An effective project display board is key to an enjoyable science fair experience, providing judges with an overview of your research question, hypothesis and experiment.
Trifold boards are often the best way to present projects, with sections for an abstract, introduction, procedure and results. ArtSkills’ boards serve as examples of beautifully made trifolds which are both visually engaging and organized.
Layout
Science fair project boards are large sheets of poster board or foam core used by students at science fairs to present their research. They typically measure 36″ tall by 48″ wide and can be assembled in various ways – some students opting for tri-fold display boards while others may prefer wall-mounted displays.
Your child’s science fair project will stand out more if its layout is organized properly. Don’t subject visitors to your child’s inconsistent handwriting by using an editable template for board layout and text size.
Templates can also help your child’s science fair project stay organized and structured for an effective presentation. Determine what information needs to be included in each section, such as title, scientific question/problem statement/hypothesis statement/background research findings/materials used and variables. After gathering this data add graphs or pictures that clearly depict your experiment results and present them.
Sections
No matter the project type, a science fair board should communicate your research insights through an approachable narrative. While the board can serve as an adjunct to verbal presentations, it should not take its place.
Your first section should include your title and name. A creative title that engages judges may make them more enthusiastic about your project.
The next section should outline your hypothesis and testing methodology, with visual aids like photos, graphs and charts for clarity. In the final section, results must be displayed; including any significant data points or graphs can help your audience to appreciate your findings more fully. To reiterate: continuation or research progression projects may mention past summative conclusory data while raw data cannot be displayed publicly.
Text
Add as much text to your board as needed to clearly outline your experiment; however, be wary not to go overboard in doing so. Your audience should be able to follow its progress by reading from top to bottom and left to right on the board.
Contrasting fonts can help make it easier for judges and audience members to read your board. Black characters on white backgrounds work best, and all caps should be avoided as much as possible.
Images such as photographs, drawings and graphs make great additions to a display board, helping audiences better comprehend your research while being visually appealing. Be sure that if using photographs of other people for any display board use, you obtain their consent first. In addition, plan ahead for any audio included on your board such as narration of results, music or sound effects to complement visuals displayed there – practice so there are no technical difficulties on the day of your fair!
Visuals
Visual components of a science fair project board typically include graphs and charts, photos, representations of experiments or investigations conducted, audio/video media (if relevant), as well as any additional evidence or materials relevant to it.
Text should be large and easily legible to clearly detail an experiment. Children should use various fonts that capture attention or reflect their theme, while any printed papers or pictures must be neatly trimmed before being attached to the board.
Charts and graphs should be utilized when communicating data that cannot easily be expressed verbally, such as results of an experiment to judges and viewers. Creately provides kids with easy drag-and-drop tools for creating these visuals on their science fair display boards so that others may edit live to ensure that their research remains up-to-date and up-to-date!