Science Fair Doing it all in one semester (almost)! Nancy Brim Lakeside High School [email protected].

Science Fair

Doing it all in one semester (almost)!

Nancy Brim Lakeside High School

[email protected]

MY SCHOOL SITUATION 7 period day 50 minute classes Gifted chemistry students Collaboration with gifted English teachers

WHAT STUDENTS ARE TOLD Ninth grade year Difference between accelerated and gifted

chemistry Single science/English paper

COLLABORATION

In Science: Library visit to choose topic All drafts and paperwork handled

In English: MLA and writing style explanation Thesis explanation

TIMELINE/DEADLINES August 16 - Explanation of project, receive paperwork August 20 - Media Center visit to investigate possible topics August 24 - Project Ideas form due with signed parent

acknowledgment; Go over logbook protocol; (10 pts) September 6 - Science Fair Project Plan due (10 pts) September 10 - Discussion of the filling out of GSEF

paperwork September 26 - Turn in completed GSEF Paperwork. (15 pts) October 10 - First Draft / Logbook due (10 pts) October 16 - Deadline for all Human Subjects/Prior Approval

Paperwork October 17 - Revised Science Fair Project Plan due (10 pts)

TIMELINE/DEADLINES

October 31 - Second Draft / Old First Draft / Logbook Due (15 pts)

November 14 - Third Draft / Old Second Draft / Old First Draft / Logbook Due (15 pts)

December 3 - FINAL RESEARCH REPORT DUE – Old Third Draft / Old Second Draft / Old First Draft / Logbook Due (15 pts)

January 11 - Display board due January 16 - Abstract due January 24 - school fair February 6 - county fair April 2-5 - state fair

STUDENT FOLDER

Science Fair Research Project Schedule of Important Dates

August 16 Explanation of project, receive paperwork August 20 Media Center visit to investigate possible topics August 24 Project Ideas form due with signed parent acknowledgment; Go over

logbook protocol; set up conference with teacher, if necessary (10 pts) September 6 Science Fair Project Plan due (10 pts) September 10 Discussion of the filling out of GSEF paperwork September 26 Turn in completed GSEF Paperwork. (15 pts) October 10 First Draft / Logbook due (10 pts)

- should include title, purpose for project, research/background information, hypothesis, works cited

October 16 Deadline for all Human Subjects/Prior Approval Paperwork October 17 Revised Science Fair Project Plan due (10 pts) October 31 Second Draft / Old First Draft / Logbook Due (15 pts) - should include title, purpose for project, research/background

information, hypothesis, materials and methods*, and works cited *anyone reading this should be able to recreate your experiment perfectly. November 14 Third Draft / Old Second Draft / Old First Draft / Logbook Due (15 pts) - should include everything from second draft with revisions, plus

whatever else you would like edited. December 3 FINAL RESEARCH REPORT DUE – Old Third Draft / Old Second

Draft / Old First Draft / Logbook Due (15 pts) - see separate criteria for more information

You will receive the allotted points for the material due on each of the designated due dates. Any item not received complete on the date assigned will lose the possible points assigned it. These points are 10% of the science fair project grade. Please do yourself a favor and monitor

your progress carefully.

January 11 Display board and paper/notebook due - See separate criteria for more information January 16 Abstract due

GETTING STARTED Before you begin, please note that RESEARCH refers to library research and information gathering. EXPERIMENTATION refers to work done in the field or laboratory after forming a hypothesis. A. Pick Your Topic. Get an idea of what you want to study. Ideas might come from hobbies or

problems you see that need solutions. Limit your topic, as you have little time and resources. You may want to study only one or two specific events.

B. Research Your Topic. Go to the library and read everything you can on your topic. Observe related

events. Gather existing information on your topic. Look for unexplained or unexpected results. At the same time, talk to professionals in the field, write to companies for information, and obtain or construct needed equipment.

C. Organize and Theorize. Organize everything you have learned about your topic. At this point, you

should narrow down your hypothesis by focusing on a particular idea. Your library research should help you.

D. Make a Timetable. As you narrow your ideas, remember to choose a topic that not only interests you,

but also can be done in the amount of time you have. Get out a calendar to mark important dates. Make sure to leave a week to fill out the necessary forms and review your Research Plan (1A form) with your Sponsor. Certain projects require approval from a Scientific Review Committee (SRC) before they are started, so be sure to allow plenty of time to experiment and collect data – even simple experiments do not always go as you might expect the first time, or even the second time. After you have finished your experiments, you will probably need a few weeks to finish your paper and put together an exhibit.

E. Plan Out Your Research. Once you have a feasible project idea, you should write a research plan.

This plan should explain exactly how you will do your experiment and exactly what it will involve. All students are required to complete the Adult Sponsor form (1), the Student Checklist/Research Plan (1A), and the Approval Form (1B).

