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2015-2016 Science Fair Abstract Writing
Abstract File
Click on file link above and download
Once you have downloaded the file, fill it in completely. Print two copies, one for your English Teacher and one for your Science Teacher.
Pre-writing Prompts-word file
COMPLETING THE ABSTRACT:
Abstracts are limited to a maximum 250 words and must fit within the predefined area. Please be sure to consult the information from your affiliate fair for the proper formatting of the header information as fairs differ in what is required (or not allowed).
The abstract should include the following:
a) purpose of the experiment
b) procedure
c) data
d) conclusions
It may also include any possible research applications. Only minimal reference to previous work may be included. An abstract must not include the following:
a) acknowledgments (including naming the research institution and/or mentor with which you were working), or self-promotions and external endorsements
b) work or procedures done by the mentor
TIPS ON WRITING A PROJECT ABSTRACT
A project abstract is a brief paragraph or two (limited to 250 words or 1,800 characters) highlighting and/or summarizing the major points or most important ideas about your project. An abstract allows judges to quickly determine the nature and scope of a project.
• Emphasize these aspects: purpose (hypothesis), methods (procedures used), data summary or analysis, and conclusions.
• Focus only on the current year’s research.
• Omit details and discussions.
• Use the past tense when describing what was done. However, where appropriate use active verbs rather than passive verbs.
• Use short sentences, but vary sentence structure.
• Use complete sentences. Do not abbreviate by omitting articles or other small words in order to save space.
• Avoid jargon and use appropriate scientific language.
• Use concise syntax, correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation
Samples:
1.) The purpose of my experiment that I created was to see if the stopping points on a catapult effect the distance an object travels. My hypothesis was that letting the catapult complete its full swing would result in the object being thrown the farthest. To prove my hypothesis I created a catapult out of Popsicle sticks. On this catapult I drilled holes to put dowels in and create a stopping point for the swing. There were four total stopping points on the catapult. Using a marshmallow I measured the distance it travels at each stopping point. After collecting data for a total of 16 throws I found that the middle stopping point yielded the furthest distances for the marshmallow.
2.) The purpose of the experiment that I created was to find out which type of painkillers worked quicker at relieving pain. I got this idea after having braces on my teeth and was taking multiple pain relievers and wanted to find relief the quickest way possible. I was very curious if generic pain relievers were quicker to relieve pain, as that’s how they are marketed. I used the following procedure to prove my hypothesis. First, I gathered my materials, put on a labcoat, nitrile gloves, and protective eyewear. I poured 100 mL of gastric acid into a 200 mL beaker, then set the beaker on the hotplate. I turned on the hotplate, and once it was heated, I measured the acid’s temperature. Once the acid had reached 37°C, I dropped 2 tablets of the selected pain reliever inside. Immeditately I started the stopwatch. After 8 minutes had passed, I started stirring the acid at a constant rate with a straw. Once the pills had been completely dissolved, I stopped the stopwatch and recorded time in the data table. From the data that I collected I found that name brand painkillers were consistently faster in dissolving compared to their generic equivalents. Through this experiment I concluded that Tylenol dissolved the fastest. Name brands were always faster than generics. This calls into question the marketing of generic painkillers because they were not as quick to go into effect.
3.) The purpose of the experiment that I created was to test different types of fabrics to see how they affected the rate of friction on a moving object. My hypothesis was that not having any fabric on the track would allow my moving object to accelerate the fastest. To prove my hypothesis I built an incline track out of wood, I used 5 different types of fabric to cover the wood and then rolled a rubber ball down the track and recorded the time it took to reach the bottom. I tested each type of fabric 5 times, using a stopwatch. Once all of the data was collected I concluded that my hypothesis was correct, however it was also tied with the duck tape fabric, which was unexpected.
4.) The purpose of the experiment that we created was to test and discover how to make a long lasting soda geyser. Our hypothesis was that diet coke was going to create the longest lasting; we based our hypothesis on the research we did before our experiment. To prove our hypothesis we collect 10 different types of sodas and created 20 trials, 2 per types of soda. We placed 3 mint flavored Mentos into the 2 liter soda bottles. Using a stopwatch, we stared the timer we then dropped the Mentos into the bottles, once the geyser subsided we stopped the timer and recorded the data. Once all the data was collected we concluded that our hypothesis was incorrect. We found that the smaller the geyser the longer it lasted.
