Science Fair Projects
4/8/2015
Topic
Select a topic that can be answered
only by you experimenting
Write your topic as a question to be
investigated
4/8/2015
1
Selecting a Topic
• Help in finding a topic:
– READ in books, magazines, newspapers
– Talk to your teacher, family, friends
– Visit professional people, museums, zoos,
• Select a topic you know nothing about.
• Select a topic that you know something about
but want to investigate further
• Select a topic that genuinely interests you.
4/8/2015
2
Good Topic
• Do different colored
mints dissolve at the
same rate?
• What surfaces do
mealworms prefer?
• Do all brands of paper
towels absorb water at
the same rate?
4/8/2015
Bad Topic
• How volcanoes erupt.
• Microscopes
• do different brands of
paper towels soak up
different
temperatures of water
at the same rate?
3
Purpose
• One to three sentences that explains why
you are doing this investigation. The
purpose can be stated like this:
–“The purpose of this project is …”
• If your purpose is well worded, you will have
little difficulty writing a title for your project.
4
4/8/2015
Hypothesis
• A hypothesis states what you think is
going to happen when you investigate a
question.
– Question: Does light affect the way plants grow?
• Hypothesis 1: Plants will grow toward the light
• Hypothesis 2: Plants will grow away from the light.
• Hypothesis 3: Light will make no difference in the
way plants will grow.
5
– Choose one hypothesis you believe will work for your tests.
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Procedures
• Materials
• Variables
• Step by Step directions
6
4/8/2015
Materials
Good Listing
• 3- 15x 15 cm sq each of:
Brawney, Gala, Scott,
Generic paper towels
• 250 ml graduated beaker
• 750 ml water at 20 0 C
• 1- 20x20 cm sq cake pan
• Celsius Thermometer
• Clock
with second hand
4/8/2015
Poor Listing
•
•
•
•
•
•
Paper towels
measuring cup
water
container
thermometer
clock
7
Variables
There are three types of variables
• Independent Variable (Manipulated)– What you change on purpose in an investigation
– The factor being tested
• Dependent Variable (Responding)– What changes by itself because you changed something in your
investigation
– How you measure your results
• Control Variables– Everything else in your investigation must be held constant
– Kept the same.
4/8/2015
Examples of Variables
• Question: Do all brands of paper towels absorb the
same amount of water?
– Independent Variable: Brands of paper towels
– Dependent Variable: Amount of water that is
absorbed by each towel.
– Variables held Constant:
– Size of paper towel,
– Amount of water poured on each towel
– Temperature of the water used
– Container towels are placed in
4/8/2015
– Method of pouring
Step-by-Step Directions
• Your step-by-step directions are like a
recipe. Anyone who reads them will
be able to duplicate your investigation
and get the same results.
• Example: Question: Do all brands of paper
towels absorb the same amount of water?
• 1. Cut 3- 15x15 cm sq from each brand of
paper towels
4/8/2015
Step-by-Step Directions
• 2. Label each cut piece with brand name
• 3. Pour 50 ml of 20 o C water into 20x20 cm sq pan
• 4. Place 1 square of Generic brand paper towel into
water and pan
• 5. Leave for 30 seconds
• 6. Remove paper towel
• 7. Measure water remaining in pan and record
• 8. Dry cake pan
• 9. Repeat steps 4- 8 for each brand of paper towel
• 10. Repeat entire process twice more for each brand
of paper towels
4/8/2015– note: minimum of 3 trials
Data/ Logbook
• Data refers to information gathered
during your investigation. Writing
in a notebook is the most
convenient way to keep a log.
4/8/2015
Data cont.
• 1. A list of all materials used
• 2. Notes on all preparations you made
prior to starting your investigation
• 3. Information about the resources you
use (books, people, libraries, museums,
universities, on-line websites, etc.)
• 4. Detailed day-by-day notes on the
progress of your project
4/8/2015
Data cont.
• What you are actually doing
• Problems you have with your investigation
• Things you would change if you were doing
this investigation again
• 5. Any drawings that you feel might help
explain your work
• 6. Data that you gather from your investigation
(notes, tables, charts, graphs)
• Be sure that you date each entry in your log.
4/8/2015
Science Fair Projects
Part 2
4/8/2015
Data/Log Book
Data refers to information gathered during your
investigation.
