Judging for Science (Natural and Social) Projects

This is the judging form for projects where students have collected their own data and/or are working out their own quantitative interpretation of it. If the research is entirely based on data already processed in literature, use the Liberal Arts research form instead.

Poster Judging Criteria

1) Content - The exhibit must include:

  • Student name (or names, if more than one student is presenting the exhibit)
  • Collaborators, adviser(s), and department(s)
  • A short title of the exhibit
  • Funding sources (if applicable)
  • Objectives
  • Significance to the field
  • Significance to society in general
  • Methods
  • Results, interpretation of results and conclusions, and directions for future research if the project is completed.
  • Documentation of sources used for the project through the use of references.

2) Display - The core of each exhibit is a poster with text and graphics intended for a general audience.

  • Poster should attract attention and convey important information about the project.
  • Language should be simple and descriptions brief. Excessive jargon should be avoided; necessary technical terms should be defined.
  • Spelling and grammar must be correct.
  • Photographs, drawings, charts, tables, or graphs should be simple, well organized, and carefully chosen when used to explain complicated technical concepts to a wide audience.
  • Poster should not exceed 3 feet in width and 4 feet in height (NCUR recommendation 36” x 42”)

3) Oral Presentation - Each student should prepare to describe and discuss his or her exhibit, tailored specifically to make the work understandable to a non-expert audience.

  • Description should be clear and concise, and should include the major points presented on the poster.
  • Presentation must not exceed 5 minutes; judges will be instructed to observe this time limit. Note: A videotape or demonstration cannot be submitted for the discussion.
  • In cases where the student worked with collaborators, including his or her adviser, the presentation should clearly describe the student's role in the overall project.

4) Thoroughness

  • Does the project exhibit a thorough investigation of the topic?
  • Are there indications of original, critical though.
  • All in all, does the project show creativity?

To view and examples of the Science (Natural and Social) Judging Score Sheet, click here