Click on file link above and download
Once you have downloaded the file, fill it in completely. Print two copies, one for your English Teacher and one for your Science Teacher.
Pre-writing Prompts-word file
COMPLETING THE ABSTRACT:
Abstracts are limited to a maximum 250 words and must fit within the predefined area. Please be sure to consult the information from your affiliate fair for the proper formatting of the header information as fairs differ in what is required (or not allowed).
The abstract should include the following:
a) purpose of the experiment
b) procedure
c) data
d) conclusions
It may also include any possible research applications. Only minimal reference to previous work may be included. An abstract must not include the following:
a) acknowledgments (including naming the research institution and/or mentor with which you were working), or self-promotions and external endorsements
b) work or procedures done by the mentor
TIPS ON WRITING A PROJECT ABSTRACT
A project abstract is a brief paragraph or two (limited to 250 words or 1,800 characters) highlighting and/or summarizing the major points or most important ideas about your project. An abstract allows judges to quickly determine the nature and scope of a project.
• Emphasize these aspects: purpose (hypothesis), methods (procedures used), data summary or analysis, and conclusions.
• Focus only on the current year’s research.
• Omit details and discussions.
• Use the past tense when describing what was done. However, where appropriate use active verbs rather than passive verbs.
• Use short sentences, but vary sentence structure.
• Use complete sentences. Do not abbreviate by omitting articles or other small words in order to save space.
• Avoid jargon and use appropriate scientific language.
• Use concise syntax, correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation
Samples:
1.) The purpose of my experiment that I created was to see if the stopping points on a catapult effect the distance an object travels. My hypothesis was that letting the catapult complete its full swing would result in the object being thrown the farthest. To prove my hypothesis I created a catapult out of Popsicle sticks. On this catapult I drilled holes to put dowels in and create a stopping point for the swing. There were four total stopping points on the catapult. Using a marshmallow I measured the distance it travels at each stopping point. After collecting data for a total of 16 throws I found that the middle stopping point yielded the furthest distances for the marshmallow.
2.) The purpose of the experiment that I created was to find out which type of painkillers worked quicker at relieving pain. I got this idea after having braces on my teeth and was taking multiple pain relievers and wanted to find relief the quickest way possible. I was very curious if generic pain relievers were quicker to relieve pain, as that’s how they are marketed. I used the following procedure to prove my hypothesis. First, I gathered my materials, put on a labcoat, nitrile gloves, and protective eyewear. I poured 100 mL of gastric acid into a 200 mL beaker, then set the beaker on the hotplate. I turned on the hotplate, and once it was heated, I measured the acid’s temperature. Once the acid had reached 37°C, I dropped 2 tablets of the selected pain reliever inside. Immeditately I started the stopwatch. After 8 minutes had passed, I started stirring the acid at a constant rate with a straw. Once the pills had been completely dissolved, I stopped the stopwatch and recorded time in the data table. From the data that I collected I found that name brand painkillers were consistently faster in dissolving compared to their generic equivalents. Through this experiment I concluded that Tylenol dissolved the fastest. Name brands were always faster than generics. This calls into question the marketing of generic painkillers because they were not as quick to go into effect.
3.) The purpose of the experiment that I created was to test different types of fabrics to see how they affected the rate of friction on a moving object. My hypothesis was that not having any fabric on the track would allow my moving object to accelerate the fastest. To prove my hypothesis I built an incline track out of wood, I used 5 different types of fabric to cover the wood and then rolled a rubber ball down the track and recorded the time it took to reach the bottom. I tested each type of fabric 5 times, using a stopwatch. Once all of the data was collected I concluded that my hypothesis was correct, however it was also tied with the duck tape fabric, which was unexpected.
4.) The purpose of the experiment that we created was to test and discover how to make a long lasting soda geyser. Our hypothesis was that diet coke was going to create the longest lasting; we based our hypothesis on the research we did before our experiment. To prove our hypothesis we collect 10 different types of sodas and created 20 trials, 2 per types of soda. We placed 3 mint flavored Mentos into the 2 liter soda bottles. Using a stopwatch, we stared the timer we then dropped the Mentos into the bottles, once the geyser subsided we stopped the timer and recorded the data. Once all the data was collected we concluded that our hypothesis was incorrect. We found that the smaller the geyser the longer it lasted.