Here’s the first tip: Start early. By starting your project early (maybe even during the summer), you will have time to really examine your topic and know your information Inside & Out. By starting early, you will have time to decide whether or not your topic is too broad or too narrow and adjust your topic accordingly. By starting early, you will have time to recover from mistakes, adjust your procedure, if necessary, or get advice from a mentor or additional equipment, if needed. So start early. Do a little each day. If you start early, time is on your side.
Our Mr. Science Fair site will provide you with lots of information about “Getting Started.”
Step 1: Pick a topic: this is always the most difficult
Step 2: Figure out if your science project will use the “Scientific Method” or the “Engineering Method.” Unless you’re in elementary school and have specifically been assigned to do a demonstration project, you won’t bring home a prize if you do a demonstration project. Learn the difference here.
Step 3: Time to start to do research. Whether you’re doing an experiment or creating a design, you need to research your topic to find out more about it and other experiments that may have been done on the subject.