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Science ProjectGuide

Fayette-Ware Comprehensive High School13470 TN-59

Somerville, TN 38068Phone: (901) 465-9838

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Dear Wildcat Family:

One’s ability to solve problems depends on our ability to ask questions and seek answers. This brings us to the final science project of the year. Students get an opportunity to produce an authentic scholarly piece of work that asks questions and finds answers using specific quantitative and qualitative research methodologies to test hypotheses. Students will research, design, experiment, analyze, present and defend his or her very own science project according to specific guidelines. Student may choose from one of the following subject areas: biology, chemistry, ecology, environmental science, food science, physics, and psychology.

Students must submit a completed Research Plan and get teacher approval prior to beginning any type of investigation or experimentation. After obtaining permission in writing, students may begin the project. Student must maintain a data log in the student’s handwriting and take pictures as evidence. Student may also submit a video of the investigation. Afterward students will submit a formal lab report and display board. All formal reports will become part of the new Fayette-Ware Physical Science Archives.

Please thoroughly read this guide and email any questions to the physical science teachers listed below.

Physical Science Department Fayette-Ware High School

Ms. Pope - ramona.pope@fcsk12.netMr. Crouch - john.crouch@fcsk12.netMr. Hill - terry.hill@fcsk12.net

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Initial Steps: Think about something that you would like to know more about. Research that topic. Write a literature review of information that you find out about the

topic. Design a research study or experiment that has a testable

hypothesis. Determine the controls, dependent variables, and independent

variables. Obtain, complete, and submit a Research Plan/Project Approval form.

A research plan is a succinct detailing of the rationale, research question(s), methodology, and risk assessment of the project.

Do not start the project before you get teacher approval in writing. Keep the approval form to submit with your completed project.

Next Steps: After approval obtain required materials. Conduct the research/experiment. Record all data in writing. Take

plenty of pictures. Video recording is suggested but not required. Analyze the data. Determine, and then construct the types of graphs and charts best

suited for the data types. State whether the data supports or fails to support the hypothesis. Identify pattern. Draw conclusions and make suggestions for further

study.

Final Steps: Organize, type, and proofread the research project report. Type, organize, and proofread the display board sheets. Create the display board. Gather artifacts for the display table.

Science Project Overview

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Research Plan

Name ________________________________________________________________

Email address __________________________________________________________

Science Class ________________________Science Teacher ____________________

1. What is the rationale for this project? a. Give a brief synopsis of why the project is important. Include relevant

scientific research that supports this project.

b. Explain how this project could potentially impact the community in which you live and how this research study augments current scientific knowledge.

2. Research Question: _______________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

3. Hypothesis: _____________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

4. Procedures: Describe the materials you plan to use in the study and the steps that you plan to follow.

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5. Risks and Safetya. Identify any potential safety risks.

b. List the safety precautions you plan to take.

6. Data Analysis Explain how and what type of data will you collect that will help to answer your research question and either support or fail to support your hypothesis.

7. Human Subjects (If applicable)a. Describe how you will identify the participants.

b. How many participants will you use in the study?

c. How will you utilize the participants in the study?

d. Informed Consent Process. Please note that all human participants must sign an informed consent document that explains the purpose of the study, what you expect them to do and that they may withdraw their consent at any time throughout the process.

8. Surveys. Attach a copy of the survey that you plan to use.

9. Literature Cited. Follow APA style guidelines.

Parent-Guardian Permission

I have read and understand the risks involved in the research plan. I give my permission for the student named in this plan to participate in this research.

_________________________ __________________________ Signature Date

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Literature Review This section serves to create a scientific literature review that chronicles current research, introduces new technological advances, or describes innovative techniques about phenomena essential to global societies. The introduction concisely describes the purpose of the investigation and should tell the reader why this work was done. You should review past research on the problem with enough background information to orient the reader. The final paragraph of your introduction should include a statement of the hypothesis you plan to investigate and your predictions. State the specific question(s) you are attempting to answer. Include a brief description of the general methods you will use and a statement about how your investigation will help clarify or expand scientific knowledge in the general area.

