hypothesis for science fair project

What is a hypothesis?

No.  A hypothesis is sometimes described as an educated guess.  That's not the same thing as a guess and not really a good description of a hypothesis either.  Let's try working through an example.

If you put an ice cube on a plate and place it on the table, what will happen?  A very young child might guess that it will still be there in a couple of hours.  Most people would agree with the hypothesis that:

An ice cube will melt in less than 30 minutes.

You could put sit and watch the ice cube melt and think you've proved a hypothesis.  But you will have missed some important steps.

For a good science fair project you need to do quite a bit of research before any experimenting.  Start by finding some information about how and why water melts.  You could read a book, do a bit of Google searching, or even ask an expert.  For our example, you could learn about how temperature and air pressure can change the state of water.  Don't forget that elevation above sea level changes air pressure too.

Now, using all your research, try to restate that hypothesis.

An ice cube will melt in less than 30 minutes in a room at sea level with a temperature of 20C or 68F.

But wait a minute.  What is the ice made from?  What if the ice cube was made from salt water, or you sprinkled salt on a regular ice cube?  Time for some more research.  Would adding salt make a difference?  Turns out it does.  Would other chemicals change the melting time?

Using this new information, let's try that hypothesis again.

An ice cube made with tap water will melt in less than 30 minutes in a room at sea level with a temperature of 20C or 68F.

Does that seem like an educated guess?  No, it sounds like you are stating the obvious.

At this point, it is obvious only because of your research.  You haven't actually done the experiment.  Now it's time to run the experiment to support the hypothesis.

A hypothesis isn't an educated guess.  It is a tentative explanation for an observation, phenomenon, or scientific problem that can be tested by further investigation.

Once you do the experiment and find out if it supports the hypothesis, it becomes part of scientific theory.

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Introduction

1. get your idea and do some research, 2. ask a testable question, 3. design and conduct your experiment, 4. examine your results, 5. communicate your experiment and results.

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How to Do a Science Fair Project

To get started on your science fair project, you'll learn to observe the world around you and ask questions about the things you observe.

Observe the world around you and ask questions about the things you observe.

Develop your idea into a question you can test. Your question should follow the format, "How does [input] affect [output]?"

Design your experiment and keep track of the results. Remember to only change one variable and conduct your experiment multiple times for each trial. Each trial should be repeated in exactly the same way.

Now that your experiment is done, it's time to examine your results. You want to look for trends in your results and draw conclusions from those trends. You also want to examine your data for possible influences from factors you didn't consider at first.

Make a poster display that summarizes your experiment so you can share your results. Be sure to include the question you were trying to answer (your hypothesis), the steps you took to answer that question, your results and any factors that may have influenced your results. Your poster should be visually appealing, but also clear about what you did and why people should care.

Science Fair Wizard

• Pick a topic
• Determine a problem
• Investigate your problem
• Formulate a hypothesis

Experimenting

• Design an experiment
• Test your hypothesis
• Compile your data
• Write your research paper
• Construct your exhibit
• Prepare your presentation
• Show Time! Pre-science fair checklist
• Submit your paperwork

Step 4: Formulate a hypothesis

The purpose of your science fair project is to create a test (an experiment) to find out the answer to a question that interests you. What is the problem or question you have at this point? What do you think is going to be the answer to your question? You are now ready to go to the next section and actually design your experiment.

Write a one-sentence purpose statement and one-sentence hypothesis to get started. Refine.

Formulate a Hypothesis

Scientists at Argonne National Laboratory can help you with your project. ( just ask )

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Learn STEM by Doing (and having fun)!

The Ultimate Science Fair Project Guide – From Start to Finish

When our daughter entered her first science fair, we kept seeing references to the Internet Public Library Science Fair Project Resource Guide .  However, the IPL2 permanently closed… taking the guide with it.  Bummer !  After now participating in over a half-dozen elementary school science fairs (including a first-place finish!), we created our own guide to help other students go from start to finish in their next science fair project.  If this is your first science fair, have fun!  If you’ve done it before, we hope this is your best one!  Let’s science!

*Images from Unsplash

How to Use the STEMium Science Fair Project Ultimate Guide?

If you are just starting off and this is your first science fair, here’s how to get started:

• Start with the STEMium Science Fair Project Roadmap . This is an infographic that “maps” out the process from start to finish and shows all the steps in a visual format.
• Getting Started – Why Do a Science Fair Project . Besides walking through some reasons to do a project, we also share links to examples of national science fair competitions, what’s involved and examples of winning science fair experiments .  *Note: this is where you’ll get excited!!
• The Scientific Method – What is It and What’s Involved . One of the great things about a science fair project is that it introduces students to an essential process/concept known as the scientific method.  This is simply the way in which we develop a hypothesis to test.
• Start the Process – Find an Idea . You now have a general idea of what to expect at the science fair, examples of winning ideas, and know about the scientific method.  You’re ready to get started on your own project.  How do you come up with an idea for a science fair project?  We have resources on how to use a Google tool , as well as some other strategies for finding an idea.
• Experiment and Build the Project . Time to roll up those sleeves and put on your lab coat.
• Other Resources for the Fair. Along the way, you will likely encounter challenges or get stuck.  Don’t give up – it’s all part of the scientific process.  Check out our STEMium Resources page for more links and resources from the web.  We also have additional experiments like the germiest spot in school , or the alka-seltzer rocket project that our own kids used.

Getting Started – Why Do a Science Fair Project

For many students, participating in the science fair might be a choice that was made FOR you.  In other words, something you must do as part of a class.  Maybe your parents are making you do it.  For others, maybe it sounded like a cool idea.  Something fun to try.  Whatever your motivation, there are a lot of great reasons to do a science fair project.

• Challenge yourself
• Learn more about science
• Explore cool technology
• Make something to help the world! (seriously!)
• Win prizes (and sometimes even money)
• Do something you can be proud of!

Many students will participate in a science fair at their school.  But there are also national competitions that include 1000s of participants.  There are also engineering fairs, maker events, and hackathons.  It’s an exciting time to be a scientist!!  The list below gives examples of national events.

• Regeneron Science Talent Search
• Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair
• Google Science Fair
• Conrad Challenge
• Microsoft Imagine Cup
• JSHS Program
• Exploravision

What’s the Scientific Method?

Before we jump into your project, it’s important to introduce a key concept:  The Scientific Method .  The scientific method is the framework scientists use to answer their questions and test their hypothesis.  The figure below illustrates the steps you’ll take to get to the end, but it starts with asking a question (you’ve already finished the first step!).

After we find a problem/idea to tackle, and dig into some background research, we create a guess on a potential solution.  This is known as our hypothesis.

Example of a Hypothesis

My brother can hold his breath underwater longer than I can (“our problem”) –> how can I hold my breath longer? (“our question”) –>  if I drink soda with caffeine before I hold my breath, I will be able to stay underwater longer (“our solution”).  Our hypothesis is that using caffeine before we go underwater will increase the time we hold our breath.  We’re not sure if that is a correct solution or not at this stage – just taking a guess.

