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This program is provided with. compliments from. By Doug Steward. A Science Fair Project! What am I going to do for such an impossible assignment?. Is it hard to come up with good ideas that are interesting?. Are you lost without any hope?.

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By Doug Steward

A Science Fair Project! What am I going to

do for such an impossible assignment?

Is it hard to come up with good ideas

that are interesting?

Are you lost without

any hope?

Who can you talk to for ideas

and helpful hints?

Newspapers, magazines and other news

sources are helpful in showing what is

happening in the world around you.

They are great sources for ideas.

What kind of hobbies do you have?

Hobbies are full of great science fair ideas.

Are graphite fishing rods

really better?

What can you do to improve your

competition skills?

What things are you interested in. Activities such as

music are sources for some great projects.

Is there a correlation between life style and musical



Is there a mathematical basis

for music?


What affects tone quality?

What sports are you interested in?

What can you do to be a better high jumper,

hurdler, or sprinter?

Do your pets do anything that

interest you?

Many projects can be designed to

discover information about habits

diet, or health.

Has a personal experience generated

any interest in some area that you can study?

If you like math

there are many

possible projects

that are


The first thing you should do

is develop a good question.

Something you really want

an answer to.



What bugs are in the nearby river?

How sharp should your ice skates be?

The library is a great place to start.

The staff in the library is trained to help you in all kinds of areas

Computer searches can be good.

Especially if you live a long way from the

source of information you need.


Be careful there is a lot of bad information

out there.

Professionals in the community are a

great source of help and can provide

most of your much needed help.

Then develop a hypothesis.

A hypothesis

is a possible answer to your


What you think the correct

answer is.


Lunar phases do affect the

time of day fish feed.

Now you need to design an

experiment to test your answer.

Your experiment is the most

vital part of your project.

You will need to make observations…

that will support or contradict your


These observations must be

recorded and organized.

You will be expected to account for

every part of your experiment.

Remember, observations mean very

little unless they are compared …

to a control.

An experiment is only as good as the

controls that are used for


If you have not made good

comparisons against known

quantities then you really

have no idea how much

change has actually taken


A common mistake is that people

don’t make enough observations…

because the test group is too small.

The more individual tests you make

the more accurate your results will


Always make sure to record everything

you see

Keeping an eye out for the unexpected.

Compare your data with what other

people have come up with.

Always evaluate what you are doing.

Did you use accurate techniques?

Did you have good controls?

Was your test population large enough?

Are your records clear and easy to read?

How many variables did you have?

Did you account for the unexpected?

When you complete your experiment

you need to decide what the

answer to your problem is.

Was your hypothesis correct?

If it was wrong, how would you

change it?

Remember, the judges will be

looking for your records.

All your records, data analysis, and

conclusions should be available and

easy to read.

Now it is up to the judges to determine

how well you did…

and there are some things you can do

to assure an award winning year.

You need to develop a display that

will tell the story of what you did.

This display must be

sturdy and self


It needs to be attractive

and easy to read.

Here is a good pattern to follow when you

are designing your display.

Models can be

helpful but be

careful they do not

overwhelm the rest

of the display.

Pictures are an


way of providing



showing changes.

Information can also be

displayed in the form

of graphs.

Make sure everything

is neat and well


This display is well

organized, attractive

and very informative.

This display uses

some art to attract

people, but notice

all the essential

parts are present.

Your display is only part of the


You will be expected to explain

your findings to a group of judges.

It would be helpful to practice presenting

your understanding of your experimentation.

Be careful that you don’t plan a speech.

That will turn off the judges.

But it is good to organize your ideas and…

Practice, practice, practice, practice.

Remember the judge’s job is to figure

out how much you know.

So be ready for some really hard


Look them in the eyes.

Shake their hands and introduce yourself.

Look professional

and be

confident in

your abilities.

Remember, the judges are probably

experts in your project subject.

Don’t try to make up the data.

The judges will know the difference.

Science fair competition is not easy.

It is full of hard work,

tense moments…

and high expectations.

You can take the science fair

experience all the way to an

International adventure.

A person’s “good Luck” has

been defined as a time when his/her

preparation meets with an


A science fair project is an opportunity.

Can you prepare to meet the challenge?