Rapid technological advances and scientific discoveries are changing the world on a daily basis. Inventions like cell phones and experiments are evolving so fast that, after several years, the magnitude of developments seems staggering.In an effort to promote consciousness among high school students and the general population, educational institutions promote a system of requirements for
. producing investigatory projects, also called investigative reports. Students receive assignments to prepare investigatory reports that consist of research papers, project data, display diagrams/illustrations and other relevant materials, including suggestions for future actions.The overall content of an investigatory project addresses: application of scientific principles; introduction of new knowledge; parallel or continuing scientific research; contributions to the advancement of science and technology; and the significance of related socio-economic issues.Students are expected to present investigative reports that inform and attract attention. Typically, investigative reports are placed on display at science and technology fairs. So it is important for them to represent concise and complete research as well as experimentation that make it easy for spectators and even judges to view.Often, investigative reports are evaluated in student competitions, considering how well students show they put the necessary time and effort into the content of their reports.Following the process of preliminary research and experimentation, students are required to write a one-page abstract of 250 words. The abstract is formatted with sections for: purpose of experiment; methods used; relevant data; conclusions; and applications.The research paper is another component of the investigatory project that expresses a student's thoughts and data in an organized fashion. It contains: a statement of the nature/objective of the project; enough details of procedures so that anyone can replicate experiments; analysis of findings; and conclusions, with recommendations for additional experiments. A list of references or bibliography is included.Experts advise that exposing students to the process and value of investigatory projects prepares them for experimentation and analysis in many disciplines. For example, the Emmy-winning television documentary series " Investigative Reports" on the A&E TV channel (1991-2004) explored national and international stories on a wide range of political, economic and social trends.Sample investigatory reports are available on a number of websites.More reference links: http://investigatory.ragnarokproject.com/ http://www.freesciencefairproject.com/
