Developing Ideas
How Can I Develop a Good Science Research Project Idea??
As you are going through the steps below, keep the following important questions in mind:
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Is this a high school level idea?
Does this research have a clear independent variable?
Can the variables be easily measured?
Does this project involve items from the CANNOT LIST?
Is it realistic?
Does it have value to society?
1. Focus Your Efforts
Refer to the list of ISEF categories that are available and select 2 or 3 that you would like to focus on.
The list is available from the website below or a list can be provided by your teacher.
http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/project_categories#AS
2. Examine Successful Projects Previously Completed by LCPS Students
Review the projects completed last year that competed in the Loudoun County Regional Science Fair.
Go to the link below to see a list of categories and the projects done in each group. Below the list are the
abstracts (summaries) of each project. You may NOT copy a project directly but it may give some ideas.
The link is listed below.
http://cmsweb1.lcps.org/5091091113525313/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=
0&C=103161
3. Examine Award Winning Projects at the International Science Fair
Review winning projects from the previous International Science Fair (ISEF). These projects may be
more sophisticated than you can do but could lead you to an idea.
http://www.societyforscience.org/document.doc?id=205
Developing Ideas
4. Visit Websites Summarizing Current Research
Go to some of the website listed below to see the types of research currently being done around the
world.
Science News
http://www.sciencenews.org/
Science Daily
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
Live Science
http://www.livescience.com/
Science Magazine
http://news.sciencemag.org/
5. Go to University Websites
Go to university websites (choose some that you may be interested in attending one day). Go to the
Academic section and look for the department that represents the areas you are interested in. Look
around that page for the link to RESEARCH. Every university department conducts research but you
may have to look around for. See what students and researchers are doing and think about how you
could adapt or simplify the idea. The link below has a list of universities known for their research in each
of the ISEF categories. You can also ask your teacher for a copy of the list.
http://cmsweb1.lcps.org/5093042522757/lib/5093042522757/_files/WEBSITES_by_Catgory.pdf
6. Visit Government Agencies/Professional Organizations
Browse around some of the resource listed below. Focus on your areas of interest and look for topics of
interest to you. Think about how you could conduct research in that area.
Department of the Interior
http://www.doi.gov/index.cfm
NASA Website
http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html
NOAA Home page
http://www.education.noaa.gov/
National Science Foundation
http://www.nsf.gov/
EPA Office of Research and Development
http://www.epa.gov/
Department of Energy
http://www.energy.gov/
US Geological Survey
http://www.usgs.gov/
Department of Agriculture
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome
Department of Transportation
http://www.dot.gov/
National Institute of Health
http://www.nih.gov/
American Chemical Society
http://portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/content
Developing Ideas
American Geologic Society
http://www.geosociety.org/
Virginia State Science Fair
2009 winners from the State Fair
http://vssef.gmu.edu/
7. Visit Science Fair Project Websites
Most of the ideas on these websites are too elementary for you to do or the answers are already well
known. However, it is another way to start thinking of your own idea. Be cautious when using these
sites.
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/
http://www.sciencefair-projects.org/
http://www.juliantrubin.com/fairprojects.html
http://www.sciencefairadventure.com/
There is no easy, quick way to find a project idea that you will be happy with and
satisfies your teacher’s requirements. You MUST put forth time and effort to find
something you are interested in. Time invested now will make your project much more
enjoyable and successful.
The Cannot List
No people surveys
No mold on bread
No vertebrate animals (how many mice will your parents allow in your house?)
No acid on plants (been there, done that)
No blood/weapons/drugs
No brainwashing
No plants and different colored lights
No plants listening to music (they don’t have ears!)
No plants watching TV (or eyes!)
No memory retention
No mice and mazes
No models
No partner projects
No drunk fish or anything else
No consumer comparisons (paper towels, taste tests, laundry detergent, battery life, light
bulbs, popcorn)
No sleep deprivation on teenagers (we know you do not get enough sleep and therefore get
cranky!)
