Day 14 What goes in the materials and methods sections of papers
June 27th, 2025
14.1 What is the purpose of a M&M section?
- Understanding the study
- Let someone else replicate your results
- Peer review
- Attendance today: fill out this form.
14.2 Fungicide x barley genotypes review
Grown in 1995-1996 at the Scottish Crop Research Institute. 4 blocks, 2 fungicide treatments, and 70 barley varieties. Total area was 10 rows (north/south) by 56 beds (east/west).
14.3 Some examples
And remember:
- Treatment Structure
- Defines the treatment mean
- Deterministic part of the model
- Design Structure
- Defines the dependence patterns in the data
- Stochastic (random) part of the model
Test: can you make a sketch of the data generating process?
Figure 14.1: M&M example 1 - Study objective: To evaluate the effects of second iron injection and dietary iron levels on growth performance, hematological parameters, serum and liver mineral content, fecal score, short-chain fatty acids, and the microbiome of pigs.
Figure 14.2: M&M example 2 - Study objective: To understand of stress effects (e.g., water or nitrogen deficit) on senescence of field-grown plants.
Figure 14.3: M&M example 3 - Study objective: To describe the vertical distribution of soybean aphid within a soybean plant over time and to define optimal sample units of varying sizes