Project Pre-Approval Certification

For projects involving tissues/cell lines, human subjects, live vertebrate animals, hazardous materials or microbes

Fair Regulations

•

If a project involves tissues/cell lines, human subjects, vertebrate animals , hazardous chemicals or microbes , proper paperwork must be submitted ONLINE and pre-approved by the Los Angeles County Science & Engineering Fair

BEFORE

beginning the research itself.

•

Research design must be based on scientific methodology or engineering principles.

# Pre-approvals per School

•

A maximum of 30 projects per school can be submitted. Submit projects you know meet our

guidelines.

•

When whittling down many pre-approval projects, consider the

quality and caliber of the student(s) / project topic/ uniqueness of experiment.

•

If a team is requesting pre-approval, only 1 student (the team captain) should submit the information.

If all team members submit the same forms, that counts as 2 or 3 projects out of the 30 you are allowed.

School Registration FIRST

1.

Every LA County Middle School and High school receives a notice for entry to the LA County Science Fair in early September.

2.

Site Science Fair Coordinator and and online school registration opens early Sept to the end of January.

Every document will be posted and downloadable at http://www.lascifair.org

NEW Research Rules & Regulations

•

Clearer and more detailed regulations for project safety and procedures , following current state and ISEF guidelines.

–

Linked to government safety resources

–

Linked to 5 sub-pages targeting projects involving tissues/cell lines , human subjects , vertebrate animals , hazardous materials and/or microbes .

•

FAQ pages

specifically targeting problem areas for approval

Supervisor Qualifications

Projects may require different levels of supervision, based on their topic.

Descriptions & qualifications are linked below:

•

Teacher/Advisor

•

Biomedical Scientist

•

Designated Adult Supervisor

•

Animal Care Supervisor

Pre Approval Flow Chart

The SRC Committee

• •

The LA County Science Review Committee (SRC) is responsible for pre-approval of targeted student projects.

A minimum of 3 persons will pre-screen each Research Plan including:

–

A Biomedical Scientist (Ph.D., M.D., etc.)

–

A Science Teacher/Advisor that is not sponsoring a project at the LACSEF.

–

A Science Fair Committee member that is not involved as a Teacher/Advisor or Animal Care Supervisor

The SRC Committee

The Science Review Committee will examine the completed Research Plans ONLINE at ou r Pre-approval page using downloadable SRC Checklists for evidence of:

Literature searches, proper required supervision and online verification, use of accepted research techniques, search for alternatives to using vertebrates, humane treatment of animals, risk factors, proper safety and disposal techniques.

The SRC Committee also looks for:

•

Compliance with LACSEF guidelines , state and federal laws Code and the California Education governing human subject, tissue/cell line, live vertebrate animal, hazardous materials and microbe research.

Continuation Projects

•

If a project is a continuation of a previously entered LACSEF project, the Research Plan must document how the current year ’s project is new and must contain at least 2/3 new information .

•

Repeating previous experimentation or increasing sample size are unacceptable.

•

Displays must reflect the current year ’s work.

•

Students must submit either the Jr. Division Continuation Project (Multi-year) form or the Continuation form included in the Sr. Division ISEF Certification Forms .

Student Submissions

Before they apply for pre-approval, make sure

•

their experimental design has been approved teacher and the student ’s parents/guardians, by the

•

they ’ve read the Research Rules and Regulations for safety concerns about their project,

•

they ’ve read the Pre-Approval FAQ ’s to see if some of their questions may have already been answered,

•

they fill out the pre-approval template their teacher has given them that mimics what they need to type in online.

The Pre-approval Process

•

Site Coordinators must have previously registered their school.

•

If the school is not registered, email [email protected]

with the school ’s name as it will appear in the program and the SC ’s unique email address.

•

The system will email a password within 48 hours.

Use this password to log into our online registration system and fill in all Site Coordinator and School information .