Use the APA Sixth Edition as a guide for this paper. Use no sources older than ten years. Please note that the literature review is part of your Research Plan and must be submitted before project approval. You must also submit it as part of your final lab report. Happy Hunting!

General Format o Typedo Double-spaced o 1" margins on all sideso 12 pt. Times New Roman fonto Numbered in the upper right-hand corner beginning on title page

Review Structure

Title Pageo RUNNING HEAD IN ALL CAPSo Paper title o Authoro Fayette-Ware Comprehensive High School

Introductiono Present your topico Outline what you will discuss throughout the review and frame the paper with

your thesiso Tell your audience why it is important that you reviewed the literature in your

topic areaBody (three to five pages)

o Can take different forms depending on your topico Break it up into sections if this is helpful

Discussiono Restate your thesiso State specific questions you plan to investigate o Give the hypothesis you plan to test. o Identify: controls, dependent variables, and independent variables.

Literature Cited (Five or more reliable sources)o Cite every idea that you use and everything that you discuss. o Make sure your references are formatted correctly and that of them are present.

Helpful Websites: American Psychological Association. http://www.apastyle.org/Purdue Online Writing Lab. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

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Reference List: Basic Rules All lines after the first line of each entry in your reference list should be indented

one-half inch from the left margin. This is called hanging indentation. Authors' names are inverted (last name first); give the last name and initials for

all authors of a particular work for up to and including seven authors. If the work has more than seven authors, list the first six authors and then use ellipses after the sixth author's name. After the ellipses, list the last author's name of the work.

Reference list entries should be alphabetized by the last name of the first author of each work.

For multiple articles by the same author, or authors listed in the same order, list the entries in chronological order, from earliest to most recent.

Present the journal title in full. Capitalize all major words in journal titles. When referring to books, chapters, articles, or Web pages, capitalize only the first

letter of the first word of a title and subtitle, the first word after a colon or a dash in the title, and proper nouns. 

Italicize titles of longer works such as books and journals. Do not italicize, underline, or put quotes around the titles of shorter works such

as journal articles or essays in edited collections.

Article From an Online Periodical

Online articles follow the same guidelines for printed articles. Include all information the online host makes available, including an issue number in parentheses.

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Online

Periodical, volume number (issue number if available). Retrieved f

rom http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/

Bernstein, M. (2002). 10 tips on writing the living Web. A List Apart: For People

Who Make Websites, 149. Retrieved from

http://www.alistapart.com/articles/writeliving

Article in a Magazine

Henry, W. A., III. (1990, April 9). Making the grade in today's schools. Time, 135, 28-31.

Article in Journal Paginated by Issue

Scruton, R. (1996). The eclipse of listening. The New Criterion, 15(3), 5-13.

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Project Report Format

Title The title page should include a running head in all caps, the title of the project,

the author and Fayette-Ware Comprehensive High School center in the appropriate place on the paper. Use the APA manual as a guide.

Abstract The abstract is a short summary of the study. The abstract should be one paragraph long and no more than 250 words. Abstracts usually contain a sentence of background, clear statements of the hypothesis and predictions, a methods sentence, and a sentence of results. The final sentence should that convey the “big picture” conclusion of your study.

Introduction (Include the literature review you submitted with your research plan and final report.)

The Introduction concisely describes the purpose of the investigation and should tell the reader why this work was done. You should review past research on the problem with enough background information to orient the reader. The final paragraph of your introduction should include a statement of the hypothesis you have investigated and your predictions. Identify: controls, dependent variables, and independent variables. State the specific question(s) you are attempting to answer, a brief introduction/justification of the general method used, and how your investigation will help clarify or expand the knowledge in the general area.

Materials and MethodsIn this section, you will explain the specific procedures used in the investigation.

You will detail the type and quantity of all materials utilized. Explain the design, data types, and how the data was gathered. Explain this section in enough detail so that someone can repeat this investigation. If necessary use photographs, diagrams, or maps to clearly explain the details of the study. Write the Materials and Methods section in the past tense. It should not be written as if it were directions in a laboratory manual; therefore, do not make a list of materials, do not give instructions on how to do something, and do not recount your methods as a sequence of events. Rather, you should focus on the experimental design.

