Completing the Forms

Middle School/Senior High Division

Every Student Needs the Following

• Checklist for Adult Sponsor Form (1): This form is required by all projects and must be completed prior to experimenting.
• Student Checklist (1A): This form is required for all projects and must be completed prior to experimenting. This year the research plan is part of the student checklist. Student will be typing their own research plan on a piece of paper. The following need to be included: A. Question being addressed. B. Hypothesis/Problem/Engineering Goals. C. Description in detail of method or procedures. All projects will include Procedures, Data Analysis, Bibliographymust be completed and dated before the start of the experiment. Note the starting date of the experiment must be after the date of the signatures on Form (1B). This form is to explain the plan for research and experimentation and must accompany Student Checklist Form (1A).
• Approval Form (1B): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment. If you have a student that has a project with experimentation involving humans, your school must have an IRB Committee. On Form 1B, #2 is for Prior Approval and #3 is for Approval the day of the fair. Each member of a team will need to complete and submit this form.
• Research Plan: Local or regional IRB/SRC committee may need to approve prior to start of project (if research involves vertebrate animals or human participants). After initial IRB/SRC approval (if required), any proposed changes in the Student Checklist (1A) and Research Plan must be re-approved before laboratory experimentation/data collection resumes.
• After experimentation, each student or team must submit a (Maximum) 250-word, one-page abstract which summarizes the current year's work. The abstract must describe research conducted by the student, not by adult supervisors. This form is available for download under our form section. Abstract used for 2012 Intel ISEF will only be available online.

Projects Involving Humans, Vertebrate Animals or Potentially Hazardous Biological Agents

(See the required certification forms for each area at http://www.societyforscience.org/isef)

• Regulated Research Institutional/Industrial Setting Form (1C). This form is to be completed after the experiment is finished by the adult supervising the student research conducted in a regulated research institution, industrial setting or any work site other than home, school of field.
• Abstract. This form is to be completed for each project exhibit and research paper after the experiment is finished.
• Qualified Scientist Form (2): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment. May be required for research involving human subjects, vertebrate animals, potentially hazardous biological agents, and DEA-controlled substances.
• Risk Assessment Form (3): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment. Required for projects using hazardous chemicals, activities or devices. The Sample of Informed Consent Form includes informatiom for Student Researchers: An informed consent form should be developed in consultation with the Adult Sponsor, Designated Supervisor or Qualified Scientist. This form is used to provide information to the research subject (or parent/guardian) and to document written informed consent, minor assent and/or parental permission. Students may use this form or may copy ALL elements of this form into a new document.
• Human Subjects Form and Sample of Informed Consent Form (4): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment. Again, if you have a student that has a project with experimentation of human participants, your school must have an IRB Committee. This includes review of any surveys or questionnaires to be used in a project. The Society for Science & the Public requires all affiliated fairs to appoint a Scientific Review Committee (SRC) of at least three people. The SRC must include one biomedical scientist (Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., D.D.S., or D.O.), one educator, and one other member. The SRC must review and approve projects involving restricted areas of research before experimentation is started. If animal research is involved, at least one member must be familiar with proper animal care procedures. If the SRC needs an expert as one of its members and one is not in the immediate area, then documented contact with an external expert is appropriate and encouraged.
• Vertebrate Animal Form (5A or 5B): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment. Form 5A required for all research involving vertebrate animals that is conducted in a Non-Regulated Research Site. (IRB approval required before experimentation.) Form 5A is filled out by the Student Researcher and describe the housing and care for the animals and expectations as to what will happen to the animals after experimentation. The bottom of the form is filled out by the supervisor or scientist and is signed and dated when they approve this project with these housing conditions PRIOR to experimenting. Form 5B is required for all research involving vertebrate animals that is conducted at a Regulated Research Site. (IACUC approval required before experimentation.) Form 5B is to be completed by the Qualified Scientist or Principal Investigator.
• Potentially Hazardous Biological Agents Risk Assessment Form (6A): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment. This form is filled out by the Student Researcher with collaboration with Qualified Scientist/Designated Supervisor. Form 6A is required for all research involving microorganisms, rDNA and fresh/frozen tissue, blood and body fluids. SRC/IACUC/IBC approval required before experimentation.
• Human and Vertebrate Animal Tissue Form (6B): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment. This form is filled out by the Student Researcher and explains the source of the tissue. The Qualified Scientist/Designated Supervisor must sign to show approval the use of this tissue and the date (before experimentation) that they approve. Form 6B is required for projects using fresh/frozen tissue, primary cell cultures, blood, blood products and body fluids. If the research involves living organisms, please ensure that the proper human or animal forms are completed. All projects using any tissue listed above, must also complete Form 6A.
• Continuation Projects Form (7): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment. This form is required for projects that are a continuation in the same field of study as a previous project. Form 7 must be accompanied by the previous year's abstract and Research Plan. Explain as completely as possible how the project is different from previous experimentation because ONLY a new and different research project is allowed. (It can be based on previous research, but must be new and different research.) Repetition of previous experimentation with the exact same methodology and research question or increasing sample size are examples of unacceptable continuations. Date signed is the date the Student Researcher is certifying that this information is correct and that the current year Abstract displays that the work has been done only in the current year.

