Science Fair 2012-2013

Science Fair Format

• Everybody chooses a topic and develops the Experimental Design (due in October)

• Students who wish to participate in the WHS Science Fair can continue

• Those students will conduct the actual experiments with the help of the Science Department

• 35 students who do well at the WHS Fair can continue to the County Science Fair

Why You Should Be Happy• If you aren't interested in Science Fair:

– You are done by mid-October.

– (But you will have to turn in a rigorous experimental design!)

• If you are interested in Science Fair:– You'll have a lot more support from the Science

Department (advice, equipment, etc.)

– You'll probably have a much better final product

• In 2011, students received over $4000 in prizes at the Regional Fair

Timeline

Sep MarFebJanDecNovOct

WHS Sci Fair

Pick a topic, begin research

Start longer-term experiments

Turn in Powerpoint. Turn in SRC/IRB

papers

Experimental Design(Student)

Experimentation(Student & Advisers)

Revision(Student,

Adv., Judges)

Regional Sci Fair

Deadline for interest in VJAS

Rubric (Excerpt)4 3 2 1

Problem/ Hypothesis

o Problem is new and meaningful.

o Hypothesis is clearly stated in the “If… Then” format.

o Problem is not stated. o Hypothesis is not stated.

Research o Research is thorough, specific, has 5 or more defined relevant terms.

o Contains ideas supporting or rejecting your hypothesis.

o Research has no specifics and no examples.

o No ideas are explained.

Experimental Design

o Variables have been identified (IV & DV), with 4 levels of IV.

o Multiple DV,

o Missing two or more of the variables or the controls.

o Constants are missing or minimal

Materials and Procedure

o Procedure is detailed, appropriate, and thorough.

o Steps of procedure are numbered, listed and sequential

o Procedure is inadequate. o A few steps of procedure

are listed.

Anticipated Results

o Full range of foreseeable results has been considered

o Impact of potential results on hypothesis has been discussed.

o No potential results have been evaluated for consistency with hypothesis.

What You Need To Do• Design an experiment

– Choose a topic– Research the topic to develop a

reasonable hypothesis– Design the experiment– Outline the design in a Powerpoint

presentation• Powerpoint (and SRC/IRB forms) due

October 24• If your experiment will take a long time, you

may actually start the experiment before Oct. 24