How to Make a Science Project
A science project can be about anything that you want to know more about. The best way to go about it is to ask a question about a topic and find the answer. You must decide how detailed you want your science project be. However, the best projects are simple and easy to understand. Below are some guidelines that will help you get started.
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Things You'll Need
- Library
- Internet
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Books
- Pencil
- Paper
- Notebook
- Project materials
- Display board
- Index cards
Instructions
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Research and Plan
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1
Use the library, Internet, newspapers, magazines, or books to explore various topics for your project.
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Note those topics that are of interest to you and that raise questions in your mind that you think need answers. You also want to consider the people who may view your project and what would be of interest to them.
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Decide on the three most interesting topics, and from those three select the one that you would most like to explore.
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Decide on one specific question you have about the topic and what you think the answer to that question will be. This speculative answer is also called a "hypothesis. " Remember that a hypothesis doesn't have to be right. Scientific experiments are about proving or disproving a hypothesis, not about demonstrating that the theory is correct all the time.
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Write down your plan for conducting your science project, step by step. Be sure to include all the equipment you will need, the length of time required to carry out each step, and any special considerations that may be necessary to conduct your experiment. You can use your plan as a guide all the way through your project.
Set Up Materials
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Use a spiral-bound notebook to write down everything that occurs during your project. This is important because often you may not be able to remember specific important points. If you write down the process, results, and your observations, you will be able to refer to them when making your conclusion.
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Using your initial plan, gather all of the materials that you will need to conduct your experiment . Be sure to ask for permission to use items that belong to others, as well as for permission to use certain locales that may affect the lives of others.
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Prepare a workspace where you can conduct your experiments, and where your materials will not be disturbed.
Experiment and Record Findings
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Conduct the experiment as you have already planned. Write down each step in your notebook and describe what occurred, including any unexpected occurrences that affected the experiment. For example, you may have planned to add a certain amount of liquid to a solution to achieve some kind of effect, but you discovered that you needed to add more than you expected to achieve the results you wanted.
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Gather evidence. Take pictures, save portions of the experiment that you can use on a display board, or draw diagrams that will demonstrate what happened.
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Determine what the results of the experiment mean and whether your hypothesis was proven. Write out your theories about the experiment and your findings.
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Prepare a report that shows your findings based on what is required for your project.
Show Your Results
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Purchase a display board for your project, or make one yourself using large sections of cardboard.
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Mount your evidence on the display board in the order that it was gathered.
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On index cards, write descriptions of what occurred during each step of the project and attach those cards below each piece of evidence you display.
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At the top of the display board, be sure and put a title for your experiment as well as the hypothesis you developed before you started.
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At the bottom of your display board, write your findings of the experiment.
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Tips & Warnings
If you will be presenting your project for a class, rehearse what you will say several times before your presentation. Be prepared to answer questions.
