Thomas C. Rust, Ph.D.Montana State University-Billings

Three Age Divisions

Youth (4-5)* Junior (6-8) Senior (9-12)

*not eligible for national competition

Who May Enter?

Individuals

Groups of 2-5

CATEGORIESCATEGORIES

Performance (Individual and Group)

Documentary (Individual and Group)

Exhibit (Individual and Group)

Web Site (Individual and Group)

Historical Paper (Individual)

Performance

You’ve only got ten minutes, so don’t try to

cover the history of civilization.

Move around a bit-remember you are on stage

Just because you are a thespian, it doesn’t mean

you get to ignore the judging criteria

Costumes Historically Accurate

If you use costumes, make sure they are accurate

Simple Props & Sets

When it comes to sets and props,

less is sometimes

more.

Exhibits

•This is the largest category and therefore the hardest

to place in

•Style and clever presentation is a plus, but DON’T RELY ON

GLITZ

•Organize, organize, organize

•This is a visual project-- consider everything that might make an impact

(text/to photo ratio, picture resolution, color, texture, etc)

DocumentariesGo to the library and check out some award winning documentaries and study them.

Keep your imagery consistent and relevant

Computer programs have great special effects, don’t try to use every one

You can create an illusion of movement

Poor sound quality can sink your project

Great Example on Youtube.com

Enter: History Day Harry Truman Atomic Bomb

Web Sites

Historical Papers

•Make sure there are no mistakes (punctuation, grammar, spelling)

to distract the judges

•Wow them with your research

•Stay focused

•Is your paper original or does it just rehash someone else’s viewpoint? Original analysis and interpretation

is the key.

•A paper isn’t always a paper

Papers Aren’t Always “Papers”

This Historical Paper entry about Lawrence of Arabia was done in comic book form and entered in the Historical Paper category.

All text and artwork was done by the student.

Work is original, neat, and focused.

How Does My Project Get Judged?

Judges must follow the

format of their judging sheets

Historical Accuracy

Analysis and Interpretation

Historical Context Shows Wide Research

Research is Balanced

60%

Shows Wide ResearchSecondary Sources

• General Reference Books

• Encyclopedias

• Biographies

• Interviews with people who “do” history

Shows Wide ResearchPrimary Source Documents

• Oral Histories • Interviews with People Who Witnessed the Event• Diaries & Autobiographies• Government Documents and Archived Material• Museum Objects• Visiting a Historic Site

Unbalanced ResearchThe internment of Japanese American citizens

during WWII was wrong

Communism is immoral

George Armstrong Custer was a hero

Balanced ResearchThe internment of Japanese American citizens

during WWII violated the Bill of Rights

Communism addressed the problems of the industrial revolution

George Armstrong Custer had flashes of brilliance but also made many mistakes

20%This Year’s Theme is “Innovations in History”

Relating to a theme doesn’t mean just slipping it into your title

This isn’t a science fair or a current events forum, so be careful that you have some historic relevance

20%Is it clear?

Is it well organized?

Can you follow it without help?

Not to be swayed by GlitzGlitz

Final Tips for Everyone

Remember the judging criteria

Get feedback from the professionals and don’t be afraid to change things

Don’t give the judges a reason to mark you down

REMEMBER, Winning isn’t everything!