Science Fair Research Process
Supports Common Core
Standards such as…..
 Reading, writing and research involved in student science fair projects
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are one way for students to achieve the rigor and critical thinking
evident in the Common Core Standards
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and
technical texts
Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments,
taking measurements, or performing technical tasks
Integrate quantitative information expressed in words in a text
including information expressed visually (graph, etc)
Compare and contrast information
Write informative/explanatory texts, including..scientific
procedures/experiments
Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context
Utilizing the 8 Practices of
Science & Engineering
Essential for ALL students to Learn
Defined as one Dimension in the Next Generation Science Standards Framework s K-12
 Asking Questions (for science) and defining problems (for
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engineering)
Developing and using models
Planning and carrying out investigations
Analyzing and interpreting data
Using mathematics and computational thinking
Constructing explanations (for science) and designing
solutions (for engineering)
Engaging in argument from evidence
Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Goals
What are the
characteristics of
your program?
Goals
What are the characteristics of your program?
 Help students to become enthusiastic scientists
 Challenge students to learn the scientific method
and scientific principles through experience
 Give students the opportunity to communicate
what they have learned to others.
 Other………………………………..
Goals
Who will Participate?
Will you allow Team
Projects?
Ask a Question
Finding a Topic Idea
Imagine if someone offered you the answer to any question that’s ever perplexed you,
however big or small. That’s exactly the opportunity science fairs give you – the
freedom and power to explore almost any curiosity you’ve ever had, and to do it on
your own. (Of course, your friends, teachers and parents are there to help.You might
even decide to tag-team a project with a friend.)
The first major decision to make is yours:
 What topic will you take on?
 Where will you channel your passion?
 Will you pick a topic dominating news headlines?
 Or maybe you’ll choose something you’re totally clueless about, to truly challenge
yourself.
 The bottom line is that your future in science fairs is wide open.
www.archimedesinitiative.org/choosingadventure.html
What are you students’ interests?
Choosing the topic/question…
 What do you want to study or learn about?
 What are your areas of interest? Hobbies?
 What is going on in the world around you that you want to
learn more about? (home? school? work place? community?)
What are the resources in
your school and
community?
Research your topic…
 Literature Review: Use science journals/internet/library to
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learn more about your topic
Seek out adults, professionals that know about your topic
Look for unexplained or unexpected results
Ask why? What if?
Identify a “testable” question.
 Can variable(s) be identified and tested against original set of
conditions
 Can the question/problem be completed in the amount of
time allowed for the project?
Non Inquiry Based Research
Not all areas of study are best served by scientific method….BE AWARE
 Engineering Projects – creating things that never were
 Define a need…How can I make this better?
 Develop or establish a design criteria
 Background research /literature search – what has already been done and what makes it good
and what makes it weak
 Prepare preliminary designs and materials list. Include costs and user requirements
 Build and test a prototype. Consider reliability, repair and servicing
 Retest and redesign as necessary. Product testing
 Computer Science Projects
 Creating and/or writing new algorithms to solve a problem or improve existing one
 Simulations, models or virtual reality are other areas
 Mathematics Projects
 Involves proofs, solving equations
 Math is the language of science and used to explain existing phenomena or prove new concepts
or ideas
Research Project Approval…
 Define the question/problem
 Teacher approval
 Parent approval
 What is the hypothesis and/or expected outcome(s)?
 Plan your experimental procedures
 Procedure – detail all procedures and experimental design to be used for data
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collection
Include all safety procedures
Must be a “controlled” experiment – one variable changed at a time
Include sufficient numbers to be statistically valid
Data Analysis – describe the procedures you will use to analyze the data/results that
answer the research question(s)
Include list of materials
 Bibliography –
 list at least 5 major resources from your literature review
 Include resources used to develop experimental design and/or safety procedures
Required FORMS for competition…
 Checklist for Adult Sponsor (1) – pre-experiment
 Adult Sponsor/teacher carefully reviews the entire Research Plan and signs prior to experimentation
 Check for additional PROTOCOL FORMS that might be needed to do the experiment
 Student Checklist (1A)
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Student information
Continuation?
Start and end dates
Where is experiment conducted?
 Approval Form (1B) – Student and Parent approval
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Understand Possible dangers
HAVE READ AND WILL FOLLOW THE RULES & GUIDELINES
Ethics statement
SRC/IRB Approval if REQUIRED BEFORE EXPERIMENTATION
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Human Subjects
Vertebrates
Potentially Hazardous Biological Agents (PHBA’s)
Hazardous Chemicals, Activities, and Devices (SSEF RULE)
ATTACH COMPLETE Research Plan – Question/Hypothesis; procedures;
Bibliography
 ATTACH PROTOCOL FORMS if required
Conduct your experiment..
Log book
 Keep detailed notes of measurements and observations
 Use data tables or charts to record quantitative data
 Original writing
 Could be used to PROVE what you actually did
Analyze Data
 Examine and organize your findings
 Make “pictures” (graphs)
 Identify patterns
 Did you get expected results? Why or why not?
 Was the experiment performed EXACTLY?
 Are there any other explanations not originally considered?
 Were there any data errors?
 Statistically analyze your data and be able to explain their
meaning
Conclusions
 Did the variable(s) tested cause change when
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compared to the standard?
What patterns did you see from graph analysis?
Which variable(s) were important?
Did you collect enough data?
It’s ok if results do not support your hypothesis
Were there errors that may have caused differences? If so, what?
What are the practical applications of your research?
How could this project be used in the real world?
How would you improve the experiment and what would you do
differently?
Formal Presentation of Research
Abstract
 250 words on one page
 Purpose of the experiment
 Procedures used
 Data and conclusions
 Research applications
 Official Form – www.floridassef.net
Formal Presentation of Research
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RESEARCH PAPER
Title Page and Table of Contents
Introduction
Materials and Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusions
References/Bibliography
Formal Presentation of Research
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VISUAL DISPLAY
Good, scientific title
Photographs – must be appropriate and cited
Organized – follows a sequence
Eye-catching and NEAT
Correctly presented and well-constructed
Must meet the Display & Safety Requirements
Formal Presentation of Research
JUDGING INTERVIEW
 The interview is the final determination of the student’s
work
 Is it thorough – well-thought out research
 How much of thought and design is student’s own work
 Will determine if data was collected and analyzed correctly
 How did you come up with this idea?
 What was your role? What didn’t you do?
 What future plans do you have to continue research?
 What are the practical applications of your project?
Final Presentation of Research
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JUDGING INTERVIEW
Speak freely and confidently – KNOW your research
Greet the judge and introduce yourself – good first
impression
Appearance, good manners, appropriate attire, and
enthusiasm for what you are doing will impress
Relax, smile and enjoy your time
Judges will encourage you in your
scientific efforts and future goals
in science