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History Day Judging Criteria
Every History Day category has a judging form specifically designed for that category. Copies of judging forms are available from the sample forms page of this website, or you can view and download them from the National History Day website. Judges are encouraged to comment upon the entry and make suggestions for improvement. Each category's form is based upon the following general criteria used by all judges.
HISTORICAL QUALITY...............60 percent of the total
Is the entry historically accurate and authentic, or does it have serious omissions?
Does the entry demonstrate a grasp of the subject within the historical context of the era? The student's knowledge and analysis should extend beyond a very narrow topic to its overall importance.
Does the entry provide an analysis of the historical data, or is it just a description of an event/topic? Remember, history is not the past, it is the past explained.
Is there a wide use of primary and secondary sources? Is the research balanced; does it demonstrate an analysis of all points of view?
Does the presentation demonstrate the balance of viewpoints?
ADHERENCE TO THEME............20 percent of the total
Does the entry clearly relate to the History Day theme? The judges may look at the entry's content, its title, and the analysis of the event.
QUALITY OF PRESENTATION...20 percent of the total
These criteria are designed for each specific category. In general, the judges will look for:
Clarity
Organization
Creativity
Appropriateness of historical materials, props, etc.
Presentation/performance quality
Clear visuals or sound
MANDATORY DEDUCTIONS....can cost up to 15 percent of the total
Exceeds time, size or set-up limits
No annotated bibliography
Students did not run all equipment |
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