Designing the Perfect Science Fair Project:
The Rubric


COMPONENTS
SUPERIOR
10-9 pts
EXCELLENT
8-6 pts
GOOD
5-3 pts
SATISFACTORY
2-0 pts
Knowledge Understood major concepts and showed background knowledge. Understood appropriate terms. Understood underlying concepts. Some understanding major concepts and showed background knowledge. Some understanding pf appropriate terms. Some understanding of underlying concepts. Learned major concepts and showed background knowledge. Little understanding of appropriate terms. Little understanding of underlying concepts. Understanding of concepts, knowledge and underlying concepts not clear.
Scientific
Method
 Showed evidence of background research. Understood importance of sample size.  Pointed out control variables and experimental results. Organized and presented data clearly, using graphs and tables. Showed some evidence of background research. Some understanding of importance of sample size.  Pointed out control variables and experimental results. Some organization and presentstion of data clearly, using graphs and tables. Showed little evidence of background research. Showed little understanding of importance of sample size.  Pointed out little control variables and experimental results. Little organization and presentation of data, using graphs and tables. Showed no evidence of background research. Did not understand importance of sample size. Did not point out control variables and experimental results. Unorganized and data presented unclearly, not using graphs and tables.
Expression
 Logical presentation; able to follow reasoning. Report complete, clear, neat. Display orderly, clear, neat, and complete. Some logical presentation; able to follow reasoning. Report  somewhat complete, clear, neat. Display somewhat orderly, clear, neat, and complete. Little logical presentation; able to follow reasoning. Report complete, clear, neat. Display with little order, clearness, neatness, and completeness. No logical presentation; not able to follow reasoning. Report incomplete, clear, neat. Display unorderly, unclear, not neat, and incomplete.
Creativity
 Project pleasing. Extra effort into display: photos, charts, tables, graphs. Used materials in a creative way.  Project somewhat pleasing. Some  effort into display photos, charts, tables, graphs. Some use of materials in a creative way.  Project little pleasing. Little effort into display photos, charts, tables, graphs. Little use of materials in a creative way.  Project not pleasing. No extra effort into display photos, charts, tables, graphs. Did not use materials in a creative way. 


Category
  Maximum   Student Grade
KNOWLEDGE    (10)
       Content
5
______ 
       Terms
2
______ 
       Comprehension
3
______ 
SCIENTIFIC METHOD   (10)
        Research
2
______ 
        Sample Size
2 
______ 
        Observations
2
______ 
        Data Presentation
2
______ 
        Valid Conclusions
2
______ 
EXPRESSION   (10)   
        Oral 4 
______ 
        Written
2
______
         Display
4
______
CREATIVITY   (10)
        Interesting Approach
3
______
        Creativity presentation  4 
______ 
        Initiative
3
______
Total Score 40 
______ 
FINAL SCORE  (Total Score divided by 4)
10
______

 

Taken from the Ohio State Standards (Judging Criteria) for Science Fair Projects

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