Acceptable Six petri plates were prepared with agar, inoculated with an inoculating loop, and

placed in the incubator for 10 hours at 37oC.

Unacceptable For this experiment you will need the following equipment: six petri plates, one liter of agar, and one inoculating loop. First pour agar into the six petri plates, then inoculate the plates with a fungus using the inoculating loop. Then you put the plates into the incubator.

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ResultsIn this section, you present the data in a straightforward manner with no analysis

of the reasons the results occurred (these comments are reserved for the Discussion). Highlight significant data and point out patterns, correlations, and generalizations that emerge. Also write this section using the past tense. Data are generally organized into tables and/or figures (graphs). Refer to the tables as Tables; refer to all other items (graphs, pictures, drawings, maps, etc.) as Figures. Text must be given first, before tables and figures on a page. The text of the Results section should describe the results presented in tables and figures and call attention to significant data discussed later in the report. A Results section that includes only a table or a figure and no text is not acceptable. In the example below, Figure 1 refers to the graph in which the data are presented. In the same sentence, the author says something about the data and refers the reader to the appropriate figure.

The number of bacterial colonies increased up to 40ºC but decreased at higher temperatures (Figure 1). The greatest amount of growth occurred between 35° and 40°C.

Independently number tables and figures. For example, in a paper containing two tables and two figures, you would number the tables Table 1 and Table 2, and the figures as Figure 1 and Figure 2. All tables and figures should include the units of measurement used (grams (g), meters (m), seconds (s), etc.). All columns in a table and both axes (X axis and Y axis) of a graph must be independently labeled including units. Headers for tables are always placed above the table, and captions for figures are always placed below the figure.

Discussion Start by explaining in a paragraph or two the results of your specific study and

whether your hypothesis was supported or not. After you have explained your results, you should expand the discussion by comparing your results to published studies. Compare and contrast your results to those of previous studies, making sure to cite them properly. You should explain differences from or similarities to any related experiments completed by other researchers. If your results differ from those of previously published studies, you should discuss possible reasons for different outcomes. It is important to remember that just because your results are different from the results of others it does not mean that you did something wrong.

ConclusionYou should conclude with a final paragraph describing how your results apply to

the original research questions and make suggestions for future study.

Literature Cited Format all references according to APA style in alphabetical order. Whenever

you mention information that is not common knowledge or was not obtained personally (through experiments or observations), you must include a reference to indicate the source of that information. The Literature Cited lists, in alphabetical order by the last

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name of the first author, all published information that was referred to in the paper. This section provides the reader with the information needed to access the original sources. Note that the Literature Cited includes only those references that were actually cited. Any other information that you may have read concerning the problem but did not mention (cite) in the paper is not included. This is why the section is called Literature Cited, instead of References or Bibliography

Appendix Attach all original hand-written data logs in this section, any statically charts not

listed in the results section. Include human subjects consent forms and surveys, etc.

Science Fair Display Board The picture below shows a typical layout of a science fair display board. ❖ The

exact layout is not required because each board is unique and should be arranged in the way that suits your project the best. ❖ All of the section elements should be present and placed in a logical order. ❖ Remember to use 18-point font size or larger and to matte each section with construction paper.

Fayette-Ware Comprehensive High School

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Human Subjects Research Consent Form

Project Title:

Student Name:

DESCRIPTION: You are invited to participate in a research study on ___________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

TIME INVOLVEMENT: Your participation will take approximately ________________________

RISKS AND BENEFITS: Your decision whether or not to participate in this study will not affect your grades in school. There are no risks associated with this study. You will not receive payment for your participation.

PARTICIPANT’S RIGHTS: If you have read this form and have decided to participate in this project, please understand your participation is voluntary and you have the right to withdraw your consent or discontinue participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. The alternative is not to participate. You have the right to refuse to answer particular questions. The results of this research study may be presented at scientific meetings or published on an academic website. Your individual privacy will be maintained in all published and written data resulting from the study.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Questions: If you have any questions, concerns or complaints about this research, its procedures, risks and benefits, contact Ms. Pope, Mr. Crouch, or Mr. Hill.