F. Consult Your Adult Sponsor. You are REQUIRED to discuss your Research Plan (1A) with your

Adult Sponsor and get his/her signature of approval. Your Sponsor should review your Research Plan (1A) and determine (use the checklist provided by your teacher) if you need additional forms and/or SRC or IRB approval.

G. Conduct Your Experiments. Give careful thought to designing your experiments. As you conduct

your research and experiments, keep detailed notes of each and every experiment, measurement, and observation in your LOG BOOK. Do not rely on your memory. Remember to change only one variable at a time when experimenting, and make sure to include control experiments in which none of the variables are changed. Make sure you include sufficient numbers of test subjects in both the control and experimental groups. A group must have five or more subjects to be statistically valid.

H. Examine Your Results. When you complete your experiments, examine and organize your findings.

Did your experiments give you the expected results? Why or why not? Was your experiment performed with the exact same steps each time? Are there other causes that you had not considered or observed? Were there errors in your observations? Remember that understanding errors and reporting that a suspected variable did not change the results can be valuable information. If possible, statistically analyze your data.

I. Draw Conclusions. Which variables are important? Did you collect enough data? Do you need to do

more experimenting? Keep an open mind - never alter results to fit a theory. Remember, if your results do not support your original hypothesis, you can still have accomplished successful scientific research. An experiment is done to prove or disprove a hypothesis.

STUDENT FOLDERCHOOSING A TOPIC

Believe it or not, selecting a topic for a science fair project may be the toughest part of the process. The Internet and the media center or Public Library are good places to find a topic, but most students are not focused when they begin their search. Without knowing what it is that you are looking for, it is almost impossible for you to come up with something that is going to work as a topic. FIRST STEP: Pick an area of science in which you have a particular interest. You are going to be with your topic for 6 months….If you don’t pick a topic interesting to you, it will be a very long six months. Look closely at your interests, experience, and resources before settling on a topic. SECOND STEP: Look at the topics listed in this packet. When you look at the topics, think about your interests and think about your experiences. Then look at the subtopics. THIRD STEP: If you do not find a topic of interest in this packet, there are several other places to look:

1. Scientific Abstracts 2. Internet and Electronic Periodicals

WMS Science Fair Ideas http://k12pages.r8esc.k12.in.us/allen/swacs/sciencefair/ideas.html Some Science Fair Topics http://quark.physics.uwo.ca/sfair/sfideas.htm Discovery.Com Topics http://school.discovery.com/sciencefaircentral/scifairstudio/ideas.html Topic 3-D Science Fair Topics (scroll far down the page) http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/xsci/tpcd3xsc.html Science Project www.scienceproject.com/index.asp The ultimate Science fair resource

http://www.scifair.org/ Science Fair Home Page http://www.cdli.ca/sciencefairs/ Science Stuff.com http://sciencefairproject.virtualave.net/

3. Research Magazines and Other Traditional Periodicals Science News www.sciencenews.org Exploratorium www.exploratorium.org Latest Science research www.sciencedaily.com

4. Research Current Topics or Local Topics of Interest

BE SURE YOU CHOOSE A TOPIC THAT YOU CAN TEST AND TEST USING MATERIALS AVAILABLE TO YOU

LOGBOOK INFORMATION

Your logbook should contain accurate and detailed notes of EVERYTHING you do for your research project. Good notes will not only show your consistency and thoroughness to the judges, but will help you when writing your research paper. Logbook must be a bound composition book – stitched or glued only.

NEVER tear pages out of your logbook. Your entries should be dated – each day you worked on your project,

there should be an entry detailing what you did and/or what you learned. Every page should have a date on it.

Do not skip pages. Your logbook should be written in INK only. Leave index space in the front or back of the book. Number your

pages and fill out index or table of contents. Treat your logbook as a journal – everything should be in it. **Your

logbook contains all information regarding your research from beginning to end. All library searches, experiment failures and successes should all be listed.

Include notes on readings and bibliographic information. If you are

using bib cards, put them in a pocket in the back of your logbook. Include your raw data (raw data does not go on your display board). You may not use a computer printout as your logbook or put computer

printouts in your logbook.

I will need to see your logbook each time you turn in a draft of your paper.

STUDENT FOLDERGETTING ORGANIZED

One of the biggest pitfalls in a long-term assignment is the tendency to leave things until the last minute. This tendency to procrastinate is not limited to you -- many people battle with this problem into their adult years. A schedule with short-term dates will help to prevent the work from piling up at the end and can provide you with a continuing sense of accomplishment as the work on the project progresses. An outline for a schedule is given below. Scheduled Completion SUGGESTED TASKS BY WEEK Date Done August 13-17 ______ Week 1 Receive pertinent information on science fair project. Begin to

research topic ideas. Fill out Research Idea sheet (due August 24) August 20-24 ______ Week 2 Research Idea Sheet due – August 24 Choose a topic or problem to investigate. Make a list of resources (libraries, places/people to write) Select your reading materials Start a bound log logbook for keeping records. Write down what you

