Presenting the Project
Your display will be the first thing a judge will see. You want to make sure your display is eye appealing and organized. Many times students feel that the more things they have on the backboard, the better it is. This is not necessarily the case.
Sometimes this makes the backboard look too "busy" and can be distracting. Keep it simple so that basic information is easy to see and point out to a judge. This also gives the judge the opportunity to hear you explain some of the things that may not be on your backboard.
If you have additional information you want to share with judges, organize it in a notebook. You can offer the information to interested judges without cluttering your backboard. This is a good way to show a judge you are the expert about your project.
Sizing Up Your Display
It is always better to have a little blank space than to have a jumbled, crowded backboard. Try to make your board as large as you can without breaking your budget. There are, however maximum limits. As stated by the International Science and Engineering Fair Rules, your project cannot exceed the following dimensions:
- 76 centimeters (30 inches) in depth.
- 122 centimeters (48 inches) in width.
- 274 centimeters (108 inches) in height (from the floor).
If your display is larger than these dimensions, your project will be disqualified. All projects are "table top" displays and are designed to sit on a table. The table will be about 76 centimeters, so a table backboard should not exceed 198 centimeters.
What Judges Should See
Now that you have worked so hard on your information DON'T STOP NOW! Your science project not only reflects your information, but it is a chance to show your creative and/or orderly side. It is a visual presentation of you and your work. With this important part of your project you need to keep a few things in mind.
Required Items:
- Display board of regulation size
- Notebook containing project research paper and originals of required forms labeled with project title, name, school, and category
- Completed log book labeled with project title, name, category, and division
- Official SSEF stamped abstract provided at setup
- If a continuation project, previous years forms and logbook must be displayed marked with the year in the upper right hand corner
- Notebooks and other visuals can be placed on the table
What Can I Display?
Review the Display and Safety Inspection Sheet. Make sure that your display does not violate any of the rules listed on this form. Points to remember:
- Material or visual depictions from previous years may not be displayed on the vertical display board.
- Project sounds must not be distracting to surrounding exhibitors or judges.
- Photographs or other visual depictions, and audio-visual or multimedia presentations must not contain pictures of persons other than the student exhibitor unless prior approved release forms are in project notebook.
- Photographs must not show vertebrate animals in any unnatural condition.
- All photographs will be inspected by the Display and Safety Committee prior to judging.
- If the committee deems any photograph to be generally offensive, you will be required to remove it from the display.