You can do a SCIENCE project or an ENGINEERING project for competition in the NCSEF. But do you know the difference?
| SCIENCE Projects | ENGINEERING Projects |
| Research a topic you are interested in. | |
| Answer a question. | Solve a problem. |
| Use a notebook or journal to keep detailed notes, drawings and data during the entire project. | |
| Design an experiment to collect data that will help you answer the question. | Design a device or object that can be tested to solve a problem |
| Uses the Scientific Method. | Uses the Engineering Design Process. |
| Collect data to see how the dependant variable is affected by the independent variable. | Collect data to test how well the project solves the problem. |
| Project can be presented at NC regional and state-wide science and engineering fair. | |