Kossuth Elementary Science Fair

Logbook and Research Paper

Logbook – not required but encouraged

1.  The logbook is to be used like a diary, recording information about your project when you work on it, and can be kept in a small notebook.  Good notes show consistency and thoroughness to the judges and will help you with    explaining your project.

2.  It must be written in your handwriting and is to be displayed with your project.

3.  Examples of things to include are dated facts about the project, time and place of investigation, problems encountered procedure (step-by-step construction of your project), results (how and why), conclusion, ideas formed     from your research or investigation, research sources, timeline, or write down anything else that you do when you work on your project.  In other words, write down everything you do about your project.

4.  There is no required length that the logbook needs to be, but try to include as much about your project as you can. 

     Write down information when you work on your project.  It will be impossible to remember it all at a later time.

Research Paper – not required but encouraged

     The research paper is basically a letter to judges.  It is what you plan to say when you are being judged.  It tells the story of your project – what you did and exactly how you did it. Look through different resources (magazines, newspapers, pamphlets, books, encyclopedias, etc.) to find information about your project.  You may also get information from people, videos, television, businesses, utilities, government offices, computer software, or the Internet.