Northeast Florida Regional Science and Engineering Fair

Planning the Experiment

A well planned experiment will give you the best results. Taking a little extra time planning can help you get good results that are useful. Your plan must take into account and control as many factors possible so that your results will be valid.

Stating the Problem

After you have selected or developed your science project problem, you need to rewrite it in a cause/effect question or statement. Writing your own problem this way makes it clearer and more understandable. One way you can rewrite your problem is in the following Form: What is the effect of ___________ on ___________?

To do this:

Examples:

Problem A: St. Augustine grass appears to grow better in some conditions than in others.
Restated: What is the effect of the amount of water on the growth of St. Augustine Grass?
Independent Variable (Factor I will change): the amount of water (ml/day)
Dependent Variable (Factor(s) that will be affected): growth (cm) of St. Augustine Grass

Problem B: Wing design seems to affect the quality of airplane flight.
Restated: What is the effect of wing surface area on the distance a model airplane flies?
Independent Variable (Factor I will change): the surface area of the wings
Dependent Variable (Factor(s) that will be affected): the distance a plane flies

Writing your research plan

After you have written your problem in cause/effect terms, you are ready to write your Research Plan. The plan should help you see the overall “picture” of what you are going to try to do in order to answer your science project question. Be sure to consult with your adult sponsor. He/she should be able to help you write your plan in a clear, concise, consistent and careful manner.

Your Research Plan should have the following information:

  1. The Problem: State this in cause/effect terms
  2. Hypothesis: Describe your expected results. In other words, what do you think will happen in your experiment? Some people call this an “Educated Guess”, but good scientists never guess. Your hypothesis is really a prediction based on your research. It should say exactly what you think will happen. If you predict something you KNOW will not happen, then you are not being honest as a scientist.
  3. Explanation: In this section, tell why you think your hypothesis makes sense. What did you learn in your research that helped you make your prediction.
  4. Independent variable: This is the factor YOU will Change in your experiment
  5. Dependent variable: This is the factor that will change because you have changed something in your experiment.
  6. Controls: These are factors that you will make sure are NOT CHANGED in your experiment. List as many as you can.
  7. Quantitative measurement: This is the standard unit of measurement you will use to record your results
    • Do not use measurements that can not be recorded using numbers; terms like “better” or “higher” are not scientific.
    • For example, to measure color, you might print a color chart with your computer and record the RGB numbers.
  8. Experimental and Control Groups: These are the groups in your experiment. The control group has all factors held constant – no variable is introduced. In the experimental group, the manipulated variable is introduced. Experiments usually have only one control group, but can have more than one experimental group. The results in the experimental group are compared against the results in the control group.
  9. Materials: List the main materials you will need for your experiment and where you will get them.
  10. Procedure: Describe in detail, the step–by–step procedures you will follow. Don't leave out any steps. A stranger should be able to do exactly what you plan to do, just by reading your procedure. If you have to stand on one leg and stick your tongue in the corner of your mouth while you turn on your equipment, then put it in your procedure.

Choosing a Title

Your title should not be a question. Your cause/effect statement is NOT your title. The best title describes your experiment. For example, in the experiments above, you might choose:

“Enhancement Of The Growth Of St. Augustine Grass Using Various Amounts Of Water.” Or “Changes In Flight Distance Due To Modifications Of Wing Surface Area In Model Airplanes.”

Getting Approval

After you know exactly what you want to do, it's time to complete your project's official forms. Your project's information must be on the official forms used for Science Fairs all over the world.

Check on the forms page of this website for copies of the forms.

Start with four forms:

  1. Checklist for Adult Sponsor (1)
    • Put your name on this Form and hold it for your adult sponsor to complete.
  2. – Student Checklist (1A)
    • This Form is for you to list the important information about yourself, your research site and your school. Make sure you fill in every blank carefully. but leave the actual dates blank until after your experiment is complete. The actual start and end dates should be written in when those dates occur. Remember, your start date is the day you do your first experiment, not the day you start your library research.
  3. Research Plan
    • This is the Form you use to list the question you are researching, state your hypothesis, problem, or engineering goals and describe, in detail, your research plan. This is where you write the information about the procedure that you and your sponsor have developed. You will also list, from your bibliography cards, every source you used for your research. Make sure the information on this Form is complete and very detailed.
  4. 1B Approval Form
    • This Form has two important purposes:
      1. It is the Form you use to acknowledge that you know about any safety or ethical concerns and that you intend to follow all the laws and rules that apply to your project.
      2. It has a place for your parent/guardian to sign that they understand the rules and give permission for you to do the project.

Using a computer, fill out each of these forms carefully. It is the best way to make everyone knows exactly what you intend to do. When you have completed the four forms, take them to your Adult Sponsor. Your Sponsor will review them and make suggestions for any changes you might need to make. He/she will also review the list on Form 1 to see if you need any additional forms or information. Some projects need special forms or special supervision. Your Sponsor should be able to help you make arrangements for these, also. If you need extra forms, fill these out on the computer and attach them to your paperwork. When your packet is complete, take all the forms and pages to your teacher. Your teacher will review them and, hopefully, give you permission to start your project.

Projects requiring PRIOR approval by a Committee

Some projects, because they require PRIOR approval, or a little more risk than others, require review by special review boards. Your teacher will make arrangements for these boards to review your project and will let you know when the review is complete. The two boards are known as:

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

The members of this committee review all projects involving human subjects. They will compare your research plan to the laws, rules and regulations that govern all human research in this country. If your project meets the requirements, the IRB Chair will sign your Form 4 giving you permission to proceed. The IRB Chair will also sign your Form 1B. Remember, you can not do any project involving human subjects without IRB approval.

Scientific Review Committee (SRC)

The members of this committee will review projects of high ethical or safety concerns. The SRC are experienced and knowledgeable people and will review projects dealing with vertebrate animals, pathogens, hazardous chemicals, activities, or devices.

If your project meets the requirements, the SRC Chair will sign your Form 1B giving you permission to proceed. Remember, you cannot do any of these projects BEFORE SRC approval.

After your project obtains the proper permissions, your teacher will notify you that you may begin your experimentation.