As an educator and science fair judge I have seen many great science projects and many poor science projects. What makes a project great. Following are some ideas for making a science fair project a winning project. First, you have to make sure you study, study, study, and understand your topic. It is very important that you follow the steps of the scientific method when studying your topic. That means that you make a hypothesis (prediction statement) and then test it to see if it is true or not.

Make sure you have enough data to test your hypothesis. I've seen projects fail because they only tested a few subjects. It is important that your conclusions answer your original question. You should have a log book that describes what you have done throughout the completion of your project. Your paper should be typed in APA format and contain references within the text and a reference list at the end of the paper. A reference list contains the sources that you used to write your paper. It is also a good idea to have charts and graphs showing your data and results. When completing your study, be sure to observe safety regulations so you are not putting yourself or anyone else in danger.

Your poster board should be neat, clean, and should present good visuals that are relevant to your study. When you are presenting your project to the judges, make sure to speak up and make eye contact. Judges understand that you are nervous but they can also tell if you are not prepared so in order to be less nervous make sure you study hard and be prepared to explain your project and answer questions. Very importantly, make sure you choose a topic that you are interested in and want to learn more about.

For a list of winning science fair project ideas visit
http://teachingpsych.googlepages.com/sciencefairprojectideas

- Dr. Rita Oliviera

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