<p>nith - i meant that in order to be moderately sure of a good science fair project, you need to have a structured plan instead of just showing up at the lab and helping out with someone else’s work.
i contacted professors (working in same field) about mentoring me for my project, but the responses were largely negative. so i am conducting my project without a mentor, which is difficult but not impossible. i am using lab equipment at a nearby university and will have a supervisor, just not a mentor.
the difference between research and science fair is that for the latter, one must actually be sincerely interested in the field and take initiative, rather than assisting someone else do their own research. either way you learn valuable skills, but science fair projects are far more student driven in most cases.</p>