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THIS YEAR'S FAIR DATES ARE March 31 - April 2, 2009!

SCIENTIFIC REVIEW COMMITTEE INFO CAN BE FOUND HERE

Doing the paperwork for a Science Fair project can take as long as the project itself, and is frequently a source of frustration.  The Ozarks Science and Engineering Fair did not create these forms; however, they must be used if we are to be affiliated with the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).  We hope that the following information will assist teachers and students in filling out the forms in less time and with fewer frustrating mistakes.

The first section below will help you determine which forms you will need for any particular project, and will help with Forms 1A and 1B (which everyone needs).  Included in these instructions is information about what type of projects will need approval BEFORE they can be started, and who must approve them.  Other sections will then provide assistance with filling out the other forms, and include a list of common mistakes that you will want to avoid.

Getting Started Biohazardous Material
TOP 10 MISTAKES

GETTING STARTED . . .

Forms 1A and 1B are REQUIRED on EVERY project, and what you put on Form 1A determines what other forms are also required.   First, fully complete the top of Form 1A, parts 1-7.  Note that there is a separate Form 1A for TEAM projects.  Specific things to watch for include:

  1. The Adult Sponsor (part 3), usually the student's teacher

  2. You must indicate the PROJECTED start and end dates (the dates you plan to start and end your laboratory/field research) in part 5.

  3. ACTUAL start date MUST BE after all necessary signatures and approvals have been obtained.

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Biohazardous Materials

Microorganisms that are cultured from ANY environment are considered potentially pathogenic.  Standard microbiological handling practices MUST be used when working with cultured organisms.  If your project involves the growth of microorganisms (this includes but is not limited to viruses, viroids, prions, bacteria, fungi, and parasites), you must check the pathogenic agent box on Question 3 on the "Checklist for Adult Sponsor/Safety Assessment" (Form 1), Question 8 on the "Research Plan" (Form 1A), and Question 5 on the "Qualified Scientist" (Form 5), and file the appropriate forms for Pathogenic Agents.

ONLY Escherichia coli (E.coli) strain K12 and Baker's/Brewers Yeast (saccharomyces cerevisiae) are not considered to be pathogens.  All other strains of E. coli are considered to be pathogenic.

Forms REQUIRED for Pathogenic Agents:

bullet used to point out important items    Checklist for Adult Sponsor/Safety Assessment Form 1

bullet used to point out important items    Research Plan 1A

bullet used to point out important items    Approval Form 1B  - NOTE:  Pathogenic Agents require SRC approval BEFORE experimentation begins.

bullet used to point out important items    Qualified Scientist Form 2

Forms that MAY be required:

bullet used to point out important items    Designated Supervisor Form 3 - NOTE:  If the Qualified Scientist cannot be present during experimentation, you MUST file a Designated Supervisor form.  This person will supervise your project in the absence of the Qualified Scientist.

bullet used to point out important items    Registered Research Institution/Industrial Setting Form 1C - NOTE:   If work was conducted or equipment used at an institutional or industrial setting at any time during the current ISEF project year, you must complete this form after the completion of the experiment.

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TOP 10 MISTAKES
Click on any of the links in the table below for hints on avoiding the most common errors and omissions.

HAZARDOUS BIOLOGICAL AGENTS HUMAN SUBJECTS NONHUMAN VERTEBRATE ANIMALS CHEMICALS & DEVICES

HAZARDOUS BIOLOGICAL AGENTS

bullet used to point out important items    The Pathogenic Agent box must be checked on the following forms:   Checklist for Adult Sponsor/Safety Assessment Form 1 question 3, Research Plan 1A question 8, and Qualified Scientist Form 2 question 5.

bullet used to point out important items    Required forms are missing.

bullet used to point out important items    Pathogenic Agents require SRC approve BEFORE experimentation begins.

bullet used to point out important items    On Research Plan Form 1A question 6, DO NOT CHECK THE HOME BOX.   You can collect your samples at home, you can streak plates or inoculate broth at home, but you CANNOT incubate or work with microbial cultures in your home.  This must be done in a laboratory either at school or in a research institution.

bullet used to point out important items    The Qualified Scientist must have an earned doctorate degree in an appropriate discipline that would qualify them to oversee the experiment.   Alternatively, the Qualified Scientist must have a master's degree and sufficient work experience in an area that is related to the specific project.

bullet used to point out important items    Form 1A Research Plan question 9, part C - the procedure descriptions are sometimes very vague and do not make sense.  The Research Plan should be a detailed description of your research method or procedure.  After you have written out your procedure, go over this with your qualified scientist or supervisor to verify that you have written out the procedure correctly and in sufficient detail.

