SCIENCE FAIR PACKETName: _________________________________________ Period: ____ Date: ____/____/__________

THIS PACKET CONTAINS PERTINENT INFORMATION FOR THE INDEPENDENT SCIENCE PROJECT PORTION OF INTENSIFIED SCIENCE COURSES.

Students in intensified science courses are expected to demonstrate inquiry and investigative skills in an independent science project (ISP). Science Fair, governed under regulations set forth by the International Science and Engineering Festival (ISEF), is a valid option for this criterion. Projects entail a rigorous timeline of exploratory research, plan proposals, experimentation, data analysis, investigative conclusions, and thorough documentation.

Though guided by science teachers, the project is an independent process, completed by students outside of school time. Project grades are assigned throughout a timeline that includes Quarters 1-3, and possible extra credit for Quarter 4 if students participate in the Virginia Junior Academy of Science conference in May. Use this packet as your reference for the ISP this school year. Ask your science teacher for help if needed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TOPIC PAGE

Project Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Writing & Assembling the Paper (Guidelines) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

How to Assemble Your PowerPoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Choosing Your Topic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Ordering & Purchasing Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Topic & Research Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Paperwork & Forms (ISEF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Procedure & Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Analysis & Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Display Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Topics To Avoid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

You’ve Chosen a Topic … How Does Your Topic Measure Up? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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SCIENCE FAIR PACKET

SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT TIMELINE 2015-2016Late Submissions: 1/2 credit will be given on any missed Deadline.

Everything turned in must be TYPED! Handwritten work will NOT be scored!Your work is due on your class meeting day (W or L) according to this calendar.

September 17 or 18, 2015 – Topic and Research Plan Deadline (20 points)

Research Plan following Form 1A format. See specific guidelines.

September 22, 2015 – Microbiology (microbial growth) Projects ONLY Meeting

Room 4004 with Mrs. McCoart 3:00PM. Mandatory Meeting Bring $25 CASH, for supplies.

September 24 or 25, 2015 – Paperwork Deadline (20 points)

ISEF Forms 1, 1A, 1B (typed) SRC Checklist

ISEF Forms 1, 1A,1B Animal, bacteria, human participants need

additional forms: bacteria attend meeting and complete Risk Assessment forms

Attach revised Research Plan to 1A. Human informed consent forms (at least 40

participants)October 5 or 6, 2015 – Introduction Deadline(20 points)

2-3 pages minimum, see specific guidelines.

November 9 or 10, 2015 – Procedure & Materials Deadline (20 points)

See specific guidelines. In order to begin your experiment you must

have your research plan approved and ISEF forms complete.

December 2 or 3, 2015 – Results Deadline(25 points)

Required: Submit pictures of you doing the experiment

December 16 or 17, 2015 – Analysis/Conclusions (25 points)

See specific guidelines.

December 18 – SF Registration Deadline (SF Attendance is Extra Credit on Final SF grade)

Dec 18 is last day for SF online registration

January 7 or 8, 2016 – Abstract Deadline(20 points)

1 page Abstract – See Description. See Rubric.

January 13 or 14, 2016 – Final Paper (30 points) and PowerPoint (20 points)

Make sure you have made all necessary corrections from previous deadlines to your final paper.

Refer to VJAS template for Powerpoint.January 19 or 20, 2016 – Display Board Deadline—Mandatory only for students entering Science Fair

One board per group See picture and description.

January 23, 2016 – Washington-Lee Science Fair (ATTENDANCE is extra credit)

Extra Credit: presenting at the science fair is 15 points added to a 3rd quarter test grade.

February 9 - VJAS PAPERWORK DUE! This includes Final corrected paper, 5 copies and forms. Only required for those submitting.

VJAS Symposium: May 17-19 UMW Extra Credit for attending: 15 points added to a 4th

quarter test grade. More info to come. March 12-13, 2016 – Regional Science Fair, Wakefield High School

Extra Credit: presenting at regional SF gets 15 points added to a 4th quarter test grade.

WRITING AND ASSEMBLING THE PAPER

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SCIENCE FAIR PACKETNOTE: Papers not following these guidelines will not be accepted.