General Information for the Middle School/Senior High Division

• Dates must be in the same handwriting as the signature and must occur before the start of the research. That means all the signatures and dates on Form 1B must be correct along with all IRB and SRC signatures. No typed dates.
• This project year includes research conducted over a maximum 12 continuous months from January 2011 - May 2012.
• A continuing project must have the Abstract and Research Plan from the previous year and previous year's Abstract and Research Plan from other years are needed if project is a continuation from those projects. Documentation should be clearly labeled with the year. Please retain all prior years' paperwork in case a SRC requests additional documentation.
• The student should submit a copy of his/her certification forms by January 20, 2012 for the Middle School/Senior High Division and by March 30 for the Elementary Division to the South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair Office. If the middle school/senior high student advances to the Minnesota Academy of Science State Science Fair or Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, they must send a copy of the forms. Students should always keep the original to bring on fair day for signatures.
• Handouts are limited to the abstract only. All students competing at the Middle School/Senior High Division of the Science Fair (Grades 6-12) must submit an abstract. The abstract must only reflect experiments performed in the last year. You must not list names of people, companies or universities in your abstract (or on your display board).

Elementary Division

Every Student Needs the Following

• Elementary Project Approval Form.
• Research Notebook or Log: On fair day, each project should have a research notebook or log that documents the procedures, the data collected and analysis, and bibliography.

Projects Involving Human Participants and Vertebrate Animals Need the Additional Forms

(See the Required Certification Forms for Each Area.)

• Qualified Scientist Form (2): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment.
• Human Subjects Form (4): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment. Again, if you have a student that has a project with experimentation of humans, your school must have an SRC Committee. Science Service requires all affiliated fairs to appoint a Scientific Review Committee (SRC) of at least three people. The SRC must include one biomedical scientist (Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M., D.D.S., or D.O.), one educator, and one other member. One member must be familiar with proper animal care procedures when animal research is involved. The SRC must review and approve projects involving restricted areas of research before experimentation is started.
• Vertebrate Animal Form (5A or 5B): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment.
• Continuation Projects Form (7): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment.
• Risk Assessment Form (3): This form must be completed and dated before the start of the experiment for projects involving Potentially Hazardous Devices or Activities. This form is filled out by the Student Researcher with collaboration with Qualified Scientist/Designated Supervisor. The use of hazardous devices and involvement in a hazardous activities require direct supervision by a Designated Supervisor. Firearms and Other Potentially Hazardous Devices: The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), along with state agencies, regulates the purchase and use of firearms. A firearm is defined as a small arms weapon from which a projectile is fired by gunpowder. The purchase of a firearm by a minor is generally unlawful. The use of a firearm, without proper state certification requirements of individual states and countries.
• Projects involving firearms are allowable when conducted with the direct supervision of a Designated Superviosr and when in compliance with all federal, state and local laws. Potato guns or paintball guns are not firearms unless they are intended to be used as weapons. They must be treated as hazardous devices.

General Information for the Elementary Division

• This project year includes research conducted over a maximum 12 month period during 2011-2012.
• A continuing project must have the previous year's Abstract and Research Plan.
• The student/team should submit a copy of their certification forms no later than March 30, 2012 for the Elementary Division to the South Central/Southwest Minnesota Regional Science & Engineering Fair Office. Students should always keep the original to bring along to the fair.