The science fair is an important part of education.Science fairs allow you to learn and practice the scientific method on any topic that interests you.Make sure you have enough time to complete your project so that you can research and execute it.The science fair project includes researching the topic, designing the experiment, analyzing the data, and making an eye-catching display board.
Step 1: Prepare yourself for the project.
Discuss possible topics with your teacher.Keep in mind the guidelines they give for the assignment when designing your project.If your teacher gives you any information about the science fair, keep it in a folder.
Step 2: Research topics that interest you.
Some people limit themselves to strictly scientific activities that don't interest them.Everything is in the science field, when you think about it.If you love art, you could research how the chemicals in paint react or how artificial colors are made.Pick the topic that interests you the most.Do some thinking.Write down any ideas or problems that you would like to solve.Pick a topic that is appropriate for your age levelMake sure you have enough time to finish everything before the deadline.You can cite sources in your final report if you keep track of them.
Step 3: For completion, make a timetable.
Knowing how much time you have to complete your science fair project and how long it will take to research, execute, and write a report is a crucial part of planning.Some experiments may take a long time.To get on an expert's schedule in time, you need to contact them as soon as possible.You should spend at least 1 week researching your topic.Write a report, design a board, and analyze data for another week.An experiment that fits within your time constraints is what you should choose.Some experiments can take a week.
Step 4: Write the research plan.
To answer questions with a properly designed experiment, use your background.Understanding how and why the experiment can answer the question you are asking is essential to properly designing your experiment.If you will need to use any mathematical formulas or equations to answer your question, research these as well so that you understand them before you begin.Some research experiments have already addressed your question.It will be easier to design the experiment if you have a framework in place.Asking your teacher or parent if you have any gaps in your knowledge will help you understand the topic better.
Step 5: The variables are independent, dependent and controlled.
Variables can occur in varying amounts in the experiment.It's important to identify all of the variables before starting an experiment.To properly examine a cause and effect relationship, you only want one variable to change.The scientist can have an independent variable.You shouldn't have more than one independent variable.The dependent variable is the condition that is measured when there is a change in the independent variable.During the experiment, it's the one that gets observed.All of the conditions in an experiment remain constant throughout the experiment.
Step 6: There is a hypothesis.
A hypothesis is a testable statement about a scientific process and how it works.It is usually said if this, then that.In an experiment about the growth height of a plant in different light levels, your hypothesis might be: If plants need light to grow, then they will not grow as high in low light or no light conditions.
Step 7: Make a design for your experiment.
When you make a hypothesis, you need to design an experiment that will properly test it.You will need to conduct the experiment several times to make sure the results are correct.How will you answer your question?What materials will you use for the experiment?Is there a specific order in which you need to do everything?How many times do you need to repeat the experiment to see a pattern?You can make a materials list and develop a procedure by answering these questions.Ensure that your experiment can be done safely or with adult supervision.
Step 8: Write a procedure.
Everything you need to do to answer a scientific question is detailed in the procedure.A proper procedure will allow someone to duplicate your experiment.Only one action should be required in each step.Multiple steps should be broken up if a step requires too many things.If a parent, sibling, or classmates are interested, they can read your procedure and see if they have any questions.If necessary add more steps.
Step 9: The necessary materials need to be gathered.
Determine what items you need to execute the experiment by looking over your procedure.When you realize you're missing something important, make the list very detailed so you aren't in the middle of an experiment.If you need extras for an item that is cheap or fragile, you should gather them.Before starting the experiment, take all of the necessary precautions.
Step 10: The experiment should be done.
Follow your procedure to do the experiment.You should have all of your materials nearby so that you can get to them when you need them.You can take notes during the process if you have your lab notebook with you.If you altered the procedure during the experiment, make a note of it.You can use pictures from the experiment on your display board.
Step 11: You can record observations during the experiment.
As you go along, write down your observations and results.If you have a short experiment, keep good notes on what you did.Some experiments can't be done the same day.If you are doing a long-term experiment like growing plants, make daily observations about the plants and how they are changing.All of your data and observations should be in your lab notebook.When to date each observation is important for long-term experiments.