A. PAPER PAGE LIMITS Twelve page TEXT limit :

o The text (Abstract, Introduction, Methods and Materials, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, and Literature Cited) is restricted to twelve (12) pages, double-spaced on one side of 8 1/2" by 11" (21.3 cm by 27.5 cm) paper (follow the font guideline below).

o The results section includes summary data (charts, graphs, illustrations) and the data analysis.o Sections of the paper should immediately follow one another , NOT start on separate pages.

Twenty page TOTAL limit :o A text of 12 pages allows 8 pages for an appendix. If the text is reduced, the appendix may be

increased to allow for additional raw data, charts/graphs, or illustrations but only to a maximum paper length of 20 pages.

B. THE PAPER ORDER OF COMPONENTS Note: Do NOT include a title page. Number the Pages beginning with the abstract as page 1. The following are the required headings, and should be bolded and/or underlined:

1. ABSTRACT2. INTRODUCTION3. METHODS AND MATERIALS4. RESULTS5. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS6. LITERATURE CITED7. APPENDIX

Follow this link to find a Final Paper Sample (http://apsva.us/Page/30338) that is assembled correctly.

C. GENERAL WRITING GUIDELINES (Mechanics for formatting typed submissions) All parts of the paper must be typed/word processed in double-spaced format. (Exceptions: long

quotes, figures, legends, within literature citations). All parts written in passive voice and past tense. The paper should be concise and proper grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation should be

used throughout the paper. You must have your parent or another adult proofread it. All margins—top, bottom, sides—are not less than one inch (1") on ALL pages including appendices. Pages must be numbered, beginning with the abstract which is page 1. Put page numbers in the

footer, which can be within the margin and the only exception to the one inch margin. The paper must be printed in no smaller than 12 pt. type size using Times New Roman font. Check it

with a ruler! Do not use footnotes. Use parenthetical citations (Last name of Author, Year). Ex: (Smith, 2016) Graphs and figures made by computer should be appropriately labeled, suitable for publication.

All classes: please apply APA formatting. See http://apastyle.org/index.aspx. A full APA sample paper may be found here: http://supp.apa.org/style/PM6E-Corrected-Sample-Papers.pdf.

HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR POWERPOINTThe presentation should be supported by appropriate visual aids, such as a PowerPoint. You will need to refer to the following link, in order to look at the template for your PowerPoint:

VJAS Template (http://66.147.244.216/~vacadsci/vjas-1_files/students.html) Scroll down to Preparing for the Symposium.

CHOOSING YOUR TOPICPage 3 of 15

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Sometimes the hardest part of doing the science project is settling on an idea. You want to select something that you will enjoy—that will inspire your curiosity. Since this is challenging for students, and everyone has different interests, we have developed this section to help you. You can also find many sources out there to help you choose a topic, but don’t be tempted to copy a procedure verbatim from the internet or from a book you find. Those sources can be used as a guide, but you need to make the procedure your own.

One word of caution, before you get too attached to an idea, there is a list of sensitive project topics coming up. These projects will need special approval and they inevitably involve a significant amount of extra work. Please read this section carefully if you are planning to work with humans, microbes or other potentially hazardous chemicals or devices.

Be sure to choose a project at the high school level or higher. Projects that are too simple, at the elementary school/middle school level, will not be accepted. Check with your teacher early to avoid this frustration if you are unsure.

Start with Your Interests! There are many categories to choose from! Make a big list of everything that interests you. Do you wonder how these things work? Whether one way of doing something is better than another? Decide whether these topics can be studied in a scientific experiment. A scientific experiment needs an independent variable (something you will manipulate) and a dependent variable (something you will measure).

You may want to use the internet to see examples of past projects or, even better, find out what’s really being researched in the scientific community right now – These topics can serve as inspiration, but you should not duplicate someone else’s research exactly. Instead, think of ways to alter these examples so that they become meaningful to your experience and project.

Be ready to provide a rationale for your choice—how can your project be used to further knowledge, build upon good practice, or improve people’s way of life? Present sound reasoning for your project choice, and be prepared to explain the benefits of your experiment.

