Grow your project idea by doing some research! Once you have a STEM project idea, it’s important to do some early research before jumping into experiments or building. This helps you understand your topic better, spark new ideas, narrow your question, avoid repeating work that’s already been done, and shape a stronger project plan. Keep track of your research and sources in your logbook.

Here are some key questions to explore during your project idea research:

• What is already known about this topic?
• Why is this an important issue to research further or find a solution for?
  • Who could benefit from this project?
  • What are the environmental or social impacts of your idea?
• What science, technology, engineering, or math concepts are connected to it?
• Who are some key experts in this field?
• What are gaps in knowledge or unknowns in this field?
• What related research or innovations are happening currently?
  • How could your project explore a new angle or improve on an existing idea?
• What methods or materials have other people used in similar projects?
• What materials, software, equipment or other supplies might you need to complete your project?
• Can this project realistically be completed with the time, materials, and skills you have?
• Are there safety or ethical concerns or special permissions required? Learn more about safety and ethics in STEM projects here.
• What variables might affect your results? Learn more about variables here.

Questions to help you narrow your focus:

• What part of this topic interests you the most?
• Is your idea too broad or too complicated right now?
• Could you make your project more specific or testable?
• What is one clear question you want your project to answer, or one clear problem you want to solve?

When doing research keep these tips in mind:

• Choose reliable and trustworthy sources – Information from government, university or academic sources is usually reliable. News articles can be great for learning about research being done, but you should then look up the original studies. Blogs, YouTube, social media, or Wikipedia can be great starting points but shouldn’t be considered reliable sources or used as references (learn how to choose good research sources for your STEM project here).
• Research makes your project better – The best projects include research not only at the beginning but throughout to help overcome obstacles, improve the process or understand results. This is your chance to become an expert! Research also gives you an idea of what results might be possible, which is important when planning what you will test and how.
• Use your logbook to track your research – This will help you remember where different ideas and information came from and make it easier to list all your references at the end of your project (learn more about setting up your logbook here).

Remember

Early research is not about becoming an expert right away. It’s about helping you move from a general project idea to a focused, realistic, and exciting project plan!