The Pre-approval Process

•

Before beginning the pre-approval process with students, please MAKE SURE TO CLICK ON and carefully read the new “Research Rules and Regulations ” page and the 5 sub-pages on regulations for projects involving:

– – – – –

tissue/cell lines human subjects live vertebrate animals hazardous materials and/or microbes

The Pre-approval Process

Templates to download before online submission

•

Hazardous Materials Pre-approval template

•

Human Subjects Pre-approval template

•

Microbes Pre-approval template

•

Tissues-Cells Pre-approval template

•

Vertebrate Animals Pre-approval template

•

2016 JrDiv Continuation Form

•

2016 SrDiv Continuation Form

Check the hard copy of the form for completeness before instructing students to go online.

Example: Certification Online Template (both Jr/Sr)

Enter online registration webpage here http://app2.lascifair

.org/

Complete before going online to submit proposal

Online Pre-approval Directions

•

Go to app2.lascifair.org

Account ”

and click on

“Register a New

•

Select “Student” and then select “ Pre-approval .

”

•

Enter all your information as requested. Make sure to CAPITALIZE the first letter in your First and Last name. Provide an email address that you check regularly.

•

The system will send your password to the email address you provide.

Online Pre-approval Directions

• • •

Once you receive your password , GO BACK to app2.lascifair.org

and enter your email address and password.

After you log in, click on “Project Pre-Approval” Select the form(s) your teacher has instructed you to fill out.

You may have more than one form that you need to fill out fill out one at a time.

Online Pre-approval Directions

•

Read the explanations for each fields and type in the requested information the exact way you wrote it on the sheet your teacher gave you. Make sure that your information is complete, otherwise your project may be rejected because of missing information.

Research Plan for Submission

• • • • • • •

Title:

(descriptive)

Problem/Objectives/Hypothesis

(include evidence of search for alternative to vertebrate animals)

# of students:

(maximum = 3)

Procedure/Experimental Techniques

–

Provide a clear and detailed description/outline of proposed procedure, including equipment to be used,

safety measures, and disposal of hazardous chemicals.

Risks/Safety Precautions: detail any possible risks Bibliographic References (a minimum of 3 references, not exclusively Internet): Certification References,

digitally verified by return email from Supervising Adults

Working with Human Subjects

•

A Human Subject Consent Form needs to be developed in consultation with the

Student and the Teacher/Site Coordinator, Designated Supervisor or Qualified Scientist.

•

This form will provide information to your research subject and parent/guardian about your project and will provide written “informed consent ” and/or parental permission.

Working with Human Subjects

•

Every participant and their parent/guardian will need to receive a version of this form and

sign her or his consent at the bottom

before starting a project involving human subjects.

•

This same information will need to be entered ONLINE at the LACSEF pre-approval webpage.

http://www.lascifair.org/eligibility categories/project-pre-approval/

Online Pre-approval Directions

• • • •

Fill in the name and email address of all required certification references. Each person you list will get an email

(at the

email address you provided) asking them to verify their role in your project. If you type an incorrect email , then there will be no verification and your project will not be approved.

Please let your references know to check their email and verify or approval of your project will be delayed.

Online Pre-approval Directions

•

When you are finished submitting all information, the statements and agree to it, then click on “save.”

•

You will then be directed back to the “Forms” screen.

•

If there is another form you need to fill out , click on it and follow the same directions as above.

Sr. Div. Forms (same as Intel ISEF) have to be brought to the fair itself, with signatures

Reminder: PLAGIARIZM

Plagiarized projects will fail to qualify for competition in affiliated Science Fairs.

• • • • •

You plagiarized if

Someone else wrote it first You copied it from somewhere You cannot explain what you submitted You cannot understand what you submitted You do not know the words that you used

• • • •

Plagiarism

Is NOT ethical Is LYING Is ILLEGAL Is against the RULES

Developed by

Jennifer Moses President, LACSEF Anne Maben Vice President, LACSEF Emily Hoffman Chair, Judging, LACSEF Dr. Kiersten Darrow Chair, Science Research Committee, LACSEF Margery Weitkamp Science Research Committee, LACSEF

© 2016 LA County Science & Engineering Fair

Photography by Anne F. Maben ©2016