Here are a few sources where you may find lists of topic titles or general topic ideas: www.tinyurl.com/vjas2011 - All the abstracts from the 2011 VJAS are published here—browse through for

inspiration and ideas. www.tinyurl.com/2015calstateprojects - This site has brief descriptions of all the 2015 California State

Science Fair Projects. Very inspiring! Be sure to look at the Senior Division for High School level ideas.

Below, find some suggestions for Biology, Chemistry and Physics Projects. You may also consider Mathematics, Computer Software, Robotics, Engineering, Material Science, and more. The official list of categories and subcategories is found here: https://student.societyforscience.org/intel-isef-categories-and-subcategories.

BIOLOGY TOPIC IDEASGeneral Topic Area Dependent Variable Equipment/Materials/Processes

Biochemistry o Presence of organic compounds Chemical testso Enzyme activity Chemical testso Ion concentration – diffusion through a

membrane Conductivity probeware,

dialysis tubingDNA Technologies o DNA fragment movement in gel Gel electrophoresis

o DNA fragment length Gel electrophoresis

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SCIENCE FAIR PACKETGenetics & Heredity o Chromosome analysis Fruit flies, chemicals

o Fruit fly genotypes & phenotypeso Plant genotypes & phenotypes

Fruit flies, stereo-microscope, chemicals, plants

Environmental Biology/Ecology

o Wat e r quality : Dissolved Oxygen, Nitrate level, Phosphate level, pH, Turbidity, Salinity, Chloride, Ammonium, Calcium, Flow rate

Probeware and chemical tests

o Bacterial level Petri dishes, agaro Soil quality: pH, Nitrates,

Potassium, Bacterial level Chemical tests, pH strips

Invertebrates o Development, Behavior or Response (to an independent variable) of specific invertebrate animals.

Petri dishes, possibly microscopes.

Specimens such as planarians, daphnia etc.

Microbiology o Number of bacterial colonieso Florescence of bacteriao Fastidious testing

Nutrient agar Petri dishes Inoculating loops

o Respiration rate (Carbon dioxide production of bacteria or yeast)

Test tubes Organisms

Plant Biology o Photosynthesis rate (O2 production) Plants, test tubes, pipetteso Transpiration rate (water loss) Plants, potometeroo Plant pigments

Plant, chromatography paper and chemicals

o Presence of starch Iodineo Seed germination Petri dishes or pots, seeds etc.o Respiration in seeds Beans, test tubeso Genetics (phenotypes & genotypes) Plants

Organisms may be available for purchase (See website www.carolina.com)Examples:

Protists (single celled organisms – you may use school microscopes): Amoeba, Algae, Paramecium, Euglena (does photosynthesis and can swim to capture food), etc.

Fungi: Mushrooms, Yeast (used to make baked goods, carbon dioxide production can be measured), Bioluminescent fungi, Lichens (algae and fungi that live together), etc.

Plants: Aquatic plants (oxygen production can be measured), Carnivorous plants, Moss, Flowers, Wisconsin fast plants (good for genetic studies), Hydroponics, Plant hormones (hormones are chemicals that can make plants move toward the light, make fruit ripen), etc.

Animals (invertebrates only—animals with no backbone): Hydra (aquatic organism related to jelly fish), Planaria (tiny worm that can regenerate), Mussels, Rotifers (microscopic worm-like animal), Annelid (earthworms), Snails (land or aquatic), Daphnia (tiny, shrimp-like animal, you can see its heart beat), Silkworms, Mosquitos (order through the school), Ants, House flies, Beetles, Milkweed bugs, Meal worms, Praying mantis, Brine shrimp (can observe their development), etc.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE TOPIC IDEASo Water quality testso Biodegradability

o Biodiversity of air pollutiono Acid rain

o Ozone levels (using clover)o Water pollution

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Before you settle on a topic, GO to the library to determine how much relevant research is available. You need to see what information is out there that can help you develop a sound hypothesis and detailed procedure. If you have trouble finding research that is relevant to your idea, then you may need to expand your search or alter your plan.

So go to your local or school library to see what scholarly sources you can find . The librarian can walk you through several electronic databases, which contain reliable resources that may be used to narrow down your topic and conduct background research.

