Congratatulations to all applicants for the 2022 Tasmanian Science Talent Search. In order to celebrate the achievement STAT is hosting three awards ceremonies, in the South, North, and North-West of the state. Please RSVP on the fourm below to indicate your preferred ceremony by Friday the 2nd of December.
SOUTH
7 December, 5 – 7 pm
Law Lecture Theatre 229, University of Tasmania Sandy Bay Campus
NORTH
8 December, 5 – 7 pm
Sir Raymond Farrell Lecture Theatre, University of Tasmania Newnham Campus
NORTH-WEST
9 December, 5 – 7 pm
Parklands High School Performing Arts Centre, 11 Atkins Drive, Romaine
Conditions of Entry
TSTS 2022 is open to all Tasmanian students K-12.
All entries must be submitted via the www.stat.org.au website, following the required submission procedure.
– There is no entry fee for TSTS 2022
STAT expects that work submitted to the TSTS is of a high standard. On rare occasions, where entries do not meet that standard, the judging committee reserves the right not to award prizes in a division.
If possible, students in Intermediate Secondary and Senior Secondary Divisions who submit entries for: Creative Writing, Scientific Essay, STEM Challenge, Research Investigations, Natural Sciences Project, and Invention/Engineering should pass their work through Turnitin and submit the report with their entry. with the summary report submitted with their entry. If students are not able to access Turnitin, judges reserve the right to submit a student’s entry for checking.
A Risk Assessment form is required for ALL Tasmanian Science Talent Search entries for the Open sections of the TSTS: Research Investigation, Environmental Science Project, Inventions & Engineering entry and the STEM Challenge if appropriate. A risk assessment form can be found at the end of this booklet.
Entries that do not follow the submission guidelines for their category will not be considered. Please read the entry guidelines and ‘what to do’ sections carefully.
For the Inventions & Engineering category, models and inventions may contain commercially available components such as switches, motors, meters etc, however entries must not have been solely assembled from, or based on commercially produced kits.
Safety Considerations
Students and their supervising teachers or parents should ensure that their science entries are conducted in a responsible and safe manner.
Projects involving microorganisms will only be accepted if adequate safety precautions are evident and the microorganisms present no threat to the health of individuals or the environment.
Projects involving hazardous chemicals, explosives, rocket fuels, detrimental to the environment, or potentially harmful to individuals will not be accepted.
All electrical experiments should not be in excess of 32 volts AC or 115 volts DC.
Projects involving illegal activities will not be accepted.
Electronic Submission Requirements
All entries should be submitted as PDFs EXCEPT in the video category where a weblink should be provided.
About the Tasmanian Science Talent Search
The Tasmanian Science Talent Search is an initiative of the Science Teachers Association of Tasmania. It has been operating continuously since 1960 (though not always by the same name) and has involved over 60,000 students since its inception.
Through the TSTS, we aim to:
- Inspire a lifelong interest in science
- Promote high quality teaching and learning
- Highlight a Pathway to Excellence
The National Science Week 2022 school theme is Glass: More than Meets the Eye.
This year is also the United Nations International Year of Glass, celebrating the past, present and future of glass for a sustainable, equitable and better tomorrow!
Awards and Prizes
10 Categories will be judged across 6 divisions. All categories will be awarded a First Prize and Runner Up.
Merit awards will be awarded across the divisions and sections.
Categories
THEMED
– Picture Book
– Creative Writing
– Poster
– Photographic Essay – Video
– Scientific Essay
– STEM Challenge
OPEN
– Research Investigations
– Environmental Science Project
– Inventions & Engineering
Divisions
Please note not all divisions are eligible for all categories. See the category information for details.
