The Standard: Judging is conducted in a fair and ethical manner. Conflicts of interest are addressed and the process of judging and final decision making is as transparent as possible while maintaining the integrity of the process. All of those involved in judging and in making winner selections do so with the best interest of the student participants. The decisions of judges are final.
Required project forms for the state fair are the same as ISEF.
Rules and Guidelines Booklet includes the forms necessary to document adherence to the rules. These forms constitute written documentation of what will occur or in some cases has already occurred in a research project.
Rules and Guidelines Booklet includes the forms necessary to document adherence to the rules. These forms constitute written documentation of what will occur or in some cases has already occurred in a research project.
The abstract should be 250 words or less. Do not discuss specific aspects of the research in great detail, including experimental procedures and statistical methods. Any information that is unnecessary to include in a brief explanation should be saved for the written research paper or the project exhibit board.
The abstract should be a brief, yet comprehensive synopsis of the research project. It should seek to highlight the research question(s), experimental procedures, data, and conclusions in a way that is concise and easy to understand. It will be reviewed by Special Award Organization and Grand Award Judges to determine whether the project stands out within its category or qualifies for special awards. The general public and other Regeneron ISEF visitors read the abstract for a quick overview of the research design and findings.
The state fair follows the rules and guidelines of ISEF.
The International Rules for Pre-college Science Research: Guidelines for Science and Engineering Fairs are published annually to support students doing independent research safely. The International Rules are the official rules of the Regeneron ISEF and students competing at Society-affiliated science fairs.
The purpose of these rules is to:
– protect the rights and welfare of the student researcher
– protect the rights and welfare of the human participant
– ensure adherence to federal regulations
– ensure use of safe laboratory practices
– protect the environment
– determine eligibility for competition in the Regeneron ISEF
The International Rules for Pre-college Science Research: Guidelines for Science and Engineering Fairs are published annually to support students doing independent research safely. The International Rules are the official rules of the Regeneron ISEF and students competing at Society-affiliated science fairs.
The purpose of these rules is to:
– protect the rights and welfare of the student researcher
– protect the rights and welfare of the human participant
– ensure adherence to federal regulations
– ensure use of safe laboratory practices
– protect the environment
– determine eligibility for competition in the Regeneron ISEF
The Rules Wizard has been designed as a first step to help you determine what forms and approvals are necessary before beginning a science fair project. Answer each of the 9 questions and a result page will provide a list of forms and information based on your answers; these forms and the accompanying rules should be reviewed closely with a teacher or mentor BEFORE experimentation begins.
At ISEF, you don’t need to compete in the same category as in your national, regional, state, or local competition. Furthermore, most regional and state competitions do not use subcategories. You should carefully consider which subcategory best describes your project because your judges will be assigned based on their expertise in your chosen subcategory. If the project could be in multiple subcategories (or categories), it is best to select the primary subcategory of your project rather than “Other.”