Why is Research important to do BEFORE you start your experiment? Learn about your topic! You need enough background information on your topic to ask an insightful

question, form a logical hypothesis, and validate your experiment and results. You need education and specific information regarding your subject being studied.

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CHEMISTRY TOPIC IDEASGeneral Topic Area Dependent Variable Equipment/Materials/Processes

Chemical Reactions o Absorbance Colorimetero Voltage Voltage probeso Light Light sensorso Oxygen Amount Dissolved oxygen probes or

test kitsEnvironmental Chemistry o Nitrate Amount Nitrate probes or test kitsIons o Electric current Conductivity probesGeneral Chemistry o Mass Electronic Balance

o Water Purity Water quality probes or test kits

o pH pH probeso Pressure Pressure probeso Temperature Temperature probeso Chemicals Chemicals

PHYSICS TOPIC IDEASGeneral Topic Area Dependent Variable Equipment/Materials/Processes

Motion o Velocity Photogates, Motion detectors, Stopwatches, Meter sticks

o Acceleration Photogates, Accelerometers, Motion detectors, Stopwatches, Meter sticks

Force o Force Force porbeSound o Amplitude Microphone, Sound meter

o Frequency Microphoneo Wavelength Microphone

Electricity o Current Ammeter, Multimetero Voltage Voltmeter, Multimetero Resistance Ohm meter, Multimeter

Light o Wavelength Light Sensoro Frequency Light Sensoro Intensity Light Sensor

SCIENCE FAIR PACKET You need to learn about the potential dangers and best materials to use while conducting your

experiment. You need to decide what equipment to use to collect data, and how to analyze your data findings. You can elaborate on theories on which your experiment is based, and strengthen your written report. Why is your topic meaningful? Learning about your topic helps you justify your work is an important

component of science research. How does your work affect the world around us? Why is your project worth doing? How might your work be of benefit to your communities? Your research will help strengthen your rationale for these questions, and make your work more fulfilling and significant.

You can also access the W-L library’s data bases through Blackboard: Log onto Blackboard, Click on the For Students Link, Click on Secondary Online. You should be able to log on through Blackboard without a password.

If you don’t have a Blackboard account, from the library site of the W-L Home Web Page, you might try these databases and passwords: e Library science with the remote access login: arlington2, and the password student, or Gale Cengage Secondary particularly “Science in Context, with the remote access password: va_schools.You can also access www.questiaschool.com where your login is as follows:Grade 11-12 Student Logins:Username: student’sID#@questia.com Password: firstname (lowercase) . . . OR add “2013” at the end of the first name if the name has 4 letters or less (erik2013) Grade 9-10 Student logins:Username: student'sID#@questia.comPassword: firstname (all lowercase) …OR add “generals” at the end of the first name if the name has 4 letters or less (erikgenerals)

ORDERING AND PURCHASING MATERIALSYou can purchase materials and organisms from www.carolina.com or www.freyscientific.com. It is imperative, that once your project proposal gets approved, you order your materials. DO NOT WAIT UNITL THE LAST MINUTE TO PLACE YOUR ORDERS. Allow two weeks for delivery after you submit order and payment. Check with science teachers to see what equipment is available to borrow from school, before ordering. Organisms and Chemicals with restrictions, can be ordered through your science teacher, but you need to fill out a form and give payment with enough time for processing.

TOPIC & RESEARCH PLANSUMMARY

This is the format of your research plan. Refer to the template on blackboard and below and use it to type in. A. Topic Question being addressedB. Hypothesis/Problem/PurposeC. Method or procedures (brief)

o Minimum 5 Sentenceso Include: IV/DV, control/experimental groupso Data Analysis: How you will analyze data (brief), include and statistics

D. Literature Cited: This is not a bibliography—It is a list of the literature cited in the text.o There must be a minimum of five peer-reviewed/scholarly sources.o Each must be cited at least once in the body of the paper.o List peer-reviewed/scholarly and non-peer-reviewed sources in separate sections of this page.o Use APA format, the standard format of the Virginia Journal of Science or see the VJAS Style Manual.o Use APA style or the style shown in the VJAS Style manual. Also see www.citationmachine.net.

