Science Fair

Written Report: Experimental Design

Competitive vs. Non-Competitive

All students are required to write a written report:

• Non-Competitive will hand write the report

• Competitive will type

• All reports will be clipped into student's Science Fair 3-ring binder (if you don't have one of these yet you need to go get one.)

Layout

Each section of the written report will be on its own piece of paper and include an underlined title at the top of the page.

Competitive students:

• Use the default font, no colors (so not like this: Title)

• Titles should be underlined 14 pt sized text

• Body should be 12 pt sized text

• No pictures, indent, use complete sentences.

• Here's a video showing how to do this: http://www.screenr.com/Nf88

Purpose

The reason why the student is conducting this research and doing this experiment.

• Non-Competitive Example

Problem

The question the research answers. In question format - the scientific question to be solved.

It should be an open-ended question that is answered with a statement, not a yes or no. Ex: “How does the color of light affect the growth of a plant?”

• Non-Competitive Example

Research

• If you have your research paper, put it here.

• If you haven’t finished your research paper you need to get on top of that ASAP by going here: Research Paper

Hypothesis

Hypothesis: The ‘educated guess’ that is the answer to the problem. It is statement with a reason. The experiment is designed to test this hypothesis. The hypothesis does not change even if the results are different.

Ex: “I believe that all plants need regular white light to grow. I base this hypothesis on the information I learned in my background research that showed me how plants convert light energy into food.” The format can be: I think…; It is my opinion that…; I believe…because or based upon….(the reason).

Subject

Explain what organism, item or parameter the student is testing.

Any matter, living or nonliving is the subject.

• Non-Competitive Example

Variables

The items that have an effect on the experiment. The variable or item that the student changes purposely that will yield different results.

• Non-Competitive Example

Controls

The parameters you keep the same so that the experiment is valid. The items that do not change during the experiment that test the hypothesis.

• Non-Competitive Example

Materials

A bulleted list of any supplies necessary to complete your study of the problem and testing of your hypothesis. Be sure to include the quantity of any items listed.

• Non-Competitive Example

Procedure

Step-by-step process used to carry out the experiment. The experiment must be done at least three times to increase the validity of the results. It should be detailed so that someone would be able to repeat the experiment. Use numbers to list steps beginning with a verb (like in a recipe). Do not use pronouns in listing the steps. It is highly recommended to use the metric system.

• Non-Competitive Example

Graphs

• The data represented in easy- to- see format and in the metric system.

• Students must include a minimum of one graph

• Click here to see how to make a graph, when you’re ready to get started click here.

Results

A breakdown, in summary form, of what happened in your experiment. Just give the facts not the interpretation (those are in your conclusion section).

Example: Plant A grew 5 cm higher than Plant B after 2 weeks. INCLUDE STATISTICS (metrics is preferred when possible.

Conclusion

Specifically summarizes what the student has discovered, how the results compare to the hypothesis and why the hypothesis was correct or incorrect. Review how the data related to any information the student has learned while doing his/her background research.

Application

•A summary about how the project relates to real world problems or situations.

•Think about how others could use what you’ve learned in practical ways.

Recommendations

Indicate any changes or improvements to the experimental design or give possible extensions to the research.

Example: “If I had to do this project again, to make it better I would. . .”

The End (for now)

By the end of this presentation you should have fourteen pages completed:

1. Purpose2. Problem3. Research Paper (click here for guidelines)4. Hypothesis5. Subjects6. Variables7. Controls8. Materials9. Procedures10. Data (Graphs)11. Results12. Conclusion13. Applications14. Recommendations