DOING REAL SCIENCE

How to run a science fair project

• Become curious.
• Wonder about something.
• Write down some questions you'd like to ask.
• Pick a good question, then convert it into a statement.

  Example question: Does the smell of cats cause fear in mice?

  Example statement: The smell of cats causes fear in mice.

• This 'statement' is your Hypothesis.
• Dream up an experiment to prove or disprove your statement.
  • How can you get some cat's scent?
  • How can you tell when mice show fear?
  • How would you keep the scent away from the mice until you're ready?
• Perform the experiment.
• Options:
  • Perform the experiment several times, to find out if it always works.
  • Perform a "control" experiment that lacks the important part. For example, repeat your experiment exactly, but with pure water without cat scent. This shows that mice were afraid of the cat smell. Maybe mice are actually afraid of YOU, not of the cat smell.
• Discuss your results, decide whether your results proved your statement.
• Write up your results so others can see them too.
• Was there anything wrong with your experiment? Think of a much better experiment.
• Do it on your own, even if there is no Science Fair.
• Uh-oh, you've become a real scientist.