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SCIENCE FAIR PACKETo The list is alphabetical by the last name of the first author of a citation. Use single spacing within each

listing and double space between the listings. See example below

Examples of Peer-reviewed and Scholarly References: McCaffrey, Cheryl A. and Raymond D. Dueser. 1990. Plant associations of the Virginia barrier islands.

Va.J.Sci.41:282-299. Spry, A. 1969. Metamorphic Textures. Pergamon Press, New York. 350pp. Storrs, Carina. 2009. One for the Ages: Bristlecone Pines Break 4,650-Year Growth Record.

<http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=great-basin-bristleconepine-growth-rate-tree-line> (24 November 2009).

Examples of Non-peer-reviewed References: Bristlecone Pine. 1986. <http://www.woodmagazine.com/materialsguide/lumber/wood-species-1/

bristlecone-pine/> (February 1986).

EXPANDED DETAILSA. Topic: The subject of interest that will be explored. This should be something of interest to the student

and to which he/she can relate. Refer to page 14 for topics to avoid. A good topic has a problem that can be answered by experimenting. If a topic is broad or general,

there may be too many variables that cannot be controlled, and it will be difficult to produce reliable results.

Another good source includes websites of local universities that share what type of research they are doing. Many professors and graduate students are welcoming and may share research results with you.

Also, the Arlington Career Center has an Animal lab where you can conduct experimentation (seek prior approval).

CAUTION: If thinking about working with plants, keep in mind that plants take time to grow, and sometimes experiments with plants do not work. Remember you will need a large sample size of at least 20 seeds per test group, and at least three test groups—that’s 80 plants, so consider carefully!

B. Hypothesis: An educated guess presuming the outcome of the experiment. Form a hypothesis after your background research and definition of the problem. Write in “If…then…because” format, present tense. Problem: The scientific issue to be investigated. State the problem in the form of a question. Purpose: A statement about what will be discovered during the experiment. State clearly what you

intend to learn from your experiment about your problem. Include a rationale about the benefits of your experiment.

State your hypothesis in “if … then … because” format, including rationale (for your educated guess) that includes information from your background research of scholarly sources.

C. Method or procedures: Brief explanation of how you will conduct the experiment. 5 Sentences minimum. Include: IV/DV and experimental/control groups.

o I.V. (Independent variable) (Manipulated variable): The condition that a scientist changes when conducting an experiment. This is the only variable that is altered, so it is the variable that causes change. The I.V. starts the experiment and is the first/only thing that is changed by the student. (“I” change the “I”V)!

o D.V. (Dependent variable) (Responding variable): The variable measured by the researcher. The D.V. depends on the I.V. It is affected by the independent variable and is observed and measured.

o Experimental groups: The groups of participants or subjects receiving the variable or treatment.

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SCIENCE FAIR PACKETo Control group: The group not receiving the variable or treatment. The control group establishes a

baseline for the experiment.(The researcher compares the performance of the experimental group with that of the control group to determine if the independent variable causes a change or effect).

Have 20-30 trials (or include 20-30 participants/subjects) when conducting your actual experiment. Data Analysis : Provide a brief explanation about how you will analyze the data once it is collected.

Include mention of statistics tests that will be done with your data once it is collected.

D. Literature Cited: APA style (at least 5 scholarly references, may have more) The American Psychological Association Style (APA) style is the most widely accepted and preferred

way of presenting documentation and supporting information when it comes to writing, especially in terms of research and reference writing. The APA homepage is http://apastyle.org/index.aspx. A sample APA paper may be found here: http://apastyle.org/index.aspx.

The literature cited is a list of all books, publications, and communications cited in your paper. The listing is alphabetical by the last name of the first author of a citation. “Scholarly” sources include peer-reviewed reports, articles, books, etc. Those you reference should be accessible from library digital archives (files, databases, books, etc., available for inspection, digitized and on-line for easy access and convenience) or refereed on-line journals. Ask librarians for help if uncertain!

