Overview

Students in grades 6–8 may advance research projects from their school or homeschool fair to the Northeast Indiana Regional Science and Engineering Fair (NEIRSEF). Projects may be submitted by an individual or a team of up to three students.

All Junior Division projects are eligible for Fair Awards and Special Awards. Up to eight projects will be selected to advance to the Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair (HSEF).

What Should My Project Include?

Your regional fair project should include:

• Exhibit Board
• Logbook
• Research Paper
• Abstract

These components help judges understand your research and are important when projects are considered for awards and advancement.

Project Categories

Grade 6–8 projects are judged by ISEF Project Category, so choose the category that best describes your research.

See ISEF Project Categories for descriptions of the available categories.

Safety & Research Rules

Your research project must follow the safety requirements established for the Indiana Junior Division.

Students in grades 6–8 generally do not submit the full ISEF paperwork. However, additional review and forms are required for certain types of research, including projects involving human subjects.

Your teacher or homeschool instructor is responsible for helping you follow the applicable safety rules. See the Forms page for the complete Indiana Junior Division rules.

Bacteria and Fungi

Grade 6–8 students may conduct bacteria or fungi research only when:

• The teacher supervising the research is trained and certified for BSL-1 work.
• Research is conducted in a BSL-1 or higher laboratory at a school or professional facility.
• No part of the research is conducted at home.

If you are considering a project involving bacteria or fungi, contact the Fair Director before beginning your research to discuss your project design.

Animal Behavior

Animal behavior projects should be reviewed in advance and monitored by a veterinarian to help ensure the safety and welfare of both the student and the animal.

If you need assistance identifying a veterinarian, contact the Fair Director.

Prohibited Research

The following are prohibited for Grade 6–8 projects:

• Animal tissue, including human tissue
• Radioactive substances
• Hazardous chemicals or reagents
• Biological agent experiments conducted at home
• Vertebrate animal research involving pain or withholding food or water
• Class IV lasers

Human Subjects

All projects involving human subjects must receive review and approval through a properly established school-level Institutional Review Board (IRB) before experimentation begins.

See the Forms page for complete requirements and forms.

Registration & Research Plan

Projects must be advanced by the student's school or homeschool group before they can compete at NEIRSEF. Students who are advanced to the Regional Fair will receive instructions for completing their registration.

As part of registration, Grade 6–8 students will provide a Research Plan that includes:

• Research question
• Hypothesis or Engineering Goal
• Experimental Design
• Bibliography/References

Students will also submit an Abstract, which is a brief narrative summary of the project. It should include:

1. The purpose and hypothesis or engineering goal
2. Research methods or procedures
3. Data collected and methods of analysis
4. Conclusions or results

See the Registration and Forms pages for detailed instructions, templates, and submission requirements.

Project Review

All projects competing at NEIRSEF are reviewed before the Regional Fair to ensure they meet applicable research and safety requirements.

Required registration and research paperwork must be completed before a project can be reviewed. Review deadlines are listed on the Schedules page.

Display Requirements

All NEIRSEF exhibitors must follow the fair's current display and safety requirements, regardless of the rules used at their school-level fair.

Fair personnel will inspect displays for compliance. Items that do not meet the requirements may need to be removed.

See the Forms page for current display and safety requirements.

Helpful Resources

Use project ideas and experiment kits as a starting point, but your research should reflect your own question, investigation, and work. Be sure to cite any resources you use.

Helpful resources include:

• Science Buddies – Science fair project guides and resources
• Super Science Fair Projects – Project ideas, kits, and student guides
• STEM Student Research Handbook by Darci J. Harland – A guide to developing and presenting a student research project

Additional student resources and support materials may be added by NEIRSEF throughout the year.