Science Fair

Resource
Packet

Starting Your Science Fair Project

1. Selecting a Topic/Idea to Experiment
~Pick something you are interested in learning more about.
~Your problem should be one where the answer is not completely obvious
(If the answer is obvious, your topic will probably become stale very quickly and you will get bored)

~Make sure you will be able to measure something in your experiment

(numbers for data).

~Select a problem that wont require a long period of experimentation.

(Less than 2 weeks is ideal!!)

~make sure you are able to find plenty of research on various variables
involved in your problem (Its a good idea to research before you pick a problem)
~Growing something seems like seem like a fun idea but it requires a lot of
work. Trying to grow something will require work everyday (thats like giving
yourself HW every night!!) If you are interested in growing something limit it to
something that would do so in less than 3 weeks. It is also important to
note that you will be experimenting during the fall and winter months
which make it hard to grow something unless you have a greenhouse.
~Some projects require special paperwork before experimenting. Check with
your teacher.
2. Project Ideas Resources
out these sites. It is not suggested that you use these topics exactly but they can give you a good ideas.
http://www.cdli.ca/sciencefairs/intermed.html

Look at intermediate and senior projects to get started.

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas.shtml
http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/
*Check search engines like Google, Yahoo, etc. by typing in your topic and various
words associated with it. Also, consider checking encyclopedias and books to find
information about your project idea.

Science Fair Proposal

It is suggested that you type (and save) your proposal before turning proposal in to your teacher.
This is not the actual proposal but a guide to help you with writing yours.

Project Topic: One sentence topic idea

Project Purpose: Paragraph describing why you want to do this project and
how it will benefit the world.

Variables
Independent- Test variable- the variable you are changing.
Dependent- Results variable. What are you trying to test.
Controls- Comparison variable and controls to validate experimentation. This is held constant
throughout the experiment

Extraneous Accident variable; those variables that could affect validity of experimentation; You
should try to control these variables.

Experiment Methodology
Hypothesis: Prediction of results. Include your variables. Prediction should include numerical
prediction, if applicable.
Procedure: List step by step ~numerically ~ how you plan to conduct your experiment
References: Five sources that provide background information for your project or variables.

ISEF Paperwork
All forms on shared drive: Science Fair Paperwork 2011-2012. Type and save to your h: drive
Additional Project Forms

All Projects
or Mold

1 Checklist for Adult Sponsor (teacher signs)

Qualified Scientist
1A Student Checklist
B
1a Research Plan: typed responses
Agent (A)
1B Approval Form (parent signature)

Human Subjects

Tissue

2 Qualified Scientist

4 Human Subject & Informed Consent

6A or

Vertebrate Animals

Biological
Tissue (B)
Hazardous Chemicals Activity or

HOW TO GUIDE

DO NOT USE THE WORDS I, WE, OR YOU ANY WHERE IN YOUR PROJECT

Purpose/Rationale
2 sentences in length

Sentence # 1 What is the problem/question you want to find the answer to.
EX: The purpose of this experiment is to find out what effect salt has on how fast water boils.

Sentence # 2- State the independent and dependent variables

EX: For this experiment the independent variable will be the amount of salt and the dependent will be the time it takes to boil.

Save your work on your computer so you dont have to retype it to make corrections.

How to Write a Hypothesis

1 sentence in length

Hypothesis should be written in the If..then.. format taught in class.

o If.(your proposed answer to the problem).
EX: If adding salt to water affects the time it takes water to boil, then..
o Then(What you plan on measuring to prove the if portion of your statement)
EX: If adding salt to water affects the time it takes water to boil, then pots of water with salt added
will take longer to boil than pots with no salt in them.
Must include numerical prediction
Save your work on your computer so you dont have to retype it to make corrections.

How to Write a Scientific Procedure

Numbered List

Procedure should be typed. Save your procedure to a disk so you dont have to write it again to make corrections.
Different steps should be numbered.
Directions should be detailed and specific telling the reader EXACTLY how to perform the
experiment and how to set up the conditions under which it should take place.
Description and size of all experimental and control groups, as applicable
The procedure must explain how you will measure the resulting change in the dependent variable
or variables
The procedure should specify how many times you intend to repeat your experiment, so that you
can verify that your results are reproducible
All measurements should be in metric units (meters, liters, grams, Celsius)
Include exactly how measurements should be done, and when!
After the steps are completed read through and compile a materials list of everything that is
needed and how much of it is needed to perform the experiment

Example Materials List and Procedure

Materials
CD player & a CD (low drain device)

Three identical flashlights (medium drain device)

Camera flash (high drain device)
AA size Duracell and Energizer batteries
AA size of a "heavy-duty" (non-alkaline) battery (I used Panasonic)
Voltmeter & a AA battery holder
Kitchen timer

Procedure
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Number each battery so you can tell them apart.

