Science Fair Paper

Name: ______

The order of your final paper will be:

1)Abstract

2)Safety Sheet

3)Endorsements (only if you are using humans, non-human vertebrates, or microorganisms in your experiment)

4)Title Page

5)Table of Contents

6)Acknowledgments

7)Purpose

8)Hypothesis

9)Review of Literature

10)Materials

11)Procedure

12)Results/Data (Tables, Charts, etc)

13)Results/Data (Explanation of tables, charts, etc)

14)Conclusion

15)Works Cited

Your entire paper will be:

  • Times New Roman
  • Double spaced
  • 12 point font
  • Black ink

Before You Begin Typing Anything on Your Paper Set Your Formatting in Google Docs

Setting Spacing:

  1. Click on Format and scroll down to “Line Spacing”
  2. Select Double

Setting Font:

  1. Go to tool bar, and make sure it says “Times New Roman”
  1. Make sure the font size says “12”

Directions for Creating a Header:

  1. Go to “Insert” and select “Header”
  1. Make sure the header is “Right aligned” by hitting the appropriate button.
  1. Make sure the Font is “Times New Roman” and 12 size as you did before.
  2. Type your last name and hit the space bar 5 times.

  1. Go to “Insert” and choose “Page Number.” Make sure to select “Top of Page”
  1. Click outside of the header box to continue working.

Title Page Requirements

Content:

  1. A clear title is used (creativity encouraged).
  2. Student’s name and school are listed.

Format:

  1. Location:1st page
  2. Margins:1”
  3. Line Spacing:Double
  4. Centering:Centered between the top and bottom margins

Centered between the right and left margins

  1. Font: Times New Roman
  1. Font Size:12
  1. 1st Line of Text: Paper’s Title

The first line of each word is capitalized except for words such as “and” “of” “a” & “the”

If “the” begins the title, then “the” would be capitalized

  1. 2nd Line of Text:Your first and last name
  1. 3rd Line of Text:Manteno Middle School

Creating headings for your pages:

  1. After completing your Title page, hit enter two times. Go to “Insert” and hit “Page Break”

  1. This brings you to the new page. Make sure your cursor is centered and type “Table of Contents.” Hit the enter button a few times and then insert a new page.
  2. This brings you to the new page. Make sure your cursor is centered and type “Acknowledgments.” Hit the enter button a few times and then insert a new page.
  3. This brings you to the new page. Make sure your cursor is centered and type “Purpose.” Hit the enter button a few times and then insert a new page.
  4. This brings you to the new page. Make sure your cursor is centered and type “Hypothesis.” Hit the enter button a few times and then insert a new page.
  5. This brings you to the new page. Make sure your cursor is centered and type “Review of Literature.” Hit the enter button a few times and then insert a new page.
  6. This brings you to the new page. Make sure your cursor is centered and type “Materials.” Hit the enter button a few times and then insert a new page.
  7. This brings you to the new page. Make sure your cursor is centered and type “Procedure.” Hit the enter button a few times and then insert a new page.
  8. This brings you to the new page. Make sure your cursor is centered and type “Results/Data.” Hit the enter button a few times and then insert a new page.
  9. This brings you to the new page. Make sure your cursor is centered and type “Conclusion.” Hit the enter button a few times and then insert a new page.
  10. This brings you to the new page. Make sure your cursor is centered and type “Works Cited.” Hit the enter button a few times and then insert a new page.

Creating your Table of Contents Page:

  1. Type the following information (let aligned)
  1. Select the text you have just typed by highlighting it.
  1. Click on the ruler at 6 up at the top of the screen. A box will appear and select “Add right tab”

  1. No go back to your text before the number and hit your “Tab” button.
  1. This will move the number off to the right alignment stop you want it to be at. Complete for the rest of the sections. The numbers will be aligned so they match up and you won’t have to hit the space bar a bunch.
  1. Note: You will have to change your page numbers once completing your paper if they need adjusting. For example. If you have more graphs and your results/data section is longer than 2 pages you will have to adjust that and the conclusion and works cited page numbers.

