Steps in selecting and preparing a science fair project
with activity sheet

1. SELECT A TOPIC

SELECTING A TOPIC IS THE HARDEST PART OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT AND THE MOST IMPORTANT. YOUR INTEREST IN THE PROJECT IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE DESIRE TO KNOW SOMETHING YOU FIND INTERESTING, INTRIGUING, OR HELPFUL. THEREFORE, SELECT A QUESTION/TOPIC THAT SPARKS YOUR INTEREST OR CURIOSITY-PERHAPS A QUESTION REGARDING YOUR PERFORMANCE IN A SPORT, OR A TOPIC ASSOCIATED WITH A HOBBY. MAKE A LIST OF THOSE THINGS YOU LIKE TO DO---THEN ASK YOURSELF--- “HOW CAN I CREATE A SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT FROM MY MY AREA OF INTEREST?” ADDITIONALLY, SELECT A TOPIC THAT CAN BE QUANTITATIVELY MEASURED.

SWIMMERS-EVER WONDER IF THE TYPE OF MATERIAL IN YOUR BATHING SUIT AFFECTS SWIMMING SPEED? SKATE BOARDERS---DOES THE WHEEL-TYPE AFFECT A SPECIFIC MANEUVER IN YOUR SKATE BOARDING PERFORMANCE??

DESIGN AN EXPERIMENT AND SCIENTIFICALLY ARRIVE AT THE CORRECT ANSWER...NOW YOU CAN RELY ON EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS AND NOT HERESAY. REMEMBER, THIS IS YOUR OWN SPECIAL STUDY THAT REFLECTS YOUR INTEREST AND PERSONALITY. THIS PROJECT OFFERS YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENT WITH A TOPIC OR QUESTION THAT REFLECTS YOUR PASSION---- OR---- IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE AN AREA THAT “ YOU JUST FIND INTERESTING!” YOU WILL DO A BETTER JOB AND WILL BE MORE THOROUGH IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A TOPIC OR QUESTION THAT IS OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO YOU.

2. RESEARCH

AFTER THE TOPIC HAS BEEN SELECTED, START THE RESEARCH PROCESS. FIND AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE ON YOUR SUBJECT OR ANTICIPATED STUDY. USE THE INTERNET AT YOUR HOME, AT SCHOOL, AND PUBLIC LIBRARY. SEEK HELP FROM MEDIA SPECIALISTS AND LIBRARIANS. CONDUCT INTERVIEWS WITH EXPERTS AND/OR USE COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE RESOURCES TO GATHER INFORMATION. SEARCH FOR PAST STUDIES ON YOUR TOPIC. LEARN TO USE THE SHERLOCK SEARCH TO ACCESS NUMEROUS WEB SITES ON A TOPIC. ALSO USE THE ELECTRONIC LIBRARY AND ON-LINE SEARCH ENGINES. USE KEYWORDS TO NARROW YOUR SEARCH. REMEMBER THAT SCIENCE IS BUILT UPON KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM PREVIOUS RESEARCH. THUS, RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN CONDUCTED IN THE PAST IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF YOUR RESEARCH. A VAST AMOUNT OF TIME AND MONEY CAN BE SAVED BY LEARNING FROM THE PUBLISHED FINDINGS OF OTHERS. RESEARCH THE CHARACTERISTICS AND/OR ATTRIBUTES OF YOUR INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT VARIABLES BY USING SCIENTIFIC INDEXES, SCIENTIFIC ABSTRACTS, AND SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS.

3. PURPOSE

STATE THE PURPOSE OF THE EXPERIMENT BY DESCRIBING WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO RELATE HOW YOU FEEL THIS EXPERIMENT CAN BENEFIT SOCIETY. THERE SHOULD BE A PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF YOUR EXPERIMENTATION FOR THE GOOD OF ALL MANKIND. STATE THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF YOUR RESEARCH IN YOUR PURPOSE STATEMENT. BE SINCERE AND HONEST IN YOUR REMARKS AND INTENTION.

4. DEVELOP YOUR RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

FORMULATE YOUR HYPOTHESIS BASED UPON YOUR PRELIMINARY RESEARCH. THE HYPOTHESIS SHOULD REFLECT A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE AND DEPENDENT VARIABLE.

5. DESIGN THE EXPERIMENT

PLAN AND ORGANIZE THE EXPERIMENT UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS. KEEP ALL FACTORS IN THE EXPERIMENT CONSTANT, EXCEPT FOR THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE, AND PROVIDE SUFFICIENT REPEATED TRIALS.

ACTIVITY A

Print this question sheet and WRITE DOWN RESPONSES TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

Each group member will submit an individual response sheet.

1. WHAT IS YOUR PASSION?

2. WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?

3. WHAT ARE YOUR INTERESTS?

4. WHAT SPORTS OR OTHER ACTIVITIES DO YOU ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN?

5. WHAT QUESTIONS HAVE YOU PONDERED REGARDING THE AFOREMENTIONED STATEMENTS (#1-#4).

6. HOW COULD YOU DEVELOP A SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT FROM ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS REGARDING STATEMENTS (#1-#4).

THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS WILL OFFER ADDITIONAL POSSIBILITIES IN SELECTING YOUR PROJECT:

7. READ THE NEWSPAPER-GET IDEAS OR DISCOVER INTERESTING POSSIBILITIES

8. READ SCIENCE MAGAZINES-GET IDEAS OR DISCOVER INTERESTING POSSIBILITIES

9. VIEW SCIENCE RELATED VIDEOS OR MOVIES

10. TALK TO PROFESSIONALS IN SCIENCE OR HEALTH RELATED CAREERS(ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS,MEDICAL PERSONNEL, MARINE BIOLOGISTS, BOTANISTS, VETERINARIANS, RESEARCH SCIENTISTS)

11. TALK TO CITY AND COUNTY DEPARTMENTS (AIR QUALITY CONTROL, WATER QUALITY DEPARTMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES)

ACTIVITY B

COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITY TO ASSIST YOU IN DETERMINING YOUR SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT:
AFTER COMPLETING THE AFOREMENTIONED ACTIVITIES (#7-#11), WHAT QUESTIONS HAVE YOU FOUND INTERESTING THAT COULD BE POTENTIAL SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT IDEAS?

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