Developing Ideas
Websites by Category
ANIMAL SCIENCE
1. VA TECH
A. AG AND LIFE SCIENCE http://www.cals.vt.edu/
B. VETERINARY MEDICINE http://www.vetmed.vt.edu/
2. JMU BIOLOGY http://www.jmu.edu/biology/
3. UNIV. OF MISSOURI http://animalsciences.missouri.edu/
4. UNIV. OF TENNESSEE http://animalscience.ag.utk.edu/
5. UNIV. OF MINNESOTA http://www.ansci.umn.edu/
BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
1. YALE PSYCHOLOGY http://www.yale.edu/psychology/
2. COLUMBIA http://www.columbia.edu/cu/psychology/
3. FLORIDA STATE http://www.psy.fsu.edu/
4. CORNELL http://www.psych.cornell.edu/
5. MICHIGAN http://www.lsa.umich.edu/psych/flash.asp
BIOCHEMISTRY
1. UVA http://www.virginia.edu/bmg/
2. UNIV. OF TEXAS http://www.uta.edu/chemistry/
3. UNIV. OF IOWA http://www.biochem.uiowa.edu/
4. UCLA http://www.chemistry.ucla.edu/
5. UNIV. OF ARIZONA http://www.biochem.arizona.edu/
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
1. UNIV. OF ILLINOIS http://mcb.illinois.edu/departments/microbiology/
2. UVA CELL BIO http://www.virginia.edu/cellbiology/
3. UNIV. OF MARYLAND http://www.cbmg.umd.edu/
4. UC BERKELY http://mcb.berkeley.edu/
5. TULANE http://tulane.edu/sse/cmb/index.cfm
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE
1. JMU GEOGRAPHY http://www.gis.jmu.edu/
2. JMU GEOLOGY http://www.jmu.edu/geology/
3. UNIV. OF WASHINGTON http://www.ess.washington.edu/
4. UC BERKELEY http://eps.berkeley.edu/
5. PENN STATE http://www.ems.psu.edu/
ENGINEERING
1. VA TECH http://www.eng.vt.edu/main/index.php
2. UVA BIOMEDICAL http://bme.virginia.edu/
3. PURDUE https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/
4. UNIV. OF KENTUCKY http://www.engr.uky.edu/
5. CORNELL http://www.engineering.cornell.edu/
6. MICHIGAN BIOMEDICAL http://www.bme.umich.edu/
Developing Ideas
ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION
1. COLUMBIA http://energy.sipa.columbia.edu/
2. NORTHWESTERN http://ceet.mccormick.northwestern.edu/
3. WISCONSIN http://www.energy.wisc.edu/?page_id=1323
4. UC DAVIS http://www.its.ucdavis.edu/index.php
5. VERMONT http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/?Page=cleancty/default.php
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
1. VA TECH NATURAL RESOURCES http://www.cnr.vt.edu/
2. JMU BIOLOGY http://www.jmu.edu/biology/
3. JMU ISAT http://bsisat.jmu.edu/
4. UVA http://www.evsc.virginia.edu/
5. UNIV. OF OREGAN http://envs.uoregon.edu/
MATH
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
JMU MATH http://www.math.jmu.edu/
JMU STATISTICS http://www.math.jmu.edu/stat/index.shtml
PRINCETON http://www.math.princeton.edu/
RUTGERS http://www.math.rutgers.edu/
TEXAS TECH http://www.math.ttu.edu/
MEDICINE AND HEALTH
1. WISCONSIN http://www.med.wisc.edu/
2. UNIV. OF KANSAS http://ph.kumc.edu/
3. GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIV. http://www.gwumc.edu/
4. UNIV. OF CINCINNATI ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH http://www.eh.uc.edu/
5. TULANE http://www.sph.tulane.edu/
MICROBIOLOGY
1. JMU BIOLOGY http://www.jmu.edu/biology/
2. MIAMI http://microbiology.muohio.edu/
3. UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA http://www.uga.edu/mib/
4. STANFORD http://microimmuno.stanford.edu/
5. UVA http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/basic-science/departments/microbiology/home-page
PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY
1. JMU PHYSICS http://www.math.jmu.edu/
2. UNIV. OF MARYLAND http://umdphysics.umd.edu/
3. UNVERSITY OF ARIZONA http://www.physics.arizona.edu/physics/
4. HARVARD http://www.physics.harvard.edu/
5. UNIV. OF TEXAS-AUSTIN http://www.ph.utexas.edu/
PLANT SCIENCES
1. JMU BIOLOGY http://www.jmu.edu/biology/
2. UNIV. OF HAWAII http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/
3. UNIV. OF WISCONSIN http://www.botany.wisc.edu/
4. UNIV. OF WYOMING http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/Botany/
5. UNIV. OF FLORIDA http://www.biology.ufl.edu/