Content

• Steps

The Scientific Research Project (DANCKH) uses a scientific method to learn and test how someone works. DANCKH involves researching the topic, establishing an operational theory (or hypothesis) that can be tested, conducting experiments, and ultimately recording and reporting results. Suppose you want to participate in a project at the school science fair, you probably have to follow this sequence. However, knowing how to do DANCKH is helpful for anyone with a passion for science, and truly anyone who wants to improve their problem solving skills.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Using scientific method

1. 

   Make a question. Often the most difficult part of a DANCKH is to identify what you want to research. Take your time to make a selection as all of the steps after that will depend on the idea you choose.
   • Think about something that interests, surprises, or confuses you, and see if it could be a plausible issue for you to research for a project. Ask a single question that summarizes what you want to study.
   • For example (this is the example used throughout this section) you heard you could do a project on making a solar pot out of a pizza box. However, you will be skeptical about the feasibility of this project, or at least concerned about the pot's ability to function properly. So your question might be: "Is it possible to make a simple solar cooker that works under different conditions?"
   • Make sure the topic you choose is solvable within the time, budget, and skill level allowed, and that it does not violate the homework / fair / contest guidelines (for example, do not try test on animals).You can search for ideas online if you need some help, but don't copy other people's projects; This is against the rules and is dishonest.

2. 

   
   
   Study the topic. You can do your research by reading scientific literature and references, searching online, or by talking to knowledgeable people. Digging into your topic will help you build DANCKH.
   • Know the project requirements. Many science fairs require you to use at least three well-established, reputable and useful sources for reference.
   • The resource must be neutral (for example, not affiliated with a business product), trendy (without an encyclopedia since 1965), and reliable (not anonymized above). online forum). You can certainly use online resources recognized by an organization or scientific journal. Seek guidance from teachers or project operators if needed.
   • For example, the search term "how to make a solar pot out of a pizza box" will lead to numerous sources of information, some with a stronger scientific basis than others (and therefore more reliable). An article with the right topic in a widely recognized journal will be considered a valuable resource.
   • In contrast, blog posts, anonymous articles and community contribution material will not be accepted. Going to a valuable website like wikiHow (and there are articles about solar cookers made from pizza boxes) cannot be considered a valuable resource for DANCKH. Choosing hard-base articles with loads of footnotes (links to well-established documents) will increase the odds of acceptance, but discuss this with your instructor, the ancestor. fairs etc.

3. 

   
   
   Form a hypothesis. A hypothesis is your theory of performance or prediction, based on the question you ask and the research after it. The hypothesis must be accurate and clear, but it does not need to be proven to be true for DANCKH to be successful (in science, failure is just as important as a successful one).
   • Often you can convert your question into a hypothesis by thinking in an "if / then" structure. Perhaps you want to define your hypothesis (at least initially) as "If so".
   • In the example above, the hypothesis could be: "A solar pot made from a pizza box can operate stably when there is a lot of sunshine."

4. 

   
   
   Design the experiment. After you've shaped your hypothesis, it's time to prove it right or wrong. Experiments should only focus on confirming or negating that hypothesis. Remember, it doesn't matter whether you are right or wrong, it matters how you proceed with the process.
   • Consideration of variables is important when designing experiments. Scientific experiments have three types of variables: independent variables (which you change); the dependent variable (change corresponding to the independent variable); and controlled variables (unchanged).
   • When planning an experiment, you need to consider the necessary supplies. Make sure they are commercially available and reasonably priced, or better yet, use supplies that are readily available in the home.
   • For solar cookers made from pizza boxes, the supplies are easy to find and easy to install. Pot, cooking material (eg rice) and sun are controlled variables. Other environmental conditions (eg, time, date or season of the year) are independent variables; and the "cookedness" of the cooked object is the dependent variable.

5. 

