Identify a resistor component in your circuit board. Look for small cylinder devices with stripes on them to help identify resistors. Cross-reference the resistor component you found to the electronic schematic of the circuit board to make sure it is a resistor. Write down the value of the resistor.
Clip the left lead of a 1000 ohm resistor to the alligator clip of the first two-sided alligator clip lead. Clip the right lead of the 1000 ohm resistor to one side of the second two-sided alligator clip lead. Call this clipped resistor arrangement the "parallel resistor assembly probe."
Connect the other alligator clip on the first alligator clip lead to the left lead of the resistor in the circuit board. Connect the alligator clip on the other end of the second alligator clip lead to the right lead of the resistor in the circuit board.
Turn on the power to your circuit board and the measurement equipment if attached. Write down any displayed electrical measurements such as output voltage, frequency or output current that your instruments are set to measure.
Remove the alligator clips from the resistor in the circuit board. Write down the measurements that display on your electronic measurement instruments. Note any differences in these measurements between the measurements you made with the parallel resistor in the fourth step. Use this information to decide on a different resistor to place in parallel so as to optimize your circuit design.