Writing the Report
Writing a report about all that was done, how it was done, and what was discovered is an important aspect of a Science Fair Project. Scientists need to communicate their investigation clearly to allow others to conduct the same investigation and arrive at the same conclusions. The written report is a summary of everything you did to investigate your question or problem. It provides information about the extent of the project as well as what you learned through it.
The maximum number of pages is 5, plus the bibliography.
Experiment
The contents of the report for an experiment should include:
Title Page: Include first and last name, date, division, category, and registration number.
Purpose (Introduction): This should state the objective in only a few lines (less than 8). It is also worth mentioning the main details of the work accomplished.
Question: What do I want to find out? What do I want to understand?
Hypothesis: An educated guess that answers the problem. It is based on what the student already knows and on the research they have done on the topic. What is a possible and measurable explanation to the question?
Materials: Anything used in the project (equipment).
Experimental Procedure: Steps taken from beginning to end.
Observations and Results: This is the body of the report. Ensure time is taken to explain results, details, and information regarding research.
Conclusion (Discussion): Summarize details of the project and conditions in which the work was done. This is also a good place to write about possible future endeavours for the topic/project.
Bibliography: Any science fair project should have had some type of resources consulted; everyone must cite all sources used for the project. Click here for rules on citing different types of resources.
Acknowledgements: This is where students acknowledge any people who assisted them in research etc. Remember the importance of not plagiarizing someone else's work.
Developing the Project
Innovation
The contents of the report for an innovation should include:
Title Page: Include first and last name, date, division, category, and registration number.
Introduction: This should state the design opportunity and the problem or the need that you want to address. Is the project suggesting improvements to an existing product or creating a new product from a new design?
Research on the Design Opportunity: This section should include what you have learned from your research about what already exists concerning your proposed design opportunity.
Design Brief: Include all design specifications and drawings.
Materials: Anything used in the project (equipment).
Procedure: Steps taken from the first to the final versions of the prototype.
Observations and Results: This is the body of the report. Explain whether or not the final prototype meets the design specifications.
Conclusion (Discussion): Summarize details of the project and conditions in which the work was done. This is also a good place to write about possible future endeavours for the topic/project.
Bibliography: Any science fair project should have had some type of resources consulted; everyone must cite all sources used for the project. Click here for rules on citing different types of resources.
Acknowledgements: This is where students acknowledge any people who assisted them in research etc. Remember the importance of not plagiarizing someone else's work.
Study
The contents of the report for a study should include:
Title Page: Include first and last name, date, division, category, and registration number.
Introduction: This should state your topic of interest, the reason why you selected it and the question you want to answer.
Review of the Literature: This section should include what you have learned from your preliminary research about what already exists concerning your topic.
Research Method: You need to explain the kind of data you collected and how you collected it.
Data Analysis and Results: Elaborate on how you analyzed your data and what results you found. What claims can be made from the analysis?
Conclusion (Discussion): Summarize the findings of your study. Are you able to answer your initial question? This is also a good place to write about possible implications from those findings.
Bibliography: Any science fair project should have had some type of resources consulted; everyone must cite all sources used for the project. Click here for rules on citing different types of resources.
Acknowledgements: This is where students acknowledge any people who assisted them in research etc. Remember the importance of not plagiarizing someone else's work.
Creating a Display
