Tag - Dr. Maille Lyons

Science Fair Judging – Why Didn’t I Win?

Guest Blogger: Dr, Maille Lyons, The Science Fair Coach

Most of the time, when you don’t win, a science fair there isn’t any feedback on why your project was not selected as one of the best. Here is a list of the 5 most common reasons a project, that might otherwise seem like a “winner” does not even place in the top tier.

1. Violation: Gadgeteering

Explanation: Projects that do not follow the scientific method to solve a problem will usually be dismissed as a demonstration or a gadget. This is particularly common with a new technology. For example, a project that demonstrates how a solar cell (or DNA extraction kit or hover-craft etc.) works is not sufficient for a competitive science fair project because there is no experimentation. The project might win at school level for the “wow” factor, but will not be considered for awards at higher levels. HOWEVER, the exception to this violation is for science fairs with a specific category for Engineering and/or Technology.  In this case, learn and follow the engineering design principles, which are similar to scientific method.

2. Violation: Failure to follow scientific method

Explanation: The most common errors that fall under this violation are:

• no hypothesis (or
  

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Science Fair – What Will the Judge Ask Me?

Guest Blogger: Dr, Maille Lyons, The Science Fair Coach

Part III:  What will the judge ask me?

Some judges will be judging their first science fair, while others will have judged several fairs at varying levels.  Nevertheless there are many common questions and, the more you have thought about them, the better your interview experience will be.

 20 Questions you should expect include:

• Where did you get this idea?
• How did you come up with this title?
• What research did you do?
• What was your hypothesis?
• Why did you think that would happen?
• What were your independent and dependent variables?
• What was your control?
• What did you measure and how?
• How did you calculate that result?
• Why did you choose that amount, (or measurement, or piece of equipment, etc.)?
• How did you replicate the experiment?
• What does that graph tell you?
• How variable were your results and what might explain the variability?
• What did you base that conclusion on?
• Why/How are your findings important?
• Who might want to know this information?
• What would be the next experiment you would do?
• What was the hardest part (or most fun, or most exciting, or most surprising, etc.)?
• Who helped you?
• If you had to do it all over again, is there anything you would do differently?

About Dr. Maille Lyons