An investigation into the sources for ideas and research of students participating at the regional science fair level

• Main Author: Barron, John Joseph
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 1997
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/4474/; https://research.library.mun.ca/4474/1/Barron_JohnJoseph.pdf; https://research.library.mun.ca/4474/3/Barron_JohnJoseph.pdf

The main area of study in this thesis deals with relating student sources of ideas and research to the outcomes of the science fair. There was no literature available that dealt with an experimental approach to studying these questions. This thesis uses a questionnaire administered at the Eastern Newfoundland Regional Science Fair to supply the information on where students get their ideas, and where they do their research. -- The most prevalent source for ideas was self-generation. Surprisingly a large number of students, including a large number of medal winners, obtain their ideas from texts, defined as a low-level source within the literature. Few of the students used any research beyond what they found in their school and public library, and in all but a few cases, ease of access was the most quoted reason. The Internet as a research source increased in popularity over the past year, mirroring an increase in the access to this resource within the school system.