Southwest District Science & Engineering

Expo

Judges’ TrainingMarch 12, 2011

Welcome to the University of Cincinnati

Program Agenda• 8:00 – 9:00: Judges Training

• 9:00 – 12:30: Exhibit Hall Judging– Please do not leave after you’ve finished judging your assigned

projects. There may be more projects for you to judge. • 12:30 – 1:30: Lunch provided (3rd Floor TUC – Mick & Mack’s) • 1:00: Judges Raffle (at Mick & Mack’s; must be present to win)• 1:00 – 2:30: Teacher Workshop (720 Swift – Jamie Basham) • 1:00 – 2:30: Engineer Workshop (719 Swift – Janet Dong) • Many demonstrations/programs will go until 2:30 PM• 3:00 – 4:00: Keynote Speaker (Dr. Edith Widder) • 4:00 – 5:30: Awards Ceremony (5/3 Arena)

– Certificates from workshops will be distributed after

Important Locations • Judging Registration (check in before 8 am) – TUC Theater•

• Breakfast and Training – TUC Theater (2nd Floor)

• Student Exhibits – TUC Great Hall & 400 TUC (4th Floor)• Category Captains’ Stations – 4th Floor TUC – Lobby• Judges’ Conference Room – 425 TUC (food & drink outside)

• Special Awards Judge’s Room – 427 TUC

• Computation Room – 417 TUC (Restricted)• Judges’ Lunch – Mick & Mack’s Restaurant. 3rd floor TUC• Teacher Program – 720 Swift ,see Prof. Basham• Engineer Workshop – 719 Swift, see Prof. Janet Dong• Keynote Speaker Dr. Edith Widder - 5/3 Arena Shoemaker Center• Awards Ceremony – 5/3rd Arena Shoemaker Center

Categories: Check Your Name Tag

• Behavioral and Social Sciences

• Biochemistry• Botany• Chemistry• Computer Science• Earth and Space Science

• Engineering• Environmental Sciences• Mathematics• Medicine and Health• Microbiology• Physics• Zoology • Special Awards

Category Category Captain Room #

Behavioral Sciences Mike Sonntag 419B

Biochemistry Scott Thompson 407

Botany Jim Schoenfeld 411

Chemistry Paul Schmidt 419A

Computer Sciences Jim Schoenfeld 411

Earth & Space Sciences Jim Schoenfeld 411

Engineering Julie Winslow 415A

Environmental Science Bonnie Cenci 413

Mathematics Julie Winslow 415A

Medicine & Health Pat Kumpf 425

Microbiology Scott Thompson 407

Physics Bill Kuhlmann 415B

Zoology Bonnie Cenci 413

Special Awards Jan Utrecht 427

Category Captains and Room #

After the Judges Training…• Please report to your designated room to meet with your

category captains

• Please pair up with a judge with the opposite color lanyard, if possible

• Teachers = red• Professionals = black

• Your category captain will assign you and your judging partner your student projects

After Judging Projects…• Please do not leave after you’ve finished judging your assigned projects

(there may be more projects for you to judge). Do not leave the floor with scorecards.

• Please eat LUNCH (on us!) in Mick & Mack’s Café (3rd floor)

• At 1:00 there will be a JUDGES RAFFLE (free to enter) with great prizes!• Place your name tag in the box in the Café • Random drawing for the prizes• Must be present to win

• Enjoy the day’s activities • Volunteer for April 1st workshop• Complete evaluation: http://www.uc.edu/sciencefair/survey

Exhibit Hall Layout• A map of the exhibit area is provided in your folder

– Shows the location of the projects

• The project locations are in numerical order & separated by category

• High school projects are in 400 TUC; 6th-8th grade projects are in the Great Hall– Projects #’s 500 or higher are in Room 400 TUC– Look at grade level and category on your score

sheet

Project Floor PlanProject Floor Plan*Included in your packet**Included in your packet*

Wrong Category• If you feel the student has selected the wrong

category, please RETURN your judging sheet to your category captain with an explanation of the problem.– The project will be assigned a new category.