Acknowledgments Requirements

Content:

  1. A paragraph to give credit to anyone who helped you.
  2. Use “The researcher” or “The exhibitor” when talking about yourself.
  3. No “I,” “me,” “my” etc.
  4. For example: The researcher would like to thank his mom, Sue, for buying the supplies and helping put together the experiment. He would also like to thank his math teacher, Ms. Simmonds for helping with the math calculations in the experiment.

Format:

  1. Margins:1”
  1. Line Spacing:double
  1. Font:Times New Roman
  1. Font Size:12
  1. Header:On the right side of the paper. It is set up the same as the

title.

  1. Tab:Each paragraph begins with a tab.
  1. Title:The title is centered between the left and the right margins.

The a in “Acknowledgments” is capitalized.

  1. Body: The body is left aligned with the first line of the paragraph

indented.

Purpose Requirements

Content:

  1. One to two sentences describing what your experiment is about and why it is a good idea to complete this experiment. Describe the benefits other people can get from the probably results of your experiment.

Format:

  1. Margins:1”
  1. Line Spacing:double
  1. Font:Times New Roman
  1. Font Size:12
  1. Header:On the right side of the paper. It is set up the same as the

title.

  1. Tab:Each paragraph begins with a tab.
  1. Title:The title is centered between the left and the right margins.

The p in “Purpose” is capitalized.

  1. Body: The body is left aligned with the first line of the paragraph

indented.

Hypothesis Requirements

Content:

  1. One sentence describing your educated guess about the question being asked. This sentence should be in “If-then” format.
  1. One sentence identifying your independent variable.
  1. One sentence identifying your dependent variable.
  1. One to two sentences identifying your constants.
  1. One sentence identifying your control.

Format:

  1. Margins:1”
  1. Line Spacing:double
  1. Font:Times New Roman
  1. Font Size:12
  1. Header:On the right side of the paper. It is set up the same as the

title.

  1. Tab:Each paragraph begins with a tab.
  1. Title:The title is centered between the left and the right margins.

The h in “Hypothesis” is capitalized.

  1. Body: The body is left aligned with the first line of the paragraph

indented.

Review of Literature Requirements

Content:

  1. 2-3 pages summarizing previous experiments, background information and brief history about the topic.
  1. Definitions of key terms or people involved would be included here. Anything to help in the reader’s understanding of the topic.
  1. Must be written in 3rd person.
  1. At least three different sources of literature are used. These are books magazines, interviews, or internet.
  1. NO RESULTS ARE LISTED HERE!
  1. Do NOT talk about how you set up your experiment or how you designed your experiment. This is all research!

Format:

  1. Margins:1”
  1. Line Spacing:double
  1. Font:Times New Roman
  1. Font Size:12
  1. Header:On the right side of the paper. It is set up the same as the

title.

  1. Tab:Each paragraph begins with a tab.
  1. Title:The title is centered between the left and the right margins.

The r and l in “Review of Literature” is capitalized.

  1. Body: The body is left aligned with the first line of each

paragraph indented.

Materials Requirements

Content:

  1. Equipment and materials used are listed; drawings and photographs are present if they help to clarify.
  1. Quantities are provided in metric units.
  1. This should be a bulleted list (think a shopping list)

Format:

  1. Margins:1”
  1. Line Spacing:double
  1. Font:Times New Roman
  1. Font Size:12
  1. Header:On the right side of the paper. It is set up the same as the

title.

  1. Tab:Each paragraph begins with a tab.
  1. Title:The title is centered between the left and the right margins.

The m in “Materials” is capitalized.

Procedure

Content:

  1. A numbered list of step-by-step directions for doing the experiment.
  1. Multiple trials are included when necessary.

Format:

  1. Margins:1”
  1. Line Spacing:double
  1. Font:Times New Roman
  1. Font Size:12
  1. Header:On the right side of the paper. It is set up the same as the

title.

  1. Tab:Each paragraph begins with a tab.
  1. Title:The title is centered between the left and the right margins.

The p in “Procedures” is capitalized.

