Ask an Expert is an online bulletin board you and/or students can use to ask science fair and/or career-oriented questions of our volunteer advisors, all of whom are professional scientists or engineers.
Internet Safety Tips
Get educated about online safety with help from Symantec.
Even a $1 Donation Helps: Science Buddies is a 501c3 public charity that relies on donations to operate.
Key Info
For almost every science fair project, you need to prepare a display board to communicate your work to others. In most cases you will use a standard, three-panel display board that unfolds to be 36" tall by 48" wide.
Organize your information like a newspaper so that your audience can quickly follow the thread of your experiment by reading from top to bottom, then left to right. Include each step of your science fair project: Abstract, question, hypothesis, variables, background research, and so on.
Use a font size of at least 16 points for the text on your display board, so that it is easy to read from a few feet away. It's OK to use slightly smaller fonts for captions on picture and tables.
The title should be big and easily read from across the room. Choose one that accurately describes your work, but also grabs peoples' attention.
A picture speaks a thousand words! Use photos or draw diagrams to present non-numerical data, to propose models that explain your results, or just to show your experimental setup. But, don't put text on top of photographs or images. It can be very difficult to read.
This sample shows how difficult it can be to read text when you print it on top of an image. Don't do it!
Check the rules for your science fair. Here is a list of items that some science fairs allow (or even require) and some science fairs don't require (or even prohibit):
Your name on the display board
Pictures of yourself
Captions that include the source for every picture or image
Acknowledgements of people who helped you
Your laboratory notebook (some science fairs want you to have it only during judging)
Equipment such as your laboratory apparatus or your invention
Materials and Construction Techniques
The standard presentation boards are self-standing and work quite well. Display boards in black or white-colored "foam core" (a sandwich made up of two pieces of cardboard with plastic foam in the middle) or corrugated cardboard are readily available at most office supply stores (Staples, Office Depot, Office Max) for $6 to $12. Of course, you can also make your own for free from a large cardboard box.
Print out or write your information on white paper that you will attach to your display board. Be sure to proofread each sheet before you attach it.
Glue sticks (use plenty) work well for attaching sheets of paper to your display board. Use double-sided tape for items like photographs that may not stick to glue.
Use glue sticks for attaching paper to your board. Double-sided tape is good for attaching photographs.
Tip: Instead of regular paper, use cover stock (67#) or card stock (110#). These heavier papers will wrinkle less when you attach it to your display board, especially if you use a glue stick. Matte paper is preferable to glossy because it won't show as much glare— glare makes your display board difficult to read.
Use color construction paper to add accents to your display board. A common technique is to put sheets of construction paper behind the white paper containing your text.
What Makes for a Good Science Fair Project Display Board?
For a Good Science Fair Project Display Board, You Should Answer "Yes" to Every Question
Does your display board include:
Title
Abstract
Question
Variables and hypothesis
Background research
Materials list
Experimental procedure
Data analysis and discussion including data chart(s) & graph(s)
Conclusions (including ideas for future research)
Acknowledgements
Bibliography
Yes / No
Are the sections on your display board organized like a newspaper so that they are easy to follow?
Yes / No
Is the text font large enough to be read easily (at least 16 points)?
Yes / No
Does the title catch people's attention, and is the title font large enough to be read from across the room?
Yes / No
Did you use pictures and diagrams to effectively convey information about your science fair project?
Yes / No
Have you constructed your display board as neatly as possible?
Yes / No
Did you proofread your display board?
Yes / No
Did you follow all of the rules pertaining to display boards for your particular science fair?
Yes / No
It's free! As a member you will be the first to receive our new and innovative project ideas, news
about upcoming science competitions, science fair tips, and information on other science related initiatives.
