<p>Hey cc! I could really use some guidance and help from all of you awesome people!</p>
<p>I really want to do well in the Intel ISEF and Siemens competitions in the future.
Right now I'm a rising sophomore and want to begin my research, which I'm aiming to be published (hopefully..?) and become at least semi-finalist in the above competitions.</p>
<p>I need some help though. I want to start my research this summer, and have absolutely no idea what to do. Am I supposed to do research at a university, with a prof? Or can I do it at home (dont have the supplies...). And I come up with my own topic/objective, right?</p>
<p>That’s the time I started doing research. I suggest that you first figure out what you want to do, then contact professors at local colleges to see if they would work with you. You should start reading up on literature in May, but if you have AP exams, then late May early June. Strive to get your project started by mid-June and finish by August. Then work all August writing up a beast paper. </p>
<p>Don’t worry about getting published. I’m a siemens semifinalist and an ISEF Finalist, and my paper never got published yet, so don’t even worry about that. Publishing takes a really long time, depending on the field. Also, your prof wouldn’t put up a “bad” paper since that would ruin his reputation, so publishing is like a cherry-on-top.</p>
<p>I am entering a project to an ISEF-affiliated fair in March 2013. I dream of making it to ISEF, and this year I think I have a chance. I don’t think publishing of your papers in a formal academic journals is necessary to success. It would be cool, but it is not necessary.</p>
<p>by the way, have you ever heard of the Intel Science Talent Search. It’s similar to the Siemens competition, and its the most prestigious science competition in the U.S. But you can only do it as a senior, so your project will probably be a culmination of all the work you have done starting now. Here’s a link, you should check it out:
[Intel</a> STS - Home Page - Society for Science & the Public](<a href=“http://www.societyforscience.org/STS]Intel”>Regeneron Science Talent Search- Society for Science)</p>
I agree with iceui2. The science buddies guide is good (though not comprehensive in any respect).
Also, you can try intelliprep1.com for science competitions (a really cool private “tutoring” service that has past winners edit your abstract, fix up your paper, and hone your presentation). I won 1st place category at ISEF, and then used them for Siemens also (regional finalist), so it worked pretty well lol. extremely high prices tho… but definitely worth it
The way to make it into ISEF is to fall in love with your research and to spend lots of time playing around with it. I know the OP is already in college, but for anyone who will look at this in the future please don’t pressure yourself too much. You can work from a university or at home although for some projects you don’t have a choice (mostly soft sciences). I have worked out of my basement with only small grants from my parents and previous years’ prize money to fund my research, yet I have made it each year, won two awards, and am a semifinalist with distinctions in the STS (so far). I would have to disagree with jjj708 on using intelliprep1.com because in my personal opinion that is like cheating. That being said, using it might greatly help you if you are looking for a top place at ISEF since how you present your research matters perhaps more than what your research is at ISEF. Again, you don’t have to use it to do well. I did not use it and I have done just fine. Plus, you get the satisfaction of knowing you hauled yourself up the mountain on your own two feet alone. This is just my personal opinion, and I understand that of others will vary from my own. Best of luck to future finalists and young researchers.