Once we have a hypothesis, we design an experiment to TEST our hypothesis.  First, we will change variables/conditions one at a time while keeping everything else the same, so we can compare the outcomes.

Experimental Design Example

Using our underwater example, maybe we will test different drinks and count how long I can hold my breath.  Maybe we can also see if someone else can serve as a “control” – someone who holds their breath but does not drink caffeine.  For the underwater experiment, we can time in seconds how long I hold my breath before I have a drink and then time it again after I have my caffeine drink.  I can also time how long I stay underwater when I have a drink without caffeine.

Then, once we finish with our experiment, we analyze our data and develop a conclusion.

• How many seconds did I stay underwater in the different situations? 
• Which outcome is greater?  Did caffeine help me hold my breath longer? 

Finally, (and most important), we present our findings. Imagine putting together a poster board with a chart showing the number of seconds I stayed underwater in the different conditions.

Hopefully you have a better sense of the scientific method.  If you are completing a science fair project, sticking with these steps is super important.  Just in case there is any lingering confusion, here are some resources for learning more about the scientific method:

• Science Buddies – Steps of the Scientific Method
• Ducksters – Learn About the Scientific Method
• Biology4kids – Scientific Method
• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences – Scientific Method

What Science Fair Project Should I Do?

And science is no different.

Just know that if you can get through the idea part, the rest of the science fair is relatively smooth sailing.  Remember to keep an open mind and a positive outlook .  Each year 100s of 1000s of kids, teenagers and college students come up with new projects and ideas to test.  You’ve got this!

What Makes a Great Science Fair Project?  Start with a Problem To Solve

As we discuss below, good science experiments attempt to answer a QUESTION.  Why is the sky blue?  Why does my dog bark at her reflection?  First, we will step through some ways to find TESTABLE QUESTIONS.  These questions that you create will be what you work on for your science fair project.  Pick something fun, something interesting and something that you are excited about.  Not sure what that looks like?  Step through some of the tips below for help.

Use the Google Science Fair Idea Generator

Are you surprised Google made a tool for science fair projects??  Our post called the low-stress way to find a science fair project gives a more in-depth overview about how to use it.  It’s a great first stop if you’re early in the brainstorming process.

Answer your own questions

• What type of music makes you run faster?
• Can boys hold their breath underwater longer than girls?
• How can I be sure the sandwich I bought is gluten free?
• If we plant 100 trees in our neighborhood, will the air be cleaner?

Still stuck? Get inspiration from other science fair projects

Check out the Getting Started section and look at some of the winning science project ideas, our STEMium experiments and our Resource page.  We’ve presented a ton of potential idea starters for you – take time to run through some of these, but our suggestion is to give yourself a deadline to pick an idea .  Going through the lists could take you longer than you think, and in many cases sometimes it’s just better to pick something and go for it!  The next section will take you through how to create testable questions for your project.

Starting Your Project: Find A Testable Question

The best experiments start with a question.  Taking that a step further, the questions you useyou’re your science fair project should be ones that are TESTABLE.  That means something you can measure.  Let’s look at an example.  Let’s say I’m super excited about baking.  OH YEA!!  I love baking.  Specifically, baking cakes.  In fact, I love baking cakes so much that I want to do a science project related to cakes.  We’ve got two questions on cakes that we created.  Which question below could be most useful for a science fair project:

1)  Can eating cake before a test improve your score?

2)  Why isn’t carrot cake more popular than chocolate cake?

The second question isn’t necessarily a bad question to pick.  You could survey people and perhaps tackle the question that way.  However, chances are you will get a lot of different answers and it will probably take a lot of surveys to start to pick up a trend.

Although, the first question might be a little easier.  How would you test this?   Maybe you pick one type of cake and one test that you give people.  If you can get five people to take the test after eating cake and five people take the test with no cake, you can compare the test results.  There might be other variables beyond cake that you could test (example: age, sex, education).  But you can see that the first question is probably a little easier to test.  The first question is also a little easier to come up with a hypothesis.

At this point, you’ve got an idea.  That was the hard part!  Now it’s time to think a little more about that idea and focus it into a scientific question that is testable and that you can create a hypothesis around .

What makes a question “testable”?

Testable questions are ones that can be measured and should focus on what you will change.  In our first cake question, we would be changing whether or not people eat cake before a test.  If we are giving them all the same test and in the same conditions, you could compare how they do on the test with and without cake.  As you are creating your testable question, think about what you WILL CHANGE (cake) and what you are expecting to be different (test scores).  Cause and effect.  Check out this reference on testable questions for more details.

Outline Your Science Project – What Steps Should I Take?

Do Background Research / Create Hypothesis

Science experiments typically start with a question (example: Which cleaning solution eliminates more germs?).  The questions might come up because of a problem.  For example, maybe you’re an engineer and you are trying to design a new line of cars that can drive at least 50 mph faster.  Your problem is that the car isn’t fast enough.  After looking at what other people have tried to do to get the car to go faster, and thinking about what you can change, you try to find a solution or an answer.  When we talk about the scientific method, the proposed answer is referred to as the HYPOTHESIS.

• Science Buddies
• National Geographic

The information you gather to answer these research questions can be used in your report or in your board.  This will go in the BACKGROUND section.  For resources that you find useful, make sure you note the web address where you found it, and save in a Google Doc for later.

Additional Research Tips

For your own science fair project, there will likely be rules that will already be set by the judges/teachers/school.  Make sure you get familiar with the rules FOR YOUR FAIR and what needs to be completed to participate .  Typically, you will have to do some research into your project, you’ll complete experiments, analyze data, make conclusions and then present the work in a written report and on a poster board.  Make a checklist of all these “to do” items.  Key things to address:

• Question being answered – this is your testable question
• Hypothesis – what did you come up with and why
• Experimental design – how are you going to test your hypothesis
• Conclusions – why did you reach these and what are some alternative explanations
• What would you do next? Answering a testable question usually leads to asking more questions and judges will be interested in how you think about next steps.

Need more help?  Check out these additional resources on how to tackle a science fair project:

• Developing a Science Fair Project – Wiley
• Successful Science Fair Projects – Washington University
• Science Fair Planning Guide – Chattahoochee Elementary

Experiment – Time to Test That Hypothesis

Way to go!  You’ve found a problem and identified a testable question.  You’ve done background research and even created a hypothesis.  It’s time to put it all together now and start designing your experiment.  Two experiments we have outlined in detail – germiest spot in school and alka-seltzer rockets – help show how to set up experiments to test variable changes.

The folks at ThoughtCo have a great overview on the different types of variables – independent, dependent and controls.  You need to identify which ones are relevant to your own experiment and then test to see how changes in the independent variable impacts the dependent variable .  Sounds hard?  Nope.  Let’s look at an example.  Let’s say our hypothesis is that cold weather will let you flip a coin with more heads than tails.  The independent variable is the temperature.  The dependent variable is the number of heads or tails that show up.  Our experiment could involve flipping a coin fifty times in different temperatures (outside, in a sauna, in room temperature) and seeing how many heads/tails we get.

