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Student Science Research Projects &

Science Fair Competition

Guidelines & Information Packet

Arnold Magnet Academy2016-2017

Principal, Stacy DayScience Fair Coordinator, Teresa Hedger

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,

Research projects allow students to go beyond the typical “science fair” demonstration and discover that they can do a project on any topic that may be of interest to them, whether it is science, math, social studies or language arts based. This can lead to greater understanding of and appreciation for the world around them, which in turn can lead to more ambitious and intelligent citizens. Learning through inquiry empowers students with attitudes, knowledge and skills to become independent thinkers.

Doing a research project can be a fun and rewarding experience. You will get to create your own question and possibly discover an answer to it by investigating and conducting your experiments.

Following the steps in this packet will not only guide you through each step of the scientific process, but will also help you put it all together at the end.

SO… ASK questions, INVESTIGATE a possible answer, and MAKE CONNECTIONS between your findings and the real world.

Parents/Guardians please review this packet with your child. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at: [email protected]

Good luck with your project!

“The wise man doesn’t give the right answers, he poses the right questions.” Claude Levi-Strauss

Getting StartedAs you are coming up with your topic, choose something that is TESTABLE. That means you can perform an experiment to determine an answer, for example, “What brand of bleach works better to get out __ stains?”, “Which battery lasts longer?”, or “Does bottled water inhibit African violet growth?” All of these are testable topics and through experimenting, an answer can be found. You can get ideas from the internet, but be careful to not simply copy one you find online – often these are just demonstrating a concept or a neat science “trick”, not testing something. Mentos rockets or baking soda volcanoes are not what we’re looking for. Pick a topic that you will enjoy learning about - make this INTERESTING! The sciencebuddies.org topic selection wizard is a great tool.

It is highly recommended that you keep ALL parts of your project in a logbook (i.e. a composition notebook). This will be the one location for your project ideas, final topic decision, your hypothesis, research, etc. For students enrolled in advanced/gifted science, this is a required component.

You will complete your project during 1st nine/2nd weeks (see timeline below). You may submit your topic, experiment design, etc. early, but no later than the following dates. We recommend keeping with the timeline so guidance can be given for each part and the steps should be done in order. Any submissions after a deadline will result in half credit deduction, so make sure to get it done on time!

Teacher will assign project by 9/15Topic submitted 9/19Research and bibliography due 9/30Purpose/hypothesis due 10/3Experiment design/variables identified 10/7Extension request deadline (adv/gifted longevity studies only) 10/14Experiment completed 10/21Data/conclusion/final paper due 10/28Logbook, abstract & display due (adv/gifted plus optional) 11/4

Scientific Inquiry Process: A Brief Overview

QUESTION OR PROBLEM STATEMENT:A purpose or question or a problem to solve. The question must be answered by using the scientific inquiry process and not just a report based on what is already known.

RESEARCH AND RESEARCH SUMMARY:Begin by searching for key terms related to your topic. Allow yourself enough time to conduct adequate research on your topic in order to be able to propose a logical and well-written hypothesis. Your research should be well rounded – books and personal interviews are options in addition to internet resources. Plan to have at least 5 resources. To write a good summary, identify what information is important and condense that information for your reader. The better you understand a subject, the easier it is to explain it thoroughly and briefly.

HYPOTHESIS:Based on research, past knowledge and experiences, investigators are then able to propose a feasible outcome or answer to the question being investigated. This prediction is stated as the hypothesis to be tested. The hypothesis may either be supported by the results of the test or it may be rejected based on the data obtained.

Example Hypothesis:If a baking soda solution is added to bean plants then the plants will grow better because the baking soda will carry more oxygen to the roots.

CONTROLLED EXPERIMENT:The hypothesis is tested by the means of a controlled experiment. This type of experiment includes a control group which serves as the comparison and the experimental group in which only one factor is being manipulated. All the other parts of the experiment are identical in every way.

Example of Controlled Experiment:In the case of the bean plants being watered with the baking soda mixture, some plants would not be watered with the baking soda mixture and those would be the control plants. Then some of the plants would be watered with the baking

soda mixture and those would be the plants that would help test your hypothesis. All the plants must be treated the same in all other respects: kind of pot, soil, water, temperature, light, etc. Using many plants for each group and taking pictures as changes occur are highly recommended.

IDENTIFY VARIABLES:As you begin to plan your experimental procedure, determine what factors need to be controlled and what exactly you are testing.

MATERIALS AND PROCEDURE:The materials list includes all materials required to run the experiment with correct names for all instruments as well appropriate amounts needed where appropriate. The procedure should be complete and thorough. It includes all the steps necessary to run the experiment. It is written so that any person could follow it and duplicate the experiment exactly.

