How to Produce a Winning Science Fair Project
WHAT IS A SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT?
It is an experiment designed to find the answer to a question and is the topic of your Science Fair Project. For example, you might want to ask: “What is the effect of temperature on the growth rate of plants?”
HOW TO YOU SELECT YOUR QUESTION?
To make the project interesting to you, use a question that you would really like to know the answer to. (Limit yourself to one question)
There are three good sources of ideas for your project:
1.) Your own personal interests and activities.
2.) Advertising claims.
3.) Popular myths and urban legends.
Examples:
• If you have an interest in snowboarding, you might like to know, “What effect does waxing a snowboard have on its speed?”
• You may wonder, “Is it true that a certain brand of antacid neutralizes 20% more stomach acid than another brand?”
• You might have heard that drinking a cola after taking an aspirin will burn a hole in your stomach so ask, “What is the effect of drinking a cola and taking an aspirin?”
Answering a question through experimentation is the central activity of science. Real scientists do it every day. Working on a science fair project of your own design is the most scientific activity you are likely to do as a student.
ARE THERE ANY KINDS OF PROJECTS YOU SHOULD AVOID?
• Science Fair rules generally prohibit any experimentation involving live animals.
• Avoid the use of any hazardous materials. This is particularly true of most chemicals.
• Working models, demonstrations or summaries of information found in books, magazines or on the internet all have their value, but are not what Science Fair judges look for. Stick with an experiment. In a winning project, it is the idea, research, theory, methodology and results of a well thought out experiment that will earn you the blue ribbon.
Click here to download a printable PDF (1.1mb) of this Science Fair Project Guide.
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