WHAT SHOULD I INCLUDE IN MY PROJECT REPORT?

HOW TO MAKE A PROJECT REPORT
At this point, you are in the home stretch. Preparing your science fair project final report will just entail pulling together the information you have already collected into one large document.
  • Your final report will include these sections:
    • Title page.
    • Abstract. An abstract is an abbreviated version of your final report.
    • Table of contents.
    • Question, variables, and hypothesis.
    • Background research. This is the research you did before you started your experiment.  You can also add further research from questions you had during your project.
    • Materials list.
    • Experimental procedure.
    • Data analysis and discussion. This section is a summary of what you found out in your experiment, focusing on your observations, data table, and graph(s), which should be included at this location in the report.
    • Conclusions.
    • Ideas for future research. Some science fairs want you to discuss what additional research you might want to do based on what you learned.
    • Acknowledgements. This is your opportunity to thank anyone who helped you with your science fair project, from a single individual to a company or government agency.
    • Bibliography.
  • Write the abstract section last, even though it will be one of the first sections of your final report.
  • Your final report will be several pages long, but don't be overwhelmed! Most of the sections are made up of information that you have already written. Gather up the information for each section and type it in a word processor if you haven't already.
  • Save your document often! You do not want to work hard getting something written the perfect way, only to have your computer crash and the information lost. Frequent file saving could save you a lot of trouble!
  • Remember to do a spelling and grammar check in your word processor. Also, have a few people proof read your final report. They may have some helpful comments!
EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT REPORT

TO GO TO THE CANADA WIDE LEVEL...

Each project requires a Project Report of no more than five pages plus an appendix of no more than two extra pages for the references and bibliography. This report comprises a concise summary of the project using a scientific writing style, selecting only what is important and stating it in a concise way. Graphs, diagrams and charts may be included, but not the raw data or observations. The report is submitted online as a PDF document, as part of the registration process.

Contents:   A Complete Project Report includes the following subtitles and sections:
  1. Background: how the project came to be.
  2. Purpose: why the project was conducted and what was hoped to be achieved.
  3. Hypothesis: proposition to be tested, if applicable.
  4. Procedure: a brief outline of the materials and methods used.
  5. Results or Observations: a summary of the results of the experiment, innovationor study.
  6. Conclusions: what can be concluded from the results and why it is important.
  7. Earlier Work: If an earlier version of the project was submitted in a previous year, the finalist must highlight the changes and additional work done.
  8. Acknowledgements: recognition of those individuals, institutions and businesses that provided significant assistance in the form of guidance, materials, financial support and/or facilities for this work.
  9. References: Detailed references are mandatory for any specific literature referred to in the text of the report. Key sources used in the development of the project must be referred to in the text and listed in an appendix (“References”), using a format consistent with that accepted in the scientific peer-reviewed literature. Author, title, source publication, volume, date and page numbers must be given. Any use of quotations from references must be clearly identified.
  10. Bibliography: Significant sources consulted but not specifically referred to in the report must be mentioned (volumes, articles, audio-visuals, documents, web sites with dates of access, interviews, etc.).
Some variation is permitted for innovation and study projects that do not follow an experimental protocol.

Format
The formatof the report will be a maximum of five letter-sized (8.5 x 11 inches) pages as a PDF file. An appendix of an additional two pages is allowed, containing the References and Bibliography. Any additional material will be discarded and will not be distributed to judges. Text shall be in 12-point Times, Arial or equivalent type, double-spaced with margins of 1 inch (2.5 cm) all around. Page 1 shall have the project title and finalist name(s) at the top. A footer in 8-point type is required on each page containing the date, finalist name(s) and project title as well as the page number.

Here is an example:
"15 April 2010 - Jane Doe: The Generic Project - Page 1 of 5"

Composition
As is the case with manuscripts submitted for publication in the scientific literature, project reports must be written in good, grammatical English.

Composition style, appropriate vocabulary, correct verb tense use, agreement of verbs and their subject nouns in number, and correct punctuation all contribute to the acceptability of the report. Indeed, lack of attention to these writing requirements for project reports may result in the downgrading of the project.

Units
Respectable scientific work for international consumption is recorded using Système international (SI) units, which must be used throughout. Correct abbreviations for units must be used.

Measurements and uncertainty
Most physical measurements have uncertainty. Students should be aware of the concepts of accuracy, precision and uncertainty in measurements, and the methods scientists use to represent them. Data are expected to have the correct number of significant figures, and graphs should have appropriate error bars.

Graphs, Charts and Maps
Captions, labels on axes and legends must be accurate and legible.