EXPERIMENT:All experiments should have more than one sample per test. A minimum of three samples is the industry standard for science experiments, but the number of samples in any study depends on the question and how accurately it will be answered.

DATA:Your observations, whether quantitative or qualitative, are typically best displayed in data tables. Use appropriate units as needed. Graphs should be labeled correctly and display information in an appropriate format

CONCLUSION:The conclusion includes a restatement of the question as the purpose for the experiment. It includes whether the hypothesis was supported or rejected, data to support the conclusion about the hypothesis, any errors that occurred during the experiment, and finally interesting questions that your results lead you to ask.

The Final Student Research PaperThis is the format for your written formal report about the project.

• Use 12 point Arial or Times New Roman font, black ink, double spaced, I inch margins• Use a 3-prong folder (no sheet protectors) or a report cover and put the following information

on the front (if your report cover is clear, this information will be on the title page):• Center the project title (The title is often best if it is in the form of a question – example: Is there

a difference in _______ and _______?)• At the bottom right:

Name Name of school Grade level Name of teacher

Page 1: Title page. Same information as the front coverPage 2: Table of contents. Each section should be numbered when you are finished writing and included in the table of contentsPage 3: Introduction

Statement of problem – identify the question or topic/problem Purpose – explain what prompted your research and what you hoped to achieve Hypothesis – this is your educated guess as to what will be the results of your experiment

Pages 4-5: Research findings. Information you obtained from sources which support the hypothesis you have made. (2 full pages minimum)Pages 6-7: Experiment information

Materials needed – List and describe or use photos or drawings. Include precise descriptions of the samples.

Experimental procedure – Describe what you did, how you collected data, detail steps…don’t just list.

Results - Use numbers not words like most, few, etc. Summarize data in narrative form.Page 8: Conclusion. Briefly summarize results. Accept or reject hypothesis. Do not generalize; be specific and thorough. Discuss possible errors. How did data vary between repeated observations or similar events? What would you do differently if you repeated this project? If necessary, compare your results with theories, data, values, and commonly held beliefs and/or expected results.Page 9: Acknowledgments. Recognize and thank those who helped youPage 10: References. Bibliography listed using APA style.

http://citationmachine.net https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Grading Rubric for Research Paper_____ 15 pts Introduction (problem, purpose, hypothesis)_____ 30 pts Research (2 full pages minimum)_____ 20 pts Experiment (materials, procedure, data, results)_____ 15 pts Conclusion (summary, discussion, errors, questions)_____ 15 pts Bibliography (5 resources minimum)_____ 5 pts Title page, table of contents, acknowledgments

Required Forms for Science Fair

The following forms are required for ALL projects submitted for science fair competition and MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE EXPERIMENT:

Form 1 – Checklist for Adult Sponsor

Form 1A – Student Checklist

Research Plan Form 1B – Approval Form Form 3 – Risk Assessment Form

Additional FormsThe following forms MAY be required depending upon the type of project being done, level of risk of the project, etc.:

Form 1C – Institutional/Industrial Setting (ONLY if doing research in one of these

facilities)

Form 2 – Qualified Scientist

Form 4 – Human Subjects

Form 5A – Vertebrate Animal (NOT being done in a Regulated Research Institution)

Form 5B – Vertebrate Animal (BEING DONE in a Regulated Research Institution)

Form 6A – Potentially Hazardous Biological Agents (includes potting soil)

Form 6B – Human and Vertebrate Animal Tissue

All forms are available on the following website:

https://member.societyforscience.org/document.doc?id=640

Topic SelectionDue by 9/19/16

This is one of the most difficult things about doing a science fair project. Keep in mind as you are picking a topic that you will have to live with it for about 7-8 weeks. Once you choose an idea that you like, spend a few quiet moments thinking about how the whole project would work. If you can imagine obstacles that will be too difficult, then find a new topic. Don’t forget the cost of supplies and time constraints.

Sometimes the most interesting projects come from things that you like to do in your spare time. Is there a commercial that you’ve seen for a product claim you could test? Think of your hobbies, sports, clubs, chores at home, etc. Is there some aspect of these that you could measure and test?

HELPFUL HINTS…• No amount of groaning is going to make it go away!• Ultimately YOU (the student) are responsible for this project.• Your project must be based on an experiment and you must collect MEASUREABLE DATA.• No written reports, rock collections, or demonstrations, etc.

In the space below, describe in one paragraph what you would like to do for a science project.‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ cut here and turn in ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐Name: Period:

MY TOPIC:

Teacher’s initials Date:

Bibliographic Format: Using APA Guidelines

Due by 9/30/16

Book with One AuthorAuthor. Title. Place of publication: Publisher, copyright date.

EncyclopediaAuthor. “Title of article.” Title of encyclopedia, copyright data. Volume number, pages of article

Materials from the InternetAuthor (if known). “Title of page or document.” Date of document (if known). Available http://address.file. Date of access.

