Knox SCI-Fair

2023
Student Handbook
Not Competing

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Knox SCI-Fair
Skills. Curiosity. Innovation.

Developed and Designed in January 2022 by:

Beatrice Leahu
Christopher Wong
Cecilia Yang
Isaac Glenu
Mrs.Ng, JKCS Senior Sciences Teacher

Revised Version (January 2023)

2023 Student Handbook

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Table of Contents
Project Types
Experiment 03
Innovation 03
Study 04

Project Components 05

Rules 06

Safety Requirements 07
Hazards 07/08

Safety & Ethics Questions 09

Display and Presentation 10

Presentation Tips
Confidence 11

Organization/Clarity 12

References 13

02
Project Types
The most common types of projects are experiments,
innovations, and studies.

Experiment

This is traditionally the most common type of project. An exhibit

of this type should involve an original experiment to test a
specific hypothesis in which the young innovator recognizes and
controls all significant competing variables and demonstrates
excellent collection, analysis, and presentation of data. The
judge should also realize that it is not essential that any
significant positive findings result from the project. It must be
recognized that it is the process, and the conclusion rather than
the results that are more important.

2 Innovation

A project of this type would involve the development and

evaluation of new (or significant improvements to existing)
devices, models, techniques or approaches in fields such as
technology, engineering, or computers (both software and
hardware). A project in this category should integrate several
technologies, inventions, or designs and construct an original
innovative technological system that will have commercial
application and/or human benefit. It must demonstrate how the
innovation was designed or developed on the basis of a sound
understanding of the scientific, engineering, or technological
principles involved.

03
Project Types
The most common types of projects are experiments,
innovations, and studies.

Study

This type of project involves the collection and analysis of data

from other sources to reveal evidence of a fact, situation, or
pattern of scientific interest. This could include a study of cause
and effect relationships or theoretical investigations of scientific
data. A winning exhibit in this area must be able to demonstrate
that the methods used to obtain the original data involved sound
scientific techniques and controls, and demonstrate insightful
analysis.

What kind of project do I plan on creating?

Got an idea but don't know what kind of project you are creating? Just ask yourself
these questions:

1. Do I have to gather materials to create an experiment?

(Ex. Buying plants in order to check their growth.)

2. Am I collecting data to discover my solution?

3. Am I developing something to benefit society?

4. Am I mostly researching and compiling my knowledge to share?

Answers:
1,2 = Experiment, 3 = Innovation, 4 = Study

If you are still not sure, don't be afraid to contact us and we will help you out:
knoxscifair@myjkcs.ca

04
Project Components
Projects should have the following parts:

Background - How the project came to be. What questions led you to your
project?

Background Research - Information you collected in order to learn more

about your topic.

Purpose/ Problem - Why the project was conducted, and what you hoped to
be achieved.

Hypothesis - Proposition to be tested and anticipated results, if applicable.

Procedure - A brief outline of the materials, variables, trials and methods

used.

Results or Observations - A summary of the results of the Experiment,

Innovation, or Study.

Conclusions - What can be concluded from the results and why it is

important?

Sources of Error - Situations/ factors that could have affected the results of
your project.

Earlier Work (if applicable)- If an earlier version of the project was submitted
in a previous year, the finalist must highlight the changes and additional work
done.

Future Work - Portions or variations of the project you would consider

developing more in the future.

Real World Application - How your project affects the real world. Can your
project be implemented? Try to consider cost, feasibility of resources, and
scalability.

Acknowledgements - Recognition of those individuals, institutions and

businesses that provided significant assistance in the form of guidance,
materials, financial support and/or facilities for this work. References and
bibliography should also be kept on the table for consultation. Citations
should be done in APA7.

05
Rules
We wants everyone to have a fun time working on their
project, but it comes with serious regulations. To show your
learning and understanding of your topic, you must follow
these rules:

No Plagiarism – presenting the work of others as your own without acknowledging the
source. In this case, “work” means scientific results, conceptual development of a topic
and substantive formulation or reformulation of a problem. This includes work done by
a family member or a mentor.

No Fabricating and/or Falsifying Data - all sources used must be accurate, and cited at
the end of your presentation.

No Fabricating and/or Falsifying Registration Information - this will result in

disqualifications.

No Forging Signatures - this is illegal and will not be tolerated.

No Damage to Property - you may not complete experiments which include

substances which are harmful to people or living organisms.

Students who have used the same identical projects as someone else will be given a 0.
This also includes experiments stolen directly from online resources with no credit
given. Adaptations are allowed.

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 Safety
Hazards

For your safety and the safety of others attending the fair, all projects must
also comply with the following safety requirements. Failure to follow these
rules and requirements will result in disqualification at the fair.

The following items are NOT permitted and shall be removed from your
display. Take pictures and bring photos of your project or experiment instead!

Fire Hazards
Flames, candle, torch, or any heating device such as a hot plate
Excessive packing material under the table

Electrical Hazards
Inappropriately grounded electrical plugs or sockets
Modifications of CSA approved electrical equipment
Wet cell batteries such as lead acid

NOTE: Electronic equipment created by participants are permitted if they

have:
As low a voltage and electric current as possible
A non-combustible enclosure
An insulating grommet at the point where the electrical service enters
the enclosure
All exposed terminals must be covered
Pilot light to indicate when device is powered

Biohazards
Biological toxins
Cell or tissue samples (including blood and blood products, except on
sealed microscope slides)
Cultures – petri dishes containing media, ziplocs with spores, etc. (Unless
fully and permanently sealed)

Images of Humans
Sensational or offensive images of humans on project display

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Safety
Hazards cont.

