This part of IEC 60068 provides guidance for selecting amongst the IEC 60068-2 stationary vibration test methods Fc sinusoidal@ Fh random and F(x) Mixed mode vibration. The different steady-state test methods and their aims are briefly described in Clause 4. Transient test methods are not included. For vibration testing@ the environmental conditions@ especially the dynamic conditions for the specimen@ should be known. This standard helps to collect information about the environmental conditions (Clause 5)@ to estimate or measure the dynamic conditions (Clause 6) and gives examples to enable decisions to be made on the most applicable environmental vibration test method. Starting from the condition@ the method of selecting the appropriate test is given. Since real life vibration conditions are dominated by vibration of a random nature@ random testing should be the commonly used method@ The methods included hereafter may be used to examine the vibration response of a specimen under test before@ during and after vibration testing. The selection for the appropriate excitation method is described in Clause 8 and tabulated in Table 2. In this standard specification@ writers will find information concerning vibration test methods and guidance for their selection. For guidance on test parameters@ or severities of one of the test methods@ reference should be made to the normative references.