FAQ

To ensure that projects reflect students’ own creativity and effort, participants must adhere to an 80% human, 20% AI rule. Students should document and clearly report how AI tools were utilized in their work to maintain transparency and align with competition guidelines.

Students may participate individually or as a group. A student may submit an individual project and take part in a group project, however the projects cannot be in the same category. This means a student can be involved in at most a total of two submissions in two different categories.

Groups will be limited to three students.

Projects from previous state winners can be viewed here.

Name files to reflect what is included in the file. For example, "Participation Packet" or "Storyboard." Please avoid COMMAs in file names.

You may begin a project at any time in the database. When you are ready to add or update files, log in using your advisor's/sponsor's/teacher's email and your project ID. You may then upload additional files to your project.

Rename the file to open with the words "PLEASE DELETE." Have your advisor email the IU contact with the project ID number, and we will delete those files for you prior to judging.

A tri-fold board is not a requirement of the competition. As long as you present your materials in some unified way, whether that be a Google site, a trifold board, or something else, that is acceptable. Only where noted in the judging guidelines will materials included in the presentation be graded.

We recommend citing all your sources using proper MLA citation style. A citation generator can help you out. Two options are EasyBib and Citation Machine. Your English teacher should be able to help you as well!

Use the "Copyright Permission Request" page of the Participation Packet as a guide. Complete or supply those pieces of information, and send your request to the copyright holder. If they respond YES, you can use it. If they respond NO or do not respond, then you cannot use it. 

The PA Media and Design Competition, although educational, removes the student's work from the classroom and, therefore, requires the student to get permission from the owner to use any copyrighted music, video, graphics, etc. Fair use does NOT apply. Remember to credit music or items that were created by yourself or your friends as well.

Watch this video on copyright & fair use.

• Under Purpose-> Copyright Requirements dropdown

Yes, you may. Please include the necessary text and images and label all clearly so the judges know what you have given them.

You need to provide a photo release for all performers in your digital movie, minors and adults alike. 

All digital movie submissions must be a public service announcement with the intention of raising awareness about an issue of public interest.

You have two options:

1. Create a mock post using a site such as Canva, ClassTools, or Genially. Provide links or screenshots.

2. Create a post using the school's or an adult's social media account. Provide links or screenshots.

Logo materials may be created virtually or created physically and photographed with the photographs being uploaded into the system. 

Bring physical items on the day of the competition or a display that includes digital mock-ups.

The requirements state that you must "Create an application that solves a real-world problem. The program should be displayed on the device/platform it is intended for. Platforms can include mobile devices such as iOS or Android, Raspberry Pi, or Microbit."

Pseudocode is (according to this Wikipedia article) is a plain language description of the steps in the code. It is for a person to read rather than a machine.