One of your non-scholarly sources should be the source where you found your idea for your science fair experiment. Be sure your experiment is not just a copy of an experiment that was done before.

Students may use www.bibme.com to easily put sources in the correct format. You may ask librarians for help with finding other online tools for proper referencing.

Wording in your reports and submissions should be paraphrased in your own words. Direct quotes should be in quotation marks. Watch out for plagiarism in your final report!

Google Scholar is an excellent source for finding scholarly sources.

PAPERWORK & FORMS (ISEF)INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FAIR FORMS MUST BE TYPED AND SRC CHECKLIST COMPLETED.

All projects must submit ISEF forms. These are the forms you use to apply for permission to do the project. They must document that the project follows the rules of the International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF).

The project is evaluated by your teacher for pre-approval. Some projects require additional approval by a school Instructional Review Board (IRB) or a county Science Research Committee (SRC).

These are official forms and must be carefully and meticulously completed (typed) before submission. Data collection may NOT begin until the project has been officially approved. Links to Forms may be found on your teacher’s school webpage, Blackboard, or in class. Forms must be typed!

Every student must complete forms 1, 1A and 1B . Projects involving humans, microbiology, hazardous materials or continuations (of previous ISEF

projects) require additional forms. Access the ISEF form wizard to see which additional forms are required: http://student.societyforscience.org/forms OR Forms on WLHS website—Click Academics Science Science Fair OR type ISEF Forms using any search engine.

FORM #1 (Type all fields): Type in your student name and project title. List your teacher’s name as the adult sponsor. The phone number should be the school’s phone: 703-228-6200. The email should be your teacher’s email “firstname.lastname@apsva.us”. The only blanks on this page should be the checklist and the sponsor’s signature.

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FORM #1A (Type all fields and see sample below): Fill in the student check list. The school’s address is 1301 N. Stafford Street Arlington VA 22201. Leave the actual start date blank , but do estimate when you will start and when you will finish

experimentation. This section also requires the REVISED RESEACH PLAN on a separate piece of paper. Type each of

these headings and then fill in with the information for your project.

Remember: If you are doing a human project, vertebrate animal or a microbiology project or one involving any type of hazard there are additional requirements listed on the research plan document. READ THEM and INCLUDE the extra documentation.

FORM #1B (Type all fields) (One Form 1B per person even if working in groups!): Type in your full name and your parent’s full name. Both you and your parent must sign and date this form . If you are doing a group project, both team members must complete form 1B.

Human Informed Consent Forms (One consent form per human participant): If you are working on a human participant project, you MUST submit a signed human consent form

for each participant. If working with minors (under 18) those forms need the signature of a parent and guardian. If you cannot gather all consent forms by the paperwork deadline, you will have to come up with a

new project and submit a new research plan.CAUTION: Remember you will need a large sample size of at least 40 subjects—these participants may be in all four groups (your control group and three experimental groups)—that’s at least 40 separate consent forms for participants and their parents ) so consider carefully ! You must have all consent forms signed and turned in by the Paperwork deadline.

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INTRODUCTION

Introduction: Learning about the topic by reading books, newspapers, and magazines/journals. Information gathered is 2-3 pages (double spaced) using formal writing procedures (passive voice: do

not use I, we, you or the student, the experimenter, the scientist….etc). In the passive voice the subject is the recipient of the action—the subject is placed at the end of the

sentence or omitted.o Example of passive voice: Incorrect: “The scientist placed 50ml of water in the beaker”

Correct: "50ml of water were placed in the beaker ".o Passive voice sentences include a be-verb such as am, is, was, were, are or been.

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Type up your own, or ask your teacher where you can find a digital version to type into.

SCIENCE FAIR PACKET

Include citations throughout the body of your introduction using the sources in your cited literature. The introduction starts with a broad basis and then narrows it down to your particular field of study ,

explaining the rationale for each step and decision. In the introduction, you are attempting to inform the reader about the rationale behind the work,

justifying why your work is an essential component of research in the field. You can include information from previous research, explanations or theories, methods or equations. The introduction does not have a strict word limit, unlike the abstract, but it should be as concise as

possible. The introduction gives an overall review of the paper, but does address a few slightly different issues from the abstract. It works upon the principle of introducing the topic of the paper and setting it into a broad context, gradually narrowing down to a hypothesis. A good introduction explains how you mean to solve the research problem, and creates ‘leads’ to make the reader want to delve further into your work.