   Conduct experiments. After all the preparations and planning have been completed, the crucial moment has finally come when you have to test your hypothesis's accuracy.
   • Follow up on the steps you have planned to run the test. However, if the experiment doesn't work as planned, reshape the steps or use different materials. (If you really want to win the fair's prize this step is very important!)
   • As a general practice, science fairs often require you to run an experiment at least three times to ensure scientific results.
   • For the project above, let's say you decide to experiment by placing the pot in direct sunlight for the same three days at 32 ° C in July, testing three times a day (10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm).

6. 

   Record and analyze the results. Even the most lucrative and engaging experiment will be in vain if you do not accurately record and analyze the results.
   • Sometimes the test data should be plotted, graphed or just written down in a notebook. No matter how you record the data, make sure the results are easy to review and analyze. Record all the results exactly, even if they do not match what you hoped or planned. This is also part of science!
   • According to the experiments at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on three hot days, you'll have to use those results. By recording the ripeness of the rice (eg the softness of the rice grain), you can discover that the only experiment at 2 pm showed successful and consistent results.

7. 

   Concluded. Now that you have finished your experiment and confirmed or denied your previous hypothesis, it is time to present your findings clearly and accurately. You're basically answering the question you originally posed.
   • If you initially ask a simple, clear, easy-to-understand question with a simple hypothesis, it will also be easier to draw conclusions.
   • Remember, concluding that your hypothesis is completely wrong does not mean your DANCKH has failed. If you know how to present your findings with a clear and scientifically sound basis, it can and will be a success.
   • In the solar pot example, your hypothesis is, "A solar pot made from a pizza box can work stably when there is a lot of sunshine." However, your conclusion is: "Pizza box solar cookers can only work well when cooking food in the midday sun on a hot day".
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Part 2 of 2: Interpretation and presentation of the project

1. 

   Know how they value your project. Whether it is a teacher-assigned learning activity or a science fair project etc., it is important that you know the criteria used to evaluate DANCKH.
   • For science fairs, the judges can base on the following criteria (total is 100%): research papers (50%); presentations (30%); poster presentation (20%).

2. 

   Write your summary. They will always ask you to write a short summary of DANCKH, called a summary. This section outlines your ideas, hypotheses and how to conduct the experiment, and the conclusions reached.
   • DANCKH's summary is usually limited to one page, about 250 words. In this short paragraph, you must focus on the purpose of the experiment, the process, the results, and the possible applications.

3. 

   Write your research paper. If the abstracts provide background information, the paper will provide critical information and analysis for DANCKH. People often think that experimentation or presentation posters are more important in themselves (perhaps because they are more interesting), but in fact research papers are the most important component when they evaluate participation. your judgment.
   • Use the instructors' or science fair moderator instructions to learn how to build a research paper.
   • For example, your post should be divided into the following sections: 1) Title page; 2) Introduction (stating topic and hypothesis); 3) Materials & Methods (describe experiment); 4) Results & Findings (present your findings); 5) Conclusion & Recommendation ("answer" for initial hypothesis); 6) References (list of documents used).

4. 

   Prepare your presentation. The timing and details to be raised during a DANCKH presentation (if requested) can vary widely. You will speak in 5-20 minutes. You must first understand the requirements; for example, whether or not they require a PowerPoint presentation.
   • First you have to finish writing your research paper and use it to build your presentation. Follow a simple framework when presenting hypotheses, experiments, results, and conclusions.
   • Focus on clarity and accuracy. Make sure everyone understands what you do, why you do it, and what you find out.

5. 

   Create image support. Most science fairs require presentations with posters. It's basically a representation of your research paper.
   • Science fairs often use presentation boards with a standard size of 1m high and 1.2m wide.
   • You should place the poster like the front page of the newspaper, the top section with the headline, the central hypothesis and conclusion, and the supporting material (methods, sources, etc.) clearly listed below. heading on either side.
   • Use images, graphics, and similar media to increase the appeal of your poster, but don't sacrifice the content just to create eye-catching images.
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