iRubric: Science Fair Research Paper Rubric

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Science Fair Research Paper Rubric

Science Fair Display Board rubric

Rubric to grade students on science fair research papers.

Rubric Code: QX9B6WC

By rhinsz

Ready to use

Public Rubric

Subject: Science

Type: Assessment

Grade Levels: 6-8

Display Board Project Points
	Poor 2 pts	Fair 3 pts	Good 4 pts	Excellent 5 pts
Abstract 5 pts	Poor The abstract is missing three of the following parts: purpose of the experiment, procedure, data, and conclusions.	Fair The abstract is missing two of the following parts: purpose of the experiment, procedure, data, and conclusions.	Good The abstract is missing one of the following parts: purpose of the experiment, procedure, data, and conclusions.	Excellent The abstract includes: purpose of the experiment, procedure, data, and conclusions.
Introduction 5 pts	Poor Student is missing two or more of the following: specific, testable thesis statement, a hook statement, and clearly poses the three key points discussed in the paper.	Fair Introduction does not include a specific, testable thesis statement or did not clearly state the three key points discussed in the paper.	Good Introduction is missing one of the following: Student introduces a specific, testable thesis statement, a hook statement, and clearly poses the three key points discussed in the paper.	Excellent Student introduces their specific, testable thesis statement, a hook statement, and clearly poses the three key points discussed in the paper.
Purpose 5 pts	Poor Purpose is not specific/clear, testable, and stated as a one-sentence question.	Fair Purpose is two of the following: not specific/clear, testable, or stated as a one-sentence question.	Good Purpose is one of the following: not specific/clear, testable, or stated as a one-sentence question.	Excellent Purpose is specific/clear, testable, and stated as a one-sentence question.
Review of Literature 10 pts	Poor No proof of research shown	Fair Research not written in own words, may not be cited, and not really connected to hypothesis	Good One of the following isn't shown: written in own words, hypothesis and research connected, work cited	Excellent Written in own words, hypothesis and research are connected, work cited
Hypothesis 5 pts	Poor Hypothesis is unrelated to the purpose of the project. It is not tested throughout the project.	Fair Hypothesis is stated but not correctly, and is not testable. No proof of research being tied to hypothesis.	Good Hypothesis correlates to the purpose but is not stated as an if/then statement. Hypothesis might have been derived from research.	Excellent Hypothesis is testable and directly correlates to the purpose. It is stated as an if/then/statement. Provides references showing that hypothesis results from research done.
Materials 5 pts	Poor Materials are not appropiate for the experiment or list of materials missing.	Fair Materials are missing a few things the teacher feels could add to the accuracy of the experiment. List did not show details about items used.	Good Materials are appropiate for the experiment but reproducibility is uncertain. List was not specific for all items regarding sizes and units of measurement.	Excellent Materials are appropiate for the experiment, showed information about size and units of measurement.
Procedure 5 pts	Poor Student did not use appropiate materials and incorrectly stated the procedure so that anyone wishing to do the experiment gets varied results.	Fair Student used appropiate materials and stated the procedure so that anyone wishing to do the experiment can perform it but must guess what to do at more than 2 steps.	Good Student used appropiate materials and stated the procedure so that anyone wishing to do the experiment can perform it but must guess what to do at 1-2 steps.	Excellent Student used appropiate materials and correctly stated the procedure so that anyone wishing to do the experiment can perform it and get the same results.
Data-Tables & Graphs 5 pts	Poor No axes are labeled. It is unclear what the data represents without referring to the written results.	Fair Axes not labeled, Data difficult to understand.	Good Most axes are labeled, heading for graph, and Data is fairly easy to understand	Excellent All axes are labeled, heading for graph and Data is easy to understood
Discussion 10 pts	Poor The student is missing 3 or more of the criteria listed in "Excellent" category.	Fair The student is completely missing 2 of the criteria listed in "Excellent" category.	Good The student is completely missing 1 of the criteria listed in "Excellent" category.	Excellent The student explains sources of errors and relates this to reliability. Improvements, future investigations (extensions), and applications are described thoroughly.
Conclusion 5 pts	Poor Student neither explains the results of the experiment nor tells if the hypothesis was correct or incorrect.	Fair Student explains if hypothesis was correct or incorrect.	Good Student explains the results of the project but leaves some question about what was supposed to happen and what actually did. Student explains if hypothesis was proved or refuted.	Excellent Student explains the results of the project and draws a difference between what was supposed to happen and what actually did. Student explains if hypothesis was proved or refuted. Student exemplifies an understanding of the scientific process.
Recommendation 5 pts	Poor The researcher offers no recommendations on ways to improve future scientific investigations on the topic.	Fair The researcher is able to offer 1 recommendations on ways to improve future scientific investigations on the topic.	Good The researcher is able to offer 2-3 recommendations on ways to improve future scientific investigations on the topic.	Excellent The researcher is able to offer several recommendations on ways to improve future scientific investigations on the topic.
Application 5 pts	Poor Researcher cannot explain how their project is applicable to either the real world or to scientific use. Researcher cannot justify why their project is meaningful.	Fair Researcher has difficulty explaining how their project is applicable to either the real world or to scientific use.	Good Researcher has difficulty explaining how their project is applicable to either the real world or to scientific use. Can justify why their project is meaningful.	Excellent Researcher is able to explain how their project is applicable to the real world or to scientific use. Can justify why their project is meaningful.
Works Cited 5 pts	Poor None of the citations have all the required elements.	Fair Some citations have all the required elements.	Good Most citations have all the required elements.	Excellent All citations have all the required elements.

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science fair

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