Project Guide Introduction

It's Science Fair time and this is your opportunity to be a researcher, scientist, author, editor, and artist. For many of you, one of the most time consuming parts of the project is selecting a topic of research.  An experiment can be based on many topics. Topics do not have to be "science stuff'! You do not have to have test tubes, microscopes, batteries, etc. Begin with your own interests. Do you like cooking? Alter a recipe and measure the results. Have you ever wondered if a brand of product you use works better than its competitors? What DO you wonder about? Experiments can be conducted in many non-science, as well as science, areas. Keep in mind that you will have more fun doing a thorough investigation if the topic is something that interests you !

A more common way of selecting a topic or experiment, is to reference the lists of potential projects found on our website (www.menloscience.org) under “Choosing the Perfect Project idea."  You can also visit the library which has several books in the science section which provide thoughtful ideas for a science fair project.

Remember, you have to support the hypothesis based on changing a variable. Some project suggestions that you find in books, are actually demonstrations because there is no variable that has a change which effects an outcome. Your hypothesis should not be able to be answered with a simple yes or no. Rather, it will be a guess whose answer is either supported or not supported by experimenting.

Statement of the Problem

The statement of the problem is usually just one sentence. It is very important that it is written correctly. The independent and dependent variables are written in the problem.  The independent variable is the variable that is changed and tested. The dependent variable is the measure of the change. The problem statement ends with a question mark.

Sample:  Will the number of paper clips on the nose of a paper airplane affect the distance it can fly?

Variables are the parts of the experiment that are either kept the same, changed, or are the measure of the change.

In order to have a valid test, only the one variable which is being tested can be changed. That variable is called the independent variable. 

The dependent variable is the number measurement of the change. You should have a way to numerically measure the results of your test. Some ways to measure your test might include: grams, pounds, meters, feet, inches, cups, hours, days, pints, liters, etc.

The other variables must not change. They must be exactly the same for all tests. These variables are called constant variables.

Samples:

The independent variable was the number of paper clips on the nose of the plane.

The dependent variable was measurement of the distance the plane flew.

The constant variables were: same design and size of plane, same thrower, same test environment.

Procedure

Write your procedure BEFORE you have performed your experiments. This will help to keep you focused on your original experiment. When you write your procedure, begin each sentence with a verb (example: use, fly, collect, conduct, repeat). Do not use personal pronouns (I, me, we) in your list of steps. List all of the materials you will need in order to perform your tests. This helps you to be organized before beginning your experiment.

Perform the experiment. Identify the independent variable which you tested first. Describe exactly what you did to perform the test. Record your results after you've conducted each test.

Continue listing each of the steps, in proper order, that you went through to complete your experiment, including recording the data collected during your tests or trials.

When you have completed your experiment, revise your original procedure, eliminating steps which might have been unnecessary. Remember to include additional steps you might have discovered that you needed to complete your experiment. This final version will be displayed on your project board at the Science Fair.

Sample:

1.    Construct identical planes to use in the experiment.

2.    Attach appropriate number of paper clips for each trial.

3.    Throw planes.

4.    Measure distance and record data after each throw.

5.    Average the results to record in the "Results" section of your display.

Chart or Graph

(You have a choice of using either format)

CHART

Design your chart to reflect the tests or trials of your independent variable. The chart should also reflect the averages of your recorded dependent variable measurement.

Sample:
Flight Results