Page 32 International Rules: Guidelines for Science and Engineering Fairs 2021–2022, societyforscience.org/ISEF
Student Checklist (1A)
This form is required for ALL projects.
1. a. Student/Team Leader: Grade:
Email: Phone:
b. Team Member: c. Team Member: ______________________________________
2. Title of Project: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. School: School Phone:
School Address:
4. Adult Sponsor: Phone/Email:
5. Does this project need SRC/IRB/IACUC or other pre-approval? Yes No Tentative start date: ___________
6. Is this a continuation/progression from a previous year? Yes No
If Yes:
a. Attach the previous year’s Abstract and Research Plan/Project Summary
b. Explain how this project is new and dierent from previous years on
Continuation/Research Progression Form (7)
7. This year’s experimentation/data collection:
Actual Start Date: (mm/dd/yy) End Date: (mm/dd/yy)
8. Where will you conduct your experimentation? (check all that apply)
Research Institution School Field Home Other: ________________________
9. Source of Data:
Collected self/mentor Other Describe/url: _____________________________________________
10. List name and address of all non-home and non-school work site(s):
Name:
Address:
Phone/
email
11. Complete a Research Plan/Project Summary following the Research Plan/Project Summary instructions
and attach to this form.
12. An abstract is required for all projects after experimentation.
International Rules: Guidelines for Science and Engineering Fairs 2021–2022, societyforscience.org/ISEF Page 33
Research Plan/Project Summary Instructions
A complete Research Plan/Project Summary is required for ALL projects and
must accompany Student Checklist (1A).
All projects must have a Research Plan/Project Summary
a. The Research Plan is to be written prior to experimentation following the instructions below to detail the rationale, research
question(s), methodology, and risk assessment of the proposed research.
b. If changes are made during the research, such changes can be added to the original research plan as an addendum, recognizing
that some changes may require returning to the IRB or SRC for appropriate review and approvals. If no additional approvals are
required, this addendum serves as a project summary to explain research that was conducted.
c. If no changes are made from the original research plan, no project summary is required.
Some studies, such as an engineering design or mathematics projects, will be less detailed in the initial project plan and will
change through the course of research. If such changes occur, a project summary that explains what was done is required
and can be appended to the original research plan.
The Research Plan/Project Summary should include the following:
a. RATIONALE: Include a brief synopsis of the background that supports your research problem and explain why this
research is important and if applicable, explain any societal impact of your research.
b. RESEARCH QUESTION(S), HYPOTHESIS(ES), ENGINEERING GOAL(S), EXPECTED OUTCOMES: How is this based on
the rationale described above?
c. Describe the following in detail:
Procedures: Detail all procedures and experimental design including methods for data collection, and when
applicable, the source of data used. Describe only your project. Do not include work done by mentor or others.
Risk and Safety: Identify any potential risks and safety precautions needed.
Data Analysis: Describe the procedures you will use to analyze the data/results.
d. BIBLIOGRAPHY: List major references (e.g. science journal articles, books, internet sites) from your literature review.
If you plan to use vertebrate animals, one of these references must be an animal care reference.
Items 14 below are subject-speciic guidelines for additional items to be included in your research plan/project summary as
applicable.
1. Human participants research:
a. Participants: Describe age range, gender, racial/ethnic composition of participants. Identify vulnerable populations (minors,
pregnant women, prisoners, mentally disabled or economically disadvantaged).
b. Recruitment: Where will you ind your participants? How will they be invited to participate?
c. Methods: What will participants be asked to do? Will you use any surveys, questionnaires or tests? If yes and not your own, how
did you obtain? Did it require permissions? If so, explain. What is the frequency and length of time involved for each subject?
d. Risk Assessment: What are the risks or potential discomforts (physical, psychological, time involved, social, legal, etc.) to
participants? How will you minimize risks? List any beneits to society or participants.
e. Protection of Privacy: Will identiiable information (e.g., names, telephone numbers, birth dates, email addresses) be collected?
Will data be conidential/anonymous? If anonymous, describe how the data will be collected. If not anonymous, what procedures
are in place for safeguarding conidentiality? Where will data be stored? Who will have access to the data? What will you do with
the data after the study?
f. Informed Consent Process: Describe how you will inform participants about the purpose of the study, what they will be asked to
do, that their participation is voluntary and they have the right to stop at any time.
2. Vertebrate animal research:
a. Discuss potential ALTERNATIVES to vertebrate animal use and present justiication for use of vertebrates.
b. Explain potential impact or contribution of this research.
c. Detail all procedures to be used, including methods used to minimize potential discomfort, distress, pain and injury to the
animals and detailed chemical concentrations and drug dosages.
d. Detail animal numbers, species, strain, sex, age, source, etc., include justiication of the numbers planned.
e. Describe housing and oversight of daily care.
f. Discuss disposition of the animals at the end of the study.
Potentially hazardous biological agents research:
a. Give source of the organism and describe BSL assessment process and BSL determination.
b. Detail safety precautions and discuss methods of disposal.
4. Hazardous chemicals, activities & devices:
Describe Risk Assessment process, supervision, safety precautions and methods of disposal.
Material Safety Data Sheets are not necessary to submit with paperwork.