Measure each battery's voltage by using the voltmeter.
Put the same battery into one of the devices and turn it on.
Let the device run for thirty minutes before measuring its voltage again. (Record the voltage in a table every time it is
measured.)
Repeat #4 until the battery is at 0.9 volts or until the device stops.
Do steps 15 again, three trials for each brand of battery in each experimental group.
For the camera flash push the flash button every 30 seconds and measure the voltage every 5 minutes.

8.
9.

For the flashlights rotate each battery brand so each one has a turn in each flashlight.
For the CD player repeat the same song at the same volume throughout the tests.

Background Research
*2 to 3 pages in length Font Times New Roman Size 10 or 12, double spaced or 1.5 lines
You must use a combination of a minimum of 5 print and electronic sources
Your background research section should include the following:
1. Introduce the viewer to the topic
To do a good introduction, assume that your audience knows a little science but is not familiar
with your topic or subject at all. Quotes from books or other experts are appropriate as long as
you document the source and use correct citation.
The following are example questions to answer for a topic/subject of Acids----What is an
acid?
-How are acids made?
-When where they discovered?
-What do acids do?
-what are acids used for?
-How do you identify an acid?
-What happens when you put acid on something? (explain everything you can find so others understand what
you are doing)

2. Lastly, after laying the ground work, discuss specifically the part of the topic you are
experimenting with include discussion about how the variables might affect your
experiment.
EX last paragraph
The amount of acid that touches an object impacts the amount of damage done to an object. Examples of damage that may occur to a
material acid is put on includes; melting, holes, color change, and temperature change. Variables in a situation where the effect of how changing the
amount of acid changes the amount of damage done are as follows: starting temperature of the material, type of material, how the acid is applied,
and how long the acid is left on the material.
It is important to keep the starting temperature for all samples the same because acids act differently in different temperatures. Also it is
important to keep them all the same because the ending temperature recorded might get inflated because the starting temp is higher. Material is
another variable that influence the action of acids. Since the effect of the amount is being tested the material each amount is put on needs to be the
same. Otherwise different results might be produced because of differences in material not amount. For example if one amount was put on cotton
and the next sample was put on metal different results would occur but it might be due to the material. Application of the acid to the material needs
to be the same for all samples for example a using a dropper instead of a paint brush. The are the acid touches is different for the different
applicators. If different applicators were used measurements of the amount of surface areas eaten away by the acid could be observed as different
and mistakenly attributed to the amount of acid applied. ..

How to Site Quotations or Ideas from a Source in Your Science Fair Background
Research
Books, Encyclopedia, Magazine, Newspaper:
Name of author in parenthesis before the period in the quote.
If you used two books by the same author just indicate which book by including the year in the
parenthesis.
If multiple authors just put the first alphabetically (by last name) to use as a reference.
EX:Science is the best class in the world(Brown).
Internet:
Source with an author given:
Name of author in parenthesis after quote
If last name the same as another source include date info was accessed with name
Source with no author given:
Name of main web site accessed in parenthesis after quote
EX:
Science is the best class in the world(www.sciencenewstoday.com).

You should site anything in your paper that is not your own original thought. You do not need to cite general information you find on
a topic but any specific facts or ideas that you use should be cited. If you use a phrase directly from a source because they word it
perfectly that is fine just give credit to the source by citing the source OTHERWISE IT IS PLAGERISM (STEALING SOMEONE
ELSES IDEAS)!!!! PLAGERISM IS EASY TO SPOT WHEN DIRECT QUOTES ARE TAKEN FROM ANOTHER SOURCE!!!!

How to Write a Bibliography

A bibliography is an alphabetical list of all of the sources you have consulted for an essay or research
paper. You must list your sources in a specific format. Use this guide to create your bibliography in the
correct format.
Remember:
Always underline the title of the work cited.
Alphabetize by the authors last name.
If there is no author, alphabetize by the title.
Always indent the lines after the first line. (1 tab)
Always leave one space after commas and two spaces after periods and colons.
Examples:
For a book with one author:
Robinson, Adam. What Smart Students Know. New York: Crown Paperbacks, 1993.
For a book with two authors:
Sorensen, Sharon, and Bob LeBreck. The Research Paper. New York: Amsco

Publications, 1994.

