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PROBLEM STATEMENT
(Write out the question that you are testing.)
The problem statement is always written in the form of
a question, even if it is used as the title. The question
tells people what you are trying to find out.
Poor Problem Statement: How Does Bleach
Work?
Better Problem Statement: Which Bleach Works
Best in Removing Dirt Stains, Tide, Gain, or Great Value?
HYPOTHESIS
This is your educated guess.
A Hypothesis is written like this: "If _____[this is
done] _____, then _____[this]_____ will happen." (Fill
in the blanks with the appropriate information from
your own experiment.)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Background information is everything you can research on the topic
of your experiment.
Include as many facts as possible in a report form.
Books, encyclopedias, magazines, or experts in a field can give you
background information to help you understand the topic. That
information will not answer your question. It will only give you ideas
about your topic. For example, you may read about bleach and what
it is made of, and include it in your project report, but you will still
have to do the experiment to get the answer to your question. Begin
collecting information for your bibliography.
ABSTRACT
This is a short summary of the entire project. It
must include purpose, procedure, results, and
conclusions in paragraph form. You should limit
yourself to no more than 250 words. The abstract is
usually the first item the judges look at after the
title.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
You must make a list of all the books, magazines,
interviews, or other sources that you used. There
should be at least two bibliographic references.
There is a specific format for writing a bibliography.
Directions for writing a correct bibliography are
found in your Science Fair packet.
PROCEDURES
What did you do? List and number the steps in the
order that you did them.
Repeat your experiment several times. (At least
three times!)to make sure the results are valid.
Begin each procedure with a verb.
MATERIALS
What did you use?
List all of the items that you used.
Tell how many or how much using metric
measurements.
VARIABLES
These are factors that affect your investigation. A
manipulated variable is what you change on purpose
to see its effect (what you are testing).
A responding variable is what changed or did not
change in response to what you have manipulated.
This is what you are observing and/or measuring in
order to get your results.
DATA
What did you see? Record all your observations in a log. For
example, if you were doing the bleach experiment, you should tell
how long it took for different bleaches to work, or which bleach
worked best at removing that stain. If you used quantitative data, be
exact with your numbers of counts (use metric units). If you used
qualitative data, describe what you observed in words like hot and
cold, bright and dim, or fast and slow. Use the same words when you
talk about the same conditions. Make graphs, tables, charts, or a
survey to display your data, or take pictures. Include at least
(2) forms of data collection.
RESULT
Interpret the data. Think about what you are
learning from the data.
State the finding of the experiment based upon
the data you observed and analyzed.
Do not form a conclusion.
Do not answer the problem statement.
CONCLUSION
Your conclusion should begin with a statement on whether or not the
results supported the hypothesis. You should have added a description
of how specific experimental data supported the hypothesis. Include a
description of problems that might have affected the results and why.
Also include any new discoveries you have made in addition to the
results of your experiment. Add any new questions that may lead to new
experiments.
Make sure to state the WHY? Why did your results support or
not support your hypothesis. What factors could have contributed to
the results?
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