Consensus protocol

What is a consensus protocol?

I believe a consensus protocol is a good idea for the protocols section of OWW, others seem to agree but there does not appear to be a consensus (!) about how to implement this. If DNA Ligation is the current best practice for protocols it leaves a lot to be desired (from my point of view) as it is not actually a protocol in it's own right but just links to other lab specific protocols.

What I would like to see is the consensus protocol being the page where new users of a protocol start their research. They will probably try this protocol and see if it works or compare it with what the person down the hall is doing or the photocopy of a labbook they were given outlining how someone did this two years ago!

Once they have some experience, or have just read the protocols and notes then they might go to a lab specific protocol which may be more applicable to them; e.g. different labs have different H&S, legal, technical, cultural ways of doing things.

Consensus protocol template

Here is my Jamesh008:consensus protocol template.

And here is my rendition of the DNA ligation protocol as I see the consensus DNA ligation protocol should look.

Why

The reason I have done this is mainly that I have lots of protocols to add and would like them to be of use to lots of other people. Things could easily get buried away in my lab page if I only add protocols there.

Once there is a consensus on how to approach this I am happy to write a how to guide for adding new protocols. I have already learnt a lot from other users and by having a go.