Animals
Live animals

Firearms, Hazardous Materials, and Equipment

Firearms, ammunition, dangerous goods, or explosives
Images of humans or animals injured by firearms or explosives
Functional X-ray and radiation-producing equipment

Structural and Mechanical Safety

Any structurally unsound backboard or display
Sharp edges such as the corners of prisms, mirrors, glass, or metal plates
that are not in a case
Dangerous exposed moving parts such as belts, gears, pulleys, and blades
Motors that do not contain safety shut-offs
Pressurized vessels or compressed gas cylinders
Moving exhibits (such as robots) that are using more than their allocated
space

Chemical Safety
Flammable, toxic or dangerous chemicals
Prescription drugs or over the counter medications
More than 1 L of liquid being displayed
Radioactive sources and materials (e.g. smoke detector sources)

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Safety
Safety/Ethics Questions

Please ask yourselves these questions, and make the changes that you need
in order to keep everyone safe around you.

Safety Questions
Have I been trained to do this?
Do I have permission?
Do I have adult supervision?
Is there a safer way to do this?
Do I have the required safety materials and clothing?
Am I putting myself or others in danger? (including animals and the
environment.)
What is my safety plan if something goes wrong?

Ethics Questions
Does my idea involve testing people or animals? (Includes animal tissue,
blood, etc.)
Could my idea cause harm to people or animals?
Do I have an adult supervisor to support me in my work?
Is there a more ethical way to do this?

Remember: If something about your project does not feels right, it probably
isn't! DO NOT continue until you have received guidance.

You must follow these guidelines in order to qualify for

participation in the Knox SCI-Fair!

If you have any questions, contact the SCI-Fair team: knoxscifair@myjkcs.ca

09
Display and Presentations
Be creative while presenting!

At the fair, you will need to present your project to the public (friends,
parents, teachers and visitors) and to the judges. It is important to make
sure your display area is well-prepared, organized, and represents what you
have done. Visitors looking at your presentation should be able to quickly
understand what the project is about, what you did, and what you
concluded.

Be creative. You can use pictures, models, and even demonstrations as

long as they fit within your display area and do not conflict with the ethics
section and safety guidelines. Your poster should capture the most
important parts of your project, and contain enough information to tell
someone walking by what you did. Each project will get a table to displaying
their presentations similar to an art gallery.

Your project display must be free standing (stands up on its own). Three
fold displays are the easiest, but other combinations are possible.
Displays that are not free-standing will not be permitted.

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Presentation Tips
Be Confident and Show Your Excitement!

This is your work and you know it best!! The hard work of creating
your project is already done. You’ve spent many hours working
through your project. Presenting your project is just an opportunity
for you to share what you did and what you learned with the judges
and visitors. You’ve done great work and we want to hear all about
it!

Be Organized in Your Explanations

Ensure your presentation follows a logical order. Remember,

although you’ve been working on
your project for many hours,

your work. Try to take your
the judges and visitors are new to
listener step by step through your project and your thinking so
they can follow along easily.

Some students start with an introduction of themselves and a

description of what their project is about. You could consider
discussing why you chose your specific project, what you are
trying to investigate, and why it is important.

If you’ve conducted an Experiment, walk the judges through each

part of the scientific process e.g. what materials you used, what
procedures you followed, how many trials you performed, what
variables were involved. It’s important to not only discuss what
you did, but also why you did it.

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Presentation Tips
Be Prepared

Plan what you are going to present and practice. You’ll need to
budget your time. Plan to present for 10 minutes and leave 5
minutes for questions.

If you are working with a partner, decide in advance who will be

saying what and when. Each student should talk for the same
amount of time and both of you should be prepared to answer any of
the judge’s questions.

Practice your presentation in front of someone who doesn’t already

know about your project. Try to take note of the questions they ask.
If they are a bit confused you may want to adjust a couple of
sections. Or, they may ask you questions you hadn’t thought of
before. Incorporate what you learn in these practices into your final
presentation.

Practice your presentation several times until you feel comfortable.

Try not to read any notes. If you need to refer to notes to keep you
organized that’s ok, but try and just talk to the judge and explain what
you’ve done rather than reading a script.

Have Fun and Enjoy Yourself

At the end of the day, we are all interested in learning and

completing our goal. This fair is a celebration

of the hard work each
participant has done and the goals
that were achieved.

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References
Johnson, K. (n.d.). 39_Why-Stem-Fair_3-1. Pinellas; Pinellas County STEM Fair.

University of the Fraser Valley. (n.d.). Fraser Valley Regional Science Fair >

Students. > Science Fair Project Do's and don'ts. University of the Fraser Valley.

Retrieved March 6, 2022, from http://www.ufv.ca/science-fair/students

/science-fair- project-dos-and-donts

Thank you to the entire Knox SCI-Fair Team for the long hours placed into creating
this handbook.

Thank you to Mrs.Ng, and the entire JKCS Science Department for the continuous
support.

Contact us at:

knoxscifair@myjkcs.ca

@knoxsci_fair

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