This is Part 2 of a 3-part series intended to help you with the judging process and planning a History Day event. The three parts are: Getting Started, Day of the Event, After the Event.

A school event is an excellent way to show the school in a positive manner and demonstrate student achievement. The specific organization and details of your school event will be determined by the needs of your classroom and school.

Part 2: Day of the Event

Part 2 provides advice about what to expect the day of your school event. Following this plan will help ensure students and judges have everything they need for a successful experience.

To Start the Day

Assign Another Adult to Oversee Student Project Set-Up

It often works best to have another teacher or adult direct students in setting up their projects. Many times this is happening at the same time as judges are getting their orientation. Here are some things to keep in mind when setting up:

• Exhibit students should set up projects in assigned locations.
• Performance students should arrange space to form a stage area and get props ready.
• Documentary and website students should make sure technology is working properly.

Present a Judge Orientation Session

Holding a judge training session helps your event run smoothly, gives your judges a chance to ask questions, and ensures a positive experience for your students. You should allot at least 30 minutes for a judge training and questions from judges. At this point, you should also distribute your judge packets to each judge or judge team. Each packet should contain enough evaluation forms, a final ranking form, a schedule of entries for the day, judging instructions, and sample question sheet.

• Sample Judge Orientation Script (PDF, 36 KB)

Prepare Judges for Student Interviews

The History Day Judging Process Handouts provide a good overview of the logistics of project evaluation. In general, judges will view projects and interview students first. Judges may only have a few minutes to jot down notes about each entry while they are viewing them. After they have seen all the work, they will take time to discuss the entries in private. Judges will then rank entries and write comment sheets.

It is especially important to remind judges that they will be interviewing students, not conducting oral feedback sessions. Judges should be asking questions, not providing oral critiques of the projects. All feedback should be saved for the written comment sheets.

• History Day Judging Process Handouts (PDF, 23 KB)

Confirm Final Round Judge Assignments (as needed)

Final rounds must be held if you have more than one panel of judges in any one category. (i.e. two panels judging junior individual exhibits). The final round will determine who will move on to the regional competition. At most large school events, final rounds may only be necessary in the exhibit category. At small school events, you may not have final rounds at all. 

Ideally, final round judges are your most experienced judges. However, any of your judges can judge the final round except for judges who already have seen entries in that category and group size. Keep in mind that final round judges will have more comment sheets to write. It's best to ask them in advance if they will have time to devote to being a final round judge.

Prepare Judges for the Final Round

If you have alot of entries and need a final round, prepare your judges. The biggest difference between a preliminary round and a final round is that there are no interviews in the final round. For exhibits, papers, and websites, students do not need to be present for final rounds. Judges should view the projects and then work together to make their final decisions. For documentaries and performances, final round students should be notified and present their entry again, without interviews.

Final round judges should also write comment sheets. At the state level, final round judges only write one comment sheet per entry and use a final round comment sheet, which doesn’t have checkboxes. Since the students will also be getting feedback from their first round judges, final round comment sheets do not have to be exhaustive. Rather, they should offer an explanation of why certain entries progressed and improvements that could be made.

During the Contest

Open Student Projects for Public Viewing

Consider arranging for a public viewing time of the exhibits while judging is not taking place (before or after judging). Papers and websites can also be on display in the same area. You can also schedule encore presentations of documentaries or performances for the public. This is a great opportunity to show off the work of all your students!

Provide Private Space for Judge Discussions

After judges are done viewing entries, they will need some place private to discuss projects and rankings. The judges' first priority will be to decide on rankings and turn their ranking form in to you. Designate a person or a place, usually in the judges' room, for judges to turn in this form. Judges will next work together to complete their comment sheets. Especially at the school level, remind your judges that their written comments are very valuable in helping students to improve their projects for the next level of competition. Judges should turn in their comment sheets before they leave.

• Sample Project Ranking Form (PDF, 51 KB)

Hold an Awards Ceremony

Awards ceremonies at school events can take on a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on the schedule and timeframe of your event. Sometimes, especially for events that take place during the day, awards ceremonies are at at the end of the day either in a gym, auditorium, or even over the PA system. For events that take place after school, students may need to leave right after their interview. If they awards ceremony would take place too late at night, sometimes awards are announced at school the following day.

Have Questions?

Get helpful information and advice for National History Day in Wisconsin.

historyday@wisconsinhistory.org

Get answers to commonly asked questions.

Contact a Regional Coordinator

Find information on NHD for your region.

• Before the Event
• After the Event