"How To" Templates
To assist students who are just starting their first STEM research project, we have created several templates that can help you develop topic ideas and narrow your research question, that can guide you in creating a research plan, and that can provide an overview of using statistics as part of your data analysis.
Finding Ideas and Narrowing Questions
STEM projects can be discovered just about anywhere: in your classroom, on the internet, through the news, or from family and friends. You can find a STEM project idea while participating in a sport, playing a musical instrument, cooking a meal, listening to a podcast, taking a photograph, taking care of a pet, enjoying a video game, or even riding in a car.
Writing a Research Plan
A research plan includes the following headers: a) Project Rationale; b) Research Question (or Hypothesis or Engineering Goal); c) Procedures; d) Risk and Safety; e) Data Analysis; and f) Research Bibliography. This template gives you all the steps needed to write a strong plan for your research project and/or paper.
Using Statistics to Answer Research Questions
Written by Mayo Clinic scientists as part of the STEM mentorship program, this document can help you learn more about how statistics can answer your research questions.
Science Project PowerPoint Template
Basic PowerPoint template that includes information requested by the Minnesota State Science and Engineering Fair for all Science Projects. Remember that judges need to be able to read your slideshow text and graphics easily, so avoid backgrounds and/or text colors that distract from your message.
Engineering Project PowerPoint Template
Basic PowerPoint template that includes information requested by the Minnesota State Science and Engineering Fair for all Engineering Projects. Remember that judges need to be able to read your slideshow text and graphics easily, so avoid backgrounds and/or text colors that distract from your message.