have done so far. IN INK! Date each entry and each page. August 27-31 ______ Week 3 Begin preliminary investigations. Write for additional information from business firms, government

agencies, etc. Fill out Science Fair Project Plan form. (Due Sept. 6). September 3-7 ______ Week 4 Science Fair Project Plan due – September 6 Complete initial research. Interview experts for more information. Decide how to set up your investigation or experiment. Keep progress current in your logbook. September 10-21 ______ Weeks 5 - 6 Discussion and distribution of GSEF paperwork – September 10 Collect experiment materials and learn to use any

apparatus you need. Keep progress current in your logbook. Get GSEF paperwork together (Due Sept. 26) Sept. 24-Oct. 5 ______ Weeks 7-8 GSEF Paperwork due – September 26 Organize materials sent to you in response to your letters. Decide if additional materials from outside sources are needed. Work on first draft of your paper - should include title, purpose,

thesis statement, research and background information, hypothesis, and works cited (Due October 10) .

October 8-19 ______ Weeks 9-10 First Draft Paper and logbook due - October 10 Last day to turn in revised GSEF paperwork – October 16 Revised Science Fair Project Plan due- October 17 Continue research for background information about the topic. Begin experiment if GSEF paperwork is approved. Continue recording notes and observations. Take photographs of project in progress.

Date Done Oct. 22-26 ______ Week 11 Continue experiment as needed. Work on second draft of your paper - should include first draft

material, plus materials, methods, and works cited (Due Oct. 31). Check with experts contacted earlier as needed. Review books, articles, for additional ideas. Begin analysis of data collected. Begin designing charts, graphs, and

other visual aids for display and written report. Continue recording notes and observations. Take photographs of project in progress. Oct. 29 – Nov. 9 ______ Weeks 12-13 Second Draft of Paper and logbook due – October 31 Continue experiment as needed. Begin analysis of data collected. Begin designing charts, graphs, and

other visual aids for display and written report. Continue rewriting your paper. Add actual data, analysis and begin

making conclusions. Third draft due Nov. 14. Continue recording notes, observations, progress in your logbook. November 12-23 ______ Weeks 14-15 Third draft of paper and logbook due – November 14 Complete experiment. Continue recording notes, observations, and progress in your

logbook. Work on final draft of paper. November 26-30 ______ Week 16 Write and type final draft of paper. Check and double-check spelling,

punctuation, and grammar. Final paper due December 3 December 3-7 ______ Week 17 Final paper due - December 3. All edited previous drafts and logbook due also – place in manila

folder Dec. 10- Jan. 4 ______ Week 18-21 Begin preparing signs, titles, and labels for display. Have photographs developed and enlarged as needed. Write text for background of display and plan its layout. Complete charts, graphs, and visual aids. Check spelling, punctuation, and grammar on display. Finish constructing display. (Due Jan. 11). Finish recording progress in your logbook. Set up display at home and check for any flaws (leave standing for 2

days to make sure nothing falls off!). January 7-11 ______ Week 22 Display Board due – January 11 Once the paper and display board are returned, make necessary

corrections for presentation to judges at school fair at the end of January and possible presentation to the judges of the county science fair held in February.

January 14-18 Week 23 Abstract Due – January 16 Must be in GSEF format and on correct form. See separate criteria

for this

STUDENT FOLDER

SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT PLAN Due September 5

Revised Plan due October 17 Answer these questions on a separate piece of paper. 1. Write your problem statement in the form of a question. 2. What is your independent variable? (What would you change as you investigate your

problem?) 3. What is your dependent variable? (What would you measure as you investigate your

problem?) 4. Rewrite your problem statement in the form: “How does the independent variable

affect the dependent variable? (Substitute your variables for the underlined words.) 5. Write a hypothesis in the form: “As the independent variable (increases/decreases),

the dependent variable will (increase/decrease). (Pick one of the choices, or another appropriate term.)

6. How will you test your hypothesis? Write a step by step procedure showing how you

will change your independent variable and how you will measure the dependent variable. Be as specific as you can about values for the variables (actual numbers) and materials you will need.

7. List any materials, instruments, or people you might need that you don’t think you

can get on your own. 8. List any skills or information you will need that you would like someone to assist you

in obtaining or learning.

Name ________________________________________ Date _____________________

PROJECT IDEAS Due August 24

You are writing a research paper for a science fair project. You will form a testable hypothesis, design the experiment, perform it, collect data, analyze the data, and form a conclusion. The research paper with completed experimentation is due in December. You need to think of areas of science that you are interested in. Using these areas of interest as a guide, state three problems that you are interested in researching and investigating. These problems should be in the form of a question and fairly specific. Star the one you are most interested in. See examples given below. 1. Do metals rust at different rates? 2. Does magnetism/electricity affect plant growth? How? 3. What detergent is the most biodegradable or effective?

