Science Fairs: Fun?

Dec 29, 1998 - © Debbie St. Germain

What if you need help? Parents and teachers are always the first source you go to but what if they can't or don't have the time. Do you have a neighbor or relative in the science field? They may be willing to help you with the technical aspects or advise you when you run into problems. Search the Internet for experts in the field. Most of them will be happy to answer your questions or help you in setting up projects. They may be able to tell you of new discoveries to help you in your selection of a focused topic. Local colleges are full of professors who work in research. They are an excellent source for the newest information and research. Don't be afraid to ask.

Never use words to describe your data. Words such as bigger or taller are observations, not scientific data. Data should be exact, always quantify your results. Your observations such as color, texture or anything that happens or changes is what you will want to use on your report. If you have been writing down your observations and measurements in your notebook it will be much easier to put it all together onto your white board when the time comes. Make sure you date and time each entry. Too many good experiments have been ruined from poor data collection.

There are a lot of things to consider when starting your science fair project. Preparing in advance saves alot of aggravation later on. Pick a subject that you enjoy, one that is appropriate for your learning ability and one that your parents can afford. If you follow the guidelines and put a little effort into your project you may find yourself, actually having fun.

Contest Announcement:

I stated there would be five questions that you would be able to answer. I put down the 29'th as the deadline. With the last question on the 29'th no one would have time to enter for this last one. Therefore I am extending the date until January 10'th. The winner will be chosen at random on the 11'th and announced on the 12'th. For all of you who have entered you can still try again with the last question. New members can still participate by finding the questions in the last 5 articles and submitting them all at once for five chances to win.

CONTEST QUESTION:
  • What is a Hypothesis?
    • For rules and prize description go
    The copyright of the article Science Fairs: Fun? in Science for Kids is owned by Debbie St. Germain. Permission to republish Science Fairs: Fun? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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