Science Fair Assignments
Mrs. Villanueva
Science
Background Research
Background & Bibliography worksheets are due February 26 th!
 Purpose: To understand why your experiment turns out the
way it does. Research:
 The history of similar experiments or inventions
 Definitions of all important words and concepts that describe the experiment
 Answers to all background research questions
 Mathematical formulas, if any, needed to describe the results of the
experiment
 Tips:
 Collecting information in an organized way makes writing the research paper
easier!
 You must search at least 3 credible background sources
 Credible resources are updated or reviewed regularly and are written or
controlled by professionals
Research Paper – DUE 03/05
 The 3 sections of your Research Paper are:
 Introduction: Why did your group choose this project?
What’s your project about? Explain the history of your project;
similar projects in the past, and definitions to scientific
concepts. (1 paragraph)
 Body:What is your project? What supplies do you need? What
procedure will you do? What is the question you plan to
investigate? How will you investigate your question? Answer the
questions on your background research worksheet and use the
checklist. (3 paragraphs)
 Conclusion:What is your hypothesis? What do you predict
will be the outcome of your project? How do you hope your
project turns out? (1 paragraph)
Research Paper – DUE 03/05
 Format:
 APA Format is required.
 Must be 3 pages long, double-spaced (without the Title Page
and Bibliography)
 Must be typed, size 12 font, Times New Roman
 Quote 1 book and any 2 other sources in your paper
 Must have a Title Page
 Must have a Bibliography
 See chart & sample. *
 I’ve made a few changes…
Title Page of your Research Paper
 Include the title of
your project
 Ex: “Title: Research
Paper”
 Include all group




members
Grade & Subject
Teacher
Date Printed
This is a bit different
than APA.
Body of your Research Paper
 Title the Introduction, Body and Conclusion creatively.
 Italicize the Section Titles.
 Tell who wrote each part of the paper.
Quoting in Your Research Paper
 For a science fair project, a reference citation (also known as
author-date citation) is an accepted way to reference
information you copy. Citation referencing is easy. Simply
put the author's last name, the year of publication, and page
number (if needed) in parentheses after the information you
copy. Place the reference citation at the end of the sentence
but before the final period.
 Example:
 "If you copy a sentence from a book or magazine article by a
single author, the reference will look like this. A comma
separates the page number (or numbers) from the year"
(Bloggs, 2002, p. 37).
Bibliography of your Research Paper
Example of a Website:
Learning centre. Duracell. The Gillette Company. Retrieved July 31, 2006, from
http://www.duracell.com/au/main/pages/learning-centre-what-is-a-battery.asp
Example of a Book:
Dell, R. M., and D. A. J. Rand. (2001). Understanding batteries. Cambridge, UK: The
Royal Society of Chemistry.
Check out a sample of a completed research paper…*
Don’t forget…
It’s DUE March 5th, next Tuesday!
Get to work,
everyone!
Groups without a research paper stapled
to their proposal form, bibliography &
background research ON 3/5
WILL NOT BE ADMITTED TO LAB ON
TUESDAY.
Variables & Hypothesis
 Scientists use an experiment to search for cause and




effect relationships in nature.
Variables: any factor, trait, or condition that can exist in
differing amounts or types. An experiment usually has three
kinds of variables: independent, dependent, and controlled.
Independent: What will you be changing in the
experiment?
Dependent: What will you be measuring or observing?
Controlled: What will you be keeping the same during the
experiment?
Variables & Hypothesis
Hypothesis
 A hypothesis is an educated guess about how things work.
 Most of the time a hypothesis is written like this: "If _____[I
do this] _____, then _____[this]_____ will happen." (Fill
in the blanks with the appropriate information from your
own experiment.)
 Your hypothesis should be something that you can actually
test, what's called a testable hypothesis. In other words, you
need to be able to measure both "what you do" and "what
will happen."
2 Lists are due…
By March 19th, 2013!
A List of Project Supplies (including measurements) and
Experimental Procedure Steps.
Conducting a Science Experiment
Read for Tips:
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fairprojects/project_experiment.shtml#keyinfo
Be ready to show some progress on
your project
By March 26th, 2013!
Write one paragraph of observation notes and create a data table.
Write a conclusion & create a graph
of your data…
By April 2nd!
Display Board
Include the following:
 Project Title
 Hypothesis
 Purpose/Background
 Materials
 Procedure
 Pictures, Charts, Graphs of Data
 Conclusion (The end result of your project)
 Analysis (What you’ve learned because of this project)
 Group Names on the back of the poster!