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Tips on Tips on Designing Designing

anan ISEF ISEF

Affiliated Affiliated Science Science

FairFair Project Project

Display BoardDisplay Board

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What a Well-Designed Project What a Well-Designed Project Board Should AccomplishBoard Should Accomplish

Provides judges and the public with an Provides judges and the public with an overview of your project when you are not overview of your project when you are not there to explainthere to explain

Emphasizes succinctly the scope of the Emphasizes succinctly the scope of the project, the nature of the research, and project, the nature of the research, and the resultsthe results

Demonstrates your authority as a Demonstrates your authority as a researcher by the neatness and researcher by the neatness and correctness of the information presentedcorrectness of the information presented

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Considerations before You Considerations before You BeginBegin

Type of Display:Type of Display: Tabletop (Tabletop (Note: If a table is used, the height, Note: If a table is used, the height,

width, and depth of the table must be width, and depth of the table must be considered part of the project and figured in considered part of the project and figured in with the total dimensions of the project.with the total dimensions of the project.

FreestandingFreestanding

Origin of Board:Origin of Board: Commercial Commercial Self-madeSelf-made

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MAXIMUM Size of your MAXIMUM Size of your DisplayDisplay

Junior Division (6Junior Division (6thth, 7, 7thth, 8, 8thth grade): grade): 36” wide (left to right), 24” deep (front to 36” wide (left to right), 24” deep (front to

back), and 9 feet tall (floor to top of display – back), and 9 feet tall (floor to top of display – table height is 36”)table height is 36”)

Senior Division (9Senior Division (9thth through 12 through 12thth grade): grade): 48” wide (left to right), 30” deep (front to 48” wide (left to right), 30” deep (front to

back), and 9 feet tall (floor to top of display – back), and 9 feet tall (floor to top of display – table height is 36”)table height is 36”)

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Another consideration in choosing Another consideration in choosing materials to create a display board is materials to create a display board is the final weight of the display. You the final weight of the display. You must carry your project into Cobo must carry your project into Cobo Hall unassisted.Hall unassisted.

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Examples of Examples of Freestanding DisplaysFreestanding Displays

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Tabletop DisplaysTabletop Displays

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A Few Rules to FollowA Few Rules to Follow

Keep the display simple. Avoid clutter. Keep the display simple. Avoid clutter. Judges and the public viewing the board Judges and the public viewing the board must be able to comprehend quickly what must be able to comprehend quickly what your research involved.your research involved.

Use no more than two or three colors, and Use no more than two or three colors, and choose colors appropriate to your subject.choose colors appropriate to your subject.

Arrange the information logically.Arrange the information logically. Label all data tables, charts, graphs, or Label all data tables, charts, graphs, or

photographs you use.photographs you use.

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What the Board Should What the Board Should DisplayDisplay

PurposePurpose

HypothesisHypothesis

MaterialsMaterials

ProcedureProcedure

TitleTitle

(Keep it (Keep it simple)simple)

GraphsGraphs

PicturesPictures

DataData

ResultsResults

ConclusionConclusion

AbstractAbstract

Other Other RequiredRequired

PaperworkPaperwork

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The Project TitleThe Project Title Again, keep it simple Again, keep it simple

and short. It should and short. It should be readable from a be readable from a minimum of six feet.minimum of six feet.

Try to develop a Try to develop a phrasing that phrasing that captures attention captures attention but succinctly but succinctly represents your represents your research.research.

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Regulated Regulated Research Research

Institution Form Institution Form 1C1C

If a research If a research institution is used, a institution is used, a copy of Form 1C copy of Form 1C must be vertically must be vertically displayed.displayed.

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Human Subjects Human Subjects Form 4Form 4

If photos of human If photos of human subjects are subjects are displayed in the displayed in the project, the Human project, the Human Subjects Form 4 must Subjects Form 4 must be available in a be available in a notebook for an notebook for an inspector to check. inspector to check. These forms should These forms should not be displayed in not be displayed in order to protect the order to protect the anonymity of human anonymity of human subjects.subjects.

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Other Display Other Display ConsiderationsConsiderations

In addition to displaying required In addition to displaying required paperwork and a summary paperwork and a summary explanation of the research project explanation of the research project procedure and conclusions, the procedure and conclusions, the Finalist may want to include the Finalist may want to include the following:following: Graphs of data that represents depth of Graphs of data that represents depth of

research or conclusionsresearch or conclusions Pictures or illustrations of proceduresPictures or illustrations of procedures Data booksData books Mock-ups of specific designs, or laptop Mock-ups of specific designs, or laptop

illustrations of procedures, etc.illustrations of procedures, etc.

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living organisms (including plants)living organisms (including plants) taxidermy specimenstaxidermy specimens preserved vertebrate or invertebrate preserved vertebrate or invertebrate

animalsanimals human/animal foodhuman/animal food human/animal parts or body fluidshuman/animal parts or body fluids chemicalschemicals drugsdrugs and other items listed in the Rules.and other items listed in the Rules.

