability, and repeat validity, and in many ways, this pursuit marks the reason for all science in the first place.
It can be difficult to improve your studies without the right conditions, time, or resources, but it is doable and should be the main concern of any aspiring scientist – here are some tips to help you do just that.
Utilize the Right Equipment
The most accurate results are often arrived at through the best equipment, and the world of science tech is consistently evolving, so it is worth keeping your eye out if you think it might be time for an upgrade.
For example, if you need to practice chemical analytics, you may wish to note that some of the best x-ray diffractometers are now exceptionally easy to use, offer rapid sample identification and data acquisition, and they are readily accessible from great suppliers like Malvern Panalytical.
The fundamental labware is important to get right, too, especially since wear and tear can lead to comprised samples if you are not too careful, so upgrading your beakers, flasks, tubes, wire stands, and various other basics should be able to help you maintain optimal conditions.
Practice Iteration
Iteration is a method of repeating your experiments (or certain steps within the sequence) with the knowledge you gained from the previous attempt.
This is a good way of improving the effectiveness of the variables in your experiments and developing a sequence of results that you can later use to refer back to and determine which factors are altering the outcome.
Finding out which factors are altering the outcome (if it is altered) can enable you to adjust accordingly.
Keep Your Data Organized
Throughout your studies and experiments, you will likely create a huge amount of data from a wealth of sources.
To avoid becoming inundated with a mess of numbers and incohesive findings, storing your data efficiently and safely is crucial.
This can generally help you speed up your processes and allow you to maximize the effectiveness of your results.
There might be nothing quite as annoying as trying to explain a hypothesis and struggling to find your own evidence to support it.
A good cloud-based data asset management system could be able to help you with this, particularly if you go for a dedicated platform built for scientists.
Larger Sample Sizes
The bigger the sample size, the more valid your results will be, as they will not only be more representative, but they could help you identify outliers, pesky variables that could mislead you in your research.
This is not always possible, of course, and in nearly every case, the accuracy of your studies will depend on the nature of the subject in question.