There are many types of inquiry activities out there: Demonstrations, guided or scaffolded inquiry labs, open- or free-inquiry labs, and problem-based or project-based learning activities are all staples in science education. The importance of inquiry is highlighted in such documents as the National Science Education Standards (NRC 1996) and the Benchmarks for Science Literacy (AAAS 1993) as well as in many state performance standards. Professional literature describes many studies in which inquiry activities are used to engage students, yet there seems to be a lack of research into perspectives on project work. This article provides a closer look at students' perspectives on an authentic research project in which they are given the freedom and responsibility to identify a problem, develop and implement a manner of testing the problem, and reach conclusions based on relevant data and subsequent analysis. This qualitative study followed 14 students through a local science and engineering fair project to gain information about their thoughts about research.