For a book with no author:

The World of Learning. London: Europa Publications, 1995.
A signed article in an encyclopedia:
Rupp, Ernest Gordon. Erasmus. Encyclopedia Britannica: Macropedia. 1991

edition.

An unsigned article in an encyclopedia:

Mandarin. Encyclopedia Americana. 1991 edition.
An article in a magazine:
Begley, Sharon. A Healthy Dose of Laughter. Newsweek. October 4 1982:

74-78.

An article in a newspaper:
Brody, Jane E. Multiple Cancers Termed on Increase. New York Times.

October 10 1976: A 37.

An article from a CD-ROM:

Settles, Gary S. Absolute Zero. Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. 1997.
An article from an internet site:
Bradshaw, Gary S. Wilbur and Orville Wright. October 1996:
<http://www.wam.umd.edu/~srwright/WrBr/Wrights.html
Interviews:
Lagasse, Emeril. E-mail interview. October 10, 2005.
Utley, Chase. Personal interview. October 10, 2005.

DATA LOG BOOK

spiral notebook
This is your journal or diary for your project
Start this on the first day of your project. Write qualitative descriptions of your experiment as well.
Experimentation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Purpose must be a 5 sentence paragraph stating why you would like to do this experiment?
Hypothesis must be written with number
Procedure must be written in steps.
You must use metric measurements.
You must identify variables for experimentation
a. Independent- purpose of experiment
b. Dependent- results of experiment
c. Control- constant for comparison and testing validity
d. Extraneous- impossible to control. Will not invalidate results
6. Figure length of testing; how often to test and how to collect information
7. Have list and amount of materials
8. You must have reliable amount trials or test subjects
a. 10 plans per variable
b. 25 human subjects per variable
c. 5 trials per variable

Data Collection:
1. Log must be dated (date and time)
2. You must write in pen.
3. Make certain data is written in tables or charts.

Data Analysis
1-2 paragraphs in length
This is an important part of your Science Fair Project!!!
A data analysis is a DISCUSSION of the data you collected. This is when you try to make
sense of the data. You may reference graphs or data tables. Once again DO NOT USE I, ME,
YOU, ETC. You should discuss the following things in your analysis section adding in any other
thoughts needed. By the end of your discussion the reader should have a good
understanding of what happened in your experiment.
o
o
o
o
o
o

What did the data prove or disprove numerically according to your hypothesis?
What fluctuations, deviations or variances occurred in the data.
How did extraneous variables affect the data? (Ex: holidays, little brother, etc)
What are the trends represented by the graph?
How is the data related to scientific theories you talked about in your background research.
How can numerical discrepancies be explained?

DO NOT MAKE RECOMENDATIONS (CONCLUSIONS) ABOUT WHAT YOUR DATA SHOWS!!

For example, do not discuss what new things were learned or how this could benefit mankind or what other experiments
need to be done. This is done in your conclusion section.

Conclusion

1 paragraph in length
Almost done your science fair project!
The conclusion is supposed to wrap up your experiment. It briefly sums up what was
learned from the experiment and give any recommendations for future experimenting. Answer
the following questions in your conclusion
1.
2.
3.
4.

What was your hypothesis?

Was your hypothesis supported or not supported (site data for this from your experiment)
What should be changed/adjusted if this experiment was done again?
Suggest other experiments that might be done to continue our understanding of the topic. (basically;

what other things should be tested that are related to this) EX: tested acids- you might suggest similar tests be done with
bases.
5. List/discuss applications of what you learned from this for real life. (Explain how this new information
would be useful to people. This might not save a life but it can help in some way.)

Abstract

length 250 words maximum

After finishing research and experimentation, you need to write a one page (250 word max)
abstract. This is always done last! But it will probably be the first thing anyone will read about
your experiment. The abstract is like the book jacket summary for a novel. The reader reads
this to see if they want to read the whole report. An abstract should include the following;
1.

What was the purpose of the experiment?

(what did you hope to learn, what problem was the experiment

trying to answer)

-once again this might not be some super important goal but you were still trying to learn
something.
Describe briefly the general procedure used. (Hit the highlights i.e. the variables)
Describe the data that was collected. (briefly summarize the data and note any patterns or
anything unusual that was observed)
4. What conclusions were reached at the end of your experiment?
-hypothesis (supported or not supported)
5. You could also include discussion about how this research is useful to the world.
2.
3.