Top 10 mistakes on a science fair board

No Peabody projects on this one: these are the things that cost a board, in the order a judge reading it would hit them.

How it's ordered: Ordered the way a judge reads a board: title, left panel, middle, right panel, then the table in front.

The ten, in order

The title is a topic, not a question: "Magnets" says what it's about; "Does a steeper ramp make a car go farther?" says what you tested. Put the question on the board.
No hypothesis, or one with no because: If… then… because…: the because is where your thinking shows. A guess is fine.
The words are a grown-up's: Judges at elementary fairs favour a child's own language and drawings. Wobbly writing in your own words beats neat typing.
Materials with no amounts: "Salt" isn't enough; "2 tablespoons of salt in 2 cups of water" lets someone repeat it.
Steps nobody could repeat: Number them, and say what you kept the same at each step.
One try at each level: Three tries at every level, so one odd result can't fool you.
A table with no units: 12 what? Centimetres, seconds or pennies go in the header.
No graph, or a graph with no labels: Label both sides: what you changed along the bottom, what you measured up the side, with its unit.
A conclusion that hides a wrong hypothesis: Say it plainly: "My hypothesis was not right." Then say what the numbers showed. Judges like that.
Something wet, hot or alive on the table: Most rule sets ban liquids, batteries, open containers and living things on display. Bring photos and drawings.

👨‍👩‍👧 For grown-ups and teachers: how much to help, the safety rules, and running a school fair. Science fair v0.16.1 · Checked 6 November 2026.