Science Fair Guidelines

January 3, 2011 | Print This Homework Post

    Important Deadlines:

  • The bibliography (5 sources) is due on Friday January 14th.
  • Your experiment must be completed by Monday January 24th.
  • The research paper is due Friday January 28th.
  • The journal, binder, display board are due February 3rd.
  • In-class presentations by the student about their project will be on February 3rd.
  • The Faustina science fair will be held on Friday February 4th.
  • The students with the top two projects in grades 7-8 and the top two in grades 9-12 will then go on to compete in the Dallas Regional Science Fair held on February 26th.

    Late projects/papers:

  • if any part of the project is not completed and/or turned in on the due date, the student will receive a zero for that portion of the work.
  • If a student enters class on the day that an assignment is due, and he/she has the assignment on a USB drive or saved in an e-mail and not printed out, the paper is late and the student will not receive credit for that part of the assignment.
  • If your printer isn’t working, you may ask Coach Barnard permission to print off the assignment in the morning before 8am.
  • Remember, the science fair will be 40% of the 3rd quarter grade.

Required Items for Science Fair:

  1. A journal must be kept during your experiment. The date should be written at the top. In each entry, a description of all work done and materials used should be recorded, along with any observations. The journal is due February 3rd.
  2. Forms: Student Checklist, Approval Form, Adult Sponsor forms are required for everyone. Human Subjects, Vertebrate Animal forms are required for any experiment that involves humans or animals. If I tell you that you must get written consent from each volunteer, you must hand in all consent forms as well.
  3. Binder: The journal entries should be put in a binder along with the research paper and all other forms (Student Checklist, Approval Form, Informed Consent, etc.). The binder should be placed next to the trifold display during the science fair.
  4. Research paper (due January 28th): The procedure plan written last semester must be expanded into a research paper. You must include a proper heading, number pages, and footnoted citations. It must follow the following format. In order to receive an A on the paper, you must address all of the following criteria.
    1. Title Page
    2. Table of contents
    3. Introduction
      • statement of problem
      • hypothesis
      • goals
      • how you decided on your project
    4. Materials and Procedure
      • List all materials used
      • Write a procedure so detailed that anyone reading your paper would be able to repeat your experiment
      • Describe how you collected data/made observations
      • include detailed drawings/photos of anything you built
    5. Results
      • Include ALL data
      • Represent data in tables, graphs, pictures
      • Include observations
      • If you conducted a survey, include all recorded survey responses
    6. Discussion
      • compare results with commonly held beliefs, previous research, expected results
      • Include discussion of errors and possible reasons for those errors
      • How did data vary between repeated observations of similar events?
      • Were there any variables that affected your results?
      • What would you have done differently?
      • What other experiments should be conducted to solve the problem/support your hypothesis?
    7. Conclusion
      • If you are dealing with a large amount of data, average certain groups and compare the averages. (eg. Percentage of girls who prefer diet coke vs. percentage of boys)
      • Do not introduce new material- work with material that has already been discussed
      • Mention any practical applications. How could this research be of benefit to others? What have you learned?
    8. Acknowledgments
      • Give credit to all those who have assisted you- those who provided advice, guidance, supplies, etc. If you conducted any part of your experiment at Faustina, acknowledge that as well.
      • Do not put acknowledgements on your display board
    9. Bibliography
      • Five sources are required for the research paper
      • Any form of media is permitted, including websites. All five sources may be websites.
      • Websites such as Yahoo Answers, WikiAnswers, and Blurtit and any other website where users submit answers are not permitted for use as sources
      • Message boards are not acceptable sources
      • Wikipedia may be used as a starting point, but it should not be the main source you use in your paper
      • remember to cite the book/website from which you received instructions for your experiment
      • Follow any format (eg. MLA, APA, Chicago) – just be consistent in the format you use. The handout provides links that explain each format.
      • Use your sources to address all the following criteria:

-What other experiments should be conducted to solve the problem/support your hypothesis?

      • -What other experiments could be conducted to solve the problem/support your hypothesis?

        -Compare results with commonly held beliefs, previous research, expected results

        - discuss practical applications: How could this research be of benefit to others? What have you learned?

  2. A trifold display board needs to be constructed for the science fair. Instructions were given in the science fair packet. The display board is due February 3rd.
    • Remember that while a board should be attractive and well constructed, the judges focus on the content of your work
    • Photographs of people other than yourself generally should not be used- if you think they’re necessary, you need to have signed written consent from a parent/ person (if 18 or above) being photographed.


Posted by Nicole Hawley | Filed Under 11th Grade: Science, 12th Grade: Science, 7th Grade: Science, 8th Grade: Science, 9th Grade: Science 

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