• List all materials used
• Notes on all preparations you made prior to starting your
investigation
• Information about the resources you use (books, people,
libraries,etc)
• Detailed day by day notes on the progress of your project
• Any drawings that you feel might explain your work
• Data that you gather from your investigation (notes, tables, charts,
graphs)
• Be sure that you date each entry in your log
4/8/2015
Labeling
A1
A4
A7
B1
B4
B7
A2
A5
A8
B2
B5
B8
A3
A6
A9
B3
B6
B9
Experimental Group B
Control Group A
DATES
7/2
7/4
7/6
7/8
A1
2
4
5
7
A2
3
5
8
9
A3
2
3
4
5
A4
3
4
5
5
TOTAL
10
16
22
26
AVG
2.5
4.0
5.5
6.5
4/8/2015
PLANTS/HEIGHT (cm)
PLANTS/WEIGHT (cm)
AVERAGING
DATES
7/2
7/4
7/6
7/8
B1
1
3
4
6
B2
2
3
6
8
B3
2
4
7
8
B4
3
6
7
8
TOTAL
8
16
24
30
AVG
2
4
6
7.5
Graphs
There are two main types of graphs.
BAR GRAPH
A BAR GRAPH IS USED TO DISPLAY DATA THAT DOES NOT OCCUR
IN A CONTINUOUS MANNER
LINE GRAPH
200
150
100
50
0
A LINE GRAPH IS USED TO DISPLAY DATA THAT OCCURS IN A
4/8/2015
CONTINUOUS
MANNER
TITLE
Y (Vertical axis)
Dependent variable
MAKING A GRAPH
Independent Variable X (Horizontal Axis)
Title: the title is a short description of the data being displayed
should include dependent and independent variables
Horizontal Axis (x)- The Independent Variable (Manipulated
Variable) what you changed on purpose is displayed on the
horizontal axis
Vertical Axis (y): The dependent variable ( Responding Variable)
what happened as a result of what you changed is displayed on
the vertical axis
4/8/2015
Graph/Spacing
• Plan your graph so
that your data will be
evenly distributed
across the horizontal
and vertical axes.
The Affects of Acid Rain on
Plant Growth
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
10
5
0
4/8/2015
7/20/0
7/13/0
7/6/06
height
Dates
7/
20
/0
6
7/
18
/0
6
7/
16
/0
6
7/
14
/0
6
7/
12
/0
6
7/
10
/0
6
7/
8/
06
7/
6/
06
0
Height
in cm
Conclusions
• Your conclusions should include:
– Statement of support or non-support of the original
hypothesis
• The results of this project ________ the original hypothesis.
– Description of any problems or unusual events that
occurred during your investigation.
– What would you do differently next time.
– Revised hypothesis (if data did not support your
original hypothesis)
4/8/2015
Writing a Conclusion
• Before you write your conclusions, carefully examine all
your data (graphs, charts, tables).
• Ask yourself these questions:
– Did you get the results you expected to get? If not, how were
the results different?
– Were there any unexpected problems or occurrences that may
have affected the results of your investigation?
– Do you think you collected sufficient data? (Were there enough
trials? Samples?)
– Do I need to revise my original hypothesis? (If you write a
revised hypothesis, DO NOT use it to replace your original
hypothesis for this project!)
4/8/2015
Conclusions
• Questions: Do all brands of paper towels absorb the same
amount of water?
• Hypothesis: The cheaper the paper towel the less water it will
absorb.
• Conclusion: The data collected does not support the
original hypothesis. The cheapest paper towel (generic)
did not absorb the least amount of water. The higher
priced paper towel (Brawny) did not absorb the most.
The revised hypothsis is the price of the paper towels
does not affect the amount of water absorbed.
4/8/2015
Absorbency of Paper Towels
t
al
a
co
t
S
ra
B
G
en
G
w
ny
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
er
ic
Water Absorbed (ml)
Absorbency of Paper Towels
Brands of Paper Towel
4/8/2015
PROJECT BOARD SET UP
TITLE OF
PROJECT
ABSTRACT
METHODS
MATERIALS
PROCEDURES
DATA TABLE #1
INTRODUCTION
East
West
North
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
20.4
27.4
90
20.4
30.6
38.6
34.6
31.6
45.9
46.9
45
43.9
RESULTS
90
80
CONCLUSIONS
70
60
PURPOSE
50
40
East
West
North
30
20
10
4/8/2015
0
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr
4th Qtr