Here's some advice from a science fair judge....
SCIENCE PROJECTS
You're handed the dreaded assignment…the Science Project. Maybe you already know what you want to do or maybe you're clueless. Whatever you decide, here are steps you should consider when doing your project. Doing it right will not only get a thumbs up from your teacher but it may give you the boost to go to a regional Science Fair. Who knows? Your next stop could be the State Science Fair!
BE FRESH!
Judges always look for original ideas. Original projects are those that take the textbooks one step further by exploring new ground and innovative techniques. Your project could be original in the scientific concept or maybe you've come up with a new way to solve an old problem or a new and better way to interpret the data. Whatever your project, make sure it is done well. Just having a great and new idea is only half of the solution.
PASSING THE "HUH?" TEST!
It may be a super idea for a project but it won't impress the judges (or teacher) if you don't have a well-defined goal or objective of what you're doing. Just what scientific concept are you trying to prove or disprove with your project? A direct, often simple objective won't leave the judges scratching their heads, trying to figure out what exactly you were trying to prove. You've got to pass the "HUH?" test.
UNDERSTAND IT - IT'S YOUR PROJECT, NOT YOUR FOLKS'!
Your project must show the judges that YOU understand and know how to use scientific theory, terms, techniques and methodologies properly. Judges look for students who know about the scientific principles and practices they used in their project. They want to see if you can interpret what you learned. It's important for judges to know that you have a depth of understanding of the basic science behind the project topic, that you comprehend the finer level of detail and that you're aware of any influence or effects the project has on related subject topics. If you don't know what a term or theory means… find out or don't use it in your presentation.
Keep your project at a level YOU can understand. Judges aren't expecting you to have access to university research laboratories or be a Ph.D. candidate for the topic area you've chosen. What is important is that the technical level of sophistication and complexity of your project reflect YOUR level of understanding - not someone else's. It's OK to receive help outside your school as long as you clearly say what is was and who helped you. IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, DON'T DO IT because you won't be able to explain it! Chances are if it doesn't make sense to you, it won't make sense to the judge.
One more thing… know how all your equipment works, what it does and why it was used in your project. If you can't explain it to a judge, then you probably don't understand the science of what's going on.
PROVE YOUR POINT!
Judges look for complete projects. That is, projects that are thorough in addressing the original question and thorough in answering other questions that come up during the experimentation process. As a scientist, it is your responsibility to provide all evidence to support whatever claims you are making. It isn't up to the judge or other scientists to prove your claim. Without data or results that support your claims, it's not a completed work.
PUT SOME TIME (and FUN) IN!
How much time and energy have you put into your project? Was it a one-hour wonder or did you actually put in some effort and time? Did you fly by the seat of your pants or did you spend time reading and learning the subject? Either way, it will show. Pick a topic you like. Science is found everywhere. There must be something you enjoy that can be used as part of a science project. Think outside the box and have some fun with your project!
A judge considers time and effort as two important factors in a successful project. Judges can usually tell that the amount of effort that goes into your project reflects your motivation. Because if you're not motivated, you won't enjoy the experience and that shows!
CLEAR AS GLASS!
If nobody understands what you were doing with your project, why bother with all that work? Be crystal-clear in both your written and verbal communication skills. Your ideas should be clearly presented and easy to understand. Judges look for well-written abstracts with easy to follow visual aids and clear and concise answers. Remember, the more you understand about the scientific principles, the easier it is for you to explain it in terms everyone understands. KISS (Keep It Simple, Scientist!)
WRAP-UP
To sum this up, remember high marks go to:
* Clever experimental apparatus
* Correctly interpreting data
* Discovering knowledge not readily available to you
* Combining good research and experimentation
* Repeating steps to verify experimental results
* Predicting and/or reducing experimental results with analytical techniques
* Experiments that have a real world application
* Your ability to clearly portray and explain your project and its results
* Genuine scientific breakthroughs
QUESTIONS
Judges will ask lots of questions about your project. Dazzle them with your brilliance and be prepared to answer questions like these:
* How did you come up with the idea for this project?
* What did you learn from your background search?
* How long did it take you to build the apparatus?
* How did you build the apparatus? How does it work?
* How much time (or many days) did it take to run the experiments (grow the plants or collect each data point)?
* How many times did you run the experiment with a different set of parameters?
* Did you try something else that didn't work?
* Can you explain to me how your project relates to (some scientific principle)?
* Do you think there is an application in industry for this knowledge (technique)?
* Were there any books that helped you do your analysis?
