CENTRAL TEXAS SCIENCE and ENGINEERING FAIR STUDENT GUIDELINES

Research is the process by which people create new knowledge about themselves or the world in which they live in order to answer a question or solve a problem. When choosing your topic, give careful thought to how your research might enhance the world and its inhabitants.

Questioning is probably the most important part of scientific creativity and is often followed by an “if…then” statement. Questioning usually leads to experiments or observations.

Good scientists, both young and old, use a process to study what they see in the world. By following the six stages listed below, you should be able to produce a superior scientific experiment:

1)       Be curious, choose a limited subject, ask a question; identify or originate/define a problem*

2)       Review published materials related to your problem or question.

3)       Evaluate possible solutions and make your educated guess (hypothesis).

4)       Challenge and test your hypothesis through experimentation (data collection) and analysis.

5)       Evaluate the results of your experiment and reach conclusions based on your data.

6)       Prepare your report and exhibit.

Students should learn to be skeptical of all research results, especially their own. A good experiment may or may not answer the questions asked, but almost always leads to fresh questions requiring new experiments or observations. The final hypothesis is often developed after one has run a number of preliminary experiments, analyzed a body of results, and reached a tentative conclusion.

* All projects need approval prior to experimentation. All projects require the Waiver and Release of Liability, Media Release, Checklist for Adult Sponsor, Research Plan (1A), Approval Form (1B), Research Plan and an abstract. To confirm paperwork needed prior to experimentation, refer to the ISEF Rules and Guidelines.

Scientists try to understand how nature works, engineers create things that never were. An engineering project should state the engineering goals, the development process and the evaluation of improvements. Engineering projects may include the following steps:

1)       Define a need.

2)       Develop design criteria.

3)       Search literature to see what has already been done. Prepare preliminary designs.

4)    Prepare preliminary designs.

5)       Build and test a prototype.

6)       Retest and redesign as necessary.

1)       Pick Your Topic. Get an idea of what you want to study. Ideas might come from hobbies or problems you see that need solutions. Due to limited time and resources, you may want to study only one or two specific events.

2)       Research Your Topic. Go to the library or internet and learn everything you can on your topic. Observe related events. Gather existing information your topic. Look for unexplained or unexpected results. Also, talk to professionals in the field, write or email the companies for specific information, and obtain or construct needed equipment.

3)       Organize. Organize everything you have learned about your topic. At this point you should narrow your hypothesis by focusing on a particular idea. Your library research should help you.

4)   Make a Timetable. Choose a topic that not only interests you, but also can be done in the amount of time you have. Use a calendar to identify important dates. Leave time to fill out the forms and to review the Research Plan with your Sponsor. Certain projects require more time because they need prior SRC or IRB approval. 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. Also leave time to write a paper and put together an exhibit.

5)   Plan Your Experiments. Once you have a feasible project idea, write a research plan. This plan should explain how you will do your experiments and exactly what it will involve. All students participating in the CTSEF are required to complete the Waiver and Release of Liability, Checklist for Adult Sponsor, Research Plan (1A),  Research Plan and Approval Form (1B).

6)   Consult Your Teacher or Adult Sponsor. You are required to discuss your research plan with a Teacher or an Adult Sponsor and obtain a signature of approval. In reviewing Research Plan (1A) and attachment, your Sponsor should determine if additional forms and/or IRB/SRC prior approval is needed.

7)   Conduct Your Experiments. Give careful thought to experimental design. During experimentation, keep detailed notes of each and every experiment, measurement, and observation. 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 control and experimental groups. A group must have five or more subjects to be statistically valid.

8)   Examine Your Results. When you complete your experiments, examine and organize your finds. 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 explanations 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.

9)   Draw Conclusions. Which variables are important? Did you collect enough data? Do you need to conduct more experimentation? Keep an open mind – never alter results to fit a theory. If your results do not support your original hypothesis, you still have accomplished successful scientific research. An experiment is done to prove or disprove a hypothesis.

1)   PROJECT DATA BOOK

A project data book is your most treasured piece of work. Accurate and detailed notes make a logical and winning project. Good notes show consistency and thoroughness to the judges, and will help you when writing your research paper.

2)     ABSTRACT

After finishing research and experimentation, you are required to write a (maximum) 250-word, one-page abstract. An abstract should include the (a) purpose of the experiment, (b) procedures used, (c) data, and (d) conclusions. It also may include any possible research applications. Only minimal reference to previous work may be included. The abstract should focus on work done since the last fair and should not include: a) acknowledgments, or b) work on procedures done by the mentor. 

The abstract must be vertically displayed on the project board or in a frame in front of the project board.  A copy of your abstract must be included with your paperwork submitted for entry and must be on an official ISEF abstract form.  The only abstract allowed anywhere on the project is the official ISEF abstract form.  The term abstract may not be used as a title or reference for any information on an entry display or an materials at the project except as part of the official abstract.