(1) I give consent to be audiotaped during this study. ___Yes ___No

(2) I give consent to be videotaped during this study, if applicable. ___Yes ___No

(3) I give consent for my identity to be revealed to science instructors. ___Yes ___No

My signature below indicates that I will read this form to each participant of the study and that

each agrees to participate.

Signature Date

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Fayette-Ware Comprehensive High School Human Subjects Research Consent Form

Project Title:

Student Name:

Your signature on this form indicates your agreement to participate in this study. You may withdraw you consent at any time.

Print Name Signature Date

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DISPLAY BOARD GRADING RUBRICDISPLAY BOARD GRADING RUBRIC

Student’s Name: Project #:

Project Category: Judge #:

Project Title: Grade:

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Display Board 1. Title 5 4 3 2 02. Artifacts 5 4 3 2 03. Purpose/Research Question/Problem 5 4 3 2 04. Hypothesis with logical independent and dependent variables 5 4 3 2 05. Materials and Methods 5 4 3 2 06. Figures/Tables 5 4 3 2 07. Results/Data Analysis 5 4 3 2 08. Conclusion 5 4 3 2 09. Abstract 5 4 3 2 010. Aesthetic Appeal 5 4 3 2 0Comments:

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PROJECT REPORT GRADING RUBRICPROJECT REPORT GRADING RUBRIC

Student’s Name: Project #:

Project Category: Judge #:

Project Title: Grade:

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Project Report11. Title 5 4 3 2 012. Abstract 5 4 3 2 013. Introduction/Literature 5 4 3 2 014. Materials and Methods 5 4 3 2 015. Results 5 4 3 2 016. Discussion 5 4 3 2 017. Conclusion 5 4 3 2 018. Literature Cited 5 4 3 2 019. Appendix 5 4 3 2 020. Grammar 5 4 3 2 021. Format 5 4 3 2 0Comment:

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Science Fai r Ideas Websites

www.juliantrubin.com/branchesofsciencefair.html

https://learning-center.homesciencetools.com/science-projects/

http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/

https://www.education.com/science-fair/

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas

https://www.thoughtco.com/chemistry-science-fair-project-ideas-609051

https://student.societyforscience.org/intel-isef?id=12

Project Ideas

Chemistry

Effects of temperature on viscosity of oil. Chemical reactions that produce energy or that require energy Testing of consumer products- glues, stain removers, antiseptics, mouthwash,

detergents, paper towels, making salt water potable, removal of pollutants Effects of sunlight on rubber, ink, paper Compare the pH levels in ponds at different times of the day Compare the surface tension of various liquids Dealing with chemical spills from industry.  Are there better ways to mitigate the

problem? How Does Surface Temperature Above the Boiling Point Affect the Rate of

Evaporation of Certain Alcohols? Analyze rain for pollutants; samples from different locations Effects of soil pH on the density of grasses Effects of salt and other contaminants on rate of rusting Growing crystals- factors that affect the rate and the size What effects do different amounts of exercise have on the production of carbon

dioxide in humans? Analyze soil samples for their components, ability to hold moisture, fertility and

pH Does the amount of particle pollution vary with distance from a road, with

location, with height? Catalysts- how they work and why; commercial applicants and problems Determine the effect of different brands of detergents on surface tension How do acids react with different metals under varying conditions?

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Chemical Change and the factors that affect the rate such as heat. light and catalysts

The effects of salts on the freezing point of water and other liquids. Techniques of fractional distillation of oil samples. Testing the mineral concentrations in hard and soft water. Can light energy influence chemical reactions? A study of acidity in different types and brands of milk Effects of temperature on viscosity of oil, chemical reactions, Brownian

movement, burning of different materials. Effects of sunlight on rubber, ink, paper Effects of increased concentrations on the rate of chemical reactions. Effect of chlorine bleach on fabric strength Factors affecting an enzyme's reaction rate Which hair coloring product has the greatest amount of lead acetate?