Division 1: K – 2
Division 2: 3 – 4
Division 3: 5 – 6
Division 4: 7 – 8
Division 5: 9 – 10
Division 6: 11 – 12
Contact and Help
For all queries or questions please contact TSTS Coordinator Alana De Luca via tsts@stat.org.au
Picture Book
This category is open to divisions 1-3
Entry guidelines
- Entries must be relevant to the topic
Looking through a glass window and be
a work of fiction. - Entrants may be individuals or small
groups (of up to 3 students). Divisions 1
and 2 may submit whole class entries. - Entries should include scientific
concepts and information in the story. - Entries should consist primarily of
pictures supported by minimal text. - An appendix including a brief
explanation of 5 key science ideas
used to develop the story should be
included. - A bibliography listing all sources used
to develop the entry should be included. - An acknowledgements statement
listing any people who helped and what
they did should be included in the
submission. - Typed text is encouraged but not
essential. Handwriting should be clear
and legible if used. - Pictures can be created using any
medium. - Downloaded images cannot exceed
25% of total artwork and must be cited. - Word limits
- Division 1: 200 words
- Divisions 2 – 3: 300 words
Submission Deadline: 29 July 2022
What to do:
Decide on the 5 key science ideas you
want to cover in your entry.
- Create your picture book. Remember,
artwork can be created using any
medium and at least 75% should be
original work. Handwriting is OK as
long as it is clear and legible, but typed
text is preferred. - Add your appendix summarising the
science ideas you used to develop your
story. - Add your bibliography and
acknowledgments. - Submit your picture book as an A4 or
A3 PDF All entries must be submitted via
the www.stat.org.au website, following
the required submission procedure.
Resources and inspiration:
Exploring Picture Story Books
Writing Your Picture Story Book
Creative Writing
This category is open to ALL DIVISIONS
Entry guidelines
- Entries must be relevant to the topic
Glass: More than meets the Eye. - Only individual entries will be considered
for this category. - Entries must be imaginative. This could
mean a diary, letter, speech, cartoon,
narrative, fable, poem, etc. - Entries should include at least 5 key
science concepts, which should be
listed in an appendix. - A bibliography listing all sources used
to develop the entry should be included. - An acknowledgements statement
listing any people who helped and what
they did should be included in the
submission. - Typed text is encouraged but not
essential. Handwriting should be clear
and legible if used. - Illustrations can be used to complement
the writing or as an integral part of the
text style. Any medium can be used. - Downloaded images cannot exceed
25% of total artwork and must be cited. - Word limits
- Division 1: 50 – 300 words
- Division 2: 100 – 500 words
- Divisions 3 – 6: 250 – 1000 words
Submission Deadline: 29 July 2022
What to do:
1. Decide on the 5 key science ideas you
want to cover in your entry.
2. Write your piece. Be creative!
3. Add your appendix listing each
scientific idea covered in your entry.
For Divisions 3 and above, this
should include a short (1 – 3
sentence) explanation of each
concept.
4. Add your bibliography and
acknowledgments.
5. Submit your entry as an A4 PDF. All
entries must be submitted via the
www.stat.org.au website, following the
required submission procedure.
Posters
This category is open to divisions 1-5
Entry guidelines
- Entries must be relevant to the topic
Glass: More than meets the Eye. - Only individual entries will be
considered for this category. - Entries should be informed by
personal research or be part of a
learning sequence. - Entries should integrate understanding
of scientific concepts with artistic
skill and interpretation. - Information posters, diagrams,
scientific charts, and pictorial essays
will not be considered. - Posters may combine graphic and text
elements. - Typed text is encouraged but not
essential. Handwriting should be clear
and legible if used. - Word limit: 20 words.
Submission Deadline: 29 July 2022
What to do:
1. Decide on the topic for your poster.
Posters should advertise a science
concept, issue or idea in a way that is
eye-catching, informative and/or
challenges a person’s thinking.
2. Create your entry. Remember to limit
text to 20 words.
3. Submit your poster as an A3 PDF. All
entries must be submitted via the
www.stat.org.au website, following the
required submission procedure.
Photographic Essays
This category is open to divisions 2-6
Entry guidelines
- Entries must be relevant to the topic
Glass: More than meets the Eye. - Only individual entries will be
considered for this category. - Entries should include a series of 6 – 8
photographs that tell a story. - Photographs must be taken by the
entrant for the purpose of this
competition. - Photos may be edited by the entrant.
