Pathway to Participation

Who Can Participate?

The Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair (MSEF) is open to students in grades 6-12 from public, private, and homeschool programs across the state. Students should have the support of their school to participate, even if they are working with other adults to support their projects.

What makes a Science Fair Project?

• Projects should show evidence of scientific research, engineering design, computer science, or mathematics.
• Projects need to follow all steps of the process:
  • Identifying a question to answer or a problem to solve
  • Developing a plan to implement
  • Implementing that plan and collecting data
  • Analyzing data and communicating their findings
• Students may build on previous years’ work but only present current year work.
• Projects should be done individually or in teams of two or three students.
• Projects are reviewed for thoroughness, problem solving, independence, and understanding of the topic.

Before You Begin Your Project

To ensure that all projects meet science fair requirements for safety, ethics, and research integrity, students must complete a Research Plan and any required approval and consent forms.

Before starting experimentation, students should discuss their project with a qualified adult, such as a teacher or mentor. Some projects require additional review and approval before any research or testing can begin.

All projects must be reviewed and approved before participating in a regional or state science fair. This review process helps ensure that projects comply with MSEF rules and guidelines and that all research has been conducted safely and ethically.

Students and teachers should carefully complete all required forms and submit them by the appropriate deadlines to avoid delays in approval. A careful plan will set students up for success. See deadlines below.

Completing a science & engineering fair project involves creating 5 project components that record the work they did and the results they had. This includes

• Project Notebook: The journal of their work, including data collected
• Research Plan: submitted and approved at the beginning of their project
• Project Report: their written paper that describes their project and results
• Project Display: their physical display board that is used at the fair
• Oral Presentation: the oral presentation they will practice and deliver to judges

These components tell the same story in five different ways – building student communication skills and ownership of their project.

School Fairs

School programs can be various sizes from one project supported to more than 200. If you have more than 8 projects at your school you will likely need a way to determine which students will have a chance to participate in the Regional Fair. This can be done through a small competition or showcase, or use grades or other types of assessment.

Regional Fairs

Students are encouraged to participate through their regional science fair. Schools should work with their regional fair director for event specific information like registration information, deadlines, or additional requirements.

Projects that perform well at regional fairs may advance to the State Fair, and possibly the International Science & Engineering Fair. The number of projects each regional fair sends to the state level is based on participation and project rankings. In addition, each school may nominate up to two projects as Direct Entries to the State Fair.

Fair Day

The day of the Fair – at the school, regional, or state level – is a celebration of learning. All students are eager, even if nervous, to share their work and hear feedback from STEM professionals. Students will typically meet with judges 3-5 times. They may also connect with and learn from the students around them.

At the Regional and State Fairs students are eligible for prizes and recognition. All students feel a sense of accomplishment at bringing their own idea to fruition.