August 1, 2014 (Vol. 34, No. 14)
URL:
http://www.protocol-online.org
Rating:
Strong Points: Research protocols from diverse fields, active online forum
Weak Points: Random collection of protocols, not a comprehensive resource
Summary:
A grab bag of online protocol resources, Protocol Online is a good place to start if you find yourself ready to try a new technique, but lacking a protocol to do so. The website has incredible range, providing protocols that are organized into 19 diverse categories such as biochemistry, histology, microbiology, plant biology, and research tools. However, potential site visitors should be aware that each category itself is largely incomplete—that is, this website might be best described as a “jack of all trades, master of none.” That said, given the easy “search” feature, it is worth a few seconds of one’s time to see if the desired protocol (or at least a good starting point) can be found within the website’s pages. In addition to the protocol listings, there is also an online forum that may be useful for researchers with specific questions or troubleshooting concerns. The forum is quite active, and old threads are archived and indexed by discipline for easy reference.
