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What is the English word / phrase for things / persons that are experimented on? I think of experimentee but I believe there may be more common words.

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You're probably thinking of the subject [of the experiment]. If so, I think that's General Reference. – FumbleFingers Oct 12 '12 at 0:04
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Perhaps the subject? – J.R. Oct 12 '12 at 0:04

closed as general reference by FumbleFingers, Robusto, Cameron, MετάEd, ghoppe Oct 12 '12 at 19:06

This question is too basic; it can be definitively and permanently answered by a single link to a standard internet reference source designed specifically to find that type of information. See the FAQ for guidance on how to improve it.

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Subject (or research subject) may be the most common one. Guinea pig for unwitting subjects, or subjects unethically treated.

In psychological experiments a confederate is a study assistant that interacts with the subject but whom the subject believes is not involved in any such capacity. Typically subjects are led to believe that confederates are also subjects.

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Participant is being pushed as a replacement for subject. – emory Oct 12 '12 at 2:22
see the APA on subjects versus participants: apastyle.org/learn/faqs/subjects-and-participants.aspx – Jeromy Anglim Oct 12 '12 at 5:12
@emory Some reference would be nice. – Kris Oct 12 '12 at 6:09
Note that "guinea pig" is also permitted when the subjects are in fact guinea pigs. – lonesomeday Oct 12 '12 at 8:08
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The thing you conduct your experiment on is its subject.

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I've written a few research protocols for human subjects. – Fuhrmanator Oct 12 '12 at 0:07
Thing, or as in the present case, a person or any animate object. – Kris Oct 12 '12 at 6:10
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Human subjects

"The United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) defines a human research subject as a living individual about whom a research investigator (whether a professional or a student) obtains data through 1) intervention or interaction with the individual, or 2) identifiable private information (32 CFR 219.102.f). (Lim,1990)"

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