Requirements for the Background Information Section of Research Paper
In Language Arts, we will be working on the “Background Information” section of your
Science Fair Final Report. This is just one component of your final report. Mrs. Rincon will
give you further instructions on assembling the final report. In order to write this
“Background Information” section, it is absolutely necessary for students to have their
resources (books, articles, etc…) with them in class. All resources must be brought in by
Friday, February 7th. We will be working on this in class, so if you do not have your
resources with you, you will loose class participation points.
The Format of the Background Research Paper is clarified below:
 In the right hand corner: First and Last Name
Date

Title (Centered)

Body of the Paper (Indent each paragraph)
1. Include an introductory paragraph about the question you will be seeking to answer in your
science fair experiment.
2. Include a paragraph about the hypothesis you will test to determine the answer to your
question or the demonstration you plan to do.
3. Include Background Research Paragraphs that include the information you researched when I
sent you background research questions. This information should be written in such a way that
the info below is included and reads in a logical, not choppy manner. In other words you should
take the research you have done and write out your paragraphs in a meaningful way. Your
research should include:
A. answers to research questions you chose to research
B. explain any terms or general information necessary to understanding your
experiment/hypothesis
C. any information found on similar experiments conducted
 Bibliography or Resources
Don't forget to include the source from which you got the science fair project idea. List
each source alphabetically, following MLA Format (see attached paper)
This is an example of a Science Fair Background Research Paper so you can see one from start to finish.
"The Jawbreakers of the Popcorn Industry"
I’m sure almost everyone has had microwave popcorn. Well, anyone who has had the easy
to make snack has also had a hard time with those blasted un-popped kernels. Well, this
experiment is going to answer that age-old question. Which brand off popcorn yields the least
amount of un-popped kernels?
A lot of people have differing opinions on which popcorn has the least amount of un-popped
kernels. Some think Orville Redenbacher, the expensive, gourmet popcorn to be the best popped
kernel producer. Others may say the under-dog, the low priced, no-name brand (like Aldi Food
Company’s Corntown brand) is the best. My hypothesis is that Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn will
be the best in terms of un-popped kernels, and that Aldi’s Corntown Brand will be the worst in
un-popped kernel amount.
Popcorn is a type of maize which, unlike other types of corn, pops when heated in oil or dry. It
was first found and used to pop by Native Americans thousands of years ago. The kind of
popcorn most people pop in their microwaves is the species Zea Mays L Subsp mays. Popcorn was
introduced to the west by Christopher Columbus in the late 15th century. As with other corns,
popcorn has a certain amount of moisture inside itself. But, unlike other corns, popcorn has a
stronger outer hull that doesn’t let moisture escape as fast as other corn when heated.
As the kernel is heated to the boiling point, water inside the kernel starts to turn into steam,
causing pressure inside the kernel to about 9 times the pressure of air. Inside other types of
corn - as well as damaged popcorn kernels - the steam escapes the kernel as fast as it is
formed. The difference with popcorn is that the outer hull is strong enough to hold the steam
in, until it ruptures in a small explosion and turns it inside out, to become the white fluffy stuff,
better known as popcorn!
There are two explanations to why some kernels do not pop. One is that the popcorn kernel just
doesn’t have enough moisture to turn to steam. The other explanation is the outer hull is leaky,
and causes the steam to escape before it can become super pressurized and explode the outer
hull. This could be caused by mishandling of the kernels at the factory, or maltreatment of the
kernels during shipment. The question is which brand of popcorn handles the kernels the best at
the factory and during shipping and uses only the best corn?
I’ve found websites that host information on experiments done by people doing the same thing I
am. On one website, http://www.mercer.edu/camps/message/summer2001/summer2001popcorn.htm, they concluded that Act II was the best popping popcorn. This website, though,
didn’t tell how long they cooked each popcorn brand, and they popped each kernel individually.
Another website, http://www.k12.nf.ca/greenwood/virsci/Intermediate/popcorn/popcorn.htm
said that the best popping popcorn was Orville Redenbacher. But, their experiment also took
into account price and taste. My experiment is only focusing on kernels.