Ask a question intended to be researched. This is an important initial step required for a research project. You should have a basic idea as to what question the experimental design should answer and defines the purpose of the experiment. It generally could include some basic research to help invigorate the thought process and a little imagination. A hypothetical question would be how different antiseptic cleaners affect the growth of bacteria on a plate.
Research the question topic. Libraries and the Internet are good sources for information of the experimental question. It is important for you to thoroughly research the question and learn what other individuals have done. For example, the question of antiseptic cleaners is not uncommon and many cleaners have previously been tested. Conduct sufficient research in the topic area to gain a better understanding of how to experiment in order to find an answer to the initial question.
Formulate the hypothesis of experiment outcome and conclusions. The hypothesis is an educated guess at what your experiment will likely prove. Previous research should help you reach a potential outcome relative to what other individuals have concluded. The hypothetical experiment with antiseptic cleaners could be used to investigate ingredients in the cleaners that are most effective against bacteria. Investigating other cleaners with similar components could provide a useful guess of which cleaners are as affective.
Plan the experiment. Experimental design should include the purpose of the intended experiment, variables to be tested and controls. It is very important to have a control in any experiment to determine a normal condition. Variables will be measured against the control. For testing antiseptic cleaners, a good control group would be bacteria grown without presence of any cleaner. The experimental design should include all necessary materials required to conduct the tests involved. It should also include how final data will be analyzed to reach a conclusion and an answer to the initial question. You are now ready to begin your experiment.