<p>In my sophomore year, I did I research project in neuroscience for a local science fair and won first place, allowing me to go on to the Intel ISEF. But I have a confession to make, I lied on part of the project. One of my tests ended up giving me really strange results that weren't anything like expected. At the time, I couldn't really make sense of them, and I didn't want the judges to think I had screwed up really bad (I assumed something unknown to me went wrong in the experiment), so I just didn't include the results in the paper. However what I really regret now is that instead of just saying that I had poor or unreliable results that appeared to be flawed, or something like that, I lied and said I never even did those particular tests and made up an excuse as to why. From the perspective of more experience, I now realize that that was very bad because those results might not have been messed up, they might just have been indicative of a poor experimental method prone to error. I was already somewhat aware of the capacity for error, which I spoke of in my paper, but the tests I lied about and excluded could have been even more evidence that I wasn't doing very sound science and could have even partially invalidated my results. I feel terribly guilty for this now...Am I a horrible person? What should I do?</p>
<p>I think, at this point, you should simply consider this a lesson learned, and remember this next time you do research. Of course, if you have any plans to publish or do anything else with the research that you have already conducted, you should be truthful in your new papers.</p>
<p>I was thinking of writing to the people who organized the science fair and/or ISEF to explain the situation and give them the opportunity to rescind the award if they want to. I was also thinking of writing to colleges to notify them. Is this crazy? What I really worry about is that if I get into my dream school (Columbia), I will never know if I truly deserved it or if it was a result of this "cheating." I want to come clean somehow...</p>
<p>ba da bump</p>
<p>i would write to the science fair people, but in all honesty don't send a letter to your colleges. it will look like you are a really shady person, plus, if you come clean to ISEF then your conscience cant still remain guilty. unless somehow you can show in your letter how you have grown as a person da da da da and how you won't do something like that again, but still, that's risky.</p>
<p>What do you think ISEF would say? Do they expect that most projects aren't perfect and that some aren't entirely honest or am I the only person stupid enough to lie on part of a project? I hate myself....</p>
<p>well it depends. was this last year? then they might take away your award if this ocurred recently, but if it was awhile ago they might not really care. also, you didnt really change your results, you just didnt include those particular tests in your paper, so they might not care that much. it wasnt as if you made up your data or something like that. anyways, i dont know much about ISEF but i think that if you feel very strongly you should tell them. and don't hate yourself, it happens to the best of us. it's just a life lesson you know. btw, did you tell your parents?</p>
<p>What's done is done, but don't mention the event/award on any of your college/other apps if you feel you didn't truly earn it.</p>
<p>Thanks for the support. Like I said, I feel really bad about all of this. What makes it really tough is the fact that I'm a really morals centered person, I try really hard to make sure I never cheat or do anything like that in school. Furthermore, I really did work my butt off on that project- about 6 months of work, and as elusivestranger said, its not like I made totally made up the results or anything. I just can't believe I'd be so stupid and shortsighted as to lie and let one part of the project ruin the whole thing. I really think that if had taken a different approach and just written up the results as they were, even though they seemed flawed, I still would have won....Now I'm really kicking myself for not doing that...Since I've already applied to some collegs, do you think I should write them telling about this?</p>
<p>Out of curiosity, what was the test that was so scewed? I think you need to ask yourself if the data from that experiment would have had an effect on your conclusion, or not. Science ethics are a very tricky thing. We've been doing more and more explaining of really bad data in AP Chem as opposed to just kind of fixing the data like back in Honors. I suppose it's you being more mature in your views on science.</p>
<p>Don't forget that hindsight is 20/20, if not better.</p>
<p>bump please</p>