Background research is necessary so that you know how to design and understand your experiment. To make a background research plan -- a roadmap of the research questions you need to answer -- follow these steps:
- Identify the keywords in the question for your science fair project. Brainstorm additional keywords and concepts.
- Use a table with the five W's plus how to generate research questions from your keywords. For example:
What is the difference between a series and parallel circuit?
When does a plant grow the most, during the day or night?
Where is the focal point of a lens?
How does a java applet work?
Does a truss make a bridge stronger?
Why are moths attracted to light?
Which cleaning products kill the most bacteria?
Throw out irrelevant questions.
- Add to your background research plan a list of mathematical formulas or equations (if any) that you will need to describe the results of your experiment.
- You should also plan to do background research on the history of similar experiments or inventions.
- Network with other people with more experience than yourself: your mentors, parents, and teachers. Ask them: "What science concepts should I study to better understand my science fair project?" and "What area of science covers my project?" Better yet, ask even more specific questions.