Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Respected Sir/Madam,
I am working on a science fair project for a global science fair competition. My project is based on making gardening better for gardeners around the world and helping their garden thrive as the global crisis of global warming is increasing and therefore helping they make a better garden and if it is a vegetable garden, helping it to produce a good yield.I want to make a robot to connect with the garden.
But, which method should i use, the scientific method or the engineering method or both to construct my hypothesis and produce an outcome? Also, should my project be explained as a smart garden or as resolving global warming?

Regards,
Dhanush

Hello,

" making gardening better for gardeners" sounds to me like an engineering question. You are improving a process. You can still use the scientific method if you plan to test ways to improve gardening (by controlling independent variables and measuring outcomes).

"Resolving global warming" is very broad. It seems that "Smart garden" or "More efficient garden" may be better.

Hello,
I am grateful for your advice as it has helped me for my project. But still I am in confusion whether i should stick to "smart garden" as a project or should I think about trying to make plants live better and longer as the global warming issues have worsen which has lead to very less growing days and lower survival rates.
And as you said, I can use the scientific method for my project, so as I submit my project to the competition should I give them both the methods I have used?

Thank You.

I would try to make the scope of the project a little more manageable. Then you'll have a better idea on what you want to study. "Making plans live longer" is very broad. How would you go about doing this?

Have you looked into aquaphonics? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaponics

This is a very compact way to grow food locally.

good luck.

Hello,
I have decided on my project. I will go ahead with "Smart Garden" as you suggested earlier. I thank you very much for clearing my doubts. I am looking forward to solve this question, "How can we make gardening more efficient?" and I would use the scientific method to check the growth, nutrient efficiency, water availability and the responses of the garden with the system(robot) I have used. Also,

should I use the engineering method for proving my hypothesis?

"If there are any corrections in my above statements about the project, I request you to correct me so that I can go ahead with my project"

You can use either method for your study. Since you are improving on a process (gardening), the engineering method seems more appropriate.

Thank you very much!
For any further queries, i would like to keep in touch with you.
Cheers!

Cheers to you and let us know how it's going.