The application to the Siemens Competition consists of an online Candidate Registration form, a research project, and a Project Mentor/Advisor Form to be completed by your advisor or qualified scientist.

The online Candidate Registration form basically asks for personal information and the nature and subject of the research project. For team projects, the "team leader" will complete the online Candidate Registration form and therefore must gather the personal information of each member of the team before registering. The role of the "team leader" is to complete the Candidate Registration form and to also act as the communication liaison between The College Board and the other members of the team. Make sure to print the confirmation page at the end of the online registration and attach it to the research project.

The research project consists of the confirmation page from registration, a title page, an abstract, a research report, and a Project Mentor/Advisor Form, in that order. The only places that there can be any reference to names, genders, or status of applicants, advisors, or any institutions in the entire research project are the Candidate Registration confirmation page and the title page.

The title page is a form provided by The College Board that asks for the title and subject of the project as well as some more personal information. Research paper titles are different from titles for other types of writing. Research paper titles should say exactly what your project is about and should give the reader a good idea of what he or she will read in your paper. The title page can be found here.

The abstract should be between 100-200 words long and should be on its own page. Make sure to absolutely perfect your abstract because your abstract will be the first impression that judges get from your project. Your abstract will be scrutinized much more than your research paper in the selection of semi-finalists. Ensure that your abstract conveys to the judges exactly what the problem is in your project, how you went about finding a solution, what your solution or finding is, and the possible applications of your findings or any further research plans. The abstract not only gives the reader a preview of your paper but it also allows judges to comprehend your paper much easier. Sample abstracts by category can be found here.

Click here to continue and read part 2 of the application process.