How to Participate

1. Obtain information from your teacher about the competition, select your team, and category.

·         Read the “Competition Overview”.

·         Look at the categories; brainstorm some topics for each category and select your favorite.

·         Visit the ChemMatters website to see its current style at: www. acs.org, keyword search ChemMatters.
 

2. Begin work.

·         Conduct preliminary research. Use at least three technical, professional resources.

·         Discuss roles of each team member and how you will divide up the work.
 

3. Look for additional sources of information.

·         Are there local chemists, engineers, physicians, environmentalists, or other scientists you could interview about their view of the future of the field? Don’t forget to include them in your references.

·         Search the Web for any indications about where the field is headed (Start with www.acs.org.).

·         Use chemistry you learned in class and let your imagination lead to a new level.

·         Support your innovation with factual information from your resources and with logical explanations.
 

4. Re-read the “Rules” on the “Competition Overview” page, and create your article and cover design.

·         Remember, this is a feature article in an issue of ChemMatters 25 years from now.

·         Read the “Self-Evaluation Questions” (see the right side of the page) to be sure key elements have been included.

·         Spell check and proofread your document; share it with someone else for feedback.

·         Cite at least three technical references.

·         Include your names, your school and your category on the last page of your entry.
 

5. Meet the deadlines your teacher sets.

·         Your teacher has to meet a deadline to submit your school’s top entries so that the judges can score the articles before the day of the local competition.

·        Failure to meet deadlines may result in ineligibility for the competition or in omission of information printed in the program.

If you are representing your school in the Chemagination competition:

6. Create the visual display.

·         It should be 24” deep, 40” wide and 48” tall or less, and be able to sit on a table, much like at a science fair. Remember that presentation is key in drawing interest to your article. Pay attention to how your display looks. Make sure it is neat and presentable.

·         You must include the ChemMatters cover design, the title of your article, and your list of references.

·         This should be a visual representation of the article’s content with a minimum of text.

·         Consider “extra touches” like enlarging your cover design, highlighting developments that led to the innovation, graphs, illustrations, or writing a summary of your article for the display.
 

7. Rehearse answers for questions the judges may ask during the interview.

·         Use the “Sample Interview Questions”.

·         Re-read the “Self Evaluation Questions”  and ask yourself how your project addresses each of the questions.
 

8. Attend the competition.

·         Dress for success.

·         At least one member of the team must attend.

·         Information will be sent with directions to the competition site, details about the arrival time and parking for the competition.

·         Upon check in, you will be directed to the competition area.

·         Set up your display.

You will receive additional information regarding the flow of events prior to and during the competition.

Additional resources:

* Competition Overview

* Guide for teachers

Self-Evaluation Questions

The articles and poster displays should show scientific thought, be creative, clear, thorough, and have evidence of teamwork.

Scientific Thought

• The background for the innovation includes information based on chemical principles.

• There is evidence that the team understands the chemistry behind the innovation.

• There is a reasonable amount of explanation and description of the innovation in the written article.

• The conclusion explains how this innovation will help improve the quality of people’s lives 25 years from today.

• The article includes the challenges in implementing the plan and reflects the team’s understanding of these challenges.

• More than three sources from scientific literature as well as popular literature are referenced in the reference/resource section of the article.

• The article demonstrates an understanding to the extent of the influence on the quality of people’s lives and the consequences of the innovation to this quality.

Creativity

• The article presents the idea/innovation in a distinctive manner while incorporating knowledge of chemistry.

• The innovation contributes uniquely to the quality of people’s lives 25 years into the future.

• The cover design for the magazine and the pages of the article are designed to fit the style of ChemMatters.

• The display is clever or unique in such a way so that it stands out from the others in the competition.

Clarity

• The innovation is described clearly in the article.

• The focus of the innovation is well defined in the article.

• The chemistry behind the innovation is stated clearly in the article.

• The chemistry behind the innovation is explained thoroughly and accurately.

• The poster display explains and supports the article.

Thoroughness

• Each of the rules listed in the “Competition Overview” have been followed.

• The description of the breakthrough/innovation is complete.

• The chemistry concepts and content have been explained in the article.

• Spelling and grammatical errors have been checked and corrected in both the article and the display.

• The visual display reflects the theme of the article.

• The display is neat and free of errors.

• At least 3 technical resources have been cited in the reference/resource section of the article.

• The diagrams and illustrations in the article are appropriate to develop the theme of the innovation.

• Time has been spent in preparation for the competition. The team is prepared for the competition.

• The team is familiar with the resources used to develop the article.

Teamwork

• Each team member was fully involved with the project.

• The team member(s) presenting the poster understand the intent of the article/innovation and is (are) ready to present in front of the judges.

• Team members did the work as a team. If other people helped in the development of this innovation, they are clearly referenced in the resource/reference section of the article.