Simply choose a spot that is sunny and drains well. Turn the soil over a few times with a spade to loosen it up and plant each bulb so that there is 4 times the amount of soil on top of the bulb as the size of the bulb. Planting depth is not terribly critical, so you don't need a ruler. Watering is critical, so be sure you water them in well, and if we have an unusually dry winter, water on a warm day about once a month throughout the winter. Once the foliage starts emerging in the spring, you'll want to be sure they receive ample moisture until after they're done blooming.
Larger bulbs provide larger blooms.
Even though I recommend planting the bulbs in a well-prepared bed in September or October, I have been known not to follow my own good advice. This has happened on more than one occasion, and the results have always been spectacular. So don't feel that you need to be experienced or scientifically exact in your bulb planting. This provides the bulb with nourishment to bloom again next year. You can use bulbs as a mass planting for the most color effect, in containers for accent, or in the landscape to provide early color.