- Each photograph may include a
caption of up to 20 words. - Photographs can be arranged in any
sequence. - No photograph can exceed 1 MB and
entries must not exceed 8 MB in total. - Include a numbered list of all
photographs in the order they appear
and state what if any editing has been
performed. - An artist’s statement of up to 200
words, acknowledgments, and
bibliography should be included in the
entry.
Submission Deadline: 29 July 2022
What to do:
1. Take your photographs and edit them
if you would like to.
2. Create your title page. This should
include your project name, your
name, the division you are entering,
and your school’s name.
3. Add your photos (one per page) in
any order you like. Photos may be
accompanied by a caption (up to 20
words each).
4. Write your artist’s statement (no more
than 200 words).
5. Add your bibliography and
acknowledgments.
6. Submit your essay as an A4 PDF. All
entries must be submitted via the
www.stat.org.au website, following the
required submission procedure.
Videos
This category is open to ALL DIVISIONS
Entry guidelines
- Entries must be relevant to the topic
Glass: More than meets the Eye. - Entries may be submitted by
individuals or by small groups of up to
3 students. Divisions 1 and 2 may
submit whole class entries. - Entrants may choose any topic related
to the theme and any genre. - Videos should be informed by personal
research or be part of a learning
sequence. - Videos must be the work of the
entrant. Any footage from other
sources must make up less than 10%
of the final video. - Only the entrant may work on the
editing and postproduction of the
video. Techniques taught by teachers
etc must be done using unrelated
footage. - Videos should be 90 seconds to 3
minutes long not including credits. - Credits should include roles of
entrants, bibliography,
acknowledgments, and a list of
equipment and software used. - Credits should be up to 30 seconds
long.
Submission Deadline: 29 July 2022
What to do:
1. Choose the topic you wish to convey
in your video.
2. Write a script and plan your shoot.
Think about your use of sound, slow
motion, subtitles, animation, colour,
etc.
3. Film and edit your footage.
4. Include a credits section. Make sure
to add everyone involved and what
they did.
5. Upload your video to a video sharing
site like YouTube
6. Make sure your video can be viewed
by anyone with a link.
7. Submit your video by sharing a link to
your entry All entries must be
submitted via the www.stat.org.au
website, following the required
submission procedure.
Resources and inspiration
Scientific Essays
This category is open to DIVISIONS 4 – 6
Entry guidelines
- Entries must be relevant to the topic
Glass: More than meets the Eye. - Entrants may choose from one of the
following topics for their scientific
essays:1. Glass is the answer to saving
our planet
2. Glass is not sustainable
3. The properties of glass are
fundamental in forensic science
4. Glass is still the doorway to our
innovative future - Indicate the topic choice in the header of
your entry. - Only individual entries will be considered
for this category. - The essay must incorporate scientific
information and evidence - Essays should follow conventions of
persuasive writing. - References should be cited in-text and a
bibliography included at the end of the
essay. - Include An acknowledgements
paragraph listing anyone who assisted
with the essay and what they did. - Formatting: Times New Roman or Arial
font, 12 pt., 1.5 line spacing, 2.5 cm
margins. - Word limits
• Division 4: 1200 words
• Division 5: 1500 words
• Division 6: 2000 words
Submission Deadline: 29 July 2022
What to do:
1. Choose the topic you wish to write
your essay on. Make sure it is clear
which you have chosen.
2. Plan your essay. Write a thesis
statement, do some background
reading, and plan your arguments.
3. Write your essay. You may want to
use images, tables, or graphs to
support your argument, but these
should be used sparingly.
4. Cite your sources in-text and include
a bibliography.
5. Add an acknowledgements paragraph
at the end of your essay including
anyone who helped develop your
essay including in the planning or
editing stages.
6. Submit your essay as a PDF. All
entries must be submitted via the
www.stat.org.au website, following the
required submission procedure.
Resources and inspiration
STEM Challenge
This category is open to ALL DIVISIONS
Design an innovative solution to clear glass waste created by your school or
community, centred on reusing and repurposing glass containers in a creative way
OR
Explore how glass and other materials are used in buildings and create a design for a
new classroom using glass products.
