Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

My cousin is in the 3rd grade and I'm trying to help her figure out how to write the research paper for her science fair project. All the paper she brought home from school really tells her to do is include the purpose, hypothesis, materials, procedure, results, and conclusion. Is there anything else that needs to be added or is there a certain way the format should be? I'm confused because she's only in the third grade so I wasn't sure how in depth it needed to be.

Hi - In third grade, I would think the elements of the paper would certainly be less in-depth than what you may be thinking of in terms of a research paper. Even so, she can still have and learn about the major sections, which it sounds like is what you have on the sample or informational sheet she brought home.

There is information about research papers and the sections here: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... aper.shtml

That may be helpful for you as you work with her.

Using the "tabs" on that resource, you will find samples, a worksheet, and other material that may be useful. Just keep in mind that given her grade level, it is important that her paper be at her level of understanding and articulation of the project she did, the procedure she used, and the results she observed.

Amy
Science Buddies