A note from the Judges

Editor's note: We've invited guest blogger Christina Baker, former science teacher, visiting lecturer in Psychology at the University of Westminster in London and our Google Science Fair Judging Panel Coordinator to provide some general feedback about all the great science fair projects that were submitted.

The Google Science Fair judging panel is made up of an international team of scientific experts from a wide range of fields, from biology, physics and chemistry to computer science. We hope you enjoyed creating these projects as much as we enjoyed reviewing them!"

As this is the Google Science Fair’s first year, the judging team didn’t know what to expect. The judges were impressed with entrants’ ability to use both imagination and sound research methods to conduct their investigations, and also found their enthusiasm for their chosen topics very inspiring. There was also good evidence of effective teamwork, as Google Sites enabled entrants to work together without having to be in the same room... or even the same country!

The standard of entries was extremely high. One judge commented: “I've just judged a project that has absolutely blown me away... It was so good I had to take a break for a cup of tea before judging a few more!”

With over 7,500 entries from all over the world, it would be impossible for judges to provide individual feedback to entrants, but we have provided some key points that apply to all.

The best entrants...

• Explored original or imaginative ideas
• Communicated their thinking clearly and engagingly
• Were meticulous about their scientific method
• Followed the Science Fair rules
• Made sure that all teammates had parental permission
• Made sure that website and presentation permissions were viewable (i.e. not set to ‘Private’)
• Read and addressed all the criteria for each section
• Made sure there was a clear idea linking their project together (so that the experiment and conclusion clearly addressed the question and hypothesis)
• Explained how their work could make a positive difference to the world
• Allowed their love of science to shine through in their project

It was clear from the projects as a whole that the future world will be in good hands with the next generation of very talented young scientists!

Christina Baker
Google Science Fair Judging Panel Coordinator