Discover the Secrets of Science Fair Success with This Essential Guide . . . Written by a science fair judge and an international science fair winner, this must-have resource is packed with strategies and pointers for putting together a winning science fair project. Here youll get the nitty-gritty on a wide variety of topics, from the fundamentals of the science fair process to the last-minute details of polishing your presentation, including: * Choosing the right project for you * Doing research and taking notes * Using the scientific method * Writing up procedures, data, and conclusions *…mehr
Discover the Secrets of Science Fair Success with This Essential Guide . . . Written by a science fair judge and an international science fair winner, this must-have resource is packed with strategies and pointers for putting together a winning science fair project. Here youll get the nitty-gritty on a wide variety of topics, from the fundamentals of the science fair process to the last-minute details of polishing your presentation, including: * Choosing the right project for you * Doing research and taking notes * Using the scientific method * Writing up procedures, data, and conclusions * Creating eye-catching backboards * Handling pre-contest jitters * Dealing with difficult judges * and much more With insider tips, checklists, and solid advice from people whove been there, Strategies for Winning Science Fair Projects is the one guide youll need for science fair season and beyond.
JOYCE HENDERSON is a writer and experienced science fair judge. She is the author of two previous books and many magazine articles. HEATHER TOMASELLO is a science fair award winner, researcher, and academic advisor at the University of Florida.
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Introduction.
1. Why Do You Want to Be in the Science Fair?
What Is Involved?
The Benefits.
Beyond the Local Competition.
The Costs.
2. Getting Started: Selecting a Research Topic.
Narrowing the Field.
Researching Possible Topics.
Keep It Simple.
Keep It Narrow.
Cause and Effect.
Pitfalls to Avoid.
3. There's a Method to the Madness: Using the ScientificMethod.
Basic Elements of a Science Fair Project.
Problem and Hypothesis.
Purpose.
Background.
Materials and Procedure.
Data and Results.
Conclusion.
4. Who? What? Where? When? and How? The Science ResearchPaper.
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
How?
Putting It Together on One Page.
5. Murphy's Law of Science Research: If Anything Can Go Wrong, ItWill.
Time Is of the Essence.
Creating a Timeline.
Time Management Tips.
Be Prepared.
6. Safety First: Safety Guidelines for Experimentation.
Chemicals 42
Labs Are Dangerous Places 42
What's Green, Glows in the Dark, and Is Growing on MyProject?
Sterile Technique.
Sterilization.
Better Safe than Sorry.
7. Data, Not Just a Star Trek Character: How to Interpret andDisplay Data.
Making a Data Table.
Mean, Median and Mode: The "Three Musketeers" of Statistics.
Would You Like That in a Pie, Bar, or Line?
Measuring the Range of Your Results.
8. Misteaks, Mistaxe, Mistackes, Mistakes: Sweating the SmallStuff
Catching Spelling and Grammatical Errors.
Common Spelling and Grammatical Errors.
Where It's OK to Make Mistakes.
Preventing Plagiarism.
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due.
Bibliography.
9. You Only Have One Chance to Make a First Impression: YourBackboard.
Assembly Required.
Mats and Lettering.
What Should Go Where?
The Finished Product.
10. 'Twas the Night Before the Fair.
11 Keeping Your Cool: The Big Day.
The "What If " Kit.
Dress for Success.
Meeting and Greeting.
The Main Show.
The Ugly Judge.
Relax!
12. "Your Honor . . .": Who Are the Judges and What Do TheyWant?
Who Are the Judges?
What Do Judges Want?
What Can You Learn from Your Judges?
Meeting Face-to-Face.
13. Is There Life After the Science Fair?: After the Big Day.
