SCIENCE PROJECTS

More than a one night fair

WHO has to do a science
project?

• Every student enrolled in an

advanced or honors science course

• Every student at Julia Landon

College Preparatory and Leadership
Development
A SCIENCE PROJECT ISN’T

• A demonstration.
• A model
• Just a report
• Completed overnight or over one
weekend
A SCIENCE PROJECT has

• A testable question,
• A hypothesis,
• Complete procedures for a
controlled experiment,
• An adequate sample size,
• Data that is collected and analyzed,
• A discussion of results, and
• A conclusion
A Science Project also has

• A data notebook where everything

you read or do about your project is
recorded.
• A research paper.
• A display board.
• An oral presentation.
All of this information is on the
NEFRSEF site.
NEFRSEF?

The regional science fair which takes

in all Duval and Nassau County
schools both public and private
along with home schools has an
official name and website.
http://www.nefrsef.org/
The North East Florida Regional
Science and Engineering Fair
website

• Detailed instructions
• Helpful Hints
• Useful Links
• A great resource
 The RULES

ISEF

FFFS

NEFRSEF

JULIA LANDON
INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE
AND ENGINEERING FAIR
Rules and Guidelines can be found at
www.nefrsef.org
How do you start?
Think about questions you
might have?

• What happens if……….?

• What happens when………?
• I wonder……?
Choose one problem or
question
• Read about your problem
• Read more
• Keep reading
• Keep track of your sources
• Begin to develop a hypothesis
based on your reading
Use the FORMS WIZARD
• Go to nefrsef.org
• Click on Rules and Forms
• Answer all of the questions on the
Forms Wizard
• Click on the top line and start filling
out your forms online.
• Print them and have them signed in
blue ink
Next Steps
• Develop very careful step by step
procedures for how you will test the
question.
• Complete the forms and a Research
Plan.
• Submit the entire proposal to your
teacher.
• Special Projects will need special
approval.
Forms required for all
projects
BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR
EXPERIMENT
• You must have completed Form 1,
• Form 1A, Form 1B, Form 3 and the
Research Plan.
• They must be signed by your
sponsor.
• They must be approved by your
teacher or an IRB/SRC.
Special Projects
Need Special Forms
Projects that require extra
forms
• Human Subjects
• Vertebrate Animals
• Potentially Hazardous Biological
Agents
• Hazardous Chemicals, Activities, or
Devices
Alternatives for Humans and
Vertebrate Animals
SUBSTITUTE
What types of projects
not human subjects
research?
• Product testing
– No health hazards
– No personal data collected
– Feedback directly related to product
• Pre-existing data/record review studies
• Behavioral observations of unrestricted
public settings
– No interaction
– No manipulation of environment
– No recording of any personal identifiers
INVERTEBRATES

If you can substitute an

invertebrate then you
won’t need extra forms.
• Use invertebrates: worms, slugs,
snails, crickets, cockroaches,
daphnia, fruit flies or others.
Potentially Hazardous
Biological Agents
• Microorganisms (including bacteria,
viruses, fungi, etc.)
• Recombinant DNA technologies
• Human or animal fresh tissues,
blood or body fluids
• All above studies require a risk
assessment
• May not be done at home
 ALTERNATIVE TO POTENTIALLY
HAZARDOUS BIOLOGICAL AGENTS

Which can NOT be done at home

 BAKERS OR BREWERS
YEAST

May be used instead of other

Potentially Hazardous Biological
Agents
HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS,
ACTIVITIES OR DEVICES
Hazardous Chemicals,
Activities or Devices
• Includes:
– Chemicals
– Equipment
– DEA-Controlled Substances
– Prescription Drugs
– Alcohol and Tobacco
– Firearms and Explosives
– Radiation
General Rules
• All studies require a Risk
Assessment documented on Form 3

• DEA- controlled substances require

a Qualified Scientist

• All other studies require a

Designated Supervisor
• DEA-Controlled Sustances
– Consult DEA list of controlled
substances
– All studies require Qualified Scientist
– Schedule 1 requires DEA protocol
review
• Prescription Drugs
– Cannot administer to human subjects
– Animal administation must follow ISEF
animal guidelines
• Alcohol and Tobacco
– Must follow local laws for purchase,
possession and consumption
– Home production of ethyl alcohol must
follow U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax
and Trade Bureau (TTB) regulations
– Alcohol distillation for fuel production
can be conducted at school with TTB
permit obtained by school officials
• Firearms and Explosives
– Must check local training and
certification requirements
• Hazardous Chemicals
– Refer to MSDS Sheets for safety and
handling guidelines
• Hazardous Devices
– Involve level of risk beyond that
encountered in student’s everyday life
• Radiation
– Non-ionizing
– Ionizing
Form 3
• Required for all projects involving
– DEA-Controlled Substances
– Prescription Drugs
– Alcohol and Tobacco
– Hazardous Chemicals
– Hazardous Devices
– Radiation
After your project is
approved
• Find out the due dates for your
project from your teacher.
• Make a timeline.
• Plan backwards from that date to
today.
• Put first things first.
• Use your data log.
• Take pictures of your project,
 After You Have Planned

• Run your experiment.

• Record and Analyze the data
(mean, median, mode, orange
where appropriate),
• Graph the data.
• Write the research paper.
• Make the display, and
• Practice your oral presentation.
Good Luck
Remember to have fun