Science Fair Project

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Science Fair Project

• Tips for a successful Project

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Selecting a topic

• Web pages
• Use a search engine (yahoo)
• Use the site on our parish science corner .
• School library
• Town public library
• Universities Libraries
• (scientific magazines )
• Write to science services

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How to Identify a Good Topic

• Topic has to be narrow, specific.
• Topic must be realistic, practical (do you have
  access to the equipment )
• Find if your topic could survive constraints from
  rules and regulations.
• Topic must match your interests.

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Types of projects

• Models
• most have limited creativity an example of a
  creative model would be design a more efficient
  airplane and will include experiments supporting
  the theory behind the model design .

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Types of Projects

• Surveys ( be aware of rules possible
  questionnaires forms include 1C,2,3 4 )
• Before drawing conclusions use math
  (statistics ) to analyze your results.
• Use data tables, graphs ,over a period of
  time you might be able to use extrapolation.

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Type of Project

• A repeat from the past ,for example an
  illustration of a scientific law . This type of
  project might lack creativity, you should look
  for an original application rather than for a
  repeat, view things from a different angle, for
  example write a computer program which will
  simulate Mendels genetics

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Types of projects

• Original investigation is the most difficult to
  plan or conduct ,requires more library research,
  more critical thinking and lab work but is also
  the closest to scientific approach .

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Planning for your Project

• Narrow your topic for example instead of
  studying the effects of acid rain on a pound
  investigate the effect of acidic environment on a
  specific plant in a lab situation .

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Planning for your project

• Record what you read
• Use index cards in a library search
• Record author name ,title ,publisher date for a
  book .
• Record author Name, title, journal name,
  publisher name, volume and page for a magazine .
• Record author site for an internet source.

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Example of scientific Bibliography

• Magazines
• Young, M., Pinhole Optics, Applied
  Optics,10,2763 (1971)
• Fitch, J. M., The control of Luminous
  environment Scientific American, 219, 190 (Sep
  .1968)
• Prigo, Robert, Bachman ,C.H., some observations
  on the process of walking, Physics teacher.14.
  360 (1976)

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Example of scientific Bibliography

• Books
• Goldstein, Herbert, Classical Mechanics,
  Addisson- Wesley, Reading,MA(1950),p.308.
• Uvarov, Boris, Grasshoppers and locusts a
  handbook of general acridology Cambridge
  University Press, London vol.1 (1977) p.479 .

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Plan your equipment

• Be realistic ,cut down on expenses.
• If you are an exceptionally talented High school
  student you might be invited upon recommendation
  of your teacher to be mentored by a university
  professor . You therefore will have access to
  university lab accommodations under your mentor
  supervision.

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Plan Your Equipment

• If you can construct some of your own equipment
  to gather data, this is a plus as you demonstrate
  creativity.
• You may make the measurements at school by making
  arrangement with a teacher (your experiment may
  be integrated in a science lesson) .
• (school sensors ,weather stations )

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Plan for Safety

• Avoid disease causing organisms, explosive gas,
  dangerous chemical .
• If your project present any safety concern make
  certain to work under the provision of a
  qualified scientist.
• Always share your project with your science
  sponsor at school, he or she will advise you
  about safety or refer you to some one who can
  advise you.

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Plan your time

• Keep a book where you will keep your data and an
  agenda ,list of supplies , bibliography
• Plan your time for each part of your project set
  a realistic duration time as well as a deadline (
  this activity will train you in learning
  responsibilities and in being organized, this is
  a good training which will enhance your growth
  and maturation )

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Realistic Planning Timeline
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Scientific Method

• Hypothesis (your purpose)
• Should be clear and brief one sentence based
  on the information you gather in your research.
  The hypothesis is followed by a brief statement
  explaining or justifying this purpose.
• Do not consider your experiment or project a
  failure if your investigation does not confirm
  your hypothesis. Just say that your hypothesis is
  not verified in your conclusion the essential
  is to arrive to the truth . You may suggest
  further research or include a second phase in
  your project if the time constraint permit you to
  go on.

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Your experiments

• Outline steps keep design as simple as
  possible ( more complicated it is more chance you
  have to make errors )
• Types
• 1) qualitative careful observations without
  getting involved in measurement or statistical
  analysis.
• 2) quantitative Measurements and collection of
  numerical data (use the metric system ). Best
  type of data as it will permit you to use
  Mathematics to establish relations not based on
  opinion but facts.

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Doing your experiment

• Include a control (vary the experimental
  conditions) If the outcome may be caused by
  another factor, this will permit you to single
  out the results.
• Keep accurate and regular records.
• Objectivity Do not discard a result which is not
  in agreement with the rest of the study. Lone
  results may be due to faulty or contaminated
  sample, math error or a clue to some interesting
  discovery.

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Results

• Keep a note book for recording any information
  ,observation and data, in tables , graphs do not
  use scrap of paper, use photographs, drawings ,
  diagrams.
• You must
• never commit results to memory

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Your conclusion

• Must come directly and solely from the data in
  your notebook.
• If you can not arrive at any conclusion with your
  data , find a different approach to your
  experiments.
• Must be clear and concise . Do not hesitate to
  present all the conclusions your data can support
  . (especially if your project has several phases)
  
• Dont reach any conclusion not supported by your
  data !
• The conclusion should end with an opening which
  will suggest a direction in which your study
  could have a meaningful follow up.