Results/Data Requirements

Content:

  1. Data from this experiment is organized into tables or charts, with graphs if appropriate.
  2. The data/graphs are prepared using either Microsoft Excel or Google Spreadsheet or some other applicable program.
  1. Data is clear and accurately measured.
  1. Quantitative data is measured in the correct metric units.
  1. There is also a written data section that puts your results into words. It is just a summary of data, you do not say why you think you had the results you did for the experiment.

Format:

  1. Margins:1”
  1. Line Spacing:double
  1. Font:Times New Roman
  1. Font Size:12
  1. Header:On the right side of the paper. It is set up the same as the

title.

  1. Tab:Each paragraph begins with a tab.
  1. Title:The title is centered between the left and the right margins.

The r and d in “Results/Data” is capitalized.

  1. Body: The body is left aligned with the first line of each

paragraph indented.

Creating a Line Graph

  1. Enter the information that you want to chart into a Google Spreadsheet.
  1. DO NOT include letters with the numbers that you are graphing. (For example, do not enter 5 km into a cell. Just enter 5.)
  1. Select (Highlight) the information that you want to create a graph for.
  1. Click on the “Insert Chart” button.
  1. Select the “Line Chart” option.
  1. Then click the blue “Insert” button
  2. Click on the little drop down arrow in the upper right corner. Select “Advanced Edit”
  1. Click in the “Chart Title” box and create a title for your graph that is descriptive of what it is representing.
  1. Scroll down and then when it states Axis “Horizontal” click in the title box and create a label for your x-axis.
  1. Now change the Axis to say “Vertical” and click in the title box. Create a title for your y-axis label.
  1. Hit “Update” and the new titles and labels will appear. Make sure to save your chart in spreadsheet. Highlight your chart and select “copy.” You may then paste your chart into your Results/Data section of your paper.

Creating a Pie Chart

  1. Enter the information that you want to chart into a Microsoft Excel worksheet.
  1. DO NOT include letters with the numbers that you are graphing. (For example, do not enter 5 km into a cell. Just enter 5.)
  1. Select (Highlight) the information that you want to create a graph for.
  1. Click on the “Insert Chart” button.
  1. Select the “Charts” Tab
  1. Select the “Pie” option
  2. Select the pie graph option you would like and hit insert.
  3. Edit the titles following the same steps as those described in creating a line graph earlier in this paper.
  4. Follow the same save, copy, and paste directions as described in creating a line graph earlier in this paper.

Creating a Column Chart

  1. Enter the information that you want to chart into a Microsoft Excel worksheet.
  1. DO NOT include letters with the numbers that you are graphing. (For example, do not enter 5 km into a cell. Just enter 5.)
  1. Select (Highlight) the information that you want to create a graph for.
  1. Click on the “Insert Chart” button.
  1. Select the “bar chart” option
  1. Follow steps 5-10 in “Creating a Line Graph” section above.

Conclusion

Content:

  1. Evaluation and interpretation of the experiment’s results are present.
  2. The conclusion refers back to the hypothesis and answers the original questions from the purpose.
  3. Improvements are suggested for any difficulties encountered during the experiment.
  4. Experimental errors are explained.

Format:

  1. Margins:1”
  1. Line Spacing:double
  1. Font:Times New Roman
  1. Font Size:12
  1. Header:On the right side of the paper. It is set up the same as the

title.

  1. Tab:Each paragraph begins with a tab.
  1. Title:The title is centered between the left and the right margins.

The c in “Conclusion” is capitalized.

  1. Body: The body is left aligned with the first line of each

paragraphindented.

Work Cited Requirements

Content:

  1. Listing of sources used in your project.
  2. Must be in A.P.A. format
  3. The sources are listed in alphabetical order.

Format:

  1. Margins:1”
  1. Line Spacing:double
  1. Indenting:If a source is 2 or more lines long, the 2,3, etc. lines are

indented ½ inch from the left margin. (Create a hanging indent). This is described below.

  1. Font:Times New Roman
  1. Font Size:12
  1. Header:On the right side of the paper. It is set up the same as the

title.

  1. Tab:Each paragraph begins with a tab.
  1. Title:The title is centered between the left and the right margins.

The w and c in “Works Cited” is capitalized.