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Welcome to Science Fair Judge Training and TipsJudging at the science fair can be a fun and rewarding experience. However, it can be daunting at first. Ultimately, the judge's role is to to find the best and encourage the rest.
Let's watch a sample to see how it's done.
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Asking Questions
Student has asked a testable question about a phenomenon. The research is meaningful and has connections to the real world. The hypothesis is clearly stated and guides the investigation.
Scoring: 5-Excellent; 4- Good; 3- Average; 2- Fair; 1- Poor 
Constructing explanationsStudent constructs logically coherent explanations that incorporate a current understanding of science or a model that represents the science, and are consistent with available evidence.
Scoring: 5-Excellent; 4- Good; 3- Average; 2- Fair; 1- Poor |
Planning and carrying out investigationsStudent engages in data collection, manipulates an independent variable, measures a dependent variable, has controls/ constant variables, and if applicable, has a control.
Scoring: 5-Excellent; 4- Good; 3- Average; 2- Fair; 1- Poor 
Engaging in argument
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Analyzing and interpreting dataStudent uses a range of tools including tables, graphs, and visuals. Student uses mathematics and computational thinking to identify patterns in the data. Scoring: 5-Excellent; 4- Good; 3- Average; 2- Fair; 1- Poor 
Obtaining, evaluating and communicating informationStudent is able to communicate ideas and results of the investigation in writing, with the use of tables, diagrams, graphs, and equations, and effectively engages in discussion.
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Actions of a great judge
Shows fairness- same amount of time spent with each student, carefully listens to the student, asks questions to find out more not to intimidate or embarrass the student.
Asks questions to keep the discussion going-
What is your project about?
What did you test and what did you learn?
How did you figure out how to test/set it all up?
Why did you decide do to ____(this or that part)?
What are your graphs showing here?
What would you do differently next time?
Can you tell me more about your methods?
How did you measure?
Others questions to try as well
How did you come up with the idea for this project?
What did you learn from your background search?
How much time (many days) did it take to run the experiments (grow the plants) (collect each data point)?
How many times did you run the experiment with each configuration?
How many experiment runs are represented by each data point on the chart?
Did you take all data (run the experiment) under the same conditions, e.g., at the same temperature (time of day) (lighting conditions)?
How does your apparatus (equipment) (instrument) work?
What do you mean by (terminology or jargon used by the student)?
Do you think there is an application in industry for this knowledge (technique)?
Were there any books that helped you do your analysis (build your apparatus)?
When did you start this project? or, How much of the work did you do this year? (some students bring last year's winning project back, with only a few enhancements)
What is the next experiment to do in continuing this study?
Are there any areas that we not have covered which you feel are important?
Do you have any questions for me?
NOTE-Questions to avoid.
One type of question to avoid is "Why didn't you do....?" Try instead-"Could you have done... ?" or "What do you think would have happened if you had done....?" When phrased this way the question is an invitation for the student to think about the experiment in a different way, and can turn the question into a positive experience.
Let the student do the talking
Be friendly
Make eye contact- bend or squat to get to their level if they are shorter than you as your body will allow.
Tip your head a little to indicate interest. (This is a universal instinctual non-verbal)
If you wear glasses, look though them not over them.
Compliment whenever you find a nugget of good, clever solutions, inexpensive equipment, multiple trials etc.
Use a polite tone of voice avoid sounding skeptical or contemptuous.
Score to the side
Thank the student and do all your scoring to the side out of view. Scoring makes them nervous and stops the natural discussion.
Generally, high scorers have
Be sure to check your math. -Scoring does not have time to verify all of these sheets.
Test
Asks questions to keep the discussion going-
What is your project about?
What did you test and what did you learn?
How did you figure out how to test/set it all up?
Why did you decide do to ____(this or that part)?
What are your graphs showing here?
What would you do differently next time?
Can you tell me more about your methods?
How did you measure?
Others questions to try as well
How did you come up with the idea for this project?
What did you learn from your background search?
How much time (many days) did it take to run the experiments (grow the plants) (collect each data point)?
How many times did you run the experiment with each configuration?
How many experiment runs are represented by each data point on the chart?
Did you take all data (run the experiment) under the same conditions, e.g., at the same temperature (time of day) (lighting conditions)?
How does your apparatus (equipment) (instrument) work?
What do you mean by (terminology or jargon used by the student)?
Do you think there is an application in industry for this knowledge (technique)?
Were there any books that helped you do your analysis (build your apparatus)?
When did you start this project? or, How much of the work did you do this year? (some students bring last year's winning project back, with only a few enhancements)
What is the next experiment to do in continuing this study?
Are there any areas that we not have covered which you feel are important?
Do you have any questions for me?
NOTE-Questions to avoid.
One type of question to avoid is "Why didn't you do....?" Try instead-"Could you have done... ?" or "What do you think would have happened if you had done....?" When phrased this way the question is an invitation for the student to think about the experiment in a different way, and can turn the question into a positive experience.
Let the student do the talking
Be friendly
Make eye contact- bend or squat to get to their level if they are shorter than you as your body will allow.
Tip your head a little to indicate interest. (This is a universal instinctual non-verbal)
If you wear glasses, look though them not over them.
Compliment whenever you find a nugget of good, clever solutions, inexpensive equipment, multiple trials etc.
Use a polite tone of voice avoid sounding skeptical or contemptuous.
Score to the side
Thank the student and do all your scoring to the side out of view. Scoring makes them nervous and stops the natural discussion.
Generally, high scorers have
- Genuine scientific breakthroughs
- Discovering knowledge not readily available to the student
- Correctly interpreting data
- A clever experimental apparatus
- Repetitions to verify experimental results
- Predicting and/or reducing experimental results with analytical techniques
- In engineering categories, experiments applicable to the "real world"
- Ability to clearly portray and explain the project and its results
- Ignoring readily available information (e.g. not doing basic library research)
- An apparatus (e.g. model) not useful for experimentation and data collection
- Improperly using jargon, not understanding terminology, and/or not knowing how equipment or instrumentation works
- Presenting results that were not derived from experimentation (e.g. literature search)
Be sure to check your math. -Scoring does not have time to verify all of these sheets.
Test