One other important point – write down all the steps you take and the materials you use!!  This will be in your final report and project board.  Example – for our coin flipping experiment, we will have a coin (or more than one), a thermometer to keep track of the temperature in our environment.  Take pictures of the flipping too!

Analyze Results – Make Conclusions

Analyzing means adding up our results and putting them into pretty pictures.  Use charts and graphs whenever you can.  In our last coin flipping example, you’d want to include bar charts of the number of heads and tails at different temperatures.  If you’re doing some other type of experiment, take pictures during the different steps to document everything.

This is the fun part….  Now we get to see if we answered our question!  Did the weather affect the coin flipping?  Did eating cake help us do better on our test??  So exciting!  Look through what the data tells you and try to answer your question.  Your hypothesis may / may not be correct.  It’s not important either way – the most important part is what you learned and the process.  Check out these references for more help:

• How to make a chart or graph in Google Sheets
• How to make a chart in Excel

Presentation Time – Set Up Your Board, Practice Your Talk

Personally, the presentation is my favorite part!  First, you get to show off all your hard work and look back at everything you did!  Additionally, science fair rules should outline the specific sections that need to be in the report, and in the poster board – so, be like Emmett from Lego Movie and read the instructions.  Here’s a loose overview of what you should include:

• Title – what is it called.
• Introduction / background – here’s why you’re doing it and helping the judges learn a bit about your project.
• Materials/Methods – what you used and the steps in your experiment. This is so someone else could repeat your experiment.
• Results – what was the outcome? How many heads/tails?  Include pictures and graphs.
• Conclusions – was your hypothesis correct? What else would you like to investigate now?  What went right and what went wrong?
• References – if you did research, where did you get your information from? What are your sources?

The written report will be very similar to the final presentation board.  The board that you’ll prepare is usually a three-panel board set up like the picture shown below.

To prepare for the presentation, you and your partner should be able to talk about the following:

• why you did the experiment
• the hypothesis that was tested
• the data results
• the conclusions.

It’s totally OK to not know an answer.  Just remember this is the fun part!

And that’s it!  YOU DID IT!! 

Science fair projects have been great opportunities for our kids to not only learn more about science, but to also be challenged and push themselves.  Independent projects like these are usually a great learning opportunity.  Has your child completed a science fair project that they are proud of?  Include a pic in the comments – we love to share science!!  Please also check out our STEMium Resources page for more science fair project tips and tricks .

STEMomma is a mother & former scientist/educator. She loves to find creative, fun ways to help engage kids in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math).  When she’s not busy in meetings or carpooling kids, she loves spending time with the family and dreaming up new experiments  or games they can try in the backyard.

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Steps in a Science Fair Project

What are the steps in a science fair project.

• Pick a topic
• Construct an exhibit for results
• Write a report
• Practice presenting

Some science fair projects are experiments to test a hypothesis . Other science fair projects attempt to answer a question or demonstrate how nature works or even invent a technology to measure something.

Before you start, find out which of these are acceptable kinds of science fair projects at your school. You can learn something and have fun using any of these approaches.

• First, pick a topic. Pick something you are interested in, something you'd like to think about and know more about.
• Then do some background research on the topic.
• Decide whether you can state a hypothesis related to the topic (that is, a cause and effect statement that you can test), and follow the strict method listed above, or whether you will just observe something, take and record measurements, and report.
• Design and carry out your research, keeping careful records of everything you do or see and your results or observations.
• Construct an exhibit or display to show and explain to others what you hoped to test (if you had a hypothesis) or what question you wanted to answer, what you did, what your data showed, and your conclusions.
• Write a short report that also states the same things as the exhibit or display, and also gives the sources of your initial background research.
• Practice describing your project and results, so you will be ready for visitors to your exhibit at the science fair.

Do a Science Fair Project!

How do you do a science fair project.

Ask a parent, teacher, or other adult to help you research the topic and find out how to do a science fair project about it.

Test, answer, or show?

Your science fair project may do one of three things:

Test an idea (or hypothesis.)

Answer a question.

Show how nature works.

Topic ideas:

Space topics:.

How do the constellations change in the night sky over different periods of time?

How does the number of stars visible in the sky change from place to place because of light pollution?

Learn about and demonstrate the ancient method of parallax to measure the distance to an object, such as stars and planets.

Study different types of stars and explain different ways they end their life cycles.

Earth topics:

How do the phases of the Moon correspond to the changing tides?

Demonstrate what causes the phases of the Moon?

How does the tilt of Earth’s axis create seasons throughout the year?

How do weather conditions (temperature, humidity) affect how fast a puddle evaporates?

How salty is the ocean?

Solar system topics:

How does the size of a meteorite relate to the size of the crater it makes when it hits Earth?

How does the phase of the Moon affect the number of stars visible in the sky?

Show how a planet’s distance from the Sun affects its temperature.

Sun topics:

Observe and record changes in the number and placement of sun spots over several days. DO NOT look directly at the Sun!

Make a sundial and explain how it works.

Show why the Moon and the Sun appear to be the same size in the sky.

How effective are automobile sunshades?

Study and explain the life space of the sun relative to other stars.

Pick a topic.

Try to find out what people already know about it.

State a hypothesis related to the topic. That is, make a cause-and-effect-statement that you can test using the scientific method .

Explain something.

Make a plan to observe something.

Design and carry out your research, keeping careful records of everything you do or see.

Create an exhibit or display to show and explain to others what you hoped to test (if you had a hypothesis) or what question you wanted to answer, what you did, what your data showed, and your conclusions.

Write a short report that also states the same things as the exhibit or display, and also gives the sources of your initial background research.

Practice describing your project and results, so you will be ready for visitors to your exhibit at the science fair.

Follow these steps to a successful science fair entry!

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Sarah Lyn Gay

STEM Life with a nine-year-old college student

Science Fair Projects Hypothesis: Crafting a Winning Proposal

Crafting a solid science fair projects hypothesis is a critical step in the scientific process as you prepare your projects and ideas. A hypothesis is essentially your educated guess about what will happen in your experiment based on current knowledge and previous research. It provides a clear direction for your study, allowing you to make predictions that can be tested through experimentation.

Understanding the importance of a hypothesis will not only guide your experimentation but also illuminate the thought process that scientists use to explore questions and seek answers. Whether your hypothesis turns out to be correct or not, it forms the foundation of a methodical inquiry, setting the stage for gaining new insights or understanding why an experiment yielded unexpected results.

Your ability to formulate a testable hypothesis can impress science fair judges as much as your experimental results. It showcases your grasp of the scientific method, the diligence with which you’ve controlled your experiment, and your vision for future research improvements. Therefore, take the time to develop a hypothesis that is both reasonable and testable, as it will be pivotal in driving your science fair project forward.

Understanding Hypotheses

In your journey through a science fair project, a solid grasp of what a hypothesis is and how it functions is fundamental. This understanding will guide your experimental design and analysis.

Defining a Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a testable prediction that explains a phenomenon or answers a specific question. To craft a usable hypothesis, you begin with an observation and then propose a plausible explanation that you can verify through experimentation. According to Science Buddies , it’s your tentative answer to a well-framed question based on the available information and knowledge.

