How to Write a Research Report for a Science Fair

At a science fair, there are usually at least two requirements of each participant: a research report and a visual accompaniment. Your research report should accompany your data or project representation at a science fair. For example, if you made a tri-fold project board, each section noted on that board should be included in detail in your research report. Your report should contain all of the information contained within your visual display -- and more.

Include the title of your science project at the top of your document. Depending on where you are submitting this project, you might be required to supply a full cover page that includes the title of the project, your name, the date, your class and your teacher’s name.

Explain the purpose and hypothesis for your science project. The purpose explains the nature of the project and the hypothesis details how you think the project will conclude. For example, your project might be focused on the effect of caffeine on plant growth. If this is the case, your project would explain that you plan to test your plants by stimulating them with caffeine. Your hypothesis would describe whether the caffeine would help the plants grow, not grow, or not affect the growth. You may also include a background section that describes what you know about plant growth and caffeine. This will help make your purpose and hypothesis easier to understand.

Create a section on your report that lists your materials and your method of using them for your project. Because your science fair project should be easy to replicate, include exact measurements wherever possible. Outline your project step-by-step, explaining in detail what you did, how you did it and how it worked.

Include a section in your report for your data and results. Include photographs of your project in process wherever possible. You may also need to create a data table or graph which will help organize your project’s information and make your results easier to reference.

Write a conclusion that sums up your project. Explain your results and your explanation for the meaning behind them. Indicate what you would have done differently, or any information that would benefit someone who was following in your footsteps to replicate this project.