BGA
Semester Research Project
Mr. Iannuccilli
Mr. Whatley
Directions:
1. Your group will be creating a binder to keep track of your
progress and your data.
2. Read carefully, adhere to deadlines, ask questions and have
fun!
WHY DO A SCIENCE PROJECT?
Good scientists, both young and old, frequently use a process to study what they see in the world. This process
has been referred to as the ‘Scientific Method’ or more recently as the ‘Inquiry Cycle’. The following stages listed
below will help you produce a good scientific experiment:
1) A Testable Question
Be curious, choose a limited subject, ask a question; identify or originate/define a problem. It is important that
this question be a ‘testable’ question – one in which data is taken and used to find the answer. A testable
question can further be identified as one in which one or more variables can be identified and tested to
see the impact of that variable on the original set of conditions. The question should not merely be an
‘information’ question where the answer is obtainable through literature research.
2) Background Research
Review published materials related to your problem or question. This is called background research.
3) Hypothesis
Evaluate possible solutions and guess why you think it will happen (hypothesis).
4) Procedure
Experimental design (procedure). In designing the experiment, it is critical that only one variable – a condition
that may effect the results of the experiment – is changed at a time. This makes the experiment a ‘controlled’
experiment.
5) Data Collection
Challenge and test your hypothesis through your procedure of experimentation (data collection) and
analysis of your data. Use graphs to help see patterns in the data.
6) Conclusion
Draw conclusions based on empirical evidence from the experiment. Use the data to back up your claims.
7) Prepare your report and exhibit.
8) Review and discuss the findings with peer group / professional scientists / teachers
9) New question(s) may arise from your discussions.
This sets the stage for another research project as new questions are raised from others and the process repeats
itself. The hypothesis often changes during the course of the experiment. Supporting or not supporting your
hypothesis is secondary to what is learned and discovered during the research.
Your research project should include the following:
● Research Plan- Covers #1 through #4 in the Timeline of Deadlines on the next page.
● Research Abstract - Length: 150 – 250 words (cannot exceed 250 words)
● Research Paper - 5-12 pages, 20 page maximum, 12 Pt. Font, Times New Roman,
Double-spaced, 1” Margins on all sides
● Project Display Board - 15 inches deep (38 centimeters), 48 inches length (122
centimeters), 72 inches height (183 centimeters).
● Oral Presentation - 10 minutes.
Timeline
August 31st- Final groups
September 12th -Final topic approval.
October 17th -Background research should be done and a hypothesis as well as a material,
methods and procedure will be handed in.
November 17th- Materials and methods amendments. Begin the first set of trials.
January 8th- Check in on project, Data collection #1. Begin a second set of trials.
February 14th- Conduct more trials if needed. Data collection and tables must be complete
March 25th -Project board, research paper, Abstract are all due
April 4th-Classroom presentations for peer review
May 10th- Final Project Presentations
The Best Reports and Presentations will be offered the opportunity to present
at the Science Symposium
Research Paper Requirements and Guidelines
Research Papers must abide by the following guidelines:
VII. Literature Cited
All research papers should adhere to the following
format:
I. Introduction
VIII. Appendix
􀂋 5-12 pages, 20 page maximum
􀂋 12 Pt. Font, Times New Roman
􀂋 Double-spaced, 1” Margins on all sides
The introduction should contain a description of the problem,
information regarding why the student chose this project and
why the research is important, and a discussion of the
anticipated results of the experiment.
II. Methods and Materials
The methods and materials section should provide information
regarding how the study was conducted, including the
equipment used and the procedures followed. Students should
provide enough detail regarding procedures so that the reader
could repeat the experiment. This section should be written in
past tense narrative format, not as a list of numbered steps.
Students should only give details pertinent to the work they
themselves performed.
III. Results
The results section should inform the reader of what the
student found. This section is the appropriate location for any
figures or graphs. Students should take care to label, number,
and provide a short descriptive caption for all figures and
graphs.
IV. Discussion
The discussion section should contain interpretations of the
figures and data from the results section. This section should
answer whether the data supports or rejects the initial
hypothesis. In addition, the section should contain a discussion
of the conclusions and any ambiguities of the experiment.
V. Conclusion
The conclusion section should provide a brief summary of the
principal findings of the work and can provide insight into
future experiments.
VI. Acknowledgements
The acknowledgments section is meant to recognize mentors,
teachers, and anyone else who directly helped with the
experiment.
Students should take care to indicate the sources of the
information within their research paper. In addition, in-text
citations in the form of author’s last name and year of
publication are essential. References in the literature cited
section should be listed in alphabetical order and works by the
same author should be arranged chronologically.
The appendix is meant to contain supplemental information
such as questionnaires used in the experiment and figures that
are not essential to the discussion in the paper.
Research Paper Checklist
Abstract:
● Summary of research and findings.
Introduction:
● Description of the problem and hypothesis
● Scope of this study compared to similar studies
● Brief historical background with correctly cited
references
● Definitions of specialized terms
Materials and Methods:
● Precise descriptions of the sample(s), reagents,
and equipment used
● Summary of the procedure used
● Description of data collection methods
Results:
● Summary of data collected from the experiment
● Accurate statistical analyses of the data
● Effective use of graphs/tables/figures
● Titles and concise captions on
graphs/tables/figures
Discussion and Conclusion:
● Summary of the major findings
● Clear analysis of the evidence supporting or
negating the hypothesis
● Possible explanations for the findings
● Comparison with the findings of other
researchers
● Recommendations for future studies and/or
improvements
● Effective use of results in explanation
Oral Report Guidelines
Note – Only the Best Projects will be required to
Present
Students have ten minutes to present their research to the teacher and their peers.
Following student presentations, the teacher and students have five minutes to ask
questions about the research, paper, and presentation. The teacher aids in
maintaining the 10 minute presentation schedule by providing students with a five and
eight minute signal. At the end of the ten minute session, students must stop their
presentation, even if they are not finished.
Hints:
(1) The best way to improve presentations is through practice.
(2) Don’t rush through your presentation.
(3) Explain your research in enough detail so the audience understands what was
done, how it was done, and what was learned.
(4) Avoid using excessive jargon or unnecessary terminology; if necessary, explain
specialized terms briefly.
(5) Acknowledgements may be included at the end of the presentation.
(6) Graphs, tables, or other images should be kept simple and uncluttered (don’t forget
to label both axes of graphs and state significance of position and shape of data).
Use of Audio/Visual Aids:
NO written handouts are permitted. The first visual should be equivalent to the title
page of the paper. A typical presentation will contain 5-6 visuals. Students may
prepare slides, PowerPoint presentations, or video clips.
Students are encouraged to bring a back-up of their presentation materials—just in
case.
Format:
Slide 1: Title Slide—should include the testable question to be answered with the
research.
Slide 2: Background—should give a brief overview of the research already done on
this topic.
Slide 3: Hypothesis
Slide 4: Experiment Procedure—explain briefly how you gathered evidence through
your experiment
Slide 5 and 6: Data Analysis—Charts, graphs, relevant pics related to your
experiment results.
Slide 7: Conclusions—what does it all mean? What do your findings seem to
suggest? Was your hypothesis on the money?
Slide 8: References