Conducting Strong Background Research

A well-researched project is key to building a solid foundation for your Science Fair project. Here’s how to ensure yours is thorough and informative:

Helpful Guides for Research

Need some guidance with your research? Check out Project Component Guide to read more about your Research Plan (Step 1). In this, you'll find a guide for your research plan, templates, and exemplars to get you started on the right foot.

2025 Project Component Guide

Research Plan Guide

Templates

Project Planning Template

Using Research to Guide Your Project Planning

As you work through your Science Fair project, it’s important to use your research to guide each step of the process. The Project Planning Template helps break down your project into manageable stages, ensuring that your research is thoughtful, relevant, and impactful. Here’s how to integrate research at each phase:

Observe:

Start by finding reliable information. Use your research to clearly define your project question and hypothesis. Reflect on how your research inspired your project idea and whether your hypothesis is supported by existing studies.

• Rationale (Why is your project important?)
• Hypothesis (What do you expect to happen?)
• Bibliography (Where did your information come from?)
• More on primary vs secondary source below

Plan:

Use your background research to inform your experimental design. Does your research suggest the best materials or methods? Consider any safety or ethical concerns that might arise, and make sure your plan aligns with your research-supported hypothesis.

• Procedure (What will you do step by step?)
• Materials & Equipment (What do you need?)

Explore:

As you collect data, compare it with what your research predicted. If your experiment changes, or if you discover errors, research can help you adjust your methods or refine your approach. Use your background knowledge to understand and explain unexpected results.

• Data Analysis (How will you understand your results?)

Explain: 

When you’re ready to present your findings, your background research helps tie everything together. It shows how your project builds on what’s already known and highlights the new insights your project provides. Be sure to use your research to explain why certain results occurred and how they relate to your original hypothesis.

Incorporating research at every stage will ensure your project is based on strong scientific foundations and will make it easier to communicate your findings clearly and effectively!

___________________________________________________________________

Primary vs. Secondary Sources

Understanding the distinction between primary and secondary sources is essential. Primary sources are original materials or data (such as research articles, lab reports, or field studies) that provide direct evidence for your project. Secondary sources, on the other hand, interpret or analyze primary sources (think textbooks, reviews, or summaries). Both are valuable, but it’s important to know when and how to use each in your project.

Writing Support

While your project may focus on STEM topics, don’t overlook the importance of writing skills. Your Science Fair project pulls together multiple disciplines, including effective communication. Consider reaching out to your school or local librarian, an English teacher, or another academic writing resource to help with organizing sources, formatting your paper, and ensuring that your writing is clear and cohesive. Strong writing can elevate your project!