COMPETITION GUIDELINES for MSSS 2009

PROJECT TYPES: There are three kinds of projects:

1. Research/Descriptions: are descriptive only but involve scientific discipline in the collection and presentation of phenomena. An example from previous years might be “The Life Cycle of Volcanoes”. More usually, research/description projects are common to the earlier grades.
2. Experiments: involve scientific testing…hypothesis, collection of data, analysis and conclusions. An example from previous years might be “Which Golf Ball ‘Hits' the Farthest” with five different kinds of golf balls tested for bounce. Grades 7 to 9 typically submit experiments.
3. Innovation: goes a step further and leads to new discoveries and even new products. An example from previous years might be “A Prosthetic Hand That ‘Feels' Hot and Cold”.

JUDGING PROCESS: The judging process is pretty much the same for all three project types. The following are the basic elements that the judges look for and assign marks to:

1. Originality of the Project
2. Scientific Thought
3. Clarity of Presentation
4. Thoroughness of Research
5. Skill in Presentation of Data and Material
6. Dramatic Value
7. Project Report

Judges are assigned their projects and view them on the Friday evening prior to the judging. Students are interviewed on the Saturday by two to three judges and should be prepared for the judging.

SELECTION OF TOPICS: Students are well advised to read current information in books and journals before the final selection of their topic. Projects should include: data obtained from the students own experiments, quotation of errors and the possible causes in the results, a conclusion drawn from the experiments, a good write-up and the display of the work.

CATEGORIES OF PROJECTS: There are nine categories of projects –

1. Biology - Animal Science
2. Biology - Plant Science
3. Biotechnology
4. Chemistry
5. Consumer Science
6. Engineering
7. Health Science
8. Physics
9. Environmental Studies & Earth Science

Judges are usually assigned projects from the category that they are experienced in so it is important that students indicate the category that they are most comfortable with.

BACKBOARD: Backboard may be obtained from Staples and Office Depot. Boards are 3 feet high and two feet across with folder over wings either side of one foot by three feet.

Some students put extensions upwards on their backboards but students cannot put extension sideways on their backboards as they are only allocated four to five feet of space on the tables. Space in front of the backboard can be used as a demonstration area.

Graphics and picture displays are important to your backboard presentation; also neatness and logical flow of ideas.

LOGBOOKS: Logbooks are an important record of research and testing. As judges preview the projects on Friday evening prior to their interviewing students on Saturday, logbooks can be a useful tool to communicate with the judges prior to the interview ie to reflect organizational ability and scientific discipline.

The new science curriculum has a diagram that may be helpful in laying out the content of the logbook and the flow of the backboards.

PROJECT SUMMARY/REPORT (Adapted from the YSF Project Report Guidelines):
The Project Report is a 5-page document that presents your project to the judges in written form. The judges have an opportunity to read this document before the MSSS and they will use it to prepare for their interviews with you. The Project Report is worth 5% of each Divisional Awards judge's evaluation of your project.

The Project Report should be a summary of your project, not a copy of your display, which focuses on your data and results. A complete Project Report includes:

• Background, Purpose and Hypothesis: why the project was done and what you hoped to achieve.
• Procedure: a very brief outline of the significant materials and methods used.
• Results/Observations and Conclusions: a summary of your results and an explanation of how and why they are important;
• Acknowledgements: recognition of those individuals, institutions and businesses that provided significant assistance in the form of guidance, materials, financial support or facilities;
• References: key references used in the development of your project. Quotations and sources cited within your Report must be listed.
• Proof of Requirements: as specified by YSF Canada ethics or safety policy.
• Changes to a continued project: If an earlier version of the project was entered in a previous year, the finalist must highlight the changes or modifications made.
• Bibliography: To be included as an appendix, is mandatory:
  Significant sources consulted must be mentioned (volumes, articles, audio-visual, documents, web sites, interviews, etc.). Quotations and sources within the report must be clearly identified.

A full printed bibliography should be available to the judges at your project: All sources consulted must be mentioned (volumes, articles, audio-visual, documents, web sites, interviews, etc.).

The following specifications ensure that your Project Report is legible, that all national finalists have an equal amount of space in the Report to describe their project and that the judges have a consistent, legible format to read. Judges may penalize a project (up to 10%) for a report that does not adhere to the specifications:

• A maximum of five letter-sized (8.5” x 11") pages in an approved digital format. Graphs, diagrams and charts may be included, but no raw data or observations. Appendices beyond the 5-page limit, other than the mandatory bibliography, are not acceptable and will not be distributed to judges.
• For online registration, PDF is the preferred format. Other approved digital formats are MS Word (.doc), WordPerfect (.wpd) and AppleWorks (.cwk).
• Text must be in 12 point Times, Arial or equivalent type, double-spaced with margins of 1 inch (2.5 cm) all around.
• Page 1 must have the Project Title and finalist name(s) at the top.
• A footer in 8 point type that appears on each page listing the date, finalist name(s) and project title as well as the page number (e.g., 15 April 2005 John Doe: The Generic Project Page 1 of 5) is required.

ORAL PRESENTATION: As you complete your conclusion and paste the last diagram on the board, there is still the most essential preparation yet to make for the competition. This is preparing your speech for the judging.

The most important thing you should know is that you have approximately seven to ten minutes to explain the entire project. Some students don't expect this and end up forgetting to explain the major details. This can be consequential to your judging. Another significant point is to know your topic. The judges will be determining how much you know. It is beneficial to prepare answers to questions you think the judges might ask. This way, you won't be confronted with questions you can't answer.

Once you have prepared your speech, it is worthwhile to practice in front of a mirror, your family, or a friend. This rehearsal helps to relieve nervousness when you are actually being judged. If you have had practice, you will be more comfortable with your speech and you will make fewer, if any, mistakes.

Since you have put much time and effort into your project, it is worth your while to take some time for preparations. It will help considerably because no matter how good your project is, the judging is a critical part of the competition.

TECHNICAL PAPERS: Technical papers are basically science projects without backboards and are subject to all of the above requirements, including oral presentations to judges on Saturday AM.

ENTRY FEES:
Science Projects by individual participants - $35
Science Projects by groups of students (presently limited to 2 students only) - $50
Technical Papers whether individual or group - $10