When Searching for Ideas for a Science Fair Project You Can Use What Others Did In The Past

There is often some confusion when you are helping your child look for ideas for a science fair project about whether you can use the same project someone else did in that past. Elementary students in particular tend to think that would be copying and their teacher spent a great deal of time lecturing them on how they should not copy some one else’s science fair project and try to pass it off as their own. There is a big difference between getting and using the same directions for a project from someone else and then doing the project yourself, and the flat out cut and paste copying someone else’s work!

You have to remember that the point is to learn something interesting about science, and to use the scientific methods of investigation they teach in science classes along the way.  The teacher is trying to make sure you actually do the activity.  In case you are still feeling that it might be a form of copying, look at this list:

Why it is not copying when you use ideas for a science fair project that others have done in the past.

The specific supplies you use will not be exactly the same as what the others used.

• Different brand names or generics have subtle and not so subtle differences to them.

• Different materials that the containers or tools were made from could affect the outcome.

Example: For an experiment that required mixing different liquids with laundry detergents. Maybe one person used a glass bottle and you used a plastic one. You could use liquid detergent and they used a powder., or they used a store brand and you used something like Tide or All.

Right there, your experiment will be different already.

The weather, and temperature can affect the outcome of many projects.

Mixing those same ingredients could turn out differently on a hot and humid summer day than it did on a rainy, cold spring weekend afternoon when the temperature dipped down close to freezing.

The numbers you record as you collect your data cannot possibly be the the same so your data will be different.

• When you measure there is always slight difference, it is close, but there are fluctuations. When you think about it, that is the reason the cakes you bake never turn out the same each time you make one.

• The time intervals used for recording the data can be different. If it says to check every two hours, there will be a plus or minus to those times, or you might forget and it will be 2 and a half hours one time.

• Even with all else being equal, the chances of ending up with the exact same data someone else came up with, down to the exact same decimal points is just not going to happen, so your experiment right there will be unique.

Now, with that being said, it will be interesting to see if you have the same overall pattern, as others did and to see if your charts you made from your data follows the same pattern or proves something different.  This is done all the time with scientists, comparing data to look for patterns.

Your writing style is different

Anything you write up means the choice of words will be your own, how long the write up is, the quality and style of the sentences will all come across as being different than the last person to do the experiment.

The display board will look different

Where you choose to place the different parts will suit you, and not what others did. The color scheme, the fonts used, the drawings, the borders will all create an individual look.

It is safe to say, you can take ideas for a science fair project from another student’s, and as long as you do the work yourself, it will become yours and will not be a “copy” of someone else’s project. In fact scientist do this all the time, they are always doing the same experiment someone else did to help prove their results.

One note would be in a family, it probably is not such a good thing to get your ideas for a science fair project from an older brother or sister. That can often cause more problems than it is worth.

Look here for some quick, easy and super fun ideas for a science fair project that are kid tested and teacher approved.