Skip to content

Scientific Investigation  

Preparing Your Entry

Scientific Investigation entails experiments with clear methods that compare a range of variables with controls, recorded observations/measurements, repeats, tabulated data and/or graphs, leading to interpretation of results, a conclusion, discussion and application.

Please label boards with student name, year level and school.

Submitting Your Entry by June 28th (Digital Entry; you can work on your project right up to the event)

Entries are individual or a team of maximum 2 persons.

 

Scholarships

Scholarships may be awarded for projects within this category for year 11-13 students only. 

 Example

See the example of a winning 2021 scientific investigation entry – “Masks Unmasked” by William Hopkins (Year 9) 

1147-william_hopkins-min
“Masks Unmasked”
/17

SCIENCE or TECHNOLOGY?

Find out if your project is a science or technology exhibit with the project identifier tool.

Has a theory been formulated to explain the observations?

Has an attempt been made to prove an hypothesis wrong?

Is the project a response to an hypothesis?

Rather than meeting a human need or opportunity, is the project mainly driven by curiosity about something?

Is the development of the identified product, process or environment the key element of the exhibit, including documentation with sufficient plans, models, etc., to verify the development process?

Was some of the research aimed at confirming the validity of the original need or opportunity, and/or finding out the precise nature of the problem to which they are developing a solution?

Is the project a response to an identified human need or opportunity for a product, process or environment?

Was much of the research aimed at guiding the development and/or improving the performance of the product, process or environment?

Is it concerned with something which could be mass-produced?

Was most of the research aimed at gathering new data in response to an observation and/or hypothesis?

Was most of the research aimed at gathering new data in response to an observation and/or hypothesis?

Did the gathering and processing of data ensure its validity and aim to determine its significance to causes of an effect?

Has an attempt been made to prove an hypothesis wrong?

Has a theory been formulated to explain the observations?

Is the scientific method the core process?

Does the project identify as important such attributes as: efficiency, optimisation, reliability, cost-effectiveness, appropriateness of materials, ergonomics, aesthetics, etc?

Does the project show that the satisfaction of the end-users of a product, process or environment was a key factor in guiding the development?