See below for an example of an appropriately written abstract. The abstract should be on the display board or in a vertical position at the project. A copy of your abstract should be included with your paperwork submitted for entry.

A research paper should be prepared an available along with a project data book, and any necessary forms or relevant written materials. A research paper helps organize data as well s thoughts. A good paper includes the following sections:

      a)   Title Page. Center the project title, and put your name, address, school, and grade at the bottom right.

      b)   Table of Contents. Include a page number for the beginning of each section.

      c)    Introduction. The introduction sets the scene for your report. The introduction includes your hypothesis, an explanation of what prompted your research, and what you hoped to achieve.

      d)   Materials and Methods (Experiment). Describe in detail the methodology used to collect your data or make your observations. Your report should be detailed enough so that someone would be able to repeat the experiment from the information in your paper. Include detailed photographs or drawings of self-designed equipment. Only include this year’s work.

      e)    Discussion. The discussion is the essence of your paper. The results and conclusions should flow smoothly and logically from your data. Be thorough. Allow your readers to see your train of thought, letting them know exactly what you did. Compare your results with theoretical values, published data, commonly held beliefs, and/or expected results. Include a discussion of possible errors. How did the data vary between repeated observations of similar events? How were your results affected by uncontrolled events? What would you do differently if you repeated this project? What other experiments should be conducted?

      f)    Conclusion. Briefly summarize your results. Be specific; do not generalize. Never introduce anything in the conclusion that has not already been discussed.

      g)   Acknowledgments. You should always credit those who assisted you, including individuals, businesses, and educational or research institutions. Identify any financial support or material donations received, but do not put on display board.

      h)   References/Bibliography. Your reference list should include any documentation that is not your own (i.e., books, journal articles). You should have at least three references with no more than one of the three being a web reference. See an appropriate reference in your discipline for format.

      Example of a journal article with one author -

(1) Foley, J.D. (1999). Interfaces for Advanced Computing. “Scientific American,” 257: 127-135

      Example of a reference to an entire book -

(2)  Cone, J.D., & Foster, S.L. (1993). Dissertations and theses from start to finish: Psychology and related fields. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.

4)   VISUAL DISPLAY

      You want to attract and inform. Make it easy for interested spectators and judges to assess your study and the results you have obtained. Make the most of your space using clear and concise displays. Make headings stand out, and draw graphs and diagrams clearly and label them correctly. Leave your glassware and chemicals at home.  Please make sure to check the all the Display and Safety instructions.

Category Descriptions

Helpful Hints for Display:

a)   Make sure the display reflects the current year’s work only.

b)   A Good Title. Your title is an extremely important attention-grabber. A good title should simply and accurately present your research. The title should make the casual observer want to know more.

c)    Take Photographs. Many projects involve elements that may not be safely exhibited at the fair, but are an important part of the project. You might want to take photographs of important parts/phases of your experiment to use in your display. Photographs or other visual images of human test subjects must have informed consent (Form 4).

d)   Be Organized. Make sure your display is logically presented and easy to read. A glance should permit anyone (particularly the judges) to locate quickly the title, experiments, results, and conclusions. When you arrange your display, imagine that your are seeing it for the first time.

e)    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. Pay special attention to the labeling of graphs, charts, diagrams, and tables. Each item must have a descriptive title. Anyone should be able to understand the visuals without further explanation.

f)    Correctly Presented and Well-Constructed. Be sure to adhere to the size limitations and safety rules when preparing your display. Display all required forms for your project. Make sure your display is sturdy, as it will need to remain intact for quite a while. Do not hesitate to ask for advice from adults if needed.

30” deep 48” wide 72” high (does not include table height)

Judges evaluate and focus on 1) what the student did in the current year; 2) how well a student followed the scientific methodologies; 3) the detail and accuracy of research as documented in the data book; and 4) whether experimental procedures were used in the best possible way.

Judges look for well thought-out research. They look at how significant your project is in its field, as well as how thorough you were. Did you leave something out? Did you start with four experiments and finish only three?

Judges applaud those students who can speak freely and confidently about their work. They are not interested in memorized speeches – they simply want to TALK with you about your research to see if you have a good grasp of your project from start to finish. Besides asking the obvious questions, judges often ask questions to test your insight into your projects such as “What was your role?”, “What didn’t you do?” and “What would be your next step?”

JUDGING CRITERIA (points)

Patent and Copyright Information

You may want to consider applying for a patent or copyright if you want to protect your work. You can contact the Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Patent Office, at 703/305-8341 for Patent information or the Library of Congress at 202/707-3000 for copyright information.