Typically a board will consist of several key components:

1. Abstract: this short (~250 words) summary of your purpose, procedure, results and conclusion is usually used as a preliminary application to a science fair (at any level). Some fairs may require you to have copies of your abstract available to hand out during busy judging sessions.

2. Background Research: some judges that you will encounter may be unfamiliar to your line of work, so it is important to have a sound understanding of all the scientific aspects that your project encompasses in order to give the most clear and concise presentation. Other judges who are familiar with the subject matter may ask specific questions that are sometimes not in the scope of your project. However, their intentions are usually not malicious and they ask these questions merely to understand why you took certain steps in your procedure, and to evaluate the validity of your conclusion, etc.

3. Purpose/Problem: typically the purpose or the problem is the title of your project. It may appear in an interrogative form (e.g. Which insulator is the most effective?) or as a simple statement (e.g. insulator efficiency). It should be succinct and straight to the point

4. Hypothesis: an educated guess that responds to the problem that is posed in the purpose statement should be followed with your scientific reasoning as well as brief reference to your knowledge of the subject matter

5. Data: the pivotal point of your project is the data portion in which you present your findings in user-friendly charts or graphs. Large fonts, color coding and easy-to-read scales are definite plusses in your presentation.

6. Sponsor/Mentor/Bibliography: it is imperative that you cite either in your board or in your vocalized presentation, the sources that helped you on your project along the way. These sources may include books you read, the labs you conducted your research in, as well as the teacher or professor who supervised your research. Failure to do so may result in accusations of plagiarism.