Remember: this is the first step of the scientific method that will lead to a hypothesis and ultimately an experiment. You will be designing this experiment with equipment that you possess or can obtain.

PROJECT IDEAS

1.

2.

3.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * I have read and understand my child’s ideas for his/her science fair project. I understand that he/she will be completing the research paper as well as performing and documenting the experiment by December 3. I understand research may have to be done at other libraries as well the Lakeside Media Center. Signature _________________________________________ Date ______________________

STUDENT FOLDERYOUR FI NAL PAPER

All sections should appear in this order.

No exceptions.

A. Title Page. Center the project title and put your name, your address, Lakeside High School, and your grade at the bottom right. All is double spaced. Separate page. (5 points)

B. Table of Contents. Separate page; Put a centered header on this page. Put a page number f or the start of each

section. That means that the pages of your paper need to be numbered – top right corner! (5 points) C. I ntroduction. Starts on a new page. I ncludes introductory paragraph with thesis statement and purpose,

background inf ormation, and ends with summary paragraph that includes the hypothesis. Cite your sources correctly. Failure to cite your sources will result in a zero for plagiarism. (15 points)

D. Materials and Methods. Leaving no gap af ter the background, describe in detail the procedure used to derive your

data and observations in paragraph f orm. I nclude brand names, metric measurements, and methods of data collection. Make sure anyone can replicate it exactly. Step listings are not acceptable. Put extended and detailed explanation of any construction in Appendix. (25 points)

E. Results. I mmediately af ter methods, present the data collected in the experiment in tables and/ or graphs;

summarize the data in paragraph f orm. I nclude statistical analysis of the data - this is the analysis (averaging, standard deviation, etc.) of the data. Raw data is placed in the appendix in table f orm. (10 points)

F. Discussion/Conclusion. I mmediately af ter the results section is the fi nale of your paper. Your discussion should

fl ow smoothly and logically f rom your results. BE THOROUGH! A complete discussion should include: 1. Was your hypothesis correct? What supports or refutes this? 2. Compare your results with theoretical values, published data, and commonly held belief s and/ or

expected results if possible. 3. Discuss your results. How did the data vary between repeated observations of similar events? 4. Have a discussion of error. How were your results aff ected by uncontrolled events? Were there

other errors? 5. What would you do diff erently if you repeated this project? 6. What other experiments should be based on the results you got? I n other words, in which direction

does your research point? 7. Lastly, in a f inal paragraph, briefly summarize your entire experiment – the conclusion.

Make sure not to introduce anything in this section that has not already been discussed in your background information. Be specific, do not generalize. (15 points)

G. Acknowledgements. Separate page, put a centered header on this page. Credit assistance received f rom mentors,

sponsors, parents, teachers, and other sources. Can be in fi rst person in this section only. (optional – 0 points) H. Works Cited. Separate page, put a centered header on this page. Your list should include any material that is

cited in your paper. Follow the MLA style. I t should have no numbering, a handing indent, and all should be double spaced. You must have a minimum of fi ve sources, have a variety of sources (not website heavy), and have only .gov and .edu unless your teacher has given permission f or other sites. (25 points)

I . Appendix. Separate page, put a centered header on this page. I nclude critical information that is too lengthy f or

the main section of the paper, such as raw data, additional tables and graphs, copies of surveys or tests, construction details and diagrams of specialized equipment. (Not all of you will have this section – depends on equipment used in experiment and data collected – See your teacher f or more inf ormation.) (optional – 0 points)

YOUR PROJ ECT GRADE SCIENTI FI C METHOD 45%

Title Page (5) Table of Contents (5) I ntroductory paragraph with thesis statement (5) Stated hypothesis at end of background in summary paragraph (5) I ndependent and Dependent Variables identifi able (5)

Materials: all brand names listed (2) Materials: written in paragraph f orm (2) Methods: control evident and necessary (3) Methods: limited independent variable (3) Methods: experiment can be replicated exactly (3) Methods: limited independent variable (3) Methods: experiment can be replicated

exactly (3) Methods: all metric measurements (3) Methods: adequate sample size (3) Methods: written in layman’s terms (3) Methods: sound experimental design (3)

Data table and paragraph summary of data (5) Statistical analysis used (5) Hypothesis proved/ disproved (5) Results discussed (5) Discussion of possible error in experiment (5) Correct MLA citation f orm used f or all (10) Alphabetical, no numbers, hanging indent; double spaced (3) Variety of sources, not website heavy (4) Minimum of fi ve sources (4) Only .gov, .edu, or teacher approved sites (4)

SCIENTI FI C THOUGHT 20%

Project applicability in the real world (10) Sound scientifi c thought – background

research -clear support of hypothesis (25) I nnovative hypothesis (10) Sound data collection method and presentation (15) Valid conclusion drawn (15) Future applicability proposed/ What next?

