THE SCIENCE FAIR WHAT DO THE JUDGES THINK

THE SCIENCE FAIR: WHAT DO THE JUDGES THINK? William F. Mc. Comas, Ph. D. UA Parks Family Professor of Science Education

58 Judges were Asked the Following: ) What sorts of things did you consider most when you were looking at the rojects? ) What comments did you find yourself making frequently to the students when you were talking with them? 3) What specific things "cost" the students points? (In other words, what were the common deficiencies in the projects? ) 4) What could students do better as they describe their projects? 5) Other comments?

Hundreds of Individual Comments Sorted into 3 Basic Categories omments about the. . . A) Project itself B) Face to face presentations C) Written Elements of the Project

Comments about the Project Itself Degree of Completeness Is the Problem defined Worthiness Creative thinking, originality, novelty Whose work is it? *Multiple Trials (replication) *Adequate Number of Subjects *Statistical thinking where necessary Organize using standard method Title (interesting, illustrative, clear)

The Trouble with Titles Many are trivial They try to be too clever Lack an indication of the variables Lack an indication of the treatment

The Data: Examples Project Name Score Turkeys: Color vs. Consumption Phase V Marginal Does Age Affect the Ability for a Human to Pick Up High Frequency? Marginal All In The Family: Phase II Bad The Affects of Loud Music on Mice Marginal High Voltage? A Study of Induced Electromagnetic Fields: Effects on Drosophila melongaster, Phase 2 Marginal Eggs-actly How Much Ca. CO 3? Marginal Organic and Non-organic foods which contain genetically modified organisms Marginal Big Cells: Little Cells The Effects of Air Pollution on Transpiration Rates in Flowering Plants Bad Good Solar Radiation Bad How Shocking! Really Bad Acid Rocks! Really Bad Weather Prediction Using Homemade Equipment Marginal

Overall Results (N=242 Titles) Totals 0% Good 6% Bad 46% Marginal 48%

Comments about the Face to Face Presentation Can student explain what he/she has done in two minutes? Degree of motivation Degree of enthusiasm, passion First impressions (eye contact) Does the student understand what he/she has done? Explain how the idea arose

Comments about the Written Elements Project & Notebook) Include citations from the primary literature (demonstrate knowledge of the background) First impressions matter Drop extraneous materials (simplify) Organize around Problem > Hypothesis > Method > Data > Conclusions Reveal knowledge of the background of the problem (show the scientific purpose for the study) Demonstrate knowledge of how science

THE SCIENCE FAIR: WHAT DO THE JUDGES THINK? William F. Mc. Comas, Ph. D. UA Parks Family Professor of Science Education