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Best Practices for Laboratory SOP Writing

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How do we ensure long-term quality across all protocols?

Write for the Next Person

Section titled “Write for the Next Person”
Section titled Write for the Next Person

Assume the reader:

  • Is new to the lab
  • Is stressed
  • Has never done this protocol before

Clarity prevents mistakes.

Keep One Protocol per File

Section titled “Keep One Protocol per File”
Section titled Keep One Protocol per File

Avoid mixing multiple procedures in one document.

This improves:

  • Version control
  • Review
  • Traceability

Use Consistent Terminology

Section titled “Use Consistent Terminology”
Section titled Use Consistent Terminology

Consistency Rule

If you call it “lysis buffer” once,
do not call it “extraction buffer” later.

Section titled “Link Related SOPs”
Section titled Link Related SOPs
See also: [RNA Extraction](RNA_Extraction.md)

This creates an interconnected knowledge system.

Think in Terms of Knowledge Infrastructure

Section titled “Think in Terms of Knowledge Infrastructure”
Section titled Think in Terms of Knowledge Infrastructure

A Markdown SOP in Git is not just a document.

It is:

  • Versioned
  • Reviewable
  • Traceable
  • Publishable
  • Machine-readable

You are not just writing instructions.

You are building laboratory knowledge infrastructure.