Experimental Science Projects
should have measurable results
A science project question for a cause/effect experiment must identify TWO VARIABLES:
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- An independent variable, which is purposely changed and
- A dependent variable, which may or may not change in response to changes in the independent variable.
Bad Science Project Question
The following IS NOT a good science project question because there is nothing to measure.
Do corn seeds need light to germinate?
Good Science Project Question
The following question is an example of a good science project question
What effect does light have on the germination time of corn seed?
The question identifies the independent variable that you will be changing, which is:
- the effect of light
The question also identifies the dependent variable that you will be measuring, which is:
- germination time
The question basically identifies what the investigation is about, which is that you will experimentally determine if light affects how fast corn seeds germinate.
Hypothesis: This is your prediction for the answer to the project question. It should be an educated guess, which means you have some knowledge to base your prediction on.
For example: You might predict that seeds will germinate best without light. You might base this on the fact that seeds are planted beneath the soil which blocks sunlight.
Note: I made up this example and it may or may not be true. You will have to experiment to determine this for yourself.
Experiment: Design your experiment so that all the corn seeds are treated the same except for the amount of light they receive. In other words, make sure all the seeds receive the same amount of water and are kept at the same temperature, etc…… These conditions are called controlled variables.
I hope this helps you design your own science fair project. Leave a comment or contact me via, ASK JANICE
