Science Fair Journal-Info and Rubric

Scientific Journaling

The journal is your most treasured piece of work.  In any experiment, a scientist must make observations and record ALL relevant data pertaining to the experiment.  The journal begins as soon as a question is approved. A journal entry should be completed every time you work on the investigation.  Examples include shopping for supplies (include receipt), writing a hypothesis, or brainstorming ideas.  

Your journal should include the following:

1)      Date of each entry (Left margin)

2)      The question  

3)      Rough drafts of each step to include mark-ups (skip lines in order to leave room for revisions)

4)      What you did that day

5)      What you learned

6)      Observations - What you saw, heard, felt, and smelled; Use your senses.

7)      Anything unexpected that happened

8)      Problems encountered; Solutions to problems

9)       What problems still need to be solved

10)   What else needs to be accomplished

11)   Drawings that might help explain the investigation

12)   Measurements from the experiment

13)   Data tables/charts to organize the information 

14)   Plan(s) for the next day

NOTE:  Do NOT write on the back of the pages.

Science Fair Rubric Checklist – Journal

Expectations - Journal	Points
§  Handwritten §  Dated entries §  Rough drafts of each step §  Detailed/Factual notes (no opinions)   §  Sentences/phrases §  Problems/solutions §  Drawings/Observations/Brainstorms §  Measurements §  Data table/chart §  Mark ups with arrows, rewrites, etc. (Use red ink for revisions) §  Rubric placed inside of composition book (front)	30
SCORE