Let's Experiment • iBiology

“Let’s Experiment: A Guide for Scientists Working at the Bench” (LE) is a free 6-week online course designed to help guide participants through the process of planning and executing experiments in biology. In the online course, scientists from a variety of backgrounds give concrete steps and advice to help participants build a framework for how to design experiments. Through the course, participants develop a general approach to experimental design and understand what they are getting into before they begin.

Here is a high level description of what participants learn in this course:

The elements of a well-designed experiment, including variables, controls, sample size and replication.
An introduction to experimental variability, sample size estimation, data analysis, and p-values, and how to seek help when needed.
Insights into their potential bias as an experimenter, how that affects reproducibility, and how to prevent it from impacting the design and execution of an experiment.
Experimental tips and best practices on reagent authentication, keeping a good laboratory notebook, and getting an experiment to work.

This page is for educators to access the whole or parts of the course to use in their own teaching.

Course	Let’s Experiment: A Guide for Scientists Working at the Bench (Self-Paced)
Course Link	https://courses.ibiology.org/courses/course-v1:iBiology+LE+SP/about We encourage all educators to register for the online course and review it in the online platform to read the full course text and see the course components in context.
Syllabus	Download Syllabus Course syllabus document (PDF) that describes an outline of the course content.
Educator Guide	Download Educator Guide This guide is meant to demonstrate how iBiology’s online course “Let’s Experiment: A Guide for Scientists Working at the Bench” (LE) can be used in multiple settings to assist educators when teaching experimental design. It includes examples of how to use the course content in teaching.
Full Course Content Document	Download Full Course Content This is a google doc version of the entire course. This document contains all learning objectives, lessons, graphics, links to videos and assessments. Educators can copy and paste, download, or make a copy of this document to use for their own teachings.
Assessment-Only Document	Download Assessment Document This is a google doc version of all assessments of the course. Educators can copy and paste, download, or make a copy of this document to use for their own teachings.
Course Level	Course content is for life science undergraduate and graduate students needing training in experimental design.
Educator Audience	Faculty, administrators, laboratory PIs, and research mentors looking for resources to help teach life science trainees rigorous, reproducible and transparent experimental design.
Preliminary Data	Let’s Experiment Poster

Legend:

Assessment question

Discussion prompt

Video

Infographic

File

Web resource

Type	Title	View	Download	Download w/ Subtitles	Transcript Text	Resource
Module 0: (Introduction)
	Course Trailer	View
	Term Sheet					.pdf
Module 1: An Introduction to Experimental Design
	The Art and Practice of Experimental Design	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Case Study: Neil’s Investigation of Root Growth	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Case Study: Ana’s Investigation into Mechanisms of Breast Cancer	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	What experiment to do next?	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Flowchart: What Experiment To Do Next?					.pdf
	Flowchart: What Experiment To Do Next? (White background)					.pdf
	Case Study: Neil’s Experiment	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Neil’s Experimental Setup					.png
	Case Study: Ana’s Experiment	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Ana’s Experimental Setup					.png
	Choosing a Model System	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Case Study: Neil’s Model System	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Case Study: Ana’s Model System					.png
	Assessment questions for Module 1
	Discussion questions for Module 1
Module 2: Key Elements of Experimental Design
	Keeping Track of All the Variables	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	What Are Your Controls?	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Case Study: Neil’s Internal Controls	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	What is Variation or Noise?	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	How to Think About Replication	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Variation Between Samples	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Ana’s Replicates					.png
	The Importance of Sample Size	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Assessment questions for Module 2
	Discussion questions for Module 2
Module 3: Account for Bias
	Be Rigorous and Transparent	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Case Study: Neil’s Initial Bias	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Don’t Be Wed to Your Hypothesis	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Be Aware of Measurement Bias and Blind Yourself	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Think About Your Data and How to Analyze It	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Clarifying the P-Value	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Assessment questions for Module 3
	Discussion questions for Module 3
Module 4: Gear Up to Do the Experiment
	Familiarize yourself with the protocol	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Pay Attention and Write It Down	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Case Study: Neil’s Approach to Recordkeeping	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Neil’s Lab Notebook Template (Google doc)
	Assessment questions for Module 4
	Discussion questions for Module 4
Module 5: Getting the Experiment to Work
	Pilot Your Experiment	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Getting an Experiment to Work	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Troubleshooting Framework (Google doc)
	Case Study: Neil’s Problem with Gravity	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Case Study: Ana’s 100 Clones	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Optimize Your Experiment	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Signal to Noise Graphic					.png
	Figure : Dose Response Curve Source: Int J Nanomedicine. 2013; 8: 4277–4290.					.png
	Decreasing Noise	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Case Study: Ana’s Variability in Tumor Growth	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Validate Your Results Through Orthogonal Approaches	View	High Low	High Low	Transcript
	Assessment questions for Module 5
	Discussion questions for Module 5

Tell us what you think…

We have put together these resources in an attempt to be helpful, so we very much would like to know what you think, and/or how you might be using them. We would also like to know what you think is missing or what could be better. Please reach out to us at courses@ibiology.org and gives your thoughts and feedback. Thank you!