* When did you start this project? Or how much of the work did you do this year?
* What is the next experiment to do if you want to continue this study?
Saturday, 27 September 2008
Application of Scientific Method for Winning Science Fair Project
You can come up with a winning science fair project with the right topic, flawless execution and smart presentation. Read on to find out more
Application of Scientific Method for Winning Science Fair Project:
The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to discover new ways of thinking about them.- Sir William Bragg
Science can be a interesting subject if the children develop a liking for it during school. Science projects and science fairs can be useful events that can develop an interest for science amongst the students. A science fair can be an exciting time for students in grade school as well as high school to explore different scientific ideas and concepts. During a science fair, all the students try their level best to come up with the winning science fair project. The key to winning a science fair project is wise topic selection, perfect execution and good quality presentation.
Selecting the Perfect Topic for Winning Science Fair Project
The key to a winning science fair project is the selection of the perfect topic. If possible make it a point to choose a topic, which is rather contemporary, that makes it interesting. Avoid mundane topics that have been used in science fair projects since ages. It doesn’t matter if you are working on a simple concept – Think out of the box and look how you can incorporate innovation in the run-of-the-mill projects. While choosing a subject or a topic for your science project, make sure you pick a topic that really interests you. Choose a topic that you are confident about. Ask yourself whether you will be able to make a working model for the project, in case you think the construction of the working model is difficult, try and pick an easier topic or else consult your seniors or teachers for suggestions on the model construction. In case you are hunting for topics, you can either look up your textbooks, reference books or just log on to the Internet to find a good subject for your science fair project.
Flawless Execution for Winning Science Fair Project
Once you have finalized your topic, the next thing is executing the idea. A brilliant idea can go totally waste if not executed properly. Make sure you get all the raw material required for executing the idea and making a working model for your project. In case you are handling dangerous chemicals, or complicated electrical wiring and sockets, it is advisable to have an adult to supervise you and guide you during the process. Make sure you use the best material t build your project so that it is sturdy enough. It can be very embarrassing if the model goes kaput on the final day of the science fair. Once you have constructed the model, make sure it functions /runs properly. In case you are using batteries in your project it is advised to keep spare ones for the final day.
Quality Presentation for Winning Science Fair Project
Now that you have your winning science fair project ready, it is absolutely necessary that you present it well. Make sure that you prepare a project report booklet, which has all the necessary information about your project and has your name on it. The booklet should include the principle of working, the mode of construction and the final conclusion of your project. The judges can go through the report to read the details about your project. Also, think of all the possible questions that might be asked about your project and be prepared to answer them with confidence. It is also advisable to prepare a small synopsis and a write up that your can refer to while presenting your project.
All said and done, here are some winning science fair project ideas that might help.
Application of Scientific Method for Winning Science Fair Project:
The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to discover new ways of thinking about them.- Sir William Bragg
Science can be a interesting subject if the children develop a liking for it during school. Science projects and science fairs can be useful events that can develop an interest for science amongst the students. A science fair can be an exciting time for students in grade school as well as high school to explore different scientific ideas and concepts. During a science fair, all the students try their level best to come up with the winning science fair project. The key to winning a science fair project is wise topic selection, perfect execution and good quality presentation.
Selecting the Perfect Topic for Winning Science Fair Project
The key to a winning science fair project is the selection of the perfect topic. If possible make it a point to choose a topic, which is rather contemporary, that makes it interesting. Avoid mundane topics that have been used in science fair projects since ages. It doesn’t matter if you are working on a simple concept – Think out of the box and look how you can incorporate innovation in the run-of-the-mill projects. While choosing a subject or a topic for your science project, make sure you pick a topic that really interests you. Choose a topic that you are confident about. Ask yourself whether you will be able to make a working model for the project, in case you think the construction of the working model is difficult, try and pick an easier topic or else consult your seniors or teachers for suggestions on the model construction. In case you are hunting for topics, you can either look up your textbooks, reference books or just log on to the Internet to find a good subject for your science fair project.
Flawless Execution for Winning Science Fair Project
Once you have finalized your topic, the next thing is executing the idea. A brilliant idea can go totally waste if not executed properly. Make sure you get all the raw material required for executing the idea and making a working model for your project. In case you are handling dangerous chemicals, or complicated electrical wiring and sockets, it is advisable to have an adult to supervise you and guide you during the process. Make sure you use the best material t build your project so that it is sturdy enough. It can be very embarrassing if the model goes kaput on the final day of the science fair. Once you have constructed the model, make sure it functions /runs properly. In case you are using batteries in your project it is advised to keep spare ones for the final day.
