Easy Science Fair Projects - Your guide to a great science project Step 2 - Topic Research

Let me make researching your topic easy for you. At your level, you must focus only on three types of science fair projects. You heard it right: only three types! Once you know these three types, it will be easy for you to research your topic. 

The three types of projects are:

1.    Projects that Investigate a Scientific Principle: You could set up an experiment to find out the maximum electricity that can be made using a coil and a magnet; or you could set up an experiment to investigate out how quickly starch is manufactured by plants.

2.    Projects that Use Models or a Collection: You can make a model to show how a telegraph system works, or you could collect different types of leaves. You can even make a model of an electric motor.

3.    Projects that Demonstrate a Scientific Principle: You can set up an experiment to show how an atom splits, using an oil drop and a mixture of water and alcohol. You could also demonstrate how an electric smoke trap is used to catch smoke, dust and steam.   

Now that you know the three types of science fair projects, you must choose any one type, before researching and choosing your topic.  

There are three approaches to researching and choosing a topic:

1.    Choose a Topic of your Interest: If you are interested in the topic, you will be more enthusiastic about it.

For example:

Earth and the Universe

Insects and Animals

Human Body

Plants

Weather

Oceans and water bodies

 2.    Ask One Interesting Question about that Topic: Start with anything that intrigues you about your topic.

 For example:

How does the earth rotate?

What are fruit flies?

What is tooth enamel?

How do plants grow?

How does weather affect us?

What is a wave?

3.    Make Your Question More Specific: Now you must ask a number of deeper questions and choose the specific question that interests you most.

For example:

How can star trails provide evidence of the rotation of the earth?

How is the growth of fruit flies affected by different types of liquids?

What is the effect of acids and fluorides on our teeth?

How is plant growth affected by music?

What is the effect of weather on different materials?

How are waves formed?

 For videos on how to do science fair projects and choose a topic, download a free copy of Easy Steps to Award-Winning Science Fair Projects right now.  

Here are three things that will help you as you research your topic:

1.    Make A Note Of Everything You See Around You: In daily life, you see enough things that intrigue you and bring questions to your mind. If you follow up with these questions to find answers, you will get not one, but many interesting topics for science fair projects. You can notice simple phenomena such as sneezing or yawning. For example: Why must one cover his or her mouth with a handkerchief while sneezing? Is yawning contagious?

2.    Make a note of everything you experience: Remember your experiences with sneezing. There are many questions that can come to your mind.  For example, what causes sneezing? Do I sneeze when I am asleep? How far do droplets travel when I sneeze? Can these droplets be harmful to others? What causes yawning? Do I yawn when I am asleep? How many seconds does a yawn last? Doesn’t this sound interesting?  The best part about picking such a topic is that everyone, including your judges, will be able to relate to it.

3.    Make a note of everything you do: Once you begin your project, you must maintain a journal. This book, preferably a quality notebook, must be used to record details of all your ideas, your questions, your hypothesis, your research, your experimentation, your results and your conclusion. Your journal will help you while writing your project report, and will be a proof that you have actually done the work.