Science Fair Information for Participants

Science fairs are a great way for you to explore topics that interest you, conduct research, and effect change. It is also a fun and exciting way to discover more about the world around us. Ready to get started? Here are some helpful tips!

• Choose a Topic
• Gather Information
• Design and Conduct the Experiment
• Analyze Data
• Communicate Results

Choose a Topic

For most people, coming up with a really great idea is the hardest part of doing a science fair project. What are you curious about?

Remember, a good science fair project often aims to answer some kind of question. Here are some ideas to get you thinking.

• Take a look around you. Ask yourself how, or why, something works. Many great discoveries have occurred because someone wondered, "What would happen if...?" Start with things that interest you and get curious!
• Current Events. Contemporary news issues can be a great starting point for developing a question. For example, what is climate change and how are we affected? Or news of an earthquake may lead you to investigate what types of structures are most stable under stress.
• Challenge other people's ideas. Advertisers make all kinds of claims in TV commercials. Test them. Which detergent really works the best? Do some batteries last longer than others? Why?
• Try the Internet. Browse through the science websites provided below, or books and magazines for project ideas.

Elementary Students: Science Project ideas

http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/sciencefairs/

http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/sciencefairs/primary.html

http://scienceclub.org/proj/kidproja.html

High School Students: Science Project Ideas

http://scienceclub.org/scifair.html

http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/sciencefairs/senior.html

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/elmers/250projectideas.html

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/project_ideas.shtml

http://scienceclub.org/proj/kidprojc.html

All Ages: General Science Websites

http://www.tryscience.org/

http://sciencenet.tpl.toronto.on.ca/

http://www.zooaction.ca/

http://www.eurekalert.org/

http://www.howstuffworks.com/

http://www.funsci.com/

http://www.sln.org/

http://kids.yahoo.com/science/

Gather Information

Find out as much as you can about your topic as this will allow you to develop an interesting question for testing. (For example: What do we know? What don't we know? What theories would you like to test? Or disprove? And what would happen if…?") Resources can include a combination of books, magazines, websites and or research papers. Another idea is to interview a professional currently working in that field. (Ex. Doctor, engineer or research scientist). Be sure to take good notes, and always keep track of your sources by including a works cited page, or bibliography as part of your project.

Want to connect with a research scientist? Ask your teacher about Virtual Researcher On Call (VROC) or visit their website at www.vroc.ca for more information.

Design and Conduct the Experiment

Once you have learned more about your research topic, it is time to narrow down a question for testing. This, along with your prediction is known as your hypothesis, and the purpose of your experiment is to put this theory to the test using the scientific method. The data you collect will either support or reject your initial predictions. An experimental procedure is a detailed, step-by-step list of what you plan to do to test your hypothesis. Make sure your experimental procedure follows these basic guidelines:

Hypothesis	A hypothesis is a clear statement of what you are testing in your experiment, and includes your prediction of the outcome. It also clearly states how that change will be measured. In an experiment, only one factor should be changed or tested at a time, and this factor is known as a variable. It is also important to include a control (experimental procedure with no variable applied) as it allows you to monitor any changes your variable may have on the system. To increase the validity of your experiment, be sure to include multiple trials and or replicate the experiment. *Still confused about what to do? See more examples below: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/scifairstudio/handbook/scientificmethod.html#hypothesis http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/steps/glossary/hypothesis_testing.html#hypothtest
Materials	List all the materials and equipment needed for your experiment and have an adult supervisor check over it for safety concerns. Be sure to make note of any potentially harmful materials, and to take the necessary safety precautions (ex. Work in a well-ventilated area, wear protective eyewear etc).
Procedure	Write a clear, concise experimental procedure outlining the steps necessary to carry out the experiment. This is also a great way for you to carefully plan out the experiment before proceeding. Science is a collaborative effort, and as such, other research scientists need to be able to replicate your experiment in the future. Careful planning is an essential ingredient for safety and success! Be sure to include a control in your experiment. This allows you to have a point of reference from which you can compare the effect, if any, of your variable.
Observations	In your hypothesis, it should clearly state how change would be measured in the experiment. There are two types of observations: 1) qualitative and 2) quantitative. Qualitative, or non-numeric data, is typically recorded in the form of written descriptions, photographs and or video. Quantitative, or numeric data, is based upon a measurable trait (ex. Population count, temperature, volume etc) and is more useful statistically as it allows us to make predictions and or generalizations based on the sample of data collected. Organize quantitative data in the form of charts and or tables.
Analysis	This is arguably one of the most important steps in an experiment-making sense of the data collected. For tips on how to analyze data, refer to the link below.
Conclusion	Did the result of your experiment agree or disagree with your initial hypothesis? Summarize your findings, explain the results, and propose additional experiments and or applications for this research in the future.

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Analyze Data

Look critically at your data and try to answer some of the following questions:

• Graph your quantitative data-are there any trends?
• Do the results prove or disprove your initial hypothesis? Is it significant?
• What are some possible sources of error?
• What would you do differently? How can the experiment be improved?
• Has this experiment led you to new questions?

Communicate Results

Share your results! Construct a fun and interesting exhibit to display your research. Engage visitors with visuals and props and explain to them just what makes your research topic so fascinating! For display ideas, consult the websites below for more information.

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/scifairstudio/handbook/display.html

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/project_display_board.shtml

http://www.cool-science-projects.com/Science-Fair-Project-Display.html

http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/elementary-science-fair-projects.html

Another idea is to post the results of your experiment online on a class or school website. Check out some other students’ science projects!