Entry guidelines
- Entries must be related to one of the
two topics above. - Entries may be submitted by
individuals or by small groups of up to
3 students. Divisions 1 and 2 may
submit whole class entries. - A bibliography should be included at
the end of the report. - Reports may include photographs,
drawings, schematics, and videos to
support the text.
Submission Deadline: 30 September 2022
Suggested STEM process
- What is the problem you could solve, or
the research opportunity that you would
investigate, if you could? - Find out more.
- What have other people done
previously? - What are the limitations or
constraints? - What is your goal or the mission of
your project?
How can you solve the problem or
conduct the research? - What would you do?
- Tell us about your creative decisionmaking process.
- What are some of the various ideas
you considered? - Explain why you selected the
approach you took and why other
ideas were not chosen.
Plan a model
- This doesn’t have to be a real working
model, a design on paper is fine.
Unless you really want to build, then
great! Maybe it could be a computer
aided design, or a coded animation. - If you are taking the research path,
what equipment would you need? How
would you conduct it? What would be
your hypothesis? - Describe the engineering details; list
the steps that would need to be taken
and the materials needed, and how it
will work. - Identify any safety issues and how you
would lessen risk.
What to do:
1. Decide which challenge you want to
undertake.
2. Do some research. What are some
existing solutions to the problems?
Are there any issues with these?
3. Follow the suggested STEM process
on the next page.
4. Write up a report.
5. Submit your entry as an A4 PDF. All
entries must be submitted via the
www.stat.org.au website, following the
required submission procedure.
Resources and inspiration
Test your model/research methodology
(even if it is not real) and reflect.
- Imagine your model/research was
real, what tests would you conduct to
see if it works? - What are the strengths and
weaknesses of your plan? - What modifications/refinements could
you do to improve/adjust design? - What are future possibilities?
- Record your steps with notes,
diagrams, and/or photographs or
video.
Research Investigations
This category is open to ALL DIVISIONS
Entry guidelines
- This is an open section. Students
plan, carry out and report on an
experimental inquiry on a topic in
which they have a personal interest, or
is of community relevance. - Entries may be submitted by
individuals or small groups of up to 3
students. Divisions 1 and 2 may
submit whole class entries. - An acknowledgments section listing all people who helped with the
investigation and what they did must
be included in the report. - Do not use standard school
experiments. If based on a school
experiment, it should offer a novel
application, have some change, or use
the method across a wider range of
conditions. - Quantitative data is encourage but
qualitative data will be accepted if
analysed appropriately. - A risk assessment must be included
with entries. Entries without a risk
assessment included will not be
considered for judging. - Formatting: Times New Roman or Arial
font, 12 pt, 1.5 line spacing, 2.5 cm
margins.
Submission Deadline: 30 September
2022
What to do:
1. Choose the topic you wish to
investigate.
2. Do some background research to
understand the main concepts
associated with your topic. Seek
expert knowledge from within your
community or the industry associated
with your topic.
3. Identify a problem or a knowledge
gap to address in your investigation.
4. Take some time to plan your
investigation and your experiments.
5. Perform your experiments! Keep a
detailed log book of your methods
and results. Make sure you note down
if anything goes wrong or was
unexpected.
6. Analyse your data and decide how
you want to display it. What kind of
graphs or tables will best show your
results?
7. Write up a report. Check out the
guides on the next few pages for
more information.
8. Submit your report as an A4 PDF. All
entries must be submitted via the
www.stat.org.au website, following the
required submission procedure.
Resources and inspiration
Writing a Primary Research Investigation Report
A Research Investigation showcases
the entire process of planning,
conducting, and reporting on a
scientific experiment or inquiry.
The report should include:
Cover page – include a title, name, or
names (if it is a group entry), school,
year level and a relevant picture.
Abstract – an 80–100-word overview of
your project
Introduction– this is where you explain
why the topic was chosen. It could be a
problem to solve or a question to answer.
