The Key to a Successful Science Fair Project The Scientific Method The Key to a Successful Science Fair Project

What is the Scientific Method? An orderly and acceptable method of asking questions, developing explanations, and testing those explanations.

Steps of the Scientific Method Conclusion Results Method Hypothesis Problem Research

Research Where do the ideas come from? Sources of information Personal observations and experiences. Other people Books and Internet Exploratory Experiments

The Problem What is the key question? The topic for investigation, that is generally stated in a form of an open-ended question Something that can be investigated through an investigation

Hypothesis What direction should be taken? Prediction about the solution to the problem (answer to the question) The project planning and experimenting is all based on testing this potential answer

Method What is the step-by-step plan? A step-by-step process used to test the hypothesis. Usually a set of phrases or sentences telling what is to be done

Results How does one analyze the outcomes? Record what happens when the plan/method is carried out Compare observations/measurements of different groups/situations Summarize the data into graphs and tables, and search for patterns and possible conclusions.

Conclusions Summary of the results of the experiment Was the hypothesis confirmed? Summary of the results of the experiment Statement of how the results relate to the original hypothesis Ideas on related areas for future research