Quality Presentation for Winning Science Fair Project
Now that you have your winning science fair project ready, it is absolutely necessary that you present it well. Make sure that you prepare a project report booklet, which has all the necessary information about your project and has your name on it. The booklet should include the principle of working, the mode of construction and the final conclusion of your project. The judges can go through the report to read the details about your project. Also, think of all the possible questions that might be asked about your project and be prepared to answer them with confidence. It is also advisable to prepare a small synopsis and a write up that your can refer to while presenting your project.
All said and done, here are some winning science fair project ideas that might help.
Monday, 8 September 2008
I Won Science Fair with A Failed Project: The Skill of Presenting Failures
For my first three science fairs, I received a participation ribbon — no prizes, no other acknowledgment. For my fourth, I walked away with $600, a first place award from AFCEA, a Discovery Science award and the Yale Science & Engineering Association Award.
My science fair project that year wasn’t any different from my past projects: I failed to prove anything, learned nothing about science, and did the project in order to receive a grade in my science class, rather than any interest in the project. The real difference was in my presentation skills. I had learned that I could present a failure just as well as success.
The fact that I could talk about my project, whether to one person or a group, gave me a head start on the competition, no matter how good their projects were. Even successful science fair participants could get flustered by a question or thrown off by shyness. They practiced their material like it was a speech — they just had to repeat it and they were done. Problem is, science fair judges ask questions in order to get a better idea of the project — it’s also their chief technique for ensuring that a student did all of their own work with no help from his or her parents.
Five Questions For Presenters
When I began preparing for my presentation, I made a list of the questions that I really didn’t want to answer about my project. Uncomfortable as that process was, I figured out how to answer those questions. I even felt comfortable talking about each of those points and included most of my answers in my presentation. The questions boiled down to the five below.
- What went wrong?
- What could I have done, in hindsight, to prevent the problem?
- What parts of this project is salvageable?
- Can I still meet the goals of this project? How?
- What is the future of this project?
These questions have to be the focus of your presentation if you aren’t able to talk about successes. It can be uncomfortable to talk about these points, especially because they tend to lead to discussions of who takes the blame for any problems, but these are the questions that your audience will be interested in.
Preparing for the Actual Presentation
Creating a good presentation, even about a bad topic, isn’t just about planning what you will say. It’s about taking that standard tri-fold science fair board and turning it into something that stands out from the other three hundred boards in the gymnasium — or creating a professional PowerPoint or other presentation materials. It’s about learning background material and preparing to take questions, from people who haven’t ever been exposed to any of the information you’re talking about, as well as people with advanced degrees in your topic. It’s not any different than preparing any other presentation.
When you’re preparing to talk about a project that, for any reason, just didn’t work out, though, your presentation materials need to be just that much better. You have a plan for every question, too. You may not be able to answer every question, but you should be able to point towards resources or describe a way to answer it. Your presentation needs to reach a higher level if you don’t have results to back up your talk. I haven’t focused much on the generalities of presenting here — if you need more information about planning a general presentation, consider starting with this roundup of past posts.
How I Presented My Failure
Science fairs can be all-day propositions. I probably presented my project twenty-five times, and each time someone asked to hear about my project, I started out the same way. I admitted my failure right off the bat. I talked about what had gone wrong and shouldered my responsibility.
I found that the fact that I didn’t try to explain away my failure went a long way to improving the judges’ perception of my project. I was able to clearly point out what I would do differently if I was to start the project over; I knew what I could do to build on my project. Future plans were the key: I got more attention by talking about what steps I could take next than by discussing hypotheses and the scientific method.
It also helped that I didn’t use my failed project as an excuse. I completed my experiment even after it was clear that the project was a dud. I still went all out on preparing my science fair presentation board and talk, and it showed.
Playing to My Project’s Strengths
I know you’re wondering what sort of project could obviously fail, yet win awards. The title of my project was “The Effects of Everyday Radiation of Household Objects on the Regenerative Capabilities of Planaria.” My biggest award was from the AFCEA (Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association), and I know exactly why. The judges assigned to choose recipients for the AFCEA came to see my project because my abstract mentioned that I was testing the radiation of electronic objects like televisions. They stayed because it only took a pointed question about radiation to get me talking about why such research is necessary and where it could go. I wasn’t listed with the engineering projects: I shouldn’t have been on their radar at all. I was able to answer their questions, though, because of the strength of the preparations I had made for my presentation.
