HONORS BIOLOGY SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT NAME_____________________

FINAL PROJECT DUE DATE: ____________

*** THIS PROJECT IS REQUIRED AND IS WORTH 2 SUMMATIVE TEST GRADES !!!

***OFFICIAL RULES WEBSITE: http://www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/ppd/courses/academic-special-

programs/georgia-science-and-engineering-fair

I. Background information

A. Purpose of the project: for students to experience first hand the entire scientific research process from start to finish.

B. Science fair projects include the following key components: (as adapted from the official rule book from the above

website)

1. Project notebook - containing:

a. Abstract on official form –this is sometimes overlooked, be careful!

B. Minimum of 3 other official forms completed prior to beginning

experimentation (more if project deals with certain types of topics)

C. Research paper or report

2. Log book

A. Consists of a bound (stitched or glued) book of detailed entries kept during the entire course of the

project

B. Must have physical evidence that you have been working on the project (i.e. photographs, receipts from

purchases, etc.)

C. Must be written in ink - no computer generated log books accepted!

1.) These entries are your notes!!! They do not need to be neat!!!!

D. Must show dated entries

e. Is a "running record” of everything you did, and includes:

1.) Notes on contact people

2.) Readings and bibliographic information

3.) Research plan

4.) Thoughts on progress

5.) Problems you have

6.) Directions you followed

7.) Raw data

8.) Thoughts about results

9.) What could you do to develop the project further

10.) How does your project have impact on science/society

3. Visual display

A. 3-sided back board that shows what you have done and the results you have obtained.

4. Written report –

a. Paper mechanics: your paper must be:

1. Times new roman font, size 10 or 12, double spaced

2. 5 – 6 pages long (body of paper) (title page, table of contents and reference page

do not count in this 5-6 pages)

3. Include a separate title page (title of project, your name, class, school, date)

4. Include a separate table of contents – identify where each part of the lab report is

located in the body of your paper.

5. Include a separate reference page in proper MLA format, and that has your

entries in alphabetical order. (see me if you do not know how to do this!)

ii. Getting started

A. Select a topic – make it something you are interested in finding out more about.

Science fair projects fall under many different categories. Check the official rules website to identify which category

under which your project belongs.

***Warning: projects involving human subjects, non-human vertebrate animals, pathogenic agents, controlled

substances, recombinant DNA, or human/animal tissue require extra forms be filled out before the project

begins!!!!

***For ideas for your project, visit the website and scan the lists provided there.

*** Do not just "replicate" an experiment you did in elementary or middle school unless you can justify why you are doing so.

(perhaps there were experimental errors that you can now rectify, etc.) Your level of participation and science expertise should have

matured with you. If you want to study the same thing you previously did in elementary or middle school, then it would be wise to

add more depth and/or research a different angle of that topic. (for example, if you studied the effects of different fertilizers on

plants, then perhaps this time you should study the specific effects of each micronutrient, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and iron.)

***Building a model of something is not research, unless you are testing some variable(s) in the process.

***Try to pick a topic that knowledge gained will in some way benefit mankind. Projects must answer a question or solve a problem.

B. Study your topic and begin your logbook (*note: skip the first few pages to add a title page and table of contents later!!)

1. Keep careful notes of information gathered.

2. Keep bibliographical data in your logbook to go with the information.

3. Use the library, internet, people, and other references to research your topic.

4. Logbooks do not have to be neat.

C. Organize and theorize about your topic

1. This is where your problem to research should emerge, if it hasn’t already. Ask yourself questions: what if? What

would this do? How can i improve this? Does this really have an effect? And so on.

2. Remember: record these thoughts in your logbook and date them!

3. Develop a hypothesis to be tested.

D. Follow the timetable the instructor has given you.

1. Remember: certain forms must be filled out and approved before you begin your actual research!

E. Write a research plan

1. What do you intend to do, and how will you do it?

2. Record this in your logbook

F. Consult your adult sponsor

1. Share your research plan

2. Get your sponsor’s signature on the appropriate form

G. Conduct your experiments

1. Keep careful records of data, measurements, observations, unexpected occurrences, etc., in your logbook.

2. Remember: change only 1 variable at a time while experimenting, and keep a control group.

3. Also, replicate your experiment at least 1 time. Some experiments will need many repetitions. Check with your

teacher.

H. Examine your results

1. Organize your findings.

2. Look for sources of error.

3. Did you get what you predicted in your hypothesis?

I. Draw conclusions

1. Revisit your hypothesis and discuss what happened in your experiment.

2. Analyze your results, and propose the next research step that should be taken.

J. Prepare your report – for format, visit the website.

K. Write your abstract

L. Make your display (information on displays will follow closer to the deadline.)

III. CALENDAR OF DEADLINES

August 28, 2014 - Assign project

August 28 -Sept. 8, 2014 - Pick Topic and Get appropriate forms filled out and signed by your parents!!!

September 12 20104 - Research Plan (Form IA), Approval Form (1B) ARE DUE!!!

(Note: some projects (human subjects, microbiology, hazardous materials,

vertebrate research, etc., may require other forms. See Ms. Jenkins prior to

9/12/2014 if you think you may need other forms filled out!)

September 17, 2014 - Begin research. (Only if Ms. Jenkins has approved your research plan, and told you to begin.)

October 6, 2014 - Double check on-line at the NPHS homepage for rubrics to see how your project will be graded.

October 13, 2014 - Rough draft of Problem, Background Information, Hypothesis, and Procedure should be

typed by now!!

October 22nd, 2014 - Check Backboard Grading Rubric - make sure you follow this!

October 27-30th, 2014 - Finish research, work on back board, fill out abstract form (A special science fair form), write

report rough draft

November 1-2, 2014 - Finish all aspects of project (backboard, abstract, report, assemble project notebook, etc.)

November 3, 2014 - ENTIRE PROJECT DUE!!!!!!

2003 2003