Project Guides (Page 10)

Storing Bacterial Strains

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Introduction If you are using a bacterial strain for a science project, it is a good idea to store the strain, at least temporarily, until after you are done with your experiment. After all, you may find that your experiment fails on the first try, or that the results of your experiment raise more exciting questions that you want to address with additional experiments. To ensure that you don't "run out of" bacteria, here are two possible storage methods: Read more

Storyboards

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Storyboards are a great way to visually depict an experience or an interaction among people or people and objects. By creating a storyboard, you can break down the experience or interaction into all of its more specific components over time, which allows you to analyze more closely. There are three main points during the design process in which you may want to create a storyboard: during the early stages of your research, during the prototyping stage, and at the end when you are presenting… Read more

Variance & Standard Deviation

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It would be useful to have a measure of scatter that has the following properties: The measure should be proportional to the scatter of the data (small when the data are clustered together, and large when the data are widely scattered). The measure should be independent of the number of values in the data set (otherwise, simply by taking more measurements the value would increase even if the scatter of the measurements was not increasing). The… Read more

Wire Stripping Tutorial

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There are two types of electrical wire that you will commonly encounter in Science Buddies projects: hookup wire and magnet wire. Hookup wire and magnet wire both come in different sizes, measured on a scale called wire gauge. Both types of wire are covered in insulation, which is material that does not conduct electricity. In order to use either type of wire in your science projects, you typically must remove small amounts of insulation from the ends. This tutorial will give you a brief… Read more

Advanced Display Board Design and Tips

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If you are working on a complex or very involved project you may need not only our normal Science Fair Project Display Boards guide, but also some of the advanced tips below. A reminder: Read the rules for your event to make sure that your ideas for a display board, as well as our suggestions below, are allowed. What To Do Emphasize Your Most Important Points Use subheadings to emphasize your key points. A subtitle in a large font might also be effective. You can also have a… Read more

Alternative Display Boards

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Reusable (plywood) display board. Pentafold display board. Tripod board stand. Poster printout mounted on a flat board. A display board constructed from Plexiglas or acrylic sheet is very unique, but it does come with some problems. Depending on what is behind this clear board, it can be very difficult to read. Tubular frame for display board. Accordion display board. "Retractor"… Read more

An Introduction to Biomechanics - A Closer Look at Gait & Balance

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Biomechanics is the study of how our bodies move and the forces that affect them. Two important parts of biomechanics are gait and balance. Gait is the way we walk or run. It includes how our joints and muscles move and how smoothly we take each step. Balance is our ability to stay steady, whether we’re standing still or moving. Together, gait and balance show how the body controls movement and how we respond to forces such as gravity, friction, and uneven ground. Gait is the way a person… Read more

An Introduction to Radiation & Radiation Safety

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Building your own homemade X-ray machine is not hard to do, but to do it safely requires that you learn the basics about radiation and radiation safety before beginning. This guide will give you an overview of these topics and point you to additional resources if you are interested in further reading. This guide may also be of interest to anyone generally interested in understanding radiation and radiation safety. What is radiation? The word "radiation" might make you think of… Read more

Big Display Boards for Top Fairs

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At some top science fairs, like the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), big display boards are the norm. We define "big boards" as those substantially larger than the standard, three-panel display board that unfolds to be 36" tall by 48" wide. Important! Before planning your display board, be sure to check the rules for your fair to make sure that you do not build a board that is too large. While a large board gives you additional room to… Read more

Carly M's Science Fair Project Blog

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by Carly Introduction to My Blog This blog was started one month into my science fair project, so the first entry will recap everything I did during that month. I wrote this blog in letter form. The purpose of this blog is to help first time students with their project. I can't give personal advice but I can give you the general do's and don'ts of science fair that hopefully will come in handy. This is only my second time doing science fair and last year I got pretty far with my project. … Read more

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