(15) Responsiveness to changes made in past

draf ts (10)

PAPER FORMAT 25%

12 pt Times New Roman, double spaced, 1” margins (6)

Logical writing with transitions (15) Parenthetical citations used (correctly)(15) Noun-verb agreement (4) Pronoun (indefi nite, ref erence, ambiguous) (4) Sentences clear, clear diction (4) No f ragments or run-on sentences (4) Present tense – research/ background (4)

Past tense – rest of paper (4) Active voice – research/ background (4) Passive voice – experiment (4) Written in third person (4) Correct spelling (5) Correct punctuation (5) Correct Capitalization (5) No sentences beginning with ‘and’, ‘but’, #s,

etc. (4) First/ last sentence in a paragraph own words

(4) No contractions (4) Spell out numbers 1-10 (4) DUE DATES 10% Project I deas 8-24-07 Project Plan 9-6-07 Fair Paperwork 9-26-07 1st draf t/ logbook 10-10-07 Project Plan – revised 10-22-07 2nd draf t/ 1st / logbook 10-31-07 Third draf t/ 2nd/ 1st 11-14-07 Final paper 12-3-07

TOTAL POI NTS – EACH SECTI ON Scientifi c Method – 45% Scientifi c Thought – 20% Paper Format – 25% Due Dates – 10%

Each teacher that grades your paper will fi ll out a rubric gradesheet. The scores will be averages f or your final project grade in all classes.

STUDENT FOLDER

SCI ENCE FAI R

Basic Paper Format

Formatting the title page

1. Center your title in the middle of the paper, double spaced. Capitalize each word in the title. This rule does not apply to articles, short prepositions, or conjunc-tions unless one is the first word of the title or subtitle. Do not underline any word and make the title 16pt font size.

2. In the bottom right hand corner, double spaced, print your name, your full home address on two lines, your school name, and your grade. Write out “tenth” instead of using a number. Use 12pt font.

General Guidelines for the paper

Double-space your paper. Type in 12 pt Times New Roman Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides. Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in

the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: do not number the title page.)

Do not skip extra lines between paragraphs When beginning a paragraph, use your own words for

the first and last sentences. Do not cite someone in those two sentences.

No part of the paper has a header. I t should all flow from one paragraph to another with good transitions.

Making reference to works of others in your text In MLA style, referring to the works of others in your text is done in two ways. When you make reference to someone else's

idea, either through paraphrasing or quoting them directly, you:

1. provide the author's name (or the title of the work if there is no author) and the page (or paragraph) number of the work in a parenthetical citation within the document.

2. provide full citation information for the work on your Works Cited page

This allows people to know which sources you used in writing your paper and then be able to look them up themselves, so that they can use them in their scholarly work. Next are some basic guidelines for referring to the works of others in your text.

Parenthetical Citations

MLA format follows the author-page method of citation. This means that the author's last name and the page number(s) from which the quotation is taken must appear in the text, and a complete reference should appear in your works cited list (see Your Works Cited list, below). The author's name may appear either in the sentence itself or in parentheses following the quotation or paraphrase, but the page number(s) should always appear in the parentheses, not in the text of your sentence. For example:

Wordsworth stated in his book The Prose Works of William

Wordsworth that Romantic poetry was marked by a

"spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (263). Romantic

poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of

powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263).

STUDENT FOLDER

VISUAL DISPLAY BOARD INFORMATION

PURPOSE: You want to attract and inform with your display board. You want to make it easy for interested spectators and judges to easily assess what you have done in your study and what results you have obtained. Do NOT just reprint your paper and put it on a board.

HOW TO DO THIS:

1. Make the most of your space using clear and concise displays. 2. Make headings stand out - Purpose, Hypothesis, Data or Results, Analysis, Conclusions, and

Recommendations. 3. Remember to depict graphs and diagrams clearly and label them correctly. You would be

surprised how often visuals are mislabeled, so pay careful attention. 4. You might want to put up photographs of important parts/phases of your experiment to use in your

display. 5. Make sure your display is logically presented and easy to read. Remember that you read from the

left to right and display your information starting on the left (Purpose, Hypothesis, Procedure, Data, Results) and ending up with the conclusion on the right.

6. A quick glance should permit anyone (particularly the judges) to locate quickly the title, the experiment, the results, and conclusions. When you arrange your display, imagine you are seeing it for the first time.

7. Your title should be the same one as your paper, your paperwork, and your abstract. 8. Be sure to adhere to the size limitations and safety rules when displaying your project. Display all

required forms for your project (at the fairs). Make sure your display is sturdy, as it will need to hold up for quite a while. Do not hesitate to ask for advice from adults if you need it. You can look online at the UGA website for specific display board specifications.

