Starting a Project

Poster vs. Paper Session!

IJAS gives students the opportunity to compete in two different sessions- the paper and poster sessions. Students may compete in one or both of the sessions! Additional details for the sessions can be found on pages 30-31 of the Policy and Procedure Manual.

Students who choose to present their project in the Paper Session will do so by developing their own slide presentation (i.e. PowerPoint, Google Slides, Prezi, etc.) in addition to having a written report and oral presentation. 

Students who choose to present their project in the Poster Session will do so by creating a backboard with all of the parts mentioned above. The backboard is to be used to augment the student’s written report and oral presentation. 

Developing a Project Idea

A common theme between good projects is that they are meaningful to the student. Don't do a project just because you think it will look good, do a project that you are passionate and excited about, and one that really serves to solve a problem. Judges want to know the real-world applications of your project.

A list of resources to inspire you to develop a good project can be found here. However, make sure to develop a unique project idea. Don't just copy science that has already been done!