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HUMAN SUBJECT RESEARCH

bullet used to point out important items    Avoiding human research out of fear of complications and/or paperwork:  Many studies can be done based on simple observations of legal public behavior, normal classroom activities, or publicly available data.  These require no consent forms or qualified scientist forms.  As examples, students can get data from newspapers such as learning the average age of criminal offenders; from classrooms, such as who sits on the front row of classes, males or females?; or by observing driving or shopping behaviors that occur in public.

bullet used to point out important items    Not including a psychologist or psychiatrist on the IRB when the study concerns behavior: If your school needs help with this issue, please contact the Missouri State Psychology Department, or Dr. Matthew Fanetti [Federal Law (25-CFR-46)].

bullet used to point out important items    Not assessing risk adequately:  Risk is explained on page 12 of the International Rules.  While risk is clearly explained here, students have proposed to study exercise, very personal feelings, and even special medical conditions in invasive ways, without a qualified scientist.  The IRB needs to review the risk discussion.

bullet used to point out important items    The IRB not meeting as a group:  The IRB does need to meet as a group to discuss the proposal.  Too often, students have walked their proposals around for signatures, and careful consideration of the proposals did not occur.  That is how one student secured permission to require medical patients to forego use of their prescribed medical equipment.

bullet used to point out important items    The IRB Chair not providing a signature on the Approval Form (1B): It is in small print, but the IRB Chair must sign the 1B Form.

bullet used to point out important items    Not providing Informed Consent Form (4B) for subjects under 18 years of age:  This is required even if the study involves no risk, except under certain conditions mentioned on page 11 of the International Rules.

bullet used to point out important items    Not checking the appropriate box for human research on the Research Plan (1A), under Section 8: A simple omission that often causes problems.

bullet used to point out important items    Omitting the start and end dates for the study on the Research Plan (1A):  See item 5, please.

bullet used to point out important items    Omitting the bibliography required as per Research Plan (1A):  See item 9d, please.

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NONHUMAN VERTEBRATE ANIMALS

bullet used to point out important items    All Nonhuman Vertebrate Animal projects require:

subodinate bullet used to designate important points within a topic    Abstract

subodinate bullet used to designate important points within a topic    Checklist for Adult Sponsor

subodinate bullet used to designate important points within a topic    Research Plan Form 1A

subodinate bullet used to designate important points within a topic    Approval Form 1B

subodinate bullet used to designate important points within a topic    Qualified Scientist Form 2

subodinate bullet used to designate important points within a topic    Nonhuman Vertebrate Animal Project Form 5

bullet used to point out important items    Nonhuman Vertebrate Animal projects may also require the following:

subodinate bullet used to designate important points within a topic    Registered Research Institutional/Industrial Setting Form 1C

subodinate bullet used to designate important points within a topic    Designated Supervisor Form 3

teriiary bullet designating special interest points within a subordinate topic    this form is required if the Qualified Scientist listed on Form 2 does not directly supervise the student/project.

bullet used to point out important items    For Nonhuman Vertebrate Animal projects, FOUR references are required with one of the references being an animal care reference (see Form 1A line 9d).

bullet used to point out important items    The start date of the project must be AFTER SRC approval (see Form 1A line 5).

bullet used to point out important items    The animal care supervisor listed on the bottom of Form 5 must be the person who directly supervises the care and handling of the vertebrate.

bullet used to point out important items    Alternatives to the use of Nonhuman Vertebrate Animal projects for research must be explored and discussed in the Research Plan (Form 1A line 9c).

bullet used to point out important items    Research Plan (Form 1A line 9c) must include a statement that a weight loss or growth retardation of 15% in any group of animals in the project will cause an immediate termination of the project.

bullet used to point out important items    Nonhuman Vertebrate Animal projects require an extremely detailed Research Plan (Form 1A line 9c).   Please see page 16, second column, of the International Rules.

bullet used to point out important items    The specific amount and dose of any compounds given to the animals in the project must be listed in detail in the Research Plan (Form 1A line 9c).

bullet used to point out important items    All of the forms must be FULLY COMPLETED.

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CHEMICALS AND DEVICES
Use this information if you use any chemicals and/or devices.

bullet used to point out important items    Do you use one or more of the following?  (Your first job is to know the definition of each.)

subodinate bullet used to designate important points within a topic    Controlled Substances (see the International Rules to see form list)

subodinate bullet used to designate important points within a topic    Hazardous Substances (see the International Rules to see form list)

subodinate bullet used to designate important points within a topic    Hazardous Devices (see the International Rules to see form list)

teriiary bullet designating special interest points within a subordinate topic    In some cases, it is the substance itself which is controlled or hazardous.  In other cases, whether a substance is controlled or hazardous is determined by the concentration and/or combination of substances.  In most cases, the student should discuss these terms with his or her teacher.

bullet used to point out important items    If you do have one or more of the above in your proposed research project, plan to fill out the required forms and locate the necessary people to supervise you.

subordinate bullet to designate important points within a topic    Qualified Scientist - Form 2 (see the International Rules)

subordinate bullet to designate important points within a topic    Designated Supervisor - Form 3 (see the International Rules)

subordinate bullet to designate important points within a topic    Adult Sponsor - Form 1 (see the International Rules)

bullet used to point out important items    You must plan for proper storage and disposal of your chemical substances when the project is finished.

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This page maintained by Sue McCrory
Missouri State University
Last updated Wednesday, July 09, 2008