Guidelines

The goal of the science fair is to encourage the student to have FUN figuring out how to solve a problem or test a hypothesis!

Science doesn't have to "work" to be successful!

Your hypothesis doesn't have to be right for your experiment to be informative! Your invention does not have to work!

Our goal is for students to flex their problem solving skills and give their project a good, honest try. As long as you are able to draw conclusions from your project (What do you think the results of your experiment show and why? How do you think you could improve the function of your invention, or how do you think you might be able to get it to work?), you're a super successful scientist!

Please note: No student shall be left out of an event or activity due to financial need. Please contact school counselor Sarah Casey (sarah.casey@rtsd.org) to confidentially discuss or request financial support.

Suggestions

Trifold presentation boards (standard size is 36" x 48", folds into three panels to 36" x 24") are a great way to display your project!

• Use pictures and drawings to help the audience understand the experiment.

• Be organized. Every chart, graph, and picture should be clearly labeled with titles, headings, and units of measure.

• Don't forget a title! The title is the attention grabber. Pick something that is catchy, while accurately summarizing the research. The title should be big and easily read from at least three feet away.

• Eye-Catching. Use colorful headings, charts, and graphs to present the project. Using similar font families and colored backgrounds can further help to group the information and organize the display.

• Proofread. Carefully review all of the materials put on your display board.

• Neatness counts. Make sure anything on the board that is handwritten is neat and legible and the board is constructed as neatly as possible.

• Utilize the table space. There is more than just the backboard display to show off the project. Use the table space in front of the presentation board to display the project notebook, research papers, and any appropriate models.

• Make sure your board is complete! Did you include everything listed under the project guidelines (see specific lists for each project type by following the links, above).

Keep your project information organized! Write everything down in a notebook/journal as you work on your project.

Keeping a journal or notebook is OPTIONAL (you do not need to bring it with you to the science fair), but will help you keep all of the information you will need for your poster in one place.

Hints for keeping a notebook/journal

• Label your lab notebook with your project title, your name(s), and teacher's name in a prominent location. This is a permanent record of all of your activities associated with your project.

• Always date every entry, just like a journal. Entries should be brief and concise. Full sentences are not required.

• Don't worry about neatness. It's a personal record of your work. Do not re-do your lab notebook because it looks sloppy. Think of the lab notebook as your "Dear Diary" for science fair. It's not just for recording data during the experimental phase of your project

• The notebook should be used during all phases of your project: jotting down ideas or thoughts for a project, phone numbers, contacts or sources and prices of supplies, book references, diagrams, graphs, figures, charts, sketches, or calculations.

• Log entries should include your brainstorming, calculations, library/internet searches, phone calls, interviews, meetings with mentors or advisors, notes from tours of laboratories, research facilities and other related activities. Remember that it's documentation of your work.

• Glue, staple or tape any loose papers, photocopies of important items. Loose papers or other unsecured items are prohibited since they tend to fall out and can end up missing.

• Include a reflections section in your lab notebook. For example, what, if anything would I do differently next time? What part of the experiment could be changed to improve the experimental procedure? In many cases, this is part of the conclusion.

• Always include any changes made to procedures, mishaps, failures, or mistakes. Sometimes the best discoveries are due to a mistake or failure of an experiment.

• Include any and all observations made during your experiment. In other words, record ALL data directly in your lab notebook. If that is not possible, then attach photocopies of data in the lab notebook.

Question? Contact the science fair committee

• Sarah Stein (stein.sarahj@gmail.com)

• Sahab Aslam (sahab@berkeley.edu)