Plate Layout Example for Edge Effects

A plate-based assay shows stronger signal in wells near one side of the plate.

This example shows how layout planning can reduce the chance that location effects are mistaken for treatment effects.

Number of conditions, controls, and replicates.

Whether outer wells are known to behave differently for this assay.

Whether sample order can be balanced across plate regions.

Place controls deliberately and distribute conditions rather than grouping every replicate in one region.

Keep a clear plate map so later analysis can identify whether a pattern follows biology or position.

Putting all controls in one corner.

Using unclear abbreviations that become ambiguous during analysis.

Ignoring empty or edge wells when comparing conditions.