Place all typed material on a colored backing, such as construction paper. Leave a border of 1/4 to 1/2 inch (0.63 to 1.25 cm) around the edges of each piece of typed material. Use a paper cutter so that the edges will be straight.
Make the project title stand out by using larger letters for it and smaller letters for the headings.
To arrange the letters on the backboard, first lay the letters out on the board without attaching them. Then, use a yardstick (meter stick) and pencil to draw a straight, light guideline where the bottom of each letter should line up. This will help you keep the lettering straight. Before adhering everything, ask the opinion of other students, teachers, or family members.
If you need electricity for your project, be sure the wiring meets all safety standards.
Bring an emergency kit with extra letters, glue, tape, construction paper the color of the backboard, stapler, scissors, pencils, pens, touch-up paint, markers, and so forth. This kit should contain anything that you think you might need to make last-minute repairs to the display.
Before standing your backboard on the display table, cover the table with a colored cloth. Choose a color that matches the color scheme of the backboard. This will help to separate your project from other projects displayed on either side.
From Janice VanCleave's Guide to the Best Science Fair Projects, Janice VanCleave (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1997)
