Research Guide
Six phases. One great project.

Choosing a topic

The best science fair projects come from genuine curiosity — things you already wonder about. Start broad, then narrow down to something testable.

• Ask "What would happen if..." or "Does X affect Y?"
• Look at everyday problems in your community, school, or home
• Browse previous ISEF award-winning projects for inspiration, not to copy
• Make sure you can actually run the experiment — consider time, materials, and access
• Avoid topics that require controlled substances, human subjects without IRB approval, or vertebrate animals without proper protocols

Designing your experiment

A strong experimental design is the backbone of a good project. This is where most students need the most help.

• Hypothesis: A specific, testable prediction — "If [X], then [Y], because [reason]"
• Independent variable: What you change (only one)
• Dependent variable: What you measure
• Constants: Everything else you keep the same
• Control group: Your baseline for comparison
• Sample size: The more trials, the better. Minimum 3 trials per condition.

Write out your procedure in enough detail that someone else could replicate your experiment exactly. This is how real science works.

Collecting and analyzing data

Keep a lab notebook from day one. Write down everything — even failed trials and unexpected results. Judges respect honesty about what didn't work.

• Use a consistent data table for every trial
• Record raw data — don't average before you've saved the originals
• Calculate mean, median, and standard deviation where appropriate
• Create graphs that clearly show the relationship between your variables
• Use appropriate graph types: bar charts for categories, line graphs for continuous data

Creating your display board

Your display board is your project's first impression. It needs to communicate your entire project clearly within about 60 seconds of a judge looking at it.

• Standard size: 36" tall x 48" wide (tri-fold board)
• Required sections: Title, Purpose/Question, Hypothesis, Materials, Procedure, Results, Conclusion, References
• Use clear headers, legible font (minimum 18pt for body text), and a consistent color scheme
• Charts and graphs should be large enough to read from two feet away
• Your written research paper sits separately on the table in front of the board

Presenting to judges

You'll have approximately 5 to 10 minutes with each judge. Most of it will be conversation, not a formal presentation. Judges want to understand how you think, not just what you found.

• Prepare a 2-minute opening summary: purpose, method, key result, conclusion
• Practice answering: "Why did you choose this topic?" and "What would you do differently?"
• Know your data. Be ready to explain every number on your display board.
• Dress professionally. First impressions matter.
• It's completely fine to say "I don't know, but here's what I think might explain it"

Understanding the competition pathway

Winning at your school fair can advance you all the way to international competition through a series of qualifying rounds.

Many specialized awards exist at each level. See the full competition pathway, deadlines, and registration links on the State Resources page.