Research plan for INTEL ISEF

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Minuoja
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:44 pm
Occupation: student: 10th grade
Project Question: n/a
Project Due Date: February 20th 2011: deadline to upload the written report
Project Status: I am just starting

Research plan for INTEL ISEF

Post by Minuoja »

Hi,

I am presently writing down my research plan to apply for INTEL. I have a question about it. In the instructions, it is written that the procedures should be written in DETAILS. I am not sure if what I have written is detailed enough, because I don't want it to be too long either. For example, here a paragraph:
Quantification of IFN-γ by ELISA

Levels of IFN-γ secreted by C57BL/6 cells were measured using an ELISA sandwich assay. Briefly, 96-well ELISA plates were coated with 100 µl/well of anti-IFN-γ antibody diluted (1/250) in 0.1M sodium carbonate buffer, pH 9.5 for 16 hr at 4°C. The plate was washed with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) containing 0.05% Tween (0.05% Tween/PBS), and the plate was blocked with PBS containing 10% FCS (10% FCS/PBS) (1h, 25°C). The plate was washed again with 0.05% Tween/PBS, and 100 µl of supernatant from C57BL/6 cells or IFN-γ standard, diluted in 10% FCS/PBS in duplicate were added and incubated (2h, 25°C). The plate was washed again with 0.05% Tween/PBS, and a dilution of biotinylated anti-mouse IgG antibody and HRP-conjugated streptavidin were added to each well (1h, 25°C). After washing, TMB substrate solution (100 µl/well) were added, and the reaction was stopped after 30 min. Absorbance was measured at 450 nm using an ELISA reader (Bio-Tek Instruments Inc., Winooski, VT).

In this paragraph, I haven't explained how the standards are prepared. Is it important or is it detailed enough?

Thank you!
Minuoja
Snobs3747
Former Expert
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 9:57 am
Occupation: Student: 11th grade
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Re: Research plan for INTEL ISEF

Post by Snobs3747 »

Hello, thanks for the great question!

To start off I'd like to say that your paragraph had great detail and reference to measurements (which is always good). I believe that you should mention how the standards are prepared, because that is definitely a part of the experiment and needs explaining. Once again the details are great in your paragraph, but if you would like to change it up, you could add a bit more explanation to steps. My science teachers in the past have always told me to write things as if a common person (not a science teacher) was reading it. HOwever, you are sending this to INTEL ISEF, so you can consider this suggestion and decide whether or not you want to do it.

I hope that helps!

-Snobs3747
Minuoja
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:44 pm
Occupation: student: 10th grade
Project Question: n/a
Project Due Date: February 20th 2011: deadline to upload the written report
Project Status: I am just starting

Re: Research plan for INTEL ISEF

Post by Minuoja »

Hi,

Thank you for your help! I've considered all of your suggestions and finished my report. Hopefully, I'll be selected for INTEL ISEF.

Thank you very much,

Minuoja
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