• If for any other reason you feel unable to judge the project, return the sheet with an explanation. – It could be the student is from your school, a neighbor, a

relative, a friend’s child, etc.

Judging Judging Ethics• Listen fully to the participant’s presentation

• Be courteous to all students

• Avoid discussion of the project in the proximity of the participant or any other students

• Do not discuss any projects with student’s parents

• Return judging sheet if you have prior involvement with the student, the project is out of your expertise, or there are language/communication issues

Judging Sheet (Front)

Judging Sheets (Back)

NOTE:Engineering Design Project scoring has

been integrated in with the Scientific Method scoring sheet

Completing Scorecards• Enter your JUDGE NUMBER (found on your nametag) and

verify the space number and judging category.• PRINT your name on the appropriate line and SIGN in the

area marked “Judge’s Signature.”• On the back please enter only one INTEGER number in

each criteria category.• Tally the total number of points and enter in the area

marked “Total Score.”– On the front page enter the PROJECT SCORE (this is the “Total

Score” from the back.• Please include POSITIVE COMMENTS on the back of the

sheet to indicate the project’s strengths and suggest improvements.

Judging Criteria• Knowledge Achieved

• Use of Scientific Method or Technological Design

• Clarity of Expression

• Originality & Creativity

• Team Work – Only scored if judging a team project

Knowledge Achieved• Correct use & understanding of terms and principles

• Project exceeds classroom level or student’s grade level

• Adequate depth of knowledge

• Literature search: – extent of scientific, engineering or medical

journals/sources or just popular literature citations

• Supplements answers with additional relevant information

Effective Use of Scientific Method

• Experimental Design: – specific problem or question, clearly stated hypothesis or technical

design statement; clear methods; correctly defined variables & controls

• Methods from related studies in literature• Data handling, data tables, graphs, statistics, sufficient

numbers of trials or samples• Valid conclusion(s)/ discussion of results• Well-documented lab journal / data record book• Supplements answers with additional relevant information

Clarity of Expression• Abstract with clear statement of results• Written report:

– unambiguous title, organization, results, correct grammar and spelling, citations, references

• Visual display: – neatness, conveys the essence of the idea, hypothesis or

design statement, results and conclusions• Oral presentation:

– Note cards or from memory, questions answered correctly and clearly

Originality and Creativity• Novel approach, hypothesis, or idea• Unique presentation (organization, poster, thought

process)• Effectively used professional equipment or

correctly constructed / used homemade apparatus, equipment, experimental materials or models

• Inquiry or design based rather than a summary of knowledge

Team Work (For Team Projects Only)

• All members have shown active participation and understanding of the entire project

• Team members participate equally in the presentation

• Individual expertise or contributions are explained

• All team members participate in correctly and clearly answering questions

Project Criteria• Students are expected to present their results NOT

demonstrate their experiment

• Displays should include the following:– Project Title– Abstract– Background Information (problem, objective, hypothesis)– Experimental Design (Methods, Materials)– Results and Conclusions

Project Equipment• Students are NOT permitted to show any

equipment, specimens, objects, samples, etc. – If a student attempts to show you this type of thing, ask

him/her to immediately put it away since that is against the rules. If the student persists the student’s score should be lowered.

• Keep in mind the nearby students will feel that we have not followed the rules, if they see other students showing items to judges.

Project Criteria• Displays can include:

– Results in tables and graphs of data– Discussion / Conclusion– Technical Report (Research Plan & Forms)– Log– Photographs /diagrams of equipment, samples, or other

experimental items– Computers for displays or demonstrations only

- no PowerPoint slide shows

– Be certain that data was collected by student • not merely taken from commercial materials.

Research Report• Background Statement

• Problem / Hypothesis

• Methods and Materials

• Results

• Discussion / Conclusion

• Importance / Application

Log Book• Record of data during experimentation

• List of all trials / surveys

• Not a repeat of the research report

• Graphs and charts may be included

Required Information• Report Book

– Adult Sponsor Form (1)– Research Plan (1A)– Approval Form (1B)– Additional Consent Forms

• Experiment– Proper Methods and Materials– Adequate Sampling– Adult Supervision

Oral PresentationOral Presentation• 5 – 10 minute

• Define Problem and Hypothesis

• Summarize Research and Experiment

• Explain Diagrams or Charts

• Share Results

• Identify Conclusions

Judging RatingsIndividual Project Team Project

Superior: 35.5 Superior: 44.5

Excellent: 23.5 Excellent: 29.5

Good: 11.5 Good: 14.5

Satisfactory: 3.5 Satisfactory: 4.5

Judging DOs & DON’TsDOs DON’Ts

Introduce Yourself Judge on professional bias

Make eye contact with the participant(s)

Seem uninterested in the presentation

Consider the participant(s) grade level

Attack the participant(s) conclusions

Question the participant(s) Discuss the merits or ratings of the project in front of participants or parents before the Awards Ceremony

Check the research report provided by the participant(s)

Be too critical; Look for teachable points instead of project faults

Possible Questions• What made you interested in examining this

topic?

• What additional steps would you take if you could research the topic more in depth?

• Describe how you reached these conclusions.

Returning Your Scorecards• Discuss with your judging partner the merits of the project,

but fill out your sheet on your own.• AFTER judging your FIRST TWO or THREE projects, begin

to fill in your judging sheets – then return these immediately.• Return the judging sheets to your category captain as

soon as possible. Do NOT leave the building with the score sheets. All judging sheets must be turned in by 12:30.

• Be sure the sheet is signed, comments have been made on the back, and the point total does not exceed 40 for individual or 50 for team projects.

• Check to see if there are more projects to be judged before leaving the building.

Project Rejudging• Rejudging of projects will occur only when all

of the following criteria have been met or when deemed necessary by District Science Fair Officials:– Judges’ final ratings are in different categories

(ex: superior, excellent, etc.)– Average of the two scores is in the lower

category– Judges differ in total points by more than 5

points

For Special Awards Judges Only:

• Criteria is unique to each special award• Judging Leader for specific award may have

specific instructions• Judging sheets need not have comments• Please return name of winning projects to

your Category Captain prior to leaving the judging floor

Teacher’s 1 CEU and/or 1 Graduate Credit

Prof. Jamie Basham (513-556-9135)bashamje@ucmail.uc.edu

•1 CEU (free)•1 Graduate Credit Hour in Education at reduced rate•Must judge, participate in appropriate afternoon programs and attend keynote lecture and awards ceremony•1:00 PM, Swift Hall Rm.

Teacher CertificateTeacher Certificate

Engineers’ WorkshopProf. Janet Dong (513.556-5305)

janet.dong@uc.edu

•Certificate indicating 7.5 hours of professional development (free) – could count for required CPDs •Sign with Prof. Dong at 1:00 PM, Swift Hall Rm.•Must judge, participate in appropriate afternoon workshop, attend keynote speaker presentation and awards ceremony

Engineer Certificate

ContactsContacts• Science Fair Hotline:

– 513-556-4433• Or find Marcie Turner, Emily Stimpert, Stephanie

Kirkpatrick-Thompson, or Kristina Adolph if you have immediate concerns

• Judging Director– Nelson Vincent

• Science and Engineering Expo Director– Thomas Cruse

State Qualifier WorkshopState Qualifier Workshop“Coaching Day”“Coaching Day”

• An informal event where judges can provide comments and suggestions to students who qualify for the State Science Fair

• Friday April 1st from 9:00AM – 1:00PM• University of Cincinnati; TUC Great Hall • Please volunteer if you can

– Lunch and free parking provided

State Science Day• Saturday May 7, 2011• Ohio State University – French Field

House• Columbus, Ohio• Please volunteer to judge if you can

Comment to Category Captains• OAS judging criteria requires that judging teams

have two persons.

• After you get to your room if you should end up with an odd number of judges, please ask if one of your judges would like to judge in another project category or in special awards.– Send that person to Marcie Turner or Emily Stimpert

4th Floor TUC Room Layout

Questions?