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What to include in your report

• A cover title
• do not be vague ,generally include both
  dependent and independent variable in your title
  .
• In an engineering project it might be the
  name of your design , or your design versus its
  performance in a given environment.

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2. The Body of the report

• Look at format used in scientific Journal (The
  Scientific American is on the shelf of every
  bookstore ) .
• Your whole report might be handwritten or typed
  ,if you have access to a computer it will be
  better for you to type it (your note book is
  hand written ). If you type use double space 1
  margin on an eleven by eight and half paper.

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3. The abstract

• Is the summary of your scientific report .
• Make certain that you write the abstract only
  after you write the report so you may stick to
  the essential.

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4. State your purpose

• Be brief, you want to familiarize the reader with
  the problem you are intending to solve (might
  mention what has been done so far )
• Explain what impact your investigation may have
  on scientific or technical Knowledge.

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5. Explain your Methods

• This is your procedure
• The material you use .
• The step by step investigation in
  relation to what it permit you to achieve.

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6. Follow up with results

• These are your observations .
• Your observation will be recorded in
  word sentences and paragraphs. Be clear concise
  simple and accurate .
• You may use photos or a schematic
  illustration will carry a lot of information
• They will be recorded in tables.
• They will be recorded on the form of
  graphs (graphs take a primordial place in the way
  the scientific community communicates
  information , it is almost a must in any
  scientific report) (line , bar, xy graphs , Pie
  charts )

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Organization of data in a table .

• The independent variable is written in the first
  column
• For example when you walk the distance you
  walk is changing as a function of time ( D f
  ( t) . Time is the independent variable and
  distance is the dependent variable.
• The time data will be in the first column and
  the distance data in the seconds .
• Note As shown in the next slide if a unit
  of the system international is named after a
  person it has to be capitalized as shown in the
  next slide unit of current is named after the
  scientist Ampere and the unit of potential is
  named after the scientist Volta ) . The equation
  is V R ( I ) The amount of volts depend on
  the amount of current.

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Example of table Note the Independent
variable column is written first
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Example of graph
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Example of Graph
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7.Analyze your Results

• Establish relation
• proportionality factors, see how data
  are mathematically related. (some examples below)
  
• Use graphs are the variable directly
  proportional (straight line y mx b ).
• Inversely proportional ( y k/x )
• Vary as a square function
• Y ax2 bx c

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Conclude Your Report

• Use your analysis to establish conclusive
  statements.
• The conclusion should always include suggestions
  for further research worth to solve the problem
  or to look at it on a different angle. What new
  problems or questions were uncovered by the
  project.

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Include your references

• This is your bibliography
• see example above Slide 10 and
  slide 11 .

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Your Board display

• The Exhibit Size is limited to
• 76 cm (30 inches) deep front to back.
• 122cm (48 inches ) wide, side to side .
• 274 cm (108 inches) high floor to top.
• Project exceeding these dimensions are
  automatically disqualified.

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Presenting your Project

• Introduce yourself do not mention your school ,
  give the title of your project .
• explain your purpose, summarize any background
  information, discuss briefly how you developed an
  interest in the topic
• explain how you proceeded. Point on and use your
  display to support your explanations .

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Examples of displays
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Examples of displays
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Examples of displays
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Examples of displays
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Presenting your Project

• 4. emphasize results and conclusions, point on
  your exhibit to support your logic (this will
  help you as you present your project logically
  and sequentially).
• 5. Tell about applications or suggestions for
  further study or to improve your project.
• 6. Invite questions from the judges.

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Other Tips related to the presentation of your
project

• Practice makes perfect practice in front of
  friends ,teachers, parents.
• Do not antagonize the judges do not chew
  gum,wear extravagant cloth ,people are impressed
  with good manners (Sir,Mam ) ,dress, polite
  behavior and above all an attitude which show
  that you care and are there because you want to
  be there and are interested by the subject of
  your research.

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Other Tips related to the presentation of your
project

• 3.Do not stand in between the exhibit and the
  judges but on the side. Give them a copy of your
  abstract, arouse their interest, maintain
  interest by periodic eye contact .
• 4. Point to lab apparatus ,charts, photographs
  on display this will permit you to tell about
  your project in an appropriate sequence. Do not
  read on your project, you should know what you
  are talking about this is your project.

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Judging criteria

• Scientific content and application
• Has a clear hypothesis, problem is
  specific and well stated ,procedures methods, did
  you recognize and define all variables, if
  control was necessary was it included, data is
  sufficient and relevant.
• How do communicate scientific
  thought ,do you use the scientific language
  tables ,chart , graphs , is your analysis based
  upon mathematics relation. How did you arrive to
  your conclusions ,how did you deduct information
  .
• Did it include ideas for further
  research, does it refer to a bibliography some
  scientific publications.

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Judging Criteria

• 2. Creativity and originality
• Design of own procedures ,did you
  constructed a piece of equipment, how did you get
  the idea of your project. Any student can spend
  money to buy equipment but creative students will
  design their own.
• The choice of a project might be redundant
  and therefore lack of creativity ( ex volcanoes
  models unless you add a new dimension ) .
• You may also display creativity and
  originality in the interpretation of your data
  and analysis.

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Judging Criteria

• 3. Thoroughness
• Are your conclusions based on a single
  experiment or enough repetitions to obtain
  sufficient data.
• Did you look to all possible approach