9. All signs are kept to a reasonable size so that they will not compete for attention with the large backboard display.

10. All signs are typed in a large-face (at least 14 pt) that can be read 6 ft away. 11. All signs and symbols are kept clean – nothing looks worse than a messy, sloppy sign. Nothing

should be handwritten. 12. Everything should be straight. Having crooked words is sloppy work. 13. The display board should be lightweight (for carrying purposes) and self supporting. Pegboard,

one-quarter inch plywood, foam coreboard, and crescent art board are some suggested materials. If you use heavier weight materials, make sure that you can dismantle the project into manageable size pieces for carrying purposes. The side panels should be hinged so that they can fold over the center board or dismantle for easy transportation. The project must sit alone on the tab le at the fair.

14. Try to set up your board and let it stand for a few days to make sure nothing will fall off. Eye-Catching Make your display stand out. Use neat, colorful headings, charts, and

graphs to present your project. Home-built equipment, construction paper, and colored markers are excellent for project displays as well as computers that print in color. Pay special attention to the labeling of charts, graphs, diagrams, and tables. Each item must have a descriptive title. Anyone should be able to understand the visuals without further explanation.

Two or three complimentary colors such as red/green/ white, or red/black/blue on white, etc. Color should bring out the work on the display, not overpower it. A background color to cover the display entire display board with one or two accent colors for lettering and matting or outlining is best. Outlandish backboards distract from the actual research that you have spent numerous hours doing. If you stand back from your board, no information should get lost due to a busy background.

How to Draw Emphasis Use of directional or informational signs will focus on a specific area or

particular area or object. Arrows, numbering of components, tags, or footsteps can also show the flow of the investigation and help make your project clearer to an observer.

Your visual display is due Monday, Jan. 11 Buy your display board NOW!!!!

Grading Criteria

On the Display: Total 45 pts • Is the title clearly stated? 5 pts • Is the purpose stated clearly? 5 pts • Is the hypothesis stated clearly? 5 pts • Is the experimental procedure stated clearly? 10 pts • Are the data/results/analysis presented clearly? 10 pts • Is the conclusion stated clearly? 10 pts Creative Ability Total 10 pts • How creative is the display? 10 pts Clarity/Neatness Total 45 pts • Is the display organized, straight, and logical? 10 pts • Is the material readable with appropriate font size? 10 pts • Are graphs/tables correctly, clearly labeled? 5 pts

• Is everything typed? 5 pts • Is the display free of misspellings and errors? 15 pts TOTAL DISPLAY SCORE (possible 100)

STUDENT FOLDER

Preparing an Abstract

When you finish your research and experiments, you are required to write a 250-word (maximum) abstract. An abstract is a concise summary of the entire research project. The following elements should be included in a proper abstract: Title: The title should be brief and descriptive. This title should match your paperwork your

paper, and your backboard. It must fit on the line provided (< 68 characters). First paragraph: Problem/Purpose/Hypothesis: The statement of the problem tells the reader

what specific questions are addressed in the study. The variables and limitations are identified. The intent and objectives of the research effort are made explicit in this statement. The purpose states the usefulness of the study. It answers the question why the project was undertaken. The hypothesis is an educated guess that shows the relationship between a set of observed facts and a theory. The hypothesis limits the scope of the investigation and unifies the research design.

Second Paragraph: Procedure/Data: The procedure provides a brief summary of what was done. Does not have to include every step of what was done. Restrict procedure to identification of method or type of process employed. Summarize your data. Do not list raw data, but give a VERY brief summary

Third Paragraph: Conclusions: The conclusions provide a concise statement of the outcomes of the investigation. No actual data has to be listed, but you can list some results to strengthen your conclusion. This should be written in non-technical language and be related directly to the hypothesis. The conclusions should also identify possible research applications.

Rules for abstracts:

1. The abstract must be typed on the Official GSEF Abstract Form found at the website (www.uga.edu /oasp).

2. The abstract is limited to the square on the form - 250 word maximum 3. 10 or 12 pt Times New Roman font is required. Single spaced is okay. 4. Do not include cover sheets, graphics, etc.

Helpful Hints - Use past tense, third person, correct spelling, correct sentence structure - Try to avoid use of highly-specialized words or abbreviations. - Write it in Microsoft Word first to check for spelling, grammar, and word count and then

copy and paste onto the form. Save it!!!! You will need more copies later and you may have to make changes to it.

- State results, conclusions, or findings in clear, concise fashion. Categories You will need to choose the same category on the abstract form as you did for your display board. The categories are:

Animal Sciences Behavioral & Social Sci. Biochemistry Cellular and Molecular Bio. Chemistry Computer Science

Earth & Planetary Science Engineering: elec. & mech. Engineering: mat. & bioeng. Energy & Transportation Environmental Management Environmental Sciences

Medicine & Health Sciences Microbiology Physics and Astronomy Plant Sciences

PLAGIARISM AWARENESS I have been given instruction in science and/or English class on the following:

- Locating and using printed materials for research paper, projects, and class work. - Locating and using Internet resources for research papers, projects, and class

work. - Proper format for writing a research paper in science.

