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Science Fair Fun
So you have to do a science fair project? You're not alone. As many as 5 million students complete science fair projects each year.
NASA scientists often help students and are amazed at their enthusiasm. However, they often see some common problems. With that in mind, they have published a set of key steps to undertake when starting a project.
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- Define and select a problem to study.
- Formulate a hypothesis (an idea about something you want to test).
- Design your experiment.
- Keep things as simple as possible.
- Develop controls so that you have a standard to test your experimental results against.
- Remember sample size; you will need to have several "subjects" in your experiment.
- Allow enough time for the experiment to be repeated, and for dealing with complications; things don't always go right the first time.
- Keep a detailed notebook and don't cross anything out; you might need to refer back to your notes later.
- Collect data: Quantify your results by reporting things in numbers, not just observations.
- Formulate a conclusion: Did your data support your hypothesis? If not, that's a result, too.
- Tips For the Science Fair presentation:
- Present your data using averages, not individual measurements.
- Report the sample size you used. Older students should give some statistical analysis of their data, such as standard deviation.
- Have print large enough to read from a distance.
- Be sure that you understand all the terms and acronyms you present.
- Think about future experiments and how you could expand on a project.
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There is also an abundance of science fair information on the Web. The links below provide an initial resource.
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Odd & Fun
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