Physics 

Does temperature affect the output of a photo-electric cell? What is the effect of light concentration on the output of solar cells? Does Temperature Affect The Strength Of A Magnet? What is the effect of heat on luminosity?  Does the presence of water, and or other liquids, affect the magnetic force of a

magnet? Build a Tesla Coil and demonstrate the theory behind it. Build a working model of a system that sends data through walls using magnetic

pulses How Does Temperature Affect the Optimal Performance of Fiber Optics? Does temperature affect data transmission in fiber optic cables? Voice communication with infrared light and fiber optics Compare transmission speeds of copper wire vs. fiber optic cable.  Which is

better? Do bends in fiber optic cable cause loss of audio data transmission? How Light is Affected passing through water e.g. viewing objects under water,

formation of rainbows. Observation of freezing rates of water for different starting temperatures Does cold or heat affect how high a ball bounces? Does the amount of air in a balloon, the color of the balloon or the material the

balloon is made of change the effect of heating or cooling the balloon? Do all objects fall to the ground at the same speed? Does aluminum leach out of Teflon pans? Does water droplet size affect rainbow brilliance? How long does it take fire to consume oxygen?

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Behavioral Science and Social Science

Do boys see different optical illusions than girls? A study of territoriality in mice A study of the cleaning habits of mice The Effect Of Birth Order On The Personality Types Of Teenagers See if subliminal messages have an effect on one's behavior and decisions Which hand is more sensitive and how does age/gender/health habits affect that

sensitivity? What effect does eye color have on the ability to distinguish between colors in

low light? Determine if people respond more quickly to visual or auditory stimuli. Determine if a person's reading comprehension is greater when reading written

material on paper or from a computer screen. Can people really taste the difference between fat free and regular foods?  Does

age, gender, or other factors affect the ability to taste the difference if there is one?

Which of the three senses-- sight, hearing, or touch--produces the quickest reactions in humans.

Determine if males and females have different abilities in estimating an object's size

Determine how well people identify foods using only the sense of smell Determine if people can identify the original scents used to make homemade

fragrances and perfumes Determine if smells, odors or scents affect peoples' mood. If so, how? How does the group affect our personal behavior, and how can our personal

behavior affect the group? Does age have any influence in deciding what color car to buy? Teenage values: Are they different between males and females? Can a person recognize the sex of another people from pictures of bare feet? Compare the suggestibility of males vs. females in copying actions of those

around them (sniffling, scratching, coughing, yawning, etc.)? Compare rewards vs. punishment as methods of controlling behavior. Are there

better methods for controlling behavior? Compare age groups as regards concepts of right and wrong. Are there absolute

rules or do rules depend upon the situation and circumstance? Can Goldfish Learn to Eat from A Certain Color Container by Using Operant

Conditioning? Are People More Attracted Towards Teddy Bears with Childlike Features Than

Towards Teddy Bears That Look Like Real Bears? Are eye witness testimonies accurate?

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Online Journal Directories

BioMed Central. https://www.biomedcentral.com/journals

Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). https://doaj.org/

Elsevier. https://www.elsevier.com/about/open-science/open-access/open-access-journals

Highwire. http://highwire.stanford.edu/lists/freeart.dtl

Hindawi - Open Access Journals. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jchem/

Public Library of Science (PLOS). https://www.plos.org/

Research and Reviews: International Journals. http://www.rroij.com/

General Research Topics Cites

Letter Pile. https://letterpile.com/writing/100-Science-Topics-for-Research-Papers

Penn State Science. http://science.psu.edu/news-and-events/research-news/special-topics

Science AAAS. http://www.sciencemag.org/topics

Science and Technology. https://scienceandtechnology.jpl.nasa.gov/research/research-topics-list

Scientific America. https://www.scientificamerican.com/topics/

Other Sites

hhmi Bulletin. https://www.hhmi.org/bulletin

Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/

TEL Tennessee Electronic Library. http://tntel.tnsos.org/