Students and Parents
Use the information on this page to make sure your project is ready for the District 13 Science Fair.
Student Registration
STEPS FOR COMPLETING A SCIENCE RESEARCH PROJECT
Science Research Projects can seem a little overwhelming at first. The best thing you can do is have a clear vision of your project and a well-developed timeline to help you manage your work.
Filling out the paperwork:
One of the very first things you must do before beginning a Science Research Project is filling out the appropriate forms. These forms are REQUIRED by the Ohio Academy of Science for any student participating in a District Science Day. Many of these forms have portions that MUST be completed before experimentation begins. Completion of the forms at the proper times and in their entirety is the responsibility of the student, parent, and teacher. All Required ISEF Forms can be found on the Stem Wizard Registration Site. Once Students have registered they will have access to the Form Templates to download, complete, and upload back to the site. Use the Rules Wizard link on the site to determine what forms are required.
An Abstract, ISEF Form 1, ISEF Form 1(A), ISEF Form 1(B), a Research Paper, and The Ohio Academy of Science Consent and Release Agreement are the only forms required for all projects. Additional forms may be needed for particular projects. Information is provided on each form to describe when they may be required.
Improperly completed forms are one of the leading causes of project disqualification at the district, state, and international level of competition. If you have questions about any of the forms which your teacher cannot answer, please contact Jamie Greiner. These forms are meant to ensure fairness, safety, and sound scientific experimentation and should not be ignored or neglected.
Check out this page from the Society for Science and the Public for in-depth information on each form:
Overview of Forms
Identify your topic:
When choosing a topic for a Science Research Project, it is important to remember that you may be spending a significant amount of time on your project; therefore, it is important the topic of your project is something that interests you. If you are not interested in butterflies, you should avoid projects involving butterflies. The following documents and websites are helpful when trying to choose a topic:
Are you having trouble finding a topic? Maybe you could consider a material science/engineering project. ASM International (a society for material engineers & scientists that are dedicated to advancing the applications of materials - including metals, ceramics, composites & plastics) makes available two $100 awards for top material science/engineering projects every year. There are members who are willing to talk about potential topic areas and selection as well.
Still having trouble choosing a topic? Try contacting faculty members at local colleges and universities and see if they have a project you could work on, or ideas they are willing to share. Additionally, governmental agencies sometimes have Science Research Project ideas on their websites. Try the USGS, EPA, Forest Service, USDA, or others. A quick Google search of "Science fair ideas" can return a lot of great references, too!
Research your topic:
Now that you have chosen a topic for your Research Project, you need to complete background research. Try using the following resources to help with your research:
Background research
Google Scholar (try typing your question directly into the search box)
While researching, it is important you keep a Log Book. In science, reproducibility is key. Your notes, not only on your research but on all aspects of your project, should be detailed enough that someone else could read your logbook and recreate your entire experiment. And at District Science Day, Judges are encouraged to view your Log Books! Check out the following document for guidance on keeping a Log Book:
Keeping a scientific notebook or log
Logbook
Establish your purpose:
It is important, before beginning your experiment, to establish the purpose of your research project. The first piece of this puzzle is determining if you have a science research project or an engineering research project. View the document below to help you decide: Is it science or engineering?
If you establish your purpose is to complete a science research project, you can start developing your research question. Use the five W's (and one H) to help you develop your research question (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How), and design your question so that you can test it! If you cannot test your question, you should change it! Check out the websites below for helpful info:
Research question help
Coming up with a question
If you establish that your research project is an engineering project, you can start developing your research goal. Instead of trying to answer a research question, you will aim to develop a design and testing criteria to meet your research goal. The document below can help you in developing a research goal: Developing a goal
If completing a science research project, you will need to establish a hypothesis. Hypotheses are statements that provide possible solutions to your research question. Generally, hypotheses are specific and not verbose.
If completing an engineering research project, you will need to establish a statement of purpose. Statements of purpose are also generally specific and to the point.
Need help forming your hypothesis or statement of purpose? Check out the link here forming a hypothesis or statement of purpose.
Plan experiment:
A sound research plan is a basis for any science or engineering research project. Without a well-organized research plan, you cannot conduct a well-organized experiment. Research plans should identify your problem, why your problem is important, your research question, your hypothesis or goal, and your variables. A thorough research plan will also help you design your experiment, make sure you have all the materials you need to complete your experiment and make sure you have all the proper safety equipment. The following documents are great tools for help in creating your research plan and in designing your experiment:
Research plan worksheet
Experimental design reference
If you are completing an engineering research project, your research plan will contain some slightly different information. Check out the documents below for guidance:
Engineering project plan
Engineering project design matrix
Conduct an experiment:
Conducting your experiment is, arguably, the most important part of the science research project process. All of your research, planning, and hypothesizing has been in preparation for this step; therefore, you want to be as meticulous and conscientious as possible while conducting your experiment.
Before you begin, make sure you have all the materials you will need, including a camera, your logbook, graph paper, required forms, safety equipment, and your research plan. Think through the entire experiment before you start to make sure all materials are nearby and that you will be able to complete the experiment in the time allotted. Make sure to record everything as you go. Do not wait until you are finished with the experiment to record your data or observations. If you are unsure about which data you should be collecting, use the following worksheet: collecting and interpreting data.