Step 12: The experiment should be repeated.
A lot of variability can occur in an experiment.Scientists perform the same experiment multiple times and average the data of each trial together to account for variability.You should repeat your experiment at least 3 times.Use multiple replicates in one experiment if you are doing a multi-day experiment.Start an experiment with 3 plants in different light conditions.If you want to subtract the original height at the end, use plants with the same starting height.
Step 13: If the data is complete, you should review it.
Did you not do something?Did you make any mistakes?Did you do multiple trials of the experiment?If you made a mistake, repeat the procedure.It is time to draw conclusions from your data if you are confident.It is possible to look at your data and see if it supports or disproves your hypothesis, but you cannot make any conclusions until the data has been analyzed.
Step 14: Multiple trials are averaged.
A properly designed experiment can have multiple trials.If you have performed the experiment multiple times, you may have tested multiple items at the same time, such as the battery length of 3 batteries from each brand or the growth of a plant under multiple growing conditions.The data from each of the replicates needs to be averaged together to represent one data point.Divide the trials by the number to average them.3 plants in low light may have grown 3.0 inches (8.6 cm), 4.0 inches (10 cm) and 3.5 inches (8.9 cm).The growth height for low light is 3.5 in.
Step 15: You can make a table or graph to represent your data.
It's easier to see differences in the data when you make a visual graph.The independent variable and dependent variable are plotted on the x- and y- axis.You can use bar graphs and line graphs to visualize your data.You can draw a graph by hand, but it looks more professional on the computer.You can graph the light levels on the x and y axes.
Step 16: Everything is labeled on the graph.
Give the graph a title and label it.It's important to include the proper units used.You can use a different symbol or color to represent multiple data sets.If you put a legend on the right side of the graph, you can identify the symbols and colors.The title of the graph tells you which data is represented.The plant growth height is in various levels of light.
Step 17: A conclusion can be drawn.
You should be able to see the differences between your conditions now that you have plotted your data.You can draw conclusions from the data at the elementary and middle school level.State if the data supports or disproves the hypothesis.Discuss possible changes to the procedure or future studies that could be done to further the study.If there are significant differences between the independent variables, you might be able to run some statistics on your data at the high school level.
Step 18: Do you want to write your report?
You need to put together your report before you start working on the display board.Most of the sections were written during the experiment, so the report shouldn't be hard.A full report needs to have a background, purpose, hypothesis, materials and procedure, identification of the variables, your observations, results, analysis, and final conclusion.An abstract is a short summary of the entire project.Before turning it in, proofread your entire report.Use the sources used for your report.Don't copy and paste information from sources, but summarize it in your own words.
Step 19: The project can be presented on a display board.
The board is where you can make an artistic display of what you've discovered.Pick 1 or 2 bright colors that complement each other.Hand writing the information can make your board messy.Use large letters that can be seen from a distance to center the title at the top of the board.Make subheadings that are large enough to read at a distance of 2–3 feet.There are too many colors on the board.Make everything pop by sticking to 1 or 2 colors.If you want to layer colored construction paper on top of the necessary information, you have to print it on white paper.Glue marks can be left on the board if wrinkled paper is used.Make sure your sizes are consistent throughout the section.
Step 20: The board has information on it.
Above the paragraphs of information are center subheadings.The introduction, hypothesis and materials on the left side should be followed by the procedure, experiment, and data in the center panel and the analysis and conclusion of the right panel.This is not a set of guidelines to follow.It's a good idea to organize everything so that it looks nice.You should include pictures that were taken during the experiment.Use smaller blocks of text.Break them up with pictures or figures.
Step 21: If you want to present your project, practice your speech.
On the day of the science fair, people will want to hear about your project.On the day of the presentation, make sure you practice what you say in front of friends and family.You should be prepared to answer questions about your project.If you need to refer back to the key points on the note cards, write them down.