What Judges Look for in Science Fair Projects

First off, I found this great list of all of the science fairs in the world that have webpages. The list gets updated regularly. It is organized according to subject and geographical location. So... if you don't know where to find a science fair, start there. Once you find a science fair, you'll want to make the most of your experience. Good grades and prizes are nice, too. I've written about project ideas, but you also need to think about what judges will look for when it comes to rating your project. Here's a quick rundown: •Did you use the scientific method? Experiments and designs that solve a problem will get higher ratings than models or demonstrations. •Could you explain your project without reading it off of your display? Basically this shows that you actually did your project as opposed to getting too much help from a parent or teacher. •Did you seem friendly? Were you interested in and excited about your project? Enthusiasm and a willingness to answer questions can really help your presentation. •Was your poster attractive? Posters that are easy to read and visually appealing will do better than anything handwritten and blotched by water stains. If it looks like you made your poster on the bus on the way in, don't expect it to win a prize or get a good grade.