I understand that plagiarism involves using the words of another person, either as a direct quote or as a paraphrase, without giving credit to the original author. Plagiarism will result in the grade of a zero for the paper or project with no opportunity for make-up. I am aware of the consequence of a zero to my average. (The science fair project is 10% of my science grade!) Student Signature _______________________________ Date __________________ Parent Signature ________________________________ Date __________________

ASSESSING THE PROJECT

Points awarded for paper deadlinesOctober SummaryFinal draft gets a number grade

Drafts are read by teacher and/or peers and editing sheets filled out

October Summary

Name __________________________________________

Science Fair Summary

1. Points awarded for Project idea sheet. ______ 10 pts _____ 0 pts 2. Points awarded for Project Plan form. ______ 10 pts _____ 0 pts 3. Received completed fair paperwork ______ 15 pts _____ 0 pts

and research proposal forms. Form 1 _____ okay _____ needs work – see comments on form _____ download a new form – redo yours. Form 1A _____ okay _____ needs work – see comments on form _____ download a new form – redo yours. Research Plan Attachment A. Problem _____ okay _____ needs work – see comments on form. B. Hypothesis _____ okay _____ needs work – see comments on form. C. Procedure description _____ okay _____ needs work – see comments on form. D. Bibliography _____ okay _____ needs work – see comments on form. E. Additional info (HS, VA, HBA, etc.) _____ okay _____ needs work – see comments on form. Form 1B _____ okay _____ needs work – see comments on form. _____ download a new form – redo yours.

4. Additional Forms: A check means okay – circled means that it is missing or there is a problem with it. _____ Registered Research Institute Setting #1C _____ Vertebrate Animal Form #5A (to be filled out after experimentation is complete.) _____ Qualified Scientist #2 _____ Vertebrate Animal Form #5B _____ Risk Assessment #3 _____ Potentially Hazardous Biological Agents #6A _____ Human Subjects #4 _____ Human/Vertebrate Animal Tissue

#6B

Ready to Start: YES NO, need additional approval NO, need to make corrections Will be sent to IRB/SRC Turn them in by Oct. 5

5. Next Deadline: October 10, First draft of paper (two copies) and logbook due

- includes title page, Background information (introductory paragraph, background research, and hypothesis), and works cited. I will not be grading this draft but will read it and make comments and suggestions. Your peers will also review it.

- Your draft must be typed on a computer (12 pt, Times New Roman, double spaced).

This form helps with managing the ISEF/GSEF paperwork

EDITING DRAFTS

First Draft edited by science teacher edited by peers

Second Draft edited by science teacher edited by English teacher

Third Draft edited by science teacher edited by peers

TEACHER EDITINGResearch Paper TEACHER Editing Criteria Writer’s Name: DRAFT ONE Title Page

_____ correct format

Mechanics (errors are circled)

_____ misspelled words

_____ capitalization

_____ punctuation

Introductory Paragraph

_____ eye-catcher/motivator

_____ thesis statement

_____ purpose stated

Background Research

_____ Project applicability in real world

_____ All parts of thesis researched

_____ Research leads to hypothesis

_____ Independent Variable evident

_____ Dependent Variable evident

Final paragraph

_____ stated hypothesis at end

_____ Innovative Hypothesis

Usage

_____ subjects/verbs agree

_____ choice of words appropriate (jargon)

_____ no first/second person pronouns

_____ good transitions

Format

_____ Parenthetic formation used at all

_____ Correct parenthetic form

_____ more citations needed because your information

is not common knowledge.

Works Cited

_____ no encyclopedias or dictionaries

_____ MLA citation form used accurately

_____ listed alphabetically, no numbering

_____ hanging indent

_____ university/government websites used only

_____ minimum five sources

_____ a good variety of sources

_____ double spaced

_____ title centered

_____ separate page

Evaluator’s Signature:

Research Paper TEACHER Editing Criteria Writer’s Name: DRAFT TWO First draft evident ________

Title Page

_____ correct format

Background information

_____ eye-catcher/motivator in introduction

_____ thesis statement in introduction

_____ purpose stated in intro paragraph

_____ Independent Variable evident

_____ Dependent Variable evident

_____ Project applicability in real world

_____ Innovative Hypothesis

_____ Research leads to hypothesis

_____ stated hypothesis at end of section

_____ Transitions between ideas

_____ Correct parenthetic formation

_____ More citations needed

_____ Third person throughout entire paper

Methods and Materials

_____ includes a control

_____ Independent variables are limited

_____ can be replicated exactly

_____ written in layman’s terms

_____ materials: name brand and mount

_____ in paragraph form

_____ Method used to collect data is listed

_____ metric only

_____ past tense

Evaluator’s Signature:

Works Cited

_____ no encyclopedias or dictionaries

_____ MLA citation form used accurately

_____ listed alphabetically, no numbering

_____ hanging indent

_____ university/government websites used only

_____ minimum five sources

_____ a good variety of sources

_____ double spaced

_____ title centered

_____ separate page

PEER EDITINGPaper Author ________________________________________

PEER EDITING SUMMARY SHEET Be sure to place your initial next to each line that you looked for in this paper. Be sure your comments are clear so the author can understand them. 1. _______________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________________