State what you already know and have
discovered through research. Introduce
terminology or vocabulary relevant to
your topic, process, or the equipment
you used.
Aim – state the purpose of your
experiment, what you hope to learn,
discover, or find out.
Prediction and/or Hypothesis –
students must include one, the other or
both. Students can have multiple
predictions/hypotheses if more than one
simple test is conducted as part of an
investigation.
Variables – these are the factors you
change, control or measure/observe to
determine if a causal relationship exists.
Materials – make a detailed list of all
equipment (e.g., 6 x 1L plastic tubs; 15g
salt). Diagrams/photos can help show
how you set up the equipment.
Method – a clear, step-by-step
description of what you did (past tense).
Can include diagrams or photos.
Risk Assessment – a focus on safety is
important. Untrained teachers/parents
might not model safe practices. Include a
section on risk/safety.
Results – include clearly labelled tables,
graphs, charts, photos, diagrams, maps,
observations etc.
Discussion – As a minimum, this
section should:
- Describe patterns in the results
- Explain patterns by suggesting the
cause - Explain any errors/problems that
occurred and what you did to fix them - Identify what could be done to
discover more about the topic (i.e., the
next point of learning)
Conclusion – summarise what you did,
the reason you did it and state the main
outcomes/findings. Was the aim fulfilled?
Was the prediction accurate? Was the
hypothesis supported? Can you relate
your findings to the real world?
References and/or Bibliography –
these record the sources used in your
background research. By Upper Primary
many students cite facts in-text.
Acknowledgements – of people who
gave input, advice, help, equipment and
what they did. Did a teacher suggest the
idea? Did a parent do some of the
typing?
Appendix – include logbooks, photo
records, risk assessment and any other
relevant information judges may need.
Writing a Secondary Research Investigation Report
A Research Investigation is an
extended written task in which
students show the entire process of
planning, conducting, and reporting
on a scientific experiment/inquiry. Top
senior entries are Project-Based
Learning or Depth Studies.
The report should include:
Cover page – include a title, name, or
names (if it is a group entry), school,
year level and a relevant picture.
Abstract – an 80–150-word overview of
your project
Introduction – explain why you chose
the topic, define terminology and explain
the research you’ve done. This should be
detailed and directly relevant. Cite
sources in-text.
Aim – state the purpose of your
experiment, what you hope to learn,
discover, or find out.
Prediction and/or Hypothesis –
students must include one, the other or
both. Students can have multiple
predictions/hypotheses if more than one
simple test is conducted as part of an
investigation.
Variables – these are the factors you
change, control or measure/observe to
determine if a causal relationship exists.
Materials – make a detailed list of all
equipment (e.g., 6 x 1L plastic tubs; 15g
salt). Diagrams/photos can help show
how you set up the equipment.
Method – a clear, step-by-step
description of what you did (past tense).
Can include diagrams or photos.
Risk Assessment – a focus on safety is
important. Include a risk assessment for
and a section on risk/safety.
Results – include clearly labelled tables,
graphs, charts, photos, diagrams, maps,
observations etc.
Discussion – As a minimum, this
section should:
- Describe any patterns in your results
- Explain the cause of any patterns in
your results - Analyse the validity of your results by
identifying any errors/problems in your
experimental design - Evaluate the relevance, importance, or
‘real-world’ application of your findings - Identify extensions or new hypotheses
that require future investigation.
Conclusion – summarise what you did,
the reason you did it and state the main
outcomes/findings. Was the aim fulfilled?
Was the prediction accurate? Was the
hypothesis supported? Can you relate
your findings to the real world?
References and/or Bibliography –
References are those sources you cite; a
Bibliography records all sources used in
research, experimental design etc.
Acknowledgements – of people who
gave input, advice, help, equipment and
what they did. Did a teacher suggest the
idea? Did a parent do some of the
typing?
Appendix – include logbooks, photo
records, risk assessment and any other
relevant information judges may need.
