Science Fair Reflection

Here's a reflection I did on voicethread, of my Science Fair.

 

Pictures

Here's a Slide show of some of the pictures I took, of people doing the test:

Application & Conclusion

Application:
Why do T.V advertisements have bright and colourful words and letters? Well it’s not just because they stand out, it’s also easier to remember! Companies don’t want to pay lots of money to have their advertisements forgotten! My Science Fair test will be useful to all companies that use and don’t use coloured adverts because it will inform them that colour is easier to remember. This information will also be useful for teachers or anyone else wanting to get someone to remember something, colour is the way to do it!


Conclusion:
My hypothesis was proven correct because colour was by Far the easiest to remember! Most people scored between 20 and 30 in colour, which was very impressive! In this test I found out that depending on the person quite a few people got the same amount of coloured words right as black! Even though Black stands out more, if you want your advert, or any type of text remembered, colour is your best option!

Results

Results:
Overall colour is easier to remember, but in some tests black was equal. 20 people scored between 15 – 20 in colour and only 8 in black! The highest total of correct black and coloured words was 34 / 34. There was only one person who scored more black than colour remembered 20 black and only 5 colour!

(Click to enlarge)

Stage Five - Layout

Learning Intention:

• Present a visually effective science fair board

Success Criteria:

• Photographs, diagrams, graphs, text and headings etc are set out neatly.
• Borders, fonts and colour are used consistently

Materials and equipment required for this presentation:

• Display board
• Computer
• Ruler
• Printer
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Glue

Plan of layout:

Stage Four

Learning Intention:

• Record and analyse information
• Draw a valid conclusion

Success Criteria

• Keep detailed observational notes/diagrams
• Use precise measurements.
• Compare and contrast findings
• Link findings to the hypothesis.

I will record my results using:

• A table of data
• photos / visuals
• samples
• Graphs

When I analyse my results I will:

• calculate averages
• draw graphs and interpret them
• look for trends.

My conclusion will:

• Show what I have found out.
• consider the significance of the findings.
• state whether the hypothesis is proved or disproved.
  

Stage Three

Learning Intention:

• Develop science fair vocabulary and comprehension of terms.
• Plan a fair test.

Success Criteria:

• Able to use science fair vocabulary in the correct context.
• Able to plan a fair test considering variables and controls.

My Hypothesis:
I think that coloured text will be remembered easier, because in similar tests, the results have said that colour is easier to remember.

Variables:

Controlled:

• List 1 and 2 need to be the same.
• The same time of day.
• The same room.
• Make sure everyone is separated so no one can cheat.
  

Measured:

• How many words each person recalls, in black and white or colour.
  

Test:

• Colour
• Black and white

Apparatus/Equipment:

• 40 photocopies of list one and two.
• 40 year 8 students. 20 girls, 20 boys.
• A pen or pencil for each person.
• A nice quiet room.
  

Important points from my research:

• I found the results in similar tests led to Boys being slightly better at remembering text than girls.
  

Stage Two

Learning Intention:

• Develop science fair vocabulary and comprehension of terms.
• Plan a fair test.

Success Criteria:

• Able to use science fair vocabulary in the correct context.
• Able to plan a fair test considering variable and controls.

My Investigation question:
Is black and white or coloured text more easily remembered?

Method:

1. Create the materials - list one and two; Pick about 40 words that the average 12 year old can spell. Make sure 20 of them are in colour and the other 20 in black and white. (NOTE: list one is the list you have to memorise)
   
2. Pick another 40 words for list two and combine all words, ending up with 80 words. (NOTE: list two is the list you have to highlight the words you remember.
   
3. Print out 41 copies of list one, 40 of list two. (An extra copy of list one is needed for an answer sheet)
   
4. Write the instruction script, telling the people what they need to do and what's going to happen in the test.
5. Select a time to gather the 40 people and start the test.
   
6. Hand out the list one sheets to each person.
   
7. Start the test and give them exactly two minutes to look at list one and memorise it.
8. Wait 15 minutes and allow them a minute to review list one.
9. Wait 10 minutes then review list one again, only for 30 seconds.
   
10. Collect in the list one sheets.
11. Explain the instructions for list two.
    
12. Give each person the list two sheet and time exactly two minutes again.
13. Gather all of the tests.
14. Compare the data to see if they remembered words in colour better, or in black and white.

This is how I will make sure I have developed a fair test:

1. Time EXACTLY two minutes - as the test time.
2. Make sure everyone is spread out across the room so no one can cheat.
3. Do the test at the same time of day e.g. just before lunchtime.
4. Double check that I don't miss a word out on list two.
5. Make sure there is exactly 25 girls and 25 boys.
6. Do it in a quiet space where no one can get interrupted, while they are doing the test.

I will get my information from:

experts, internet, pamphlets/books, surveys, organisations.

Boomp3.com

Thinking about my investigation:

What do I know:

• I know that T.V advertisements are always in colour so that gives me a bit of a clue, but do companies really know which is easier to REMEMBER?
• I do know that you you react quicker to certain colours, but does that effect memory?
  

Possible questions that I would like to investigate:

• Why do companies use bright colours for their advertisements? Is it just for presentation?
• What part of the brain remembers and recognises colour? How do these parts function?
• Which colour is easier to remember? (I am asking this question to find out what the results were, of other tests like mine.)

Links that help answer my questions:

http://health.howstuffworks.com/brain8.htm
http://health.howstuffworks.com/brain10.htm
http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-memory3.htm
http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/d/d_07/d_07_cr/d_07_cr_tra/d_07_cr_tra.html
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg12316791.700-science-scanner-reveals-brains-colour-processor-.html
http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/science_fair_projects/28/320/49f112ddad9fbe833b5e6b73cdc1da8f.html

Brainstorm - Stage One

Learning Intention: Apply brainstorming skills

Success Criteria:

• Able to formulate a mind map from a brainstorm
• Able to decide on a topic
  

The Brainstorm below, shows all the different possibilities that have stood out to me during my research. The red bubble is the topic I've decided I'm going to do. (You can click on the picture to make it bigger)


I made the above brainstorm using www.bubbl.us.com. I took a screen shot when it was finished and then cropped it, and saved it as a jpg file.

Bibliography:
http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/category0.html