• Judges will be in teams of