Complete list of rules available at this site:Complete list of rules available at this site:http://societyforscience.org/isef/document/

The aforementioned are permitted in The aforementioned are permitted in a display as long as they do not a display as long as they do not include items include items Not Allowed for DisplayNot Allowed for Display, , such as the followingsuch as the following::

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Other Points to ConsiderOther Points to ConsiderIn developing a display, you should also be In developing a display, you should also be

certain to do the following:certain to do the following: Credit all images/photosCredit all images/photos Make backup copies of all paperwork in Make backup copies of all paperwork in

case any is lost or misplacedcase any is lost or misplaced Develop a way to secure a laptop or any Develop a way to secure a laptop or any

permitted piece of equipment to prevent permitted piece of equipment to prevent thefttheft

No electric power is available at Cobo HallNo electric power is available at Cobo Hall

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Examples of Items Not Examples of Items Not Allowed Allowed

The example on The example on right illustrates right illustrates soil or waste soil or waste materials not materials not properly sealed properly sealed in acrylic.in acrylic.

The example at left The example at left illustrates plant illustrates plant and soil materials and soil materials properly encased properly encased in acrylic.in acrylic.

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Photographs of Photographs of vertebrate animals in vertebrate animals in lab procedures, lab procedures, unnatural unnatural environments, or stress environments, or stress situations not allowedsituations not allowed.

Containers of Containers of plants and dirt plants and dirt not allowed.not allowed.

Glass items not Glass items not allowed.allowed.

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Sharp objects, Sharp objects, such as this such as this needle, are not needle, are not allowed.allowed.

Plant and other Plant and other drieddriedmaterials scattered materials scattered forfordecoration are notdecoration are notallowed.allowed.

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How to Credit How to Credit Photos/ImagesPhotos/Images

Any photos, Any photos, images, and images, and graphs used in graphs used in the display must the display must be credited. If be credited. If the finalist the finalist created all created all photos/images, a photos/images, a single credit is single credit is sufficient.sufficient.

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Project 1

Unofficial abstracts

displayed

Project 2

Inappropriate pictures of animalsProject 3

No Photo Credits

Examples of Typical Violations

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Correct Freestanding

Display

All equipment displayed here meets safety regulations. Paperwork hanging at top of display permitted. No awards, acknowl-edgments, handouts, etc., or addresses other than Finalist’s are visible.

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Correct DisplayCorrect DisplayUsing Table Using Table

Provided By ISEFProvided By ISEF

Tri-fold board does not Tri-fold board does not extend over edges of extend over edges of the provided table, the provided table, which is 30” by 48”.which is 30” by 48”.Required paperwork is Required paperwork is properly displayed on properly displayed on front of table.front of table.All images properly All images properly creditedcredited

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Other ResourcesOther Resources ISEF Rules Wizard ISEF Rules Wizard

http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/students/wizard/indexhttp://www.societyforscience.org/isef/students/wizard/index.asp.asp

The Rules Wizard has been designed as a first step to help you determine The Rules Wizard has been designed as a first step to help you determine what forms and approvals are necessary before beginning a science fair what forms and approvals are necessary before beginning a science fair project intended for competition at an ISEF-affiliated fair or the Intel project intended for competition at an ISEF-affiliated fair or the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. International Science and Engineering Fair. 

D & S Inspectors Manual: D & S Inspectors Manual: http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/document/hubman.ashttp://www.societyforscience.org/isef/document/hubman.aspp

This site contains a training PPt. for Host Committee D & S Inspectors that This site contains a training PPt. for Host Committee D & S Inspectors that provides additional information on appropriate displays.provides additional information on appropriate displays.

SRC PowerPoint: http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/SRC PowerPoint: http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/ The Scientific Review PowerPoint reviews regulations for projects. Reviews The Scientific Review PowerPoint reviews regulations for projects. Reviews

role of supervisors, etc., and all required paperwork.role of supervisors, etc., and all required paperwork.

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Where to Purchase BoardsWhere to Purchase Boards

http://www.officedepot.com/http://www.officedepot.com/ http://www.staples.com/http://www.staples.com/ http://www.showboard.com/http://www.showboard.com/ http://www.sciencebuddies.org/http://www.sciencebuddies.org/

mentoring/mentoring/project_display_board_advanced_desiproject_display_board_advanced_design.shtml gn.shtml

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ISEF Society For Science ISEF Society For Science ContactsContacts

for Additional Informationfor Additional Information

John Cole, Chair of ISEF Display & John Cole, Chair of ISEF Display & Safety Committee, Safety Committee, dejavu60@msn.comdejavu60@msn.com

Nancy Aiello, Nancy Aiello, SRC@societyforscience.org SRC@societyforscience.org