Siemens Competition

Additional Required Materials

You are required to register before the deadline and then submit one original and two copies of each of the items listed below.

Confirmation Page
Abstract
Executive Summary
Supplemental Form
Qualification Questions for Vertebrate Animals/Human Subjects
Mentor Form
CD-ROM

Confirmation page

This is the page you printed out during your online registration. Make any necessary corrections (spelling of names, etc.) on the original.

Signatures are required from:

Each student participant.
Parent or guardian of each student participant.
School administrator of the individual's or team leader's high school.

The Confirmation Page is not included in the 18-page limit for the Research Report.

Supplemental Form

The purpose of the Supplemental Form is to collect the identifying information that students are not permitted to provide in the body of the report. This form includes student name, high school, information on publications, and acknowledgements of all people and affiliated research institutions involved with your project. The accuracy of this document is vital to the academic integrity of your research paper.

You are required to complete the Acknowledgements section and must include the name, title, institution, and role of any individuals who assisted with the research project, including family members. Receiving assistance from family members does not affect the judging in any way, but you must acknowledge their support. Failure to identify others who assisted you with any aspect of your research may result in disqualification.

The Supplemental Form is not included in the 18-page limit for the Research Report.

Abstract

The Research Report must include an abstract. The abstract is a technical synopsis of the problem, methods, results, and conclusions. It should be double-spaced using 12 point or larger Arial or Times New Roman font, 100-200 words long, include the research project title, and be printed out on its own page.

No identifying information, such as name, high school, or references to gender or research facilities should be included in the abstract. The abstract is not included in the 18-page limit for the Research Report.

Sample abstracts from previous winners can be found on the Siemens Foundation website.

The Abstract is not included in the 18-page limit for the Research Report.

Executive Summary

An executive summary must be submitted with the Research Report. The executive summary presents the question asked, the methods used and the lessons learned. The summary on its own, separate from the Research Report should convey the essence of your project and should be understood by someone without scientific expertise. Do not simply replicate what you wrote in your abstract.

The difference between the abstract and the executive summary is that the executive summary must be written in layperson (non-specialist) language. The summary will be used to explain your project to the general public and in preparing press releases for the media.

The executive summary must be double-spaced and use 12 point or larger Arial or Times New Roman font. No identifying information, such as name, high school or references to gender or research facilities should be included.

The executive summary may not exceed one page and is not included in the 18-page limit for the Research Report.

Qualification Questions for Vertebrate Animals/Human Subjects

If your research project uses vertebrate animals or human subjects, please complete this form. Your response provides you an opportunity to describe your use of vertebrates to the judges. Similar to the Research Report, the responses must be written by the student(s) and no student names or reference to gender, high schools, school officials, advisors, mentors, affiliated research organizations, or acknowledgements of the entrants are to appear anywhere in the answers below. The form asks the following questions:

Why was it necessary for you to use live animals, humans or both, or fluids, cells, tissues or organs from vertebrates in your research? Justify the species used.
Describe how you used the animals, humans or both in the research. Describe whether the animals were euthanized before or after your experiments and for what purpose.

The Qualification Questions for Vertebrate Animals/Human Subjects form is not included in the 18-page limit for the Research Report.

CD-ROM (one original is required)

A copy of your Abstract, Executive Summary, Research Report with references, Supplemental Form, and Qualification Questions for Vertebrate Animals/Human Subjects (if applicable), must be saved to a CD-ROM and submitted with your report. Save all required items as ONE Word or PDF document. All required materials saved on the CD-ROM must be identical to the printed copy. For submissions relating to software, the CD-ROM must also include the executable source code for such software. The individual or team leader's name and the project confirmation number must be noted directly on the CD-ROM. Please print legibly with a permanent marker or affix a typed label.

Mentor Form (one original and three copies are required)

Individuals and teams must have their mentor complete the Mentor Form. The mentor is the person most closely associated with the research project, such as the student's research supervisor or another qualified scientist who gave support throughout the course of the research project.

If a student or team does not have a mentor, a teacher or other high school administrator must complete the form. Additionally, if any of the research was conducted at a university or other registered laboratory facility, the signature of the lab director or head of the research group is required.

If the research project involves vertebrates (including human subjects), Section V of the Mentor Form, Human Subjects or Other Vertebrate Certification, is required and must be completed and signed by the advisor, mentor, or supervising scientist. This section of the form is carefully reviewed to determine the project's eligibility, in accordance with the rules of the Competition.

You are required to submit one original and three copies of the Mentor Form. They may be submitted separately from the Research Report or placed in a sealed envelope and mailed with it. If mailed separately, both must be received by the deadline for the Competition.