SCIENCE FAIR

Scientific MethodThe Science Fair is all about using the Scientific Method. Follow the steps below to ensure a successfulScience Fair.

Step #1 Pick a Topic

Choose a topic that you find interesting and you’ve always wanted to know more about!

Step # 2Research

When a topic has been selected research should be conducted. This research should be included in Introduction of the Formal Report.

Step #3Purpose and HypothesisThe Purpose is a statement of what you hope to discover or learn from the experiment.

The Hypothesis is also included in this section and is an educated or scientific guess of what you think will happen.

Step #4Conducting Experiments

•Keep the experiment simple.•Make all your measurements in metric units.•Experimentation should be conducted under controlled and safe conditions.•Keep track of data and experimental results.

Step # 5Writing a Formal Lab Report

1. Title Page

Include the title of your report as well as your name and grade.

2. Table of Contents

List everything in your report and what page they can be found on.

•This is the scientific question to be solved.•What do you hope to discover.•Describe the overall goals of the experiment.•What is it that you are trying to determine with the experiment?

3. Statement of Purpose

•This states what you predict will happen before you complete your experiment. It should relate to your Purpose.

4. Hypothesis

5. Introduction

This includes background information that led you to make this study. The introduction will include the research that you completed, written in your own words.

*DON’T FORGET TO CITE ALL YOUR SOURCES*

6. Materials

List all materials that you needed to complete your project.

7. Procedures

•List the steps taken to complete your experiment.

•Clearly, but briefly, describe the step by step procedures used for the experiment.

•Excessive detail is not required, however another student should be able to perform the experiment from your procedure.

8. Observations and Results

Record all your results. State what happened when you conducted the experiment.Present all observations and data in an orderly and organized manner.

Graphs and tables may be included.

9. Conclusion

In a brief paragraph or two, clearly summarize what you discovered based on the results of the experiment.

Relate the conclusion to your purpose and hypothesis.

Use your observations and results to support your conclusion.

10. Resources

Citing Website Text - Author. Title. [Online] Available http://address/filename, Date.

Citing Images - Description or title of image. [Online image] Available http://address/filename, Date.

Go to Tekmom for more help

List all the materials (books, magazines, websites, etc.) that you used to gather information for your project.

Citing Printed Materials - Author. Title, Volume, Place Published: Publisher, Date of Publication.

Step # 6 Exhibit or Display

Each project must be displayed on a backboard. The display should include: Title, Purpose, Hypothesis, Results and Conclusion. Any diagrams, graphs, charts, models or photographs may also be included. Experimental material may also be displayed.

Step #7Presentation to Judges

You should:

• speak clearly.

• demonstrate comprehension of material.

• explain how the project can be changed or improved.

Resources•Scientific Method. [online image] Available http://www.powerof2.org/resources/ high_school/science/2.gif, 1999/2002.•Science Book. [online image] Available http:// www.prevlink.org/library/ scibook.gif, 2003.•Hypothesis. [online image] Available http:// www.zolo.com/DESIGN/ hypothesis.gif, 2002.•Experimenting. [online image] Available http:// www.science-fair-projects-online.com, 2001.•Man Cutting Tree. [online image] Available http:// www.howe.k12.ok.us/~jimaskew/ method.gif, 2003.•Backboard. [Online image] Available http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/scifairstudio/handbook/display.html, 1997.•Savage, Anne. How to Cite a Web Resource. [Online] Available http://www.tekmom.com/cite/index.html, January 5, 2000.