Sunday, 7 September 2008
Burglar Alarm
You are going to use simple circuit that when closed with a switch will set off an alarm. The switch is going to be a clothes peg!
First up - what you are going to need:
- Approximately a meter of flexi-wire
- A 9V battery (the correct scientific term is a cell)
- A 9V battery (cell) holder
- A wooden clothes peg
- 2 thumb tacks
- A sharp knife
- Electrical insulation tape
- An small electric buzzer
And here is how it is done -
- Strip about 1cm of the plastic insulation off the one end of both wires of the flexi-wire using the sharp knife.
- Attach both wires of the one end of the flexi-wire to the battery holder by joining the wires together and then wrapping insulation tape around the joins.
- To the other end attach the buzzer in much the same way as you did the battery holder. To check if all is good up till now, if you attach the battery the buzzer should sound.
- About half way down the wire cut one of the wires in half, leaving the other one in tact. Strip the ends so that about a centimeter of wire is exposed.
- Press the thumb tacks onto the inside of the opening end of the clothes peg. Before you push them all the way in, place the end of the wire you have just stripped under each of the thumb tacks and push them in hard so that the wire is held there.
- Attach the battery. If everything is attached correctly, with the clothes peg closed, the buzzer should buzz. If it does not, you need to check your connections on the battery, buzzer and peg.
- Once everything is working, open the clothes peg and jam it into the gap of a door and it's frame or in a slightly open window.
- Alternatively, put a piece of cardboard or paper between the thumb-tacks that has a string attached. The other end of this string can be attached to anything that is going to move, with the idea that if that object is moved the cardboard is pulled from between the thumb-tacks.
- Once the thumb-tacks touch - if all is in working order, the buzzer will alarm you to something out of the ordinary.
Anti-Gravity
zevn7tp (1 week ago) Show Hide
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I'd hate to be flying on that thing. HA.H.AH.AH.AH.HA.HA..
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
its not a string its a wire.. the string is just to keep it so it stays somewhat in the same spot cuz theres no control over what direction it would go....
pretty cool, what would happen without those strings keeping it down?
its strings keeping it up 2 look.
unless you are kidding than??
unless you are kidding than??
It's not being held up by string, fish-line, or anything that you can physically grab. The air is being ionized and causing a downward thrust. It's technically not "anti-gravity" cause it doesn't negate gravitons. Calling this "anti-gravity" is like me throwing a ball into the air and saying "I just discovered the secret to anti-gravity!!!!"
It's called airfoil. the strings hold it down and the wire runs current into it. I've seen it done.
ummmm i justed looked though these comments and apparently nobody sees the string thats holding it up.....XD
It's not a string holding it up, that's the wire connecting it to the power supply. This thing is nothing more than an ion kite. An interesting toy. You used to be able to buy it if you knew where to look. All it's doing is spewing off ions to "float", but it's impractical due to the inability for directional control. Plus it wouldn't work on the large scale to be of any use.
i saw them
Saturday, 6 September 2008
Top 5 winning strategies..
5. Expect Things to Go Wrong
That way when they do, you'll be prepared!
4. Allow Yourself More Time Than You Think You'll Need
This goes along with #5 - allow yourself enough time to repeat your entire procedure if something goes wrong, your computer crashes and your paper is lost, your plants all mysteriously die, etc.
3. Practice Giving Your Presentation Several Times Before the Fair
Present for your best friend, your teacher, your parents, in front of the mirror, in front of the dog, whatever - just practice!
2. Write Everything Down in Your Logbook
Keep meticulous notes - don't count on yourself to remember and don't record data on the back of your homework or loose sheets or napkins to transfer to your log later. You should never copy parts of your log - if you make a mistake cross it out and keep going.
1. Decide Before the Fair What Your Definition of Winning
Will Be
Obviously not everyone can win first place and we don't believe that a Best of Show ribbon necessarily means a project is winning or successful. What do you hope to gain from doing this project? Write down your tangible goals (like first place, a scholarship, etc.) and your intangible goals - (like being better at public speaking, learning about a possible career interest, etc.) You may find that you gain from your project something even more valuable than a first place ribbon!
That way when they do, you'll be prepared!
4. Allow Yourself More Time Than You Think You'll Need
This goes along with #5 - allow yourself enough time to repeat your entire procedure if something goes wrong, your computer crashes and your paper is lost, your plants all mysteriously die, etc.