Types of Hypotheses

There are generally two types of hypotheses used in scientific experiments:

• Null Hypothesis (H0) : States there is no effect or no relationship between variables. It is something you seek to disprove.
• Alternative Hypothesis (H1) : This is what you propose as a potential explanation when the null hypothesis is rejected. It indicates the presence of an effect or relationship.

It’s vital to understand that both types of hypotheses can be used to direct your research process, allowing for structured experimentation.

Role of Hypotheses in Science

In the scientific world, hypotheses play a crucial role. They act as a compass for your research, directing your experimental activities. A clear hypothesis provides a focus for collecting data and making conclusions. Whether your hypothesis is eventually supported or rejected, it significantly contributes to the advancement of scientific knowledge by pointing toward new research questions and experiments.

Designing the Experiment

When you’re ready to bring your science fair project to life, careful planning of your experiment is crucial. This involves considering all variables and crafting a hypothesis that is not only testable but also directly addresses your research question.

Variables in Experiments

Your experiment’s outcome is influenced by various factors known as variables . There are two primary types:

• Independent Variable : This is the variable you’ll change deliberately to observe the effects on the dependent variable. It’s what you’re testing.
• Dependent Variable : This is the variable you’ll measure, as it’s expected to change in response to the independent variable.

Controlled Variables are those that must be kept constant to ensure that any change in the dependent variable is directly due to the manipulation of the independent variable.

Below is an example of how variables might be presented in a simple experiment:

Developing a Testable Hypothesis

A testable hypothesis provides a clear prediction about the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. It should be specific and focused, such as “If the amount of sunlight a plant receives each day increases, then the growth of the plant will increase.”

To create your hypothesis, start with a question. Use insights about similar experiments from resources like Writing a Hypothesis for Your Science Fair Project to frame a predictive statement. Once developed, your hypothesis will guide the design of your experiment’s procedures, ensuring that you are effectively testing what you set out to explore.

Selecting a Topic

When embarking on a science fair project, the initial choice of topic sets the stage for your entire investigation. It is crucial to select a topic that is not only interesting but also feasible for experimentation.

Popular Science Fields

Several fields consistently provide rich ground for science fair projects:

• Biology : Study of living organisms and vital processes.
• Chemistry : Exploration of substances and their interactions.
• Physics : Inquiry into matter, energy, and the fundamental forces of nature.
• Environmental Science : Examination of the relationship between organisms and their environment.
• Engineering : Application of scientific principles to design or build structures, machines, or materials.

Criteria for Topic Selection

When picking your science fair project topic, use the following criteria to guide you:

• Feasibility : Can you realistically conduct experiments on this topic with available resources?
• Interest : Are you genuinely curious about this subject matter? Will it maintain your attention?
• Originality : Is your approach to the topic unique or does it add new insight?
• Scope : Is your topic too broad or narrow? Ensure it can be addressed effectively within the project timeframe.
• Relevance : Does your topic tie in with current scientific questions or societal issues?

Your topic is the foundation of your science fair project. Choose wisely to ensure a rewarding research experience.

Research and Background Study

Before you dive into your science fair project, it’s crucial to build a solid foundation through comprehensive research and background study. This ensures you design a thoughtful experiment and understand the broader context of your work .

Gathering Scientific Literature

Your first step is to collect relevant scientific literature. These range from scholarly articles to textbooks that cover the topic at hand. Be methodical in your search, aiming to attain a representative sample of current knowledge, theories, and methods related to your hypothesis. You might start your journey at Science Buddies , which offers guidance on creating a research plan.

Begin with:

• Scientific databases: Access peer-reviewed papers, abstracts, and citations.
• Public and university libraries: Locate books and journals that might not be available online.
• Credible websites: Find insights on recent developments and supplementary data.

Evaluating Sources

Critical evaluation of your sources is just as important as the gathering process. You need to assess each source’s credibility, relevance, and scientific merit. Prioritize primary sources—those providing raw data or new findings over secondary ones like reviews or opinion pieces.

For this, consider:

• Publication date: Prioritize more recent studies to ensure up-to-date information.
• Author expertise: Check the authors’ credentials and their standing in the scientific community.
• Peer review: Give more weight to publications that have undergone strict peer-review processes.

Remember, a well-researched background study forms the backbone of your project, guiding you from a speculative hypothesis to robust scientific inquiry.

Experimentation

In the experimentation phase of your science fair project, you focus on testing the hypothesis you have formulated. This stage is where your initial ideas are put through a rigorous process to see if they stand up to scientific scrutiny.

Materials and Methods

To begin your experiment, it is crucial to list all materials you will need. This could include lab equipment, chemicals, and other supplies relevant to your project.

• Lab Equipment : Beakers, test tubes, pipettes
• Chemicals : Solutions, reagents
• Supplies : Protective gloves, measuring instruments

Next, outline your methods with step-by-step instructions to ensure repeatability. For instance:

• Measure 50ml of solution A into a test tube.
• Add 5g of substance B and stir.
• Record the reaction every 30 seconds for 5 minutes.

Safety Procedures

Your safety is paramount. Document and follow all necessary safety procedures to mitigate risk:

• Wear safety goggles and gloves at all times.
• Understand how to handle hazardous materials .
• Keep a first aid kit and safety shower accessible.

Data Collection Methods

Effective data collection methods are essential for obtaining reliable results.

• Quantitative data : Use precise instruments like a stopwatch or a scale to collect numerical data.
• Qualitative data : Record observations such as color changes, temperature, or texture.

By adhering to these structured approaches in materials and methods, safety procedures, and data collection methods, you’ll ensure a thorough and credible experimentation process.

Data Analysis

In the context of a science fair project, data analysis is the hinge upon which your conclusions rest. You must scrutinize the gathered data to discern patterns, test your hypothesis, and formulate conclusions.

Interpreting Results

When you look at your data, it’s crucial to interpret what it actually means in relation to your hypothesis. Ask yourself if the results support or contradict your initial prediction. Effective interpretation of results also involves recognizing any anomalies or outliers in your data set. It’s important to consider these irregularities and their potential impact on your findings.

Statistical Analysis Tools

Leveraging statistical analysis tools is fundamental in processing your experimental data. You will often use software or online platforms to calculate statistical metrics such as mean, median, mode, variance, and standard deviation.

For more intricate analyses, tools capable of performing chi-square tests, t-tests, or ANOVA may be necessary to understand if your results are statistically significant. Tools like GraphPad Prism and SPSS are widely utilized by researchers for this purpose.

These tools help you avoid manual calculation errors and provide visualizations like graphs and charts, which are indispensable for a thorough understanding and presentation of your research findings.

Drawing Conclusions

When you reach the end of your science fair project, the conclusions you draw are a critical component of your study. This is where you interpret your data and determine whether they support or contradict your original hypothesis.

Support or Refute the Hypothesis

Your results either confirm or reject the hypothesis you set out to test. To support your hypothesis , present your findings clearly, stating how the evidence backs up your initial prediction.

On the other hand, if your results refute the hypothesis , it’s essential to analyze and communicate the reasons that might have led to these unexpected results. Both outcomes provide valuable scientific insights and contribute to the learning process.