Environmental Science Projects
This category is open to DIVISIONS 4 – 6
A Natural Sciences Project can be used to report on a ‘grass-roots’ initiative in agriculture, conservation, land management or related disciplines. Projects can be Case Studies of works completed by a school, local community citizen science group or partnership. Works currently ‘in progress’ are also appropriate.
Entry guidelines
- This is an open section. Students plan,
carry out and report on an experimental
inquiry on a topic in which they have a
personal interest, or is of community
relevance. - Entries may be submitted by individuals
or small groups of up to 3 students - A Natural Sciences Project gives
students the opportunity to showcase
applied science. It differs from a
Research Investigation because it is not
focused on generating a hypothesis or
controlling experimental variables: - Entries must showcase (a) results of an
initiative completed in the last 3 years;
or (b) the status of an initiative ‘in
progress’. - Projects must be directly relevant to
the entrant’s school or local community. - The Project must incorporate scientific
information and evidence from
research. - A bibliography listing all resources used
must be included. - An Acknowledgements page identifying
people who worked on the initiative
must be included. - Formatting: Times New Roman or Arial
font, 12 pt, 1.5 line spacing, 2.5 cm
margins. - Word limit: 1500 – 3000 words
Submission Deadline: 30 September
2022
What to do:
1. Choose a problem or challenge you
wish to address in your project. Make
sure to clearly outline what this problem
is in your background.
2. Do some background research on your
chosen topic. Seek expert knowledge
from within your community or the
industry associated with your topic.
3. Write up a comprehensive background
section summarising your research and
your project aims.
4. Include a section that addresses the
methods, interventions, or strategies
you will use to address your problem.
5. Present your observations and results.
Use measurements where possible.
You can display your results however
you like, as tables, graphs, photos,
interview, maps, etc.
6. Write your discussion section. This
should describe the outcomes of your
work, analyse what was and was not
successful, identify errors or problems
you encountered, and suggest possible
improvements or future work that
needs to be done.
7. Submit your report as an A4 PDF. All
entries must be submitted via the
www.stat.org.au website, following the
required submission procedure.
Engineering Inventions
This category is open to DIVISIONS 3 – 6
Entry guidelines
- This is an open section. Students plan,
carry out and report on an experimental
inquiry on a topic in which they have a
personal interest, or is of community
relevance. - Entries may be submitted by individuals
or small groups of up to 3 students. - Using an Engineering Design Process,
students identify a problem then create,
test, and refine a working invention. - An invention may be a completely new
idea or a significant refinement of an
existing device. A method or process
can be an invention. - An entry must be a working invention
that solves a real problem. ICT-based
projects in an Engineering or Science
context are also eligible. - Entries must apply scientific principles
and show research into similar or rival
inventions or devices. - Entries must be well manufactured.
- A bibliography listing all resources used
must be included. - An Acknowledgements page identifying
people who worked on the initiative
must be included. - Entries must include a risk assessment
to be considered. - Both a logbook, video, and report must
be submitted for an entry to be eligible. - Formatting: Times New Roman or Arial
font, 12 pt, 1.5 line spacing, 2.5 cm
margins. - Word limit: 800 – 3000 words
Submission Deadline: 30 September
2022
What to do:
1. Choose a problem.
2. Design a device or product to solve the
problem or offer a different approach to
the problem.
3. Write up your report. Reports should
include:
Aim – the goal of your invention
Introduction – explains the problem you
identified, limitations of existing solutions
and what is new about your invention.
Design Brief – how you built, tested &
refined your invention.
Discussion – explains scientific principles
that apply to your invention. Analyses the
results of tests. Describes limitations and
proposes further improvements.
References & Bibliography – provides a
record of your background research.
Acknowledgements – of people who gave
advice, help, equipment and what they did.
Appendix – Logbook, risk management,
link to video of your invention in operation
etc.
Video – Video the invention in operation.
Video quality is not assessed, but judges
need to see and hear the invention
working to judge it.
4. Submit your report as an A4 PDF. All
entries must be submitted via the
www.stat.org.au website, following the
required submission procedure.
Resources and inspiration
Engineering Design Process