If you are completing an engineering research project, your experiment step will be slightly different. Instead of designing an experiment, you will be designing an object. After you have completed the design, you will want to build a prototype and then test that prototype. You may complete the building and testing phases several times throughout the course of your project. You still want to record data and observations in your logbook as you are working, and observe all proper safety precautions.
The following document provides a great synopsis of the experimentation step of the process: conducting the experiment.
Analyze results and establish a conclusion:
Now that you have completed your experiment, you need to be able to look at your data and results and determine exactly what it is you discovered. In the process, you will have the opportunity to critically examine your work during the experimentation process and decide if you should repeat that step again, or if it has raised other questions you might like to address. You will also discover if you made any mistakes, if your experiment is complete, if you forgot a step, or if you need to gather more/different data. The following resources can help you critically examine your data and results, as well as help you determine the best way to present the information.
Analyzing data
Interpreting results/forming conclusions
Creating Graphs
Once you have finished analyzing your data, you will be able to form your conclusion. Was your hypothesis supported or rejected? Were there factors that may have affected the outcome of your experiment? What about your results surprised you? These are all questions to ponder when forming your conclusion and writing your discussion section.
Write the research paper and abstract:
Your research paper is how judges, other science fair participants, and the general public can follow your project from beginning to end. A good research paper includes relevant introductory information, your hypothesis or statement of purpose, the materials and methods you used, the data you gathered, and the conclusion you reached. The very last section included in your research paper will be your bibliography, the section where you cite sources of information you used to support, guide, and assist you in your research. Any citations mentioned throughout your research report should be listed in the bibliography. The research paper shall be uploaded directly to the stem wizard registration site, it is one of the milestones for registration. For more info visit, writing the research paper.
You will also include an abstract, a short synopsis of your entire research paper. The student(s) must submit an abstract containing no more than 250 words. Beginning in 2001 abstracts are required and must be submitted for both District and State Science Days. The abstract shall be submitted directly on the stem wizard registration site. It is one of the milestones for registration.
The purpose of an abstract is to provide a summary of your project that will inform interested individuals of the contents. The wording must be written in a manner that any scientifically minded individual, who may not be familiar with your topic, can understand the project’s important points.
The following should each be summarized in a few sentences:
- Background information necessary to understand the project and its importance.
- The problem that was investigated and the hypothesis.
- Outline of the materials and methods used in the actual experimentation.
- Summary of the results obtained from experimentation.
- The conclusions drawn from results.
- The importance or potential applications that the research offers.
In the abstract, do not be concerned with including all of the details. The key point to remember when writing an abstract is to keep the wording brief and concise. Use complete sentences. Avoid personal pronouns like "I" and "My." Abstracts should only provide the necessary information needed to understand the project’s basic points and importance. For more information visit, writing the abstract.
Complete the physical display:
Each student participating in District Science Day is permitted to bring a physical display to aid them in the presentation of their science research project. There are several rules and regulations that need to be followed when creating a physical display. Visit the following link to view the State Science Day regulations regarding physical displays: expectations of the physical display.
Physical displays should present the results of your research in a clear, concise manner. In addition to the materials and information presented on your display board, you will need extra copies for your abstract to hand to judges, your research report, and your research notebook. You may also choose to have your research plan with you as well. Remember, each participant is permitted one, single-sided display board. Most participants choose to use a lightweight, tri-panel, bi-fold display board as seen below.
Image from: http://www.super-science-fair-projects.com/display-boards.html.
Prepare and practice presentation:
The oral presentation is your opportunity to explain your research project to the judges and show them what you learned. It is best to not read from a script, but rather to prepare ahead of time and know exactly what you want to say. Eye contact, confidence, and a genuine interest in what you did are essential to delivering a quality oral presentation.
Your display board should serve as the visual aide for your oral presentation. Point out the figures and tables when you talk about your results. Reference pictures of your apparatus when describing it. Use your display board to help you organize your oral presentation.
Judges are encouraged to ask you questions about your project. You should try to answer all the questions they ask to the best of your ability; however, if you do not know the answer to a question, tell the judges. If you have an idea about what the answer could be, explain clearly that you are unsure of the answer, but have an idea about the correct answer.
Feel free to also ask the judges questions. This is your opportunity to learn from professionals working in scientific fields, and judges appreciate being able to offer tips, advice, or knowledge on topics related to your project.
For more information about delivering an effective oral Presentation, visit oral presentations.
PARENTS
Please view the resources on this page and accompanying pages with your child. A science research project is a major undertaking and can quickly become overwhelming to children. Help your child see the value of completing a science research project by being an active participant in the process. Remember, though, that your child will be participating in the judging process and during that process, it becomes readily apparent if a project has been completed by the child or the child's parents.
During judging, parents and families are not permitted in Bracy Hall. You may provide your own entertainment in the Alliance area. Students will be released for lunch, at which time you can reconnect with them. You are welcome to join participants for lunch in the Mount Union Dining Hall. Students receive a complimentary ticket and you may purchase a ticket at the door.
Parents and families are welcomed and encouraged to attend the awards ceremony. Cameras and video recording are permitted as well.