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THE SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT, Page 1 Contents |
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Contents:
Page 2: Who is involved in a science project?
The primary purpose of the science fair project is to help the student develop an interest in science and engineering by actually conducting experiments and interpreting the resulting data. This involves using the scientific method to formulate a hypothesis, conduct an experiment, analyze results and form conclusions. To carry out this process, the student keeps a logbook of all information and data gathered. After the experimentation is complete, the student prepares a display and writes a formal report that gives a neatly organized presentation of the entire project. The secondary purpose is to win recognition for a high quality project. Parental participation in developing the student's interest in science is important and parents are encouraged to assist in ways, such as advising, supervising experiments, or backboard construction. However, students are responsible for the development of the project and the formal report. The CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. strongly discourages schools from connecting the Science Fair Awards to class grading. Teachers are encouraged to judge students' efforts on classroom criteria. The CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. provides teams of judges to determine awards at local science fairs, and to extend invitations to the CSRA Regional Fair. The purpose of these independent judges is to assure that awards are based on the objective criteria established by the International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF). Only those projects (grades 4-12) who are awarded first place ribbons by the CSRA judges at the local school fairs qualify for entry into the CSRA Regional Fair. Schools who wish to participate in the CSRA Regional Fair are obligated to abide by the judges' decisions. Revisions to this document will be shown like this.
The CSRA Science & Engineering Fairs gives young people of the CSRA the opportunity to explore the world of science and engineering and to develop their scientific abilities and knowledge by planning, constructing, and exhibiting their own science fair projects. These projects are judged for scientific reasoning, creative ability, thoroughness, technical skill, and clarity. The science fair project is intended to develop an interest in science by conducting experiments and interpreting the resulting data. This involves using the scientific method to formulate a hypothesis, conduct an experiment, analyze results, and form conclusions. To carry out this process, the student keeps a logbook of all information and data gathered. After the experimentation is complete, the student prepares a display and writes a formal report that gives a neatly organized presentation of the entire project. Engineering aspects are encouraged by development or modification of items with subsequent use of the scientific method to show the improvement. Parental participation in developing the student's interest in science and engineering is important and parents are encouraged to assist in ways such as advising, supervising experiments or backboard construction. However, students are responsible for the development of the experiment and the formal report. The CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. provides teams of judges to determine awards at local science fairs, and to extend invitations to the CSRA Regional Fair. The purpose of these independent judges is to assure that awards are based on the objective criteria established by the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Only those projects awarded first place ribbons by the CSRA judges at the local school science fairs qualify for entry into the CSRA Regional Fair. Schools who wish to participate in the CSRA Regional Fair are obligated to abide by the judges' decisions. The CSRA Science and Engineering Fair, Inc. organization strongly discourages schools from connecting the Science and Engineering Fair awards to class grading. Teachers are encouraged to judge student's efforts according to classroom criteria and not against fair awards. The scientific merit of the project is clearly more important than the quality of the display. Remember, the exhibit is not the project. Rather, it is a display of the work that was conducted for the project. Judging is not based on the presence or absence of the experimental apparatus or samples. It is essential that all teachers, students, and supervising adults review the Science Fair Rules and be familiar with the list of acceptable, required, and prohibited items. If you have any questions, call a member of the rules committee or the liaison for your state (see Contacts for help...). The CSRA Science and Engineering Fairs are coordinated by the CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc., an incorporated, non-profit, local volunteer group of scientists, engineers, and education professionals. It is one of over 400 world-wide science fair programs affiliated with the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Members of the CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. are available for guidance upon request. Members will gladly assist teachers and students in the schools and will address PTO/PTAs and other school organizations. Contact personnel are listed at Contacts for help.... Request assistance from the contacts listed, or write to CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc., P.O. Box 507, Augusta, GA. 30903-0507. The CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. requests the teacher's help in screening
the displays before competition at the local school fairs to remove any potential safety
hazards as described in the Rules section of this handbook.
Local science fairs are held in public and private schools throughout the CSRA from November through February of each year. Those science fairs judged by teams from the CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. will have invitations extended to participate in the CSRA Regional Fair. Only those projects (grades 4-12) awarded first place at the local school science fairs qualify for entry into the CSRA Regional Fair. Schools who wish to participate in the CSRA Regional Fair are obligated to abide by the judges' decisions. The Regional Science & Engineering Fair will be held March 22-24, 2000, at the Student Activities Center on the Campus of the University of South Carolina in Aiken, South Carolina. More than 400 winning exhibits from the local fairs throughout the CSRA are displayed and judged at the Regional Fair. Awards given at the regional fair are described in the following section. These awards are presented during a special closing ceremony, the morning of March 25, 2000. Regional fair registration forms submitted by teachers must be returned to the Regional Fair Registrar by March 8, 2000. Registration confirmation letters are mailed, or e-mailed to the schools where local fairs are held.
Local science fairs are held in public and private schools during January and February. All students from grades 4 through 12 are encouraged to participate in the local school science fairs. Score sheets, prize ribbons, and certificates are provided by the CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. These local fairs are judged by CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. teams who present awards and select qualified winning projects for the Regional Fair, based on specific judging criteria. Teachers should contact the local fair judging coordinators listed (see Contacts for help...) to arrange judging teams. Local fairs must be judged by CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. certified judges and held by the last day of February to qualify for the CSRA Regional Fair. Schools who wish to participate in the CSRA Regional Fair are obligated to abide by the CSRA judges' decisions. The CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. only assists those schools located in the following CSRA counties:
Only those projects awarded a 1st place at the local school fairs, judged by CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. judges, are eligible to participate in the CSRA Regional Fair. At times, the CSRA Judges at a local fair may invite outstanding projects to the CSRA Regional Fair which do not fully comply with the CSRA Rules. This is done conditionally as long as the rule violations are corrected before the project is entered into the CSRA Regional Fair. The judging at the local fair may not be as rigorous as the judging at the CSRA Regional Fair. It is at the discretion of the CSRA Local Fair Judges to make exceptions for meritorious projects. The CSRA Science & Engineering Fair, Inc. may send up to two Finalists and one team
project from the Regional Fair to the International Fair. Any student in grades 9 - 12 is
eligible, none of whom has reached age 21 on or before May 1 preceding the International
Fair.
For those students who receive an invitation to participate at the Regional Fair, the
details regarding judging times is explained. For the Senior Division only, students will
stand at their projects during the judging period to answer any questions from the judges.
Students will be judged only on the most recent year's research
(example: 2000-May 2001). Display boards must reflect the current year's work only.
However, supporting data books (not research papers) from previous related research may be
exhibited on the table properly labeled as such. Any continuing project must document new
and different research (e.g. testing a new variable or new line of investigation,
etc.) Repetition of previous experimentation or increasing sample size are examples
of unacceptable continuations. Documentation must include the prior year's abstract and Research Plan (1A) including the
response to #9. Copies must be attached behind the current year's Research
Plan (1A) and forms. Each page of prior work must be clearly labeled in the upper
right hand corner with the years (ex: 1999-2000).
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