Define and explain terms you are using in your experiment . Research other experiments like yours and state what their outcomes were.

PROCEDURE & MATERIALS

Procedure/Methods: Step-by-step instructions describing the entire experiment. Steps should be explained so that another person could duplicate the experiment. Graphics or drawings of set-up may be included in more complex experiments. Do not include any results in this section . Use paragraph format, not cookbook format. Use Passive Voice; Example: (Passive) “The window was broken yesterday” (vs. Active): “Dave broke

the window yesterday”. Give as many details as possible! Minimum of 10 steps. Readers should be able to reproduce

everything you did in your procedure. Include precise quantities and descriptions of materials and equipment.

Include details about experiment set-up and data-collection, and descriptions of what you will do with your data once you collect it (Examples: “The mean time will be calculated and tabulated”, The standard deviation will be determined using an Excel spreadsheet”, “Significance of data will be determined using an ANOVA test in Excel”, etc.)

Incorporate materials used (and their precise measurements) into the paragraph of your procedure . Example: “A solution of 50ml of vinegar was used to cover one egg”. Include descriptions, types, and quantities of equipment, chemicals, organisms, etc. (be specific!).

Emphasize safety! List all necessary precautions you took while conducting your experiment. Take a look at the safety contract and recall safety training in Unit 1. This is a requirement for VJAS.

RESULTS

Results: The information or raw data (weights, temperature, etc.) you gained from the experiment. Results are usually presented in the form of data tables, charts, figures, graphs, and photographs,

which should then be referred to in the body of the paper (and then explained in detail in the analysis/conclusion part of your paper).

Data Table : A table containing all of the data collected.o If there are multiple trials in the experiment an average or mean should be included.o Give each data table a name. Example: “Table 1: The Effect of Sunlight on Plant Growth”.

REQUIRED: SUBMIT pictures of you doing your experiment and parental verification form. Graph : A visual representation of the data. Usually only the averages are graphed. Do not graph raw

data. Give each graph a title. Example: “Graph 1: Correlation Between Time and Growth.

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SCIENCE FAIR PACKET

ANALYSIS & CONCLUSION

Statistical Analysis: A form of statistical measuring—involves asking a question, analyzing as appropriate and evaluating the raw data. Collect as much data as possible so you can run statistical analysis on your data that is meaningful (this

is why 20-30 trials are encouraged). Key descriptive statistics include the mean (the arithmetic average) and the standard deviation (the

amount of dispersion in the measures of a particular variable). You can use these descriptive statistics, for example, to summarize average rates of growth in plants under different climate conditions.

Use the appropriate inferential statistics for your experiment to analyze your data and draw conclusions.

Inferential statistics refer to the range of procedures used for drawing conclusions about the data in an experiment.

Popular inferential techniques include tests of statistical significance (chi-square or t-test), analysis of variance (anova test), factor analysis and linear regression.

The nature of your science project and the types of questions you want to answer will help determine the appropriate inferential statistical methods.

Many statistical analysis tools are available in spreadsheet programs—all you do is input the data and select the statistical test you want to complete; the program will provide a value that you can interpret to determine the significance of your data.

Often statistical tests provide a p-value that allows you to say whether a null hypothesis is supported or rejected.o A null hypothesis proposes that there is no significant difference between experimental

groups, or between an experimental group and a control group.o A supported null hypothesis indicates there was no significant effect of your I.V.o A rejected null hypothesis indicates there was a difference between groups, probably

not due to random chance. More information will be presented closer to the time of data analysis portions of your project.

Conclusion: In the discussion and conclusion section, the data collected are interpreted in relation to the hypotheses or purposes proposed in the introduction. Use a minimum of 1-3 pages to write-up your discussion and conclusion. Incorporate a Null Hypothesis (See Results above) in your discussion write-up. Your findings should relate to existing knowledge on the topic (as cited in your background research). You should also be able to suggest future experiments that might clarify areas of doubt in your results. Your conclusion should not just be a restatement of the results, but should stress interpretation of

the data, relating it to existing theory and knowledge. In writing this section, you should explain the logic that allows you to accept or reject your null hypotheses.