• Clearly state this alignment.
• Describe the data patterns that confirm the hypothesis.
• Present the contradictory evidence.
• Offer a thorough examination of potential reasons.

Reporting Findings

Your findings should be reported concisely, with emphasis on their reliability and relevance to the research question. Present your data in a structured manner, highlighting key figures and trends . Use visual aids such as charts or graphs to improve understanding and provide a straightforward summary of your data. This clear presentation of your findings is crucial for others to follow your scientific reasoning.

• Summarize key results with bullet points or a simple table.
• Incorporate clear visuals like graphs to represent data effectively.
• Maintain a neutral tone, letting the data speak for itself without bias.

Remember, whether your hypothesis was supported or not, the knowledge gained is a stepping stone for further research and understanding.

Preparing the Display Board

When tackling your science fair project, the display board is where your research comes to life. It’s important to make your findings accessible and visually engaging.

Visual Presentation Tips

Contrast: Utilize contrasting colors for text and background to ensure readability from a distance. A standard display board is usually 36 inches tall by 48 inches wide, so your information should stand out clearly.

Text Size: Maintain a font size of at least 16 points for body text, with titles and headings being substantially larger to draw attention.

Images and Graphics: Bring your data to life through the use of graphs, photos, and diagrams. Align these visual elements neatly, balancing them within your content to avoid clutter , but making sure they serve to illustrate your points effectively.

Organizing Information Effectively

Logical Flow: Arrange your information in a sequence that follows the scientific method: question, hypothesis, research, experiment, results, and conclusion. Think of your board as a storyboard narrating your project journey.

Sections: Use distinct sections for each part of the scientific method. Here’s a brief layout you might follow:

• Title: Bold and centered at the top
• Abstract: Brief project summary
• Question: Clearly stated
• Hypothesis: What you proposed to investigate
• Materials and Methods: What you used and did
• Results: Display charts or graphs here
• Conclusion: Summarize findings; were hypotheses supported?

Labels: Clearly label each section. Consider using headers or color-coding to distinguish different parts of your project .

Remember to balance text with visuals and leave some white space to prevent a cluttered appearance. This makes it easier for observers to follow and understand your work.

Presenting the Project

When it’s time to showcase your science fair project, your presentation skills can profoundly impact the perception of your work. It’s essential to communicate your findings effectively and respond to questions with poise.

Oral Presentation Skills

Crafting your oral presentation is pivotal. Begin by creating an outline that includes:

• Introduction to your hypothesis
• Summary of your methodology
• Discussion of the results
• The conclusion that addresses your hypothesis

Use clear language and practice regularly to maintain a steady pace and tone. Visual aids, such as charts or slides, should complement your speech, not overwhelm it. Eye contact and body language convey confidence, which bolsters the credibility of your presentation.

Handling Questions

After presenting, be prepared for questions. Listen carefully to each question, maintain eye contact, and pause briefly to compose your thoughts. Structure your responses with a beginning, middle, and end to stay coherent. If you encounter an unexpected question, it’s acceptable to say, “I don’t have that information right now, but I can find out.” Your honesty in these moments can be just as impressive as your knowledge.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Crafting a hypothesis is a fundamental step for your science fair project that sets the stage for your experiment. Below you will find essential questions answered to guide you through creating and testing your hypothesis effectively.

How do you formulate a testable hypothesis for a science fair project?

To form a testable hypothesis, you need to identify a clear, measurable question or problem, and then predict an answer or solution based on your understanding. It should be structured in a way that defines what you expect to happen and what effect you believe one variable will have on another. For guidance, view strategies for writing a hypothesis .

What are examples of strong hypotheses for elementary level science projects?

Strong hypotheses at the elementary level might involve simple cause and effect relationships that are easily observable. For example, “If a plant is given fertilizer, then it will grow to be bigger than a plant that does not receive fertilizer.” To see more examples, explore writing a hypothesis for beginners .

What steps are involved in testing a hypothesis in a science fair setting?

Testing a hypothesis involves following a structured approach: starting with extensive research, defining dependent and independent variables, conducting a controlled experiment, collecting and analyzing data, and concluding whether the hypothesis is supported or refuted. For an in-depth look at the process, consider the steps of the scientific method .

How can a hypothesis drive the scientific method in a student’s experiment?

A well-constructed hypothesis provides a foundation for the scientific method, guiding your experimental design, data collection, and analysis. It helps you establish the parameters of your study and anticipate possible outcomes. Your hypothesis essentially determines the direction and focus of your experiment.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when crafting a hypothesis for a science fair?

Common mistakes include creating a hypothesis that is not testable, is too broad or vague, or does not have an independent and dependent variable. Your hypothesis should also avoid any bias or subjective language. It is crucial to be as specific and objective as possible.

Can you provide hypothetical scenarios for a successful science fair experiment?

Imagine a scenario where you predict that the type of soil affects plant growth. You could design an experiment with plants in different soil types and measure their growth over a set period. Another scenario could be testing how temperature affects the rate at which sugar dissolves in water, with controlled temperature variations and consistent measurement methods.

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How to Do a Science Fair Project

Science fair projects are a wonderful opportunity to go beyond the knowledge you learn in a textbook. Through independent research, a science fair project allows you to explore any scientific or engineering topic that interests you, study a subject in depth and come up with a hands-on experiment that investigates a question you have about the world around you.

Let’s walk you through the complete process of how to do a science fair project. Including, coming up with an idea, creating a testable question, conducting the experiment, recording and examining your results and even preparing your presentation. Make sure that when you conduct any project, you follow all safety procedures and have adult supervision.

Science Fair Project Expectations

The expectations for varying ages will be different. Although all the steps for a science fair project are covered in the video below, you’ll want to note these average expectations by grade level:

1 -3 rd grade: What I Did and What I Learned

• Younger elementary students would explore a science topic that reflects their current interests, as well as share what they did and what they learned in the process.

4-6 th grade: Simplified Scientific Method

• Older elementary students would explore a topic more in-depth by creating a simple hypothesis and going through a simplified version of the scientific method.

7-8 th grade: Scientific Method

• Middle school students should follow the scientific method; however, their background research and future studies would be brief.

9-12 th grade: All Portions, Including Research, Conclusions and Future Studies

• Finally, high school students would complete all portions of the process covered in the video, including in-depth research, conclusions, and future studies.

Ultimately we want you to have fun exploring and experimenting in a safe manner, experiencing the joy that comes from discovering something new.

Brainstorming an Experiment Idea

The first thing you need for a science fair project is an idea, and the key to a successful science fair project begins with you. What are your interests? What questions do you have about the things you like to do every day? Because you are going to spend lots of time researching, experimenting, and presenting, make your topic something you are excited about. If you choose a project idea that interests you, then you’ll be more motivated to complete it, do it well, and, most importantly, have fun learning!

A good science fair project goes beyond the classic volcano model (unless you absolutely love studying volcanoes). You want your project to stand out as you share your newfound knowledge with others.

