Using AI as Your Science Fair 'Co-Mentor'

End-of-lesson check

15 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-builders-research-ai-science-fair-mentor-r9a10-teen

1. A student uses AI to help design their experiment for a major science fair. What must they do to comply with ISEF rules?

   1. Get written permission from their science teacher before using any AI
   2. Submit a separate application explaining why they need AI assistance
   3. Hide their AI use to avoid looking like they didn't do the work themselves
   4. List the AI tools used in their Research Plan and Acknowledgments section

2. Which of the following is the BEST use of AI for a science fair project?

   1. Copying AI-generated data into your results as if you collected it
   2. Having AI write your entire discussion section to save time
   3. Asking AI to take your place at the judge interview
   4. Using AI to brainstorm 10 testable hypotheses about your topic

3. A student uploads their experiment data to ChatGPT's data analyst feature and gets a plot. What should they do next?

   1. Verify the analysis by replicating it themselves using their own skills
   2. Replace the AI analysis with their original manual calculations only
   3. Submit the plot as-is since AI generated it
   4. Delete the plot and redo everything without AI

4. Why do science fair judges generally respect transparency about AI use?

   1. Because it shows the student understands how to use modern research tools responsibly
   2. Because disclosure is optional and shows extra effort
   3. Because AI always produces perfect results
   4. Because it means the student did less work

5. A student wants to use AI to help with their Python code that isn't plotting correctly. Which prompt would be most appropriate?

   1. Write my entire experiment report for me
   2. Explain why my Python plot looks wrong
   3. Generate fake data that supports my hypothesis
   4. Create a new hypothesis since mine isn't interesting

6. What might happen if a student uses AI to write their discussion section without disclosure?

   1. The judges would be impressed by the sophisticated writing
   2. The student would receive extra credit for being efficient
   3. Nothing—the discussion section isn't reviewed by judges
   4. The project would likely be disqualified for improper AI use

7. When should you document the AI tools you use in a science fair project?

   1. Never—it discourages judges
   2. Only at the end, before submitting
   3. Only if judges specifically ask about AI use
   4. From day one, in your project notebook

8. Which question would be BEST to ask an AI for help with your science fair project?

   1. Write my abstract so it sounds more impressive than it is
   2. Can you pretend to be my lab partner so I don't have to do the work?
   3. Tell me what results I should find
   4. What statistical test fits this data structure I collected?

9. A student realizes midway through their project that they forgot to document an AI tool they used early on. What should they do?

   1. Pretend they never used it if asked
   2. Delete all work done with that AI and start over
   3. Add it to their notebook now with an explanation that it was used earlier
   4. Continue without documenting it since it wasn't intentional

10. What is the main reason science fairs require disclosure of AI tools?

    1. To collect data on which AI tools are popular
    2. To discourage students from using any technology
    3. To ensure fairness and transparency in evaluating student work
    4. To make the competition harder for students

11. A student asks AI to generate 50 data points to supplement their small sample size. This is an example of:

    1. An appropriate use of AI for data analysis
    2. An acceptable way to make their project look stronger
    3. A clever shortcut that judges appreciate
    4. An inappropriate use that could mislead judges

12. What should you do if an AI suggests a hypothesis that seems testable but might exceed your time or budget?

    1. Pretend you thought of it yourself
    2. Pick it anyway and hope you can finish
    3. Ask the AI to critique the hypothesis for feasibility
    4. Ignore the suggestion entirely

13. Why might AI be described as a '24/7 brainstorming partner' for science fair projects?

    1. Because AI automatically generates entire project reports
    2. Because AI can enter the lab and run experiments for you
    3. Because AI is available anytime to discuss ideas and provide feedback
    4. Because AI competes in the science fair alongside students

14. Which statement about AI disclosure at science fairs is most accurate?

    1. Disclosure is required but optional to follow
    2. Disclosure is only needed if judges specifically request it
    3. Only paid AI tools need to be disclosed
    4. AI tools must be listed in the same way you'd cite software

15. A student saves their AI brainstorming chat as their first lab notebook entry. Why is this practice valuable?

    1. It proves they don't need to do any further experiments
    2. It counts as their required documentation of AI use
    3. It allows them to submit the chat as their project writeup
    4. It automatically generates all their needed data