ABSTRACT

Abstract: A summary of the entire experiment describing major results and conclusions. Your abstract should be about 2 paragraphs long. Your abstract should be no more than one page double spaced. Your abstract is to provide a “quick peek” at your overall project—to allow the reader to judge

whether it would serve his or her purposes to read the entire report. Write the abstract LAST , after completing the rest of the report, even though the abstract comes just

after the title. The abstract should not contain images or reference citations.

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SCIENCE FAIR PACKET

It is written in past tense, passive voice, and includes the following:o Purposeo Hypothesiso Summary of procedure (very few words here)o Summary of principle results and conclusions

APPENDIXThe appendix is for supplementary information and should include an example of any participant Consent Forms required for Human Subject Participation. Raw data too lengthy to be included in the results section of the text may be placed here only if absolutely necessary for understanding the paper. Remember that summary data should be in the “Results” section. All materials in this section must meet the same requirements as the text of the paper. MANDATORY: Include Photographs of your experiment here.

DISPLAY BOARD

A tri-Fold board will be required! Further instructions and samples will be provided in early January.

TOPICS TO AVOIDThe following contains examples of topics that you will want to avoid for your science fair project.

Topic to Avoid Why?Any topic that boils down to a simple preference or taste comparison. For example, "Which tastes better: Coke or Pepsi?"

Such experiments don't involve the kinds of numerical measurements we want in a science fair project. They are more of a survey than an experiment.

Most consumer product testing of the "Which is best?" type. This includes comparisons of popcorn, bubblegum, make-up, detergents, cleaning products, and paper towels.

These projects are more of a marketing project and only have scientific validity if the investigator fully understands the science behind why the product works and applies that understanding to the experiment. While many consumer products are easy to use, the science behind them is often at the level of a graduate student in college.

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SCIENCE FAIR PACKETAny topic that requires people to recall things they did in the past.

The data tends to be unreliable.

Effect of music or talking on plants Difficult to measure.Effect of running, music, video games, or almost anything on blood pressure

The result is either obvious (the heart beats faster when you run) or difficult to measure with proper controls (the effect of music).

Effect of color on memory, emotion, mood, taste, strength, etc.

Highly subjective and difficult to measure.

Any topic that requires measurements that will be extremely difficult to make or repeat, given your equipment.

Without measurement, you can't do science.

Any topic that requires dangerous, hard to find, expensive, or illegal materials.

We care about your safety and your parents' pocketbook.

Graphology or handwriting analysis Questionable scientific validity.Astrology or ESP No scientific validity.Any project in violation of state law, federal law, state science fair rules, or International Science & Engineering Fair rules.

In brief, you may not do a project that involves: working with bacteria (except in a designated, qualified lab), unacceptable risk (physical or psychological) to a human subject, collection of tissue samples from living humans or vertebrate animals, drugging, pain, injury to a live vertebrate animal, or use of illegal or prohibited materials

YOU’VE CHOSEN A TOPIC? HOW DOES YOUR TOPIC MEASURE UP?

The following table will help you check to see if the research topic/question is both narrow and interesting enough to work.

What Makes a Good Science Fair Question For a Good Topic, You Should Answer "Yes" to AllIs the topic interesting enough to read about AND work on for the next couple months? Yes / No

Can you find at least 3 sources of written information on the subject? Yes / No

(you will eventually need a minimum of 5 sources) Yes / NoCan you measure changes to the important variables using a number that represents a quantity such as a count, length, width, weight, voltage, time, etc.? Or, just as good, is your variable one that is simply present or not present?For example,

o Lights ON in one trial, then lights OFF in another trial,

o Incremental increases of your variable.

Yes / No

If your data is qualitative, are you able to make a scale to convert it to quantitative data? Yes / No

Can you control other factors that might influence the variables, so that they do not interfere with your experiment?

Yes / No

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