Now there are some topics that are not a good choice for a science fair project. For example, don’t pick any topics that include hard-to-measure data, such as how a person’s feelings or memory would be affected by certain foods, music, or other stimuli. If you are comparing products, try to avoid results that are open to personal opinions. You want results that are measurable. Do not choose a topic that requires dangerous materials, and please don’t pick a topic that could cause injury or pain to a living animal or human!

A traditional science question may come about like this:

• Let’s say you enjoy baking bread- you have always been fascinated to watch the loaves grow as you stare through the oven window. This might start you thinking about how yeast causes the bread to rise.
• Or perhaps you have a garden that is constantly bothered by ants. You might start to wonder what structural barriers you could test that would keep them out.
• If you like to play sports, perhaps you could test what types of shoe treads would make you run faster.
• If you’re considering an engineering design project, look around at designs and technology around you to see if there are ways to improve them. Maybe you want to make something stronger, faster, or smaller. For this type of project, you’re basically looking for ways you can improve existing designs.

These are all great topics to start with, but you need to think about that subject a bit in order to come up with a testable question. So the next step involves doing some research to gather background information on your topic.

Doing Some Background Research

Once you’ve come up with an idea, gather some library books and research internet sources on the subject. If you know a professional in the area of your study, they might be helpful to brainstorm ideas with, too. For older students, it’s important to learn what research has already been completed about your subject. This way, you can create an intelligent experiment. Particularly for high school students, background research (called a literature review) is an important part of your project- taking up a good portion of your efforts.

Let’s say that in reading about yeast and its role in bread, you learn that yeast is a type of single-celled fungus. When yeast cells are activated (by placing them in warm water), they feed on sugars and release carbon dioxide, which forms bubbles that become trapped in the dough, causing it to rise. That background information might cause you to ask some questions:

You might ask, “Does yeast do better with warmer or cooler oven temperatures while baking?” “Are there certain acidic materials that affect yeast, such as lemon juice or vinegar?” “How much sugar do yeast cells need?” “What type of sugar works best to get the most even rise?”

Make sure to write your research discoveries and all of these questions in your lab notebook. That way, you can refer back to this information when you need to.

This brings us to the next step in the process.

Choosing a Testable Question and Formatting it as a Hypothesis

In looking over your questions, you should now try to identify which of them can be tested. Which questions might be easy to explore and measure? You want to pick one thing to test in your project, and don’t forget to identify which one of the topics is interesting to YOU!

A helpful way to format your questions is “How does (something) affect (something)? That way, you are setting yourself up to create an experiment to answer that question. You might ask, “How does tail length affect a paper airplane’s distance of flight?” Or “How does fertilizer affect the growth of a tomato plant?”

In reviewing your background reading and research on baking bread, you might wonder what type of sugar is best to produce the greatest bread rise. Your question might be, “How does sugar type affect bread rise?” You imagine trying a bread recipe using white granulated sugar, unbleached sugar, honey, agave syrup, maple syrup, or stevia. Then, you can discuss this thinking process with your parents, a science teacher, or a professional baker.

Is this a good, testable question? Can you easily measure bread rising? Yes, you can use a ruler to measure the height of each loaf after it is baked. So this looks to be a good science fair topic – it’s testable, it’s measurable and you are interested in exploring the outcome!

Don’t forget to write this thought process in your notebook. If you discuss your idea with a professional, make sure to write down what you talked about. Again, this will be helpful for later reference.

Once you come up with a good question, it’s time to reword it into a statement called a hypothesis . A hypothesis is a testable statement – not a question – that is based on some observed situation or the relationship between elements in a situation. To say it more simply, you are making an educated guess based on the information you have observed and researched. You want to try to answer the question you have and then conduct an experiment to see if the results will either support your hypothesis or reject it.

So, if your question is, “How does sugar type affect bread rise?” you need to predict which sugar type YOU think would work the best. After doing some reading on the subject, you might notice that most yeast bread recipes call for white sugar. So your hypothesis might be, “If I use white sugar in yeast bread, then it will rise higher than other sugars.” Now THAT is a statement you can test.

One of the easiest formats for a hypothesis is called an If-then statement . It is worded in an easy-to-test way. Some examples include,

If a paper airplane is made of heavier paper, then it will fly farther than paper airplanes made of lighter paper. If disinfecting wipes are used on a cell phone daily, then the cell phone will have fewer bacteria on it compared to a cell phone that is not disinfected daily.

At this point, you have chosen your topic, done some background research on it, chosen a testable question and formed a hypothesis. All of these should be listed in your notebook. Now it’s time to set up your experiment.

Planning Your Experiment to Test One Variable

When setting up your experiment, it’s important to make every component the same, except the one you want to test. Each changeable element in an experiment is called a variable. It can vary within the experiment. For example, in varying the sugar type for the bread baking example, there are other things that could possibly change. You could bake your loaves in different types of bread pans. You might use different recipes for each loaf. You might bake the loaves at different time periods or cook them at different heights within the oven. All these variables – these things that can vary – can have an effect on your result – which is how high the bread rises. So, in order to make sure that ONLY sugar type changes, you should reduce or remove all the other variables as best as possible.

That means you should use the same type of baking pans, and bake them in the same oven on the same oven rack. And to make it even better, bake each of the loaves in the center of the oven. That might mean you have to bake them one at a time, but oven temperatures vary around the inside. You should follow the same recipe for all your loaves, using the same quantity of sugar, but the ONLY thing you vary is the type of sugar. That way, any differences in rise will most likely be due to the sugar type the yeast fed on.

Ideally, you also should conduct this same experiment more than once for each sugar type – preferably at least three times. These are called trials . You should conduct several trials so that you have more than one set of results to analyze. Each trial will include the use of the same bread pans, the same recipe, the same placement in the oven, etc. The only variable that should change is the sugar type.

If you are doing an engineering project, your experiment might look a bit different. Say you are designing a machine or device to do a task, such as exploring the best wing design for a paper airplane glider in order to make it travel the farthest. You come up with a design, create a model, test it, and then refine the design. In this case, you’ll be making several illustrations in your notebook that you can refer to. Engineering project design is more of a cyclical process. You create a design, test it several times, make a design adjustment, retest it again several times, and so on until you find the design that works best. However, just like the bread-baking example, you should still keep all the other variables, besides wing design, the same. Variables such as the height you release the plane from, the way you release the plane and the location in which you perform the experiment (which would preferably be indoors, so there is no wind variable) should all be kept constant. Once you discover the best wing length, for example, you could continue the process of keeping that best wing length and then varying another aspect, such as adjusting wing width or bending the wings upward on the tips.

As you plan your experiment, make a list in your notebook of all the materials you are going to use and write out your planned procedure. Make sure your notebook is neat and easy to read.

Now it’s time to do the actual experiment.

Conducting Your Experiment and Recording Your Observations

When conducting your experiment, measure the data carefully, record it in your notebook and include any units. In the bread-rising example, you might measure how many centimeters high each loaf of bread is, once it is removed from the loaf pan. Whenever possible, use the metric system of measurement. If you’re testing the speed of a wooden car, you could use meters per second by marking off the number of meters in the car’s path and using a phone stopwatch. When you record your data, you might want to use a chart or table to keep everything organized.

