1. RESEARCH PLANS AND JOURNAL
OLGA PEEL
Regional Science Fair Director Cape Town Expo

2. Contents
Research plans and researching information before the investigation starts
Journals during the whole of the investigation

3. Research plans
Proposal on how the project will be carried out. Done right at the beginning.
Teacher/mentor guides and evaluates research plan and assists with planning.
Teacher/mentor assists with an ethics check.
Easy to start again at this point.
Can be assessed.
Includes skills such as predicting & referencing.
Teache/mentor signs at the beginning

4. Eskom Expo Research Plan
Question or Problem being addressed
Hypothesis or Engineering Goals (engineering projects only)
C. Description in detail of method or procedures that will answer the question you asked or solve the problem:
The following are important and key items that should be included when formulating ANY AND ALL research plans:
Procedures (method): Detail the method/all procedures and experimental design to be used for data collection
Variables: list independent, dependent and at least 3 controlled/fixed variables
Data Analysis: Describe the procedures you will use to analyze the data that answers the research question or hypothesis
D. Bibliography: List the three (3) most important references (e.g. science journal articles, books, internet sites) that you used to get information about your topic and that you will refer to in your introduction/part A above.

5. Researching information before the investigation
What has already been done by other scientists?
How to choose a reliable source of information – 4 ways of checking a source.
Teaches students reading and summarising skills.
Teaches them about ethics (not plagiarising).
Learning how to reference sources of information eg books, websites etc.

6. Reliable websites to reference
Does the article have a proper heading? Is there an author name with contact details? Is the webpage dated? Is the author at an educational /scientific institution?

8. Planning steps for students
Research plan:
Get permission to carry out an investigation using human subjects/animals/chemicals etc & get research plan signed
Find out what has already been done
Decide on materials and apparatus needed
Plan enough time to carry out the investigation
Decide on a method of recording results including project data book
Ensure reliability of results

9. Journals Essential part of any project
Determines authenticity of work done by students
Hand written or typed
Every entry dated
Current year data needed only
ALL evidence of research in the journal
Eg choosing a topic, deciding on hypothesis, interviews, research done, raw data
Start on FIRST day of investigation
Finish day before Expo

10. Examples of Journal entries
28TH APRIL 2016
Met to discuss Cape Town Science EXPO. Started journal and visited the Cape Town Science EXPO
website to gather information. Received the EXPO category list to decide at a later stage what category we will be
entering into.
Researched the Project guide in order to begin research plan.
Figure 1- EXPO Project Guide Website
Taken from:

11. Examples of Journal entries
29TH APRIL 2016
The research Plan was completed and a meeting with science teachers was arranged to discuss possible expanding options, errors/limitations and future extensions. The meeting gave insight into how Piezoelectricity works and where they are currently used such as microphones. The meeting also addressed how to construct an updated more efficient tyre.

12. electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress. 1ST MAY 2016
30TH APRIL 2016
Started more research on Piezoelectric Technology which is: The ability of certain materials to generate an
electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress.
1ST MAY 2016
Started research on Bicycle components – wheel, tube, Tyre. How to integrate more Piezoelectric Transducer
Plates into the tyre.
The cross-section of a tyre diagram below shows suitable areas on where Piezoelectric Transducer Plates
could be inserted as stated in our long term goal of this investigation.
Figure 2: Diagram of a Car Tyre –
Taken from

13. To end...
Questions?
Contact details:
Olga Peel

14. Sources of information:
Eskom Expo for Young Scientists:
Guide book and Research plan