write your paper

The Paper and Abstract must be submitted for feedback and review no later than the date listed on the homepage. There can be no exceptions to this because of the tight timeline and arrangements for travel.

How to Write Your Paper:  JSHS Paper Guidelines

• The paper should be a minimum of 5-6 pages and a maximum of 20 pages, including appendices.
• All papers must be in third person past tense. (For example, “The researcher then added 10 mL of HCl into a test tube. . . . “)
• All papers must have 1 inch margins and be keyed in 12 point font (Times or Times New Roman).
• Photography may be used in the electronic research paper. Photography can be used more extensively in the oral presentations.
• Graphs, tables, diagrams, charts, or other graphic representation should be simple to allow the judges on-line access to the research paper.
• The required format is PDF. If you write it in Word, simply convert to a pdf.

This section details the format of the paper. Your paper must have the following sections. Each section must begin with a new page.

• Cover Page (This must all be on 1 page so it can be coded and removed for the reviewers)
  • Student name
  • School name
  • Teacher mentor name
• Title Page
  • Title of the project
• Acknowledgement
  • Major assistance received (teachers, outside scientists, etc)
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
  • State your hypothesis
  • State your variables
  • Background on the topic
  • Why you chose this topic
  • What you hoped to learn or gain from the research
• Materials and Methods (both must be in paragraph format- what you did and what you used)
• Results
  • List data or findings only- you will discuss what they mean in the discussion area
  • Data tables and charts
  • Graphs (no bar graphs, use line or other appropriate graphs for scientific findings)
• Discussion
  • A discussion of your results- what do they mean and how do the data relate to your hypothesis?
• Conclusions
  • Relate your findings from the discussion back to your hypothesis- was your hypothesis supportedor not supported- hypothesis never are proven true or false, they are only supported or not supported
• References used in your research in APA format.
• Appendix or Appendices (if necessary)
  • List all tests, surveys developed, etc
• Statement of Humane and Supervised Research (Required for all vertebrate research)
  • Write this statement if you used human subjects or non-human vertebrates, "research involving non-human vertebrates or human subjects was conducted under the supervision of an experienced teacher or researcher and followed state and federal regulatory guidance applicable to the human and ethical conduct of such research".​