CD‐ROM or DVDAuthor (if known). “Title of Article” Name of CD. Place of publication: Publisher, copyright year.

Helpful resources:

• http://citationmachine.net • https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/• http://www.umuc.edu/library/libhow/apa_examples.cfm#books

*** This submission will be handed in your own paper

Writing the Hypothesis and Purpose Statement

Due by 10/3/16

The next step is to turn your topic question, research and variables into a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a sentence or a question that identifies the independent and the dependent variables.

Independent variable: The variable or factor that you change

Dependent variable: What are you measuring for, what change(s) do you expect to see?

When writing your hypothesis you state how you believe that the independent variable will affect the dependent variable and why you believe that to be. It is normally one sentence that states what you think the answer to your topic question is based on your research. If the independent variable is changed then the dependent variable will be, because of this reason.

Example Hypothesis:IF the temperature of the air in a balloon is increased, THEN the balloon will expand, BECAUSE of the increased speed of the molecules take up more space.

Purpose Statement: Why are you conducting this experiment? What do you hope to accomplish? A good start to a purpose statement is “The purpose of this experiment is to determine_____.”‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ cut here and turn in ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐Name: Period:

My hypothesis statement:

My purpose statement:

Teacher’s initials Date:

Materials and Writing your ProceduresDue by 10/7/16

Think of this like a recipe. A chef will list ingredients, quantities and specific instructions for replicating a dish. Likewise, a scientist will list all materials needed to conduct his experiment, along with the amounts needed and the specific procedure to follow. When writing your steps, be sure to list everything – don’t be vague or omit anything just because it should be common sense.

*** This submission will be handed in your own paper

The Project Notebook (logbook)Due by 11/04/16

This is your most important work – it contains EVERYTHING.

It must be written in black ink only. If you make a mistake, just draw a line through it.

Do NOT tear out pages.

The log book should be a composition book.

Table of contents and title page, all other pages numbered in corner of page

Record the following types of information in your log book: Dates and amount of time you worked on the project With whom did you work? Who gave you assistance? Explain what you did. When you do the experiment, record your results in the log book.

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ cut here and turn in ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐Name: Period:

Grading Rubric for Logbook

_____ 3 pts title page

_____ 3 pts table of contents

_____ 3 pts pages numbered

_____ 3 pts all introduction information

_____ 3 pts all experiment information ( )

_____ 3 pts all research /bibliography information

_____ 3 pts conclusion

_____ 3 pts acknowledgements

_____ 3 pts black ink used, composition book

_____ 3 pts neat, errors crossed out with single line/no white out

The AbstractDue by 11/04/16

The abstract is a short summary of your project. It should tell the purpose, procedure, results, and conclusion of your experiment. The abstract should be 250 words or less.

The print should be 12‐point font (no fancy fonts) and the paper needs to be 8 ½ x 11 inches.

Following is the format of the information that should be included in your abstract.

• Write a sentence that makes a broad statement about your topic of research.• Write the next sentence or two on your more focused topic question.• Write several sentences indicating the problem to be solved and the hypothesis.• Write a very brief statement as to what you did (procedure).• Write a brief statement as to your observations (data).

Write all of the above information in paragraph form. Make sure your display board copy is in much larger font so it is easily readable by the judges. Projects selected to compete at regional competition should have an acrylic sign holder in which to display their abstract (regional competition form will be provided)

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ cut here and turn in ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐Name: Period:

Grading Rubric for Abstract

_____ 1 pt title

_____ 1 pt problem

_____ 1 pt purpose

_____ 1 pt hypothesis

_____ 1 pt procedure

_____ 1 pt conclusion

_____ 1 pt meets maximum 250 word requirement

_____ 1 pt no grammar errors

_____ 1 pt no punctuation errors

_____ 1 pt no spelling errors

The Display BoardDue by 11/4/16

The display board is a standard size tri-board and stands on its own. It includes all of the above parts, suggested order (left to right – Research Question, Introduction, Abstract, Hypothesis, Materials, Procedure, Data table, Graph, Conclusion, and Bibliography).

Title is on the center portion of the board or you may place it on an additional title piece which are available where triboards are sold, but these are not required.

The board should be well laid‐out, attractive, and easy to read. Name and teacher is labeled on the back top left corner of display board. Photo credits are given.

Abstract should be displayed vertically.

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ cut here and turn in ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐Name: Period:

Grading Rubric for Display board suggested layout:

_____ 6 pts title

_____ 6 pts purpose

_____ 6 pts procedure

_____ 6 pts hypothesis

_____ 6 pts research

_____ 6 pts materials

_____ 6 pts results

_____ 6 pts conclusion

_____ 6 pts sources of error

_____ 6 pts neat and on standard size triboard