Friday, March 20, 2020

Make a Science Fair Poster or Display

Make a Science Fair Poster or Display The first step to creating a successful science project display is to read the rules concerning the size and types of materials allowed. Unless you are required to present your project on a single board, I recommend a tri-fold cardboard or heavy poster board display. This is a central piece of cardboard/posterboard with two fold-out wings. The folding aspect not only helps the display support itself, but it is also great protection for the interior of the board during transport. Avoid wooden displays or flimsy poster board. Make sure the display will fit inside any vehicle that is required for transportation. Organization and Neatness Organize your poster using the same sections as are listed in the report. Print each section using a computer, preferably with a laser printer, so that bad weather wont cause the ink to run. Put a title for each section at its top, in letters large enough to be seen from several feet away (very large font size). The focal point of your display should be your purpose and hypothesis. Its great to include photos and bring your project with you  if it is allowed and space permits. Try to arrange your presentation in a logical manner on the board. Feel free to use color to make your presentation stand out. In addition to recommending laser printing, my personal preference is to use a sans serif font because such fonts tend to be easier to read from a distance. As with the report, check spelling, grammar, and punctuation. TitleFor a science fair, you probably want a catchy, clever title. Otherwise, try to make it an accurate description of the project. For example, I could entitle a project, Determining Minimum NaCl Concentration that can be Tasted in Water. Avoid unnecessary words, while covering the essential purpose of the project. Whatever title you come up with, get it critiqued by friends, family, or teachers. If you are using a tri-fold board, the title usually is placed at the top of the middle board.PicturesIf at all possible, include color photographs of your project, samples from the project, tables, and graphs. Photos and objects are visually appealing and interesting.Introduction and PurposeSometimes this section is called Background. Whatever its name, this section introduces the topic of the project, notes any information already available, explains why you are interested in the project, and states the purpose of the project.The Hypothesis or QuestionExplicitly state your hypothesis or question. Materials and MethodsList the materials you used in your project and describe the procedure that you used to perform the project. If you have a photo or diagram of your project, this is a good place to include it.Data and ResultsData and Results are not the same thing. Data refers to the actual numbers or other information you obtained in your project. If you can, present the data in a table or graph. The Results section is where the data is manipulated or the hypothesis is tested. Sometimes this analysis will yield tables, graphs, or charts, too. More commonly, the Results section will explain the significance of the data or will involve a statistical test.ConclusionThe Conclusion focuses on the Hypothesis or Question as it compares to the Data and Results. What was the answer to the question? Was the hypothesis supported (keep in mind a hypothesis cannot be proved, only disproved)? What did you find out from the experiment? Answer these questions first. Then, depending on your answ ers, you may wish to explain ways in which the project might be improved or introduce new questions that have come up as a result of the project. This section is judged not only by what you were able to conclude  but also by your recognition of areas where you could ​not draw valid conclusions based on your data. ReferencesYou may need to cite references or provide a bibliography for your project. In some cases, this is pasted onto the poster. Other science fairs prefer that you simply print it out and have it available, placed below or beside the poster. Be Prepared Most of the time, you will need to accompany your presentation, explain your project, and answer questions. Sometimes the presentations have time limits. Practice what you are going to say, out loud, to a person or at least a mirror. If you can give your presentation to a person, practice having a question and answer session. On the day of the presentation, dress neatly, be polite, and smile! Congratulations on a successful science project!

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

20 Expert-Tested Writing Strategies in 2019 That You Have to Try

20 Expert-Tested Writing Strategies in 2019 That You Have to Try 20+ Writing Strategies (That Helped Bestselling Authors Finish Their Books) So you've decided today that you want to write. Great!Now how exactly are you going to do it?Luckily, we have a precedent to which to turn. From idea generation to the art of editing, there are thousands writing strategies out there to get you past the finish line - and we gathered the best ones in this post.   Here are 20+ writing strategies that you can use to help you over the finish line.18. Maya Angelou’s â€Å"Write Anything† ModeSeriously, anything. You can take Maya Angelou’s award-winning words for it:â€Å"What I try to do is write. I may write for two weeks, ‘The cat sat on the mat, that is that, not a rat.’ And it might be just the most boring and awful stuff. But I try. When I’m writing, I write. And then it’s as if the muse is convinced that I’m serious and says, ‘Okay. Okay. I’ll come.’†Ã¢â‚¬Å"The cat sat on the mat, that is that, not a rat,† doesn’t exactly sound very gla morous, does it? But Maya Angelou also wrote I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1971, so she knows a thing or two about writing.19. George Plimpton’s Letter StrategyIf the the thought of an agent or thousands of people reading your story makes you sweat, you might have the literary version of "stage fright." To help curb this type of writer's block, the Paris Review founder George Plimpton used to follow this strategy:â€Å"Many years ago, I met John Steinbeck at a party in Sag Harbor, and told him that I had writer’s block. And he said something which I’ve always remembered, and which works. He said, â€Å"Pretend that you’re writing not to your editor or to an audience or to a readership, but to someone close, like your sister, or your mother, or someone that you like.† And at the time I was enamored of Jean Seberg, the actress, and I had to write an article about taking Marianne Moore to a baseball game, a nd I started it off, â€Å"Dear Jean . . . ,† and wrote this piece with some ease, I must say. And to my astonishment that’s the way it appeared in Harper’s Magazine. â€Å"Dear Jean . . .† Which surprised her, I think, and me, and very likely Marianne Moore.†We’ll let Steinbeck, the person who first came up with this ingenious writing strategy, explain the reasoning behind it: â€Å"Write it as a letter aimed at one person. This removes the vague terror of addressing the large and faceless audience and it also, you will find, will give a sense of freedom and a lack of self-consciousness.†Plimpton wasn’t kidding, by the way: you can read his October 1964 article in Harper’s Magazine here.20. Hilary Mantel’s â€Å"Do Anything† TechniqueWhat if you’re just sick of words altogether? For a change of pace, let’s try something that doesn’t involve writing - in any capacity. Hilary Mantel says that sometimes what you need to do in order to write is not write:â€Å"If you get stuck, get away from your desk. Take a walk, take a bath, go to sleep, make a pie, draw, listen to  ­music, meditate, exercise; whatever you do, don’t just stick there scowling at the problem. But don’t make telephone calls or go to a party; if you do, other people’s words will pour in where your lost words should be. Open a gap for them, create a space. Be patient.†Force yourself to disengage from your manuscript and you might come back sharper and more aware of what you want to say. Jane Smiley, for instance, would drink Diet Cokes to distract herself, explaining: â€Å"When you sit down again on Saturday, you’re better. Not only because of all the practice, but also because of the walking away. I’m a firm believer in walking away.†21. P.G. Wodehouse’s Cursing ApproachIf you’ve come this far and all else has failed, know that you can always resort to P.G. Wodehouse’s tried, true, and completely professional advice:â€Å"I just sit at my typewriter and curse a bit.†Do you have any more writing strategies to share? How about writer's block memes? Have you found any strategy useful so far? Tell us in the comments below!