• ​You may be assigned to judge a student who you already know. If you are uncomfortable with judging this student, please find another judge team in the same category and ask them to switch one of their projects with you. In an ideal situation at the regional level, you should avoid judging anyone with whom you have a personal association. 

• The judging rubric is divided into four sections. Please review the following information before the regional competition to better understand the IJAS science fair rubric.

  • Scientific or Design Method

    • IJAS strives to develop skills involving the scientific and design methods, making this part of the rubric important.

    • Check to see if the students have correctly demonstrated the scientific method in an experiment. They should have variables and constants.

    • In a design method, the students should have clearly identified a problem, developed a plan or original design, redesigned, and retested this design.

    • Estimating experimental error can be mentioned in experimental projects. It is NOT required with design projects.

  • Display

    • Students should have a display board to display their information. They may bring a tablet or iPad.

    • They are not allowed to bring any materials or equipment they have used throughout the experiment. Please do not penalize the student for not displaying their materials. Students are not allowed to do so.

  • Oral Presentation

    • Students may use note cards. This is acceptable. Please do not deduct points for student who use note cards.

    • They will present some background research in which they will demonstrate their knowledge on their subject.

    • Please allow the students to finish their entire presentation before asking questions.

    • Please note the age of the presenter and ask questions appropriately.

    • Please silence all phones. Please do not take calls or look at messages during students' presentations.

  • Written Report

    • Please do not write on the student's report. 

    • Please do not ask to keep a student's report.

    • Citations should be in APA format. If the report has citations which follow a different format, please award most of the available points. Charts, tables, and graphs do not have to be in APA format.

    • The project should not be scored individually. Judges are to reach consensus on all point categories on the rubric. Consult your team before writing down awarded points.

    • Please PRINT your name at the bottom of the judging rubric in case a worker has a question about the rubric.

    • The comment sheet should go to the student. Please do not give information to participants about the number of points they earned. Do NOT hold on to rubrics or score sheets until the end. The score sheet should be handed to an official runner. Please give a runner the completed rubric after EACH project is judged.  Send the rubrics to the Tally Room as you finish scoring each project.

Other important information

• The scoring rubric has TWO sides.

• Please first introduce yourself to all of the students you are judging at the beginning, and let them know the order in which they will present.

• If students are not present at their project number, please check back at their station later. Some students may arrive late. If you cannot find them, notify one of the region organizers or teachers.

• Before they present, please ask the student to write their initials on the rubric and comment sheet to ensure that no error is made.

• Smile and make eye contact with the contestants.

• Check to see if the student has been safety judged.

• If you believe that there is an error in the presentation, please consult a region organizer or a teacher.

  • Do you believe that the project in the wrong category? - Please contact the region organizer or a teacher.

  • Do you believe that there is a safety issue? - Contact the safety chair.

  • Do you believe that the project is in the wrong process category (experimental vs. design)? - Contact the region organizer or a teacher. 

• After you have finished judging and have completed scoring both sides of the score sheets, turn in the rest of the judging packet to a Region 9 official at the Information Desk.

• We thank you for volunteering your time and expertise. We hope we will get to see you again at the IJAS State Science Exposition in Champaign at University of Illinois on May 2nd and 3rd.