6. _______________________________________________________________

7. _______________________________________________________________

8. _______________________________________________________________

9. _______________________________________________________________

10. _______________________________________________________________

11. _______________________________________________________________

12. _______________________________________________________________

13. _______________________________________________________________

14. _______________________________________________________________

15. _______________________________________________________________

16. _______________________________________________________________

17. _______________________________________________________________

18. _______________________________________________________________

19. _______________________________________________________________

20. _______________________________________________________________

THIRD DRAFT PEER EDITING Writer’s Name: Date: Title Page: correct format used Methods/Materials: brand name listed paragraph form past tense control evident and necessary Independent variable is limited Experiment can be replicated exactly all metric measurements written in layman’s terms Works Cited: correct MLA citation form used for all

Listed alphabetically, no numbering Variety of sources, not website heavy Minimum of five sources Hanging indent, double spaced

Paper Format: 12 pt Times New Roman (actual size) double spaced 1” margins every page Page number in upper right hand corner Parenthetical citations used (correctly) Mechanics: Clear pronoun reference No fragments or run-on sentences

Written in third person Sentences do not begins with and, but, etc.

Present tense – research/background Past tense – rest of paper Active voice – research/background Passive voice – experiment

Correct spelling Correct punctuation Correct Capitalization

Comments: Evaluator Signature: ________________________________________________________

FINAL PAPER RUBRIC

SCIENTIFIC METHOD 45% Title Page (5) Table of Contents (5) Introductory paragraph, thesis (5) Hypothesis in summary par. (5) Ind/Dep. Variables identifiable (5) All brand names listed (2) Materials written in paragraph form

(2) Methods: control evident and

necessary (3) Methods: limited independent

variable (3) Methods: experiment can be

replicated exactly (3) Methods: limited independent

variable (3) Methods: experiment can be

replicated exactly (3) Methods: all metric measurements

(3)

Methods: adequate sample size (3) Methods: written in layman’s terms (3) Methods: sound experimental design (3) Data table and paragraph summary of data (5) Statistical analysis used (5) Hypothesis proved/disproved (5) Results discussed (5) Discussion of possible error in experiment (5) Correct MLA citation form used for all (10) Alphabetical, no numbers, hanging indent; double spaced (3) Variety of sources, not website heavy (4) Minimum of five sources (4) Only .gov, .edu, or teacher approved sites (4)

FINAL PAPER RUBRIC

SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT 20% Project applicability in the real world

(10) Sound scientific thought –

background research -clear support of hypothesis (25)

Innovative hypothesis (10) Sound data collection method and

presentation (15) Valid conclusion drawn (15) Future applicability proposed/What

next? (15) Responsiveness to changes made

in past drafts (10)

PAPER FORMAT 25% 12 pt Times New Roman, double

spaced, 1” margins (6) Logical writing with transitions (15)

Parenthetical citations used (15) Noun-verb agreement (4) Pronoun (indefinite, reference, ambiguous) (4) Sentences clear, clear diction (4) No fragments or run-on sentences (4) Present tense – research/bkgrnd (4) Past tense – rest of paper (4) Active voice – research/bkgrnd (4) Passive voice – experiment (4) Written in third person (4) Correct spelling (5) Correct punctuation (5) Correct Capitalization (5) No start with ‘and’, ‘but’, #s, etc. (4) First/last sentence own words (4) No contractions (4) Spell out numbers 1-10 (4)

FINAL PAPER RUBRIC

DUE DATES 10%Project Ideas 8-24-07 Project Plan – revised 10-22-07Project Plan 9-6-07 2nd draft/1st /logbook 10-31-07Fair Paperwork 9-26-07 Third draft/2nd/1st 11-14-071st draft/logbook 10-10-07 Final paper 12-3-07

TOTAL POINTS – EACH SECTION Scientific Method – 45% Scientific Thought – 20% Paper Format – 25% Due Dates – 10%

Each teacher that grades your paper will fill out a rubric gradesheet. The scores will be averages for your final project grade in all classes.

FINAL PAPER Science and English teacher grade, separately Two grades are averaged; count for both

classes County Mandate, 10% (science)

SECOND SEMESTER

Display Board due first week in January. Abstract due second week in January. Fair is third week in January.

CONCLUSION

Collaboration leads to: better writing High overall grades

Choosing the topic is the hardest part May try using web quest to help with this

Paperwork organization is second hardestAll forms can be found at

www.quia.com/pages/brimsciencefair.html

IMPORTANT ADDRESSES

All forms can be found at www.quia.com/pages/brimsciencefair.html

GSEF Information at www.uga.edu/oaspISEF information at

http://www.sciserv.org/isef/Webquest can be found at

http://fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us/~nancy_H_Brim/webquest/sciencefairs