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The Science Fair from the Judges’ Viewpoint
Science, Forms, Science, Documentation, Science!
It’s All about the Science!
Categories and JudgingRemember that the judges are matched to
the categoryChose on basis of their expertiseA good project may be overlooked if the
judges don’t understand it or feel they are not qualified to jusge the project
https://student.societyforscience.org/intel-isef-categories-and-subcategories
Find the Correct CategorySenior level projects may be overlooked if
they are in the wrong categoryDetermine the best fit for the project- go by
the science of the project not the titleSome categories other than the ones we
combined will overlapUse the subcategories at the website below
to find where your students’ projects belonghttps://student.societyforscience.org/intel-
isef-categories-and-subcategories
Who are the judges?Professionals in their fields
At GNOSEF, judges have at least a BS in the field or a closely related field that they are judging. Those without a BS have at least 5 years experience
Many judges have MS or PhDAt ISEF, judges have an MD or PhD or a MS or
BS with at least 6 years experienceVolunteersAct to mentor and encourage as well as judge
Judging Criteriahttps://student.societyforscience.org/judging-
criteria-intel-isefStudent should decide which type of project
they are doing- research or engineeringUse the criteria in writing the research plan,
making the poster and preparing for the interview
Judging CriteriaIt is about the science or engineeringEmphasis on two areas
CreativityInterview
Judges will ask questions to determine exactly what part of the project was done if the research was done in a lab setting or exactly what the student did if it research done at home- remind your students that the judges are interested in the work and not trying to trip them up
Judging CriteriaI. Research Problem- 10 ptsII. Design and Methodology- 15 ptsIII. Execution- 20 pts
Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation-Science
Construction and Testing- Engineering
IV. Creativity- 20 ptsV. Presentation- 35 pts
1. Poster (10 pts)2. Interview (25 pts)
Science vs. Engineering ProjectsScience EngineeringI. Research Question (10 pts) ___ clear and focused purpose ___ identifies contribution to field of study ___ testable using scientific methods
II. Design and Methodology (15 pts) ___ well designed plan and data collection
methods ___ variables and controls defined, appropriate
and complete III. Execution: Data Collection, Analysis
and Interpretation(20 pts) ___ systematic data collection and analysis ___ reproducibility of results ___ appropriate application of mathematical and
statistical methods ___ sufficient data collected to support
interpretation and conclusions
I. Research Problem (10 pts) ___ description of a practical need or problem
to be solved ___ definition of criteria for proposed solution ___ explanation of constraints II. Design and Methodology (15 pts) ___ exploration of alternatives to answer need
or problem ___ identification of a solution ___ development of a prototype/model III. Execution: Construction and Testing(20
pts) ___ prototype demonstrates intended design ___ prototype has been tested in multiple
conditions/trials ___ prototype demonstrates engineering skill
and completeness
Science and EngineeringIV. Creativity (20 pts) ___ project demonstrates significant creativity in one or more of the above criteria V. Presentation (35 pts) a. Poster 10 pts) ___ logical organization of material ___ clarity of graphics and legends ___ supporting documentation displayed b. Interview (25 pts) ___ clear, concise, thoughtful responses to questions ___ understanding of basic science relevant to project ___ understanding interpretation and limitations of results and conclusions ___degree of independence in conducting project ___ recognition of potential impact in science, society and/or economics ___ quality of ideas for further research ___ for team projects, contributions to and understanding of project by all members
Research PlanClear statement of problem or hypothesis is
best starting placeOverall plan of what is need to test
hypothesis or solve the problem- a roadmap Not a detailed protocol but enough detail so
that the reader can understand the planMay contain branch points where the
research can take different directions based on results
Statement of how results will be evaluated
Research PlanPoor-
Gather the equipmentMeasure 15 ml of bufferAdd 0.15 g of agarose …….
Good Separate the DNA fragments using agarose
gel electrophoresis with SYBR ( Invitrogen #S33111) in the gel
Research PlanUsed to fill out forms
A good research plan will include the chemical, biologics, devices, subjects, etc that will help the students fill out the forms
Forms are useful to the judges and should be filled out properly
Keeps the student research organizedOutlines any budget or equipment needsShows what the student planned and what
procedures are done by the student
Research PlanOnly include what the student actually
participates inApplies to projects done both inside
institutional settings and those done at school or at home.
If student is evaluating data someone else obtained, clearly state that in the research plan
Research NotebookDetailed protocolsControlsData- date when collectedPackage inserts/MSDS/SDSPrintouts of analysisHelps judges see exactly what the student did May be bound or loose leaf/hole-punchedISEF judges review this carefully
CreativityWhere did the idea come fromWhere was work done- if in a lab, how did the
student come to work thereWas this a part of a larger projectWhat did the student actually doCreative is not the same as sophisticatedWhere the work is done is not as important
as the student’s creativity and grasp of the science
Forms and RulesForms that are not obtained or not properly
completed can result in disqualificationRules may be confusing but help is availableScientific misconduct is a real problem- be
sure your students understand what plagiarism is
If student works with others or if the work is in the process of publication or is being patented, this should be stated
Only work done in the time period indicated can be presented
AbstractFirst thing the judges see- first impressions countShould be written after the project is completeInclude
One or two sentences describing the hypothesis or the problem
One to three sentences on the design of the experiment/data collection or the plan and completion of prototype or model
Three to four sentences on the results of testing or experimentation
One to two sentences explaining what was learned or if model/prototype worked. Include why the results are important
PosterPoster is important as it tells the judges the
‘story’ of the project- less is moreUse graphs, tables and pictures when
possibleDon’t put too much text and avoid tables of
raw data- raw data should be in the research notebook
Include statistics when appropriate but be sure the student knows what they mean and how they were obtained
PosterA good poster draws the judges to the projectShould only include work done by the studentDoes not need to be professionally printed,
but should be neat and well laid outCheck spelling and grammarTwo tier boards are difficult to read and that
may mean the judges don’t get the full
InterviewStudent should have a short 5-7 minute
presentation of his/her project using the poster- not all judges will want to hear the entire presentation
Student should also have a 1- 2 ½ minute presentation that focuses on the results – some judges prefer this
Student should be prepared to answer questions about the project
This is when judges evaluate the project to be sure the student did the work and understands the project
Important Documents
International Rules and Guidelines 2016
https://student.societyforscience.org/international-rules-pre-college-science-research