3. Practice Giving Your Presentation Several Times Before the Fair
Present for your best friend, your teacher, your parents, in front of the mirror, in front of the dog, whatever - just practice!
2. Write Everything Down in Your Logbook
Keep meticulous notes - don't count on yourself to remember and don't record data on the back of your homework or loose sheets or napkins to transfer to your log later. You should never copy parts of your log - if you make a mistake cross it out and keep going.
1. Decide Before the Fair What Your Definition of Winning
Will Be
Obviously not everyone can win first place and we don't believe that a Best of Show ribbon necessarily means a project is winning or successful. What do you hope to gain from doing this project? Write down your tangible goals (like first place, a scholarship, etc.) and your intangible goals - (like being better at public speaking, learning about a possible career interest, etc.) You may find that you gain from your project something even more valuable than a first place ribbon!
HoW t0 MaKe a SCienCe ProJeCt..??!? : -
1. Observe. Look at the world around you. Find subjects that interest you and start to formulate questions about them. Narrow the questions down to something you might be able to investigate in a few months.
2. Do a thorough literature review. Find out everything that is known about the subject you have selected. Write notes in your notebook. Be sure to list your reference sources (where you found
the information) as you will need this information to fill out the Application Form.
3. Formulate a Hypothesis. Based on your research in your notebook, organize everything you have discovered, and then make an estimate of what will happen. Knowing certain things are true, you then predict what might happen if you change something. Your experiment, when successful, will allow you to determine if your hypothesis was correct or not.
4. Discuss your ideas and plans with your teacher. You may discover that what you plan to do costs thousands of dollars, needs equipment you don’t have, or will take several years to complete. Your teacher may have suggestions to help you (teachers, see information for additional funding).
5. Design an experiment to test your hypothesis. Your research plan will describe how you plan to do your experiment, changing only one variable at a time and keeping all the other parameters the same. You will need to have a control so that you can compare results of your experiment with a standard for which the variable is unchanged. Make sure that you have three or more seeds/plants/animals in each of the control and experimental groups. Even better, have several experimental groups (e.g. more than one concentration of chemical you are testing, more than one time point, more than one kind of plant, etc). Make measurements in metric units when possible. Repeat the test more than once to see if your results are reproducible.
6. If you are having a difficult time generating a control, make sure that you don’t have an engineering project. (Engineering projects have a goal (making something,or making something better) instead of a hypothesis, and don’t have a control.) Still struggling? Maybe your project is a demonstration (not acceptable) or product testing (acceptable for grades 6-9 only). see Minimum Project Requirements.
7. Identify any SRC/IRB preapproval requirements for your project. Consult the Handbook to see what additional Forms may be required for your project.
8. Complete the Synopsys Championship tri-fold Application Form and get approval from your parents/guardian and teacher. Date the Forms now, BEFORE you start the experimental part of your experiment.
9. Get SRC preapproval. If you checked any of the boxes on Form (1) question 3, 4, or 6, you must get SRC preapproval before you begin unless you are doing the experiment at a Registered Research Institution (RRI). In this case, make sure that the University or company has given approval and that the professor or researcher in charge fills out the necessary paperwork and date it before you begin work. If you are in grades 9-12 and do not have a team project, you also need to decide if you wish to submit your research as a Technical Paper.
10. Perform your Experiment. Once you have received approval from the RRI or from our SRC committee (check the web site home page to see your status) you may begin your experiment. Carry out your experiment as outlined in your research plan. If things don’t go as planned and you need to make changes to the research plan, make sure that the SRC preapproves the changes as well. Send an email note to the SRC Committee including your project number and the changes you wish to make. Approval is usually granted in 24 hours or less.
11. Record in your notebook all your experiments, how you did them, the results and any analysis you performed. The information should be detailed enough so that another person could repeat your experiment using your project notebook as a guide. You should also repeat your experiment–real data is reproducible.
Graph your results. Include photographs or drawings of your experimental setup if you can.
12. Evaluate the results of your experiment. Draw conclusions from your data. Did the results cause you to ask more questions? If there is time you may wish to do more experiments; if not, you can put your ideas into the “Future Research” category on your project board. Winning projects often use statistics to analyze the data.
13. Prepare your science fair exhibit and/or Paper. See the Handbook Information pages for Project Display Rules and Helpful Display Hints for a successful project board, and guidelines for Technical Research Papers.(optional).
14. Prepare and bring your Project Abstract(s). Remember you will need to bring 15 copies for
grades 9-12, 10 copies for grades 6-8, project board, project notebook, and any display items to Check-In day.
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