Judging criteria

Throughout SARSEF Regional Fair Week, projects will be evaluated by judging teams and award recipients will be determined. Evaluation criteria have been updated to reflect the latest scientific thinking and parallels the criteria used to judge International Science and Engineering Fair projects. Grand Awards’ judging is conducted using a 100-point scale with points assigned to the research question, design and methodology, execution, creativity, and presentation.

Each section includes key items to consider for evaluation. Students are encouraged to design their presentations in a clear and informative manner to allow thorough evaluation. Judges should take into consideration the grade level when scoring. Judges will also examine any lab notebook samples and, if present, any special forms if SRC permission is required.

Data is important in research. Judges will evaluate the accuracy and thoughtfulness of the data collected. If their data show trends, the student should show intentional analysis and graphically represent those trends clearly. Students must be careful about making predictions outside of the scope of their project — that is, interpreting a cause and effect that they cannot statistically support with their data. In processing data and arguing claims, students should show accurate mathematical thinking and reliable reasoning.