Along with your data, include photos or illustrations of your experimental setup.

Make a note if you have to change your procedure at all. Sometimes once you begin conducting an experiment, you notice new variables or other issues that need to be adjusted. That is perfectly fine, as long as you make a note of what you actually did and include that in your final report.

Examining Your Results and Making a Conclusion

The purpose of examining the results of your experiment is to look for any trends from your data and come up with conclusions based on those trends.

In the bread-baking example, you might have observed that using honey produced the highest rise. Compare that result to your original hypothesis. In our example, the hypothesis was, “If I use white sugar in yeast bread, then it will rise higher than other sugars.” Was the hypothesis correct? Did you discover a different result?

In this case, the hypothesis was not supported. Now, it’s perfectly OK if your results do not support your hypothesis. In your discussion about your experiment, you can explain what you learned from the data you collected and add the new result as your conclusion.

The most important part of this step is that you understand your subject well and can use the data you collected to come up with a conclusion – even if it is a conclusion you were surprised to get. If you hypothesized that white sugar would produce the highest rise, and your results demonstrated that honey produced the highest rise, then you’ve learned something by conducting this experiment (and you can adjust how you bake in the future!).

Some experiments will produce data that can be graphed. This is the time to do that. Analyzing data can include creating a pie chart, a bar chart, a line graph, or tables. These are great ways to present your data in an easy-to-read manner. Add these graphs or charts into your notebook, if you haven’t already.

A final part of this step includes identifying any data that were way outside of the expected findings. Perhaps one of the loaves of bread using white sugar didn’t rise at all. If something like this happens, think about what might have caused it. Maybe in this one case, the yeast was dissolved in water that was too hot, and perhaps they didn’t survive. Or perhaps the electricity went out during a portion of your cooking time, and the oven may have cooled down a bit. Although both the water temperature and the baking temperature should be variables that are controlled, sometimes there are circumstances that cause one of these variables to change, causing an unexpected outcome.

Creating a Science Fair Display Board and Report

Now it’s time to take your scientific process, findings and conclusions and create a display board and project report.

It’s best to write a report first so you can chronicle the entire process of your project. The format of a science fair report is basically the same as a lab report. You can find helps in writing a lab report by watching our “How to Write a Lab Report” YouTube video. Younger students, of course, are not expected to write as much as older students. For example, early elementary students should write or dictate a sentence or two for each of their steps.

The display board is a way people can tell at a glance what your project was all about. It is typically a three-sided corrugated board that presents all the elements of your science experiment. It has a clear title at the top center, of the board that is a form of your original question. As a general rule, the display board has your Problem, Purpose, and Hypothesis on the left side of the board, your Procedure and Materials – diagrams, graphs, and/or pictures go in the center of the board and your Results and Conclusion (along with any other images) go on the right side of the board.

Keep everything clear and simple – not cluttered. Don’t include too much text, and add clear graphs or tables in coordinating colors.  Add pictures of you conducting your experiment and close-ups of some of your results. The goal is to make your display board pleasing to the eye – not too flashy, and not too plain – but you want to include all of the major elements.

In your conclusion, tie the new information into a bigger-picture statement. In our bread-baking example, you might say that producing higher-rising bread would create more delicious bread and larger-sized sandwiches. Think about why people should care about this particular issue. Make it something they will be happy they learned about – something they can relate to. How can this information help in other areas? You can suggest how this information might benefit other types of baking, improving the texture and rise of cookies and cakes.

Preparing a Short Presentation

One of the unique things about a science fair is that students get to present their work to others. Presentations might sound a little scary, but you are basically describing how you chose your project, what you did, and what you discovered. It is a good way to teach others what you learned!

You can discuss how you came up with the idea for your project, whether it was a question you had or a problem you wanted to try to solve. Make sure you can explain the experimental process and the results you collected. Note whether your experimental results supported your hypothesis or not, and what you learned from this process. If something surprised you, include that as well. Finally, it’s always good to include how your results might be a springboard to future experimentation on your topic.

Practice your presentation for your family or friends to get some feedback and encouragement.

Wrapping Up

Science fair projects help you better understand a STEM topic and see its real-life application. Plus, they build creativity and can be both interesting and fun. You can immerse yourself in an experiment, exploring the answer to a question you have and eventually becoming an expert on the subject.

There are lots of potential experiments to choose from, but the best ones come from your own ideas. You might be way more excited to test “Do video games really rot my brain?” versus “Do plants need sunlight?” Both involve critical thinking and creativity and yet when the exploration comes out of something you enjoy, the fun – and greater learning – begins!

Enter Apologia’s 2024 Homeschool Science Fair

Head over to our entry page to learn more!

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Okay, this is the hardest part of the whole project…picking your topic. But here are some ideas to get you started. Even if you don’t like any, they may inspire you to come up with one of your own. Remember, check all project ideas with your teacher and parents, and don’t do any project that would hurt or scare people or animals. Good luck!

• Does music affect on animal behavior?
• Does the color of food or drinks affect whether or not we like them?
• Where are the most germs in your school? ( CLICK for more info. )
• Does music have an affect on plant growth?
• Which kind of food do dogs (or any animal) prefer best?
• Which paper towel brand is the strongest?
• What is the best way to keep an ice cube from melting?
• What level of salt works best to hatch brine shrimp?
• Can the food we eat affect our heart rate?
• How effective are child-proof containers and locks.
• Can background noise levels affect how well we concentrate?
• Does acid rain affect the growth of aquatic plants?
• What is the best way to keep cut flowers fresh the longest?
• Does the color of light used on plants affect how well they grow?
• What plant fertilizer works best?
• Does the color of a room affect human behavior?
• Do athletic students have better lung capacity?
• What brand of battery lasts the longest?
• Does the type of potting soil used in planting affect how fast the plant grows?
• What type of food allow mold to grow the fastest?
• Does having worms in soil help plants grow faster?
• Can plants grow in pots if they are sideways or upside down?
• Does the color of hair affect how much static electricity it can carry? (test with balloons)
• How much weight can the surface tension of water hold?
• Can some people really read someone else’s thoughts?
• Which soda decays fallen out teeth the most?
• What light brightness makes plants grow the best?
• Does the color of birdseed affect how much birds will eat it?
• Do natural or chemical fertilizers work best?
• Can mice learn? (you can pick any animal)
• Can people tell artificial smells from real ones?
• What brands of bubble gum produce the biggest bubbles?
• Does age affect human reaction times?
• What is the effect of salt on the boiling temperature of water?
• Does shoe design really affect an athlete’s jumping height?
• What type of grass seed grows the fastest?
• Can animals see in the dark better than humans?

Didn’t see one you like? Don’t worry…look over them again and see if they give you an idea for your own project that will work for you. Remember, find something that interests you, and have fun with it.

To download and print this list of ideas CLICK HERE .

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Hypothesis Examples

A hypothesis is a prediction of the outcome of a test. It forms the basis for designing an experiment in the scientific method . A good hypothesis is testable, meaning it makes a prediction you can check with observation or experimentation. Here are different hypothesis examples.

Null Hypothesis Examples

The null hypothesis (H 0 ) is also known as the zero-difference or no-difference hypothesis. It predicts that changing one variable ( independent variable ) will have no effect on the variable being measured ( dependent variable ). Here are null hypothesis examples:

• Plant growth is unaffected by temperature.
• If you increase temperature, then solubility of salt will increase.
• Incidence of skin cancer is unrelated to ultraviolet light exposure.
• All brands of light bulb last equally long.
• Cats have no preference for the color of cat food.
• All daisies have the same number of petals.

Sometimes the null hypothesis shows there is a suspected correlation between two variables. For example, if you think plant growth is affected by temperature, you state the null hypothesis: “Plant growth is not affected by temperature.” Why do you do this, rather than say “If you change temperature, plant growth will be affected”? The answer is because it’s easier applying a statistical test that shows, with a high level of confidence, a null hypothesis is correct or incorrect.

Research Hypothesis Examples

A research hypothesis (H 1 ) is a type of hypothesis used to design an experiment. This type of hypothesis is often written as an if-then statement because it’s easy identifying the independent and dependent variables and seeing how one affects the other. If-then statements explore cause and effect. In other cases, the hypothesis shows a correlation between two variables. Here are some research hypothesis examples:

• If you leave the lights on, then it takes longer for people to fall asleep.
• If you refrigerate apples, they last longer before going bad.
• If you keep the curtains closed, then you need less electricity to heat or cool the house (the electric bill is lower).
• If you leave a bucket of water uncovered, then it evaporates more quickly.
• Goldfish lose their color if they are not exposed to light.
• Workers who take vacations are more productive than those who never take time off.

Is It Okay to Disprove a Hypothesis?

Yes! You may even choose to write your hypothesis in such a way that it can be disproved because it’s easier to prove a statement is wrong than to prove it is right. In other cases, if your prediction is incorrect, that doesn’t mean the science is bad. Revising a hypothesis is common. It demonstrates you learned something you did not know before you conducted the experiment.

Test yourself with a Scientific Method Quiz .

• Mellenbergh, G.J. (2008). Chapter 8: Research designs: Testing of research hypotheses. In H.J. Adèr & G.J. Mellenbergh (eds.), Advising on Research Methods: A Consultant’s Companion . Huizen, The Netherlands: Johannes van Kessel Publishing.
• Popper, Karl R. (1959). The Logic of Scientific Discovery . Hutchinson & Co. ISBN 3-1614-8410-X.
• Schick, Theodore; Vaughn, Lewis (2002). How to think about weird things: critical thinking for a New Age . Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. ISBN 0-7674-2048-9.
• Tobi, Hilde; Kampen, Jarl K. (2018). “Research design: the methodology for interdisciplinary research framework”. Quality & Quantity . 52 (3): 1209–1225. doi: 10.1007/s11135-017-0513-8

Scientific Hypothesis Examples

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• B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College

A hypothesis is an educated guess about what you think will happen in a scientific experiment, based on your observations. Before conducting the experiment, you propose a hypothesis so that you can determine if your prediction is supported.

There are several ways you can state a hypothesis, but the best hypotheses are ones you can test and easily refute. Why would you want to disprove or discard your own hypothesis? Well, it is the easiest way to demonstrate that two factors are related. Here are some good scientific hypothesis examples:

• Hypothesis: All forks have three tines. This would be disproven if you find any fork with a different number of tines.
• Hypothesis: There is no relationship between smoking and lung cancer. While it is difficult to establish cause and effect in health issues, you can apply statistics to data to discredit or support this hypothesis.
• Hypothesis: Plants require liquid water to survive. This would be disproven if you find a plant that doesn't need it.
• Hypothesis: Cats do not show a paw preference (equivalent to being right- or left-handed). You could gather data around the number of times cats bat at a toy with either paw and analyze the data to determine whether cats, on the whole, favor one paw over the other. Be careful here, because individual cats, like people, might (or might not) express a preference. A large sample size would be helpful.
• Hypothesis: If plants are watered with a 10% detergent solution, their growth will be negatively affected. Some people prefer to state a hypothesis in an "If, then" format. An alternate hypothesis might be: Plant growth will be unaffected by water with a 10% detergent solution.
• Scientific Hypothesis, Model, Theory, and Law
• What Are the Elements of a Good Hypothesis?
• What Is a Hypothesis? (Science)
• Understanding Simple vs Controlled Experiments
• Six Steps of the Scientific Method
• What Is a Testable Hypothesis?
• Null Hypothesis Definition and Examples
• What Are Examples of a Hypothesis?
• How To Design a Science Fair Experiment
• Null Hypothesis Examples
• What 'Fail to Reject' Means in a Hypothesis Test
• Middle School Science Fair Project Ideas
• Effect of Acids and Bases on the Browning of Apples
• High School Science Fair Projects
• How to Write a Science Fair Project Report

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Science Projects on Hypothesis for Volcanoes

How to Add a Variable to a Volcano Science Project

Volcanoes have captured the imaginations of science-fair participants for generations. The fun of simulating oozing lava and creating volcanic-like explosions is undeniable. Volcanoes play an important role in the topographical and meteorological patterns of Earth’s past, present and future. The complex science of volcanoes lends itself to a variety of science-project hypotheses.

Amateur Volcanologist

Volcanologists study both active and dormant volcanoes, how they formed, and their current and historic activity. According to the University of Oregon, most of the work of the volcanologist happens in the laboratory, not at the edge of a red-hot volcano writhing with molten lava. In fact, investigating data and coming up with hypotheses is one of the most important jobs of a volcanologist.

Hazardous Volcanoes

Volcanic eruptions have many hazards, from lava flows to spewing ash. Determining where the most hazardous volcanoes are located in the world is a good project hypothesis. First, students would need to determine the main hazards of a volcano and consider factors such as human life, plant and animal life, air quality and damage to property. Data would need to be collected on volcanoes in different parts of the world and students would need to form conclusions based on the same criteria for each volcano.

Effects on Earth System

Throughout history, volcanoes have had a profound effect on Earth’s systems. Volcanoes have changed the topography of the world and even destroyed civilizations. The effects on Earth’s systems by volcanoes that are currently active are more subtle, but they can still have an impact. Choosing an active volcano and hypothesizing about its impact on the environment around it would make an interesting project. Students can consider the impact to air quality, plant life and even the weather.

Chemistry and Volcanoes

A visually pleasing volcano project involves simulating an eruption. The intensity of volcanic eruptions varies widely and students can hypothesize which type of chemical reactions could cause the biggest eruptions. For example, a project could hypothesize that yeast combined with hydrogen peroxide would create a bigger explosion than vinegar combined with baking soda. Students, with adult supervision, can mix different components to demonstrate the power of volcanic eruptions.

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• Glencoe-McGraw Hill: Earth Science; “Ranking Hazardous Volcanoes”

About the Author

Beth Griesmer’s writing career started at a small weekly newspaper in Georgetown, Texas, in 1990. Her work has appeared in the “Austin-American Statesman,” “Inkwell” literary magazine and on numerous websites. Griesmer teaches middle school language arts and science in Austin, Texas.

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