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What are Judges Looking For?
Judging worksheets and scoring systems vary from fair to fair, but most follow similar criteria.
The use of scientific methodology is the common denominator at the top of everyone’s list.
Students are judged on their understanding of how well they used scientific methods to develop
and conduct their project. Both inventions and investigations involve planning, careful
investigation, collection of data, and making sense of the data at the end.
Other factors include ability to clearly convey scientific findings, demonstrated knowledge of the
chosen topic, and degree of effort and difficulty involved. Judges may also give points for
originality, accuracy, thoroughness, neatness, and presentation skills (oral and visual).
What is the scientific method?
Question (ie. “Why is grass green?”)
Hypothesis (ie. “I think it is green because it has green cells” – even wrong guesses are okay!
Both question and hypothesis should be clearly written and displayed neatly)
Procedure/Materials (this step needs to be neatly written with steps and materials listed)
Investigation/Invention (Studies different plants in different light environments, under
microscope, etc. these would be displayed at the table either in actuality or by picture, etc.)
Analysis of Data (finds grass is not green without sunlight, finds plant cells are clear, or that
more light = brighter green, graphs different environment results)
Conclusion (concludes that sun must interact with plant leaves in some way to create the color
green, outside reading and research will also concur with this conclusion – books used should be
listed as well - decides their initial hypothesis was incorrect, comes up with a plan for FUTURE
STUDY to look more closely or in a different way at the same topic – ie. What part of the plant
leaf or cell actually interacts with the sunlight? Do chemicals applied to leaves interfere with this
reaction? etc.)
These six steps should be clearly presented in the student’s presentation and the student should
demonstrate an (age-level) appropriate understanding of each step.
Older students (6th grade and up) may be expected to have some understanding of control variables and
experimental variables in their experiment (may be worded as “What I Kept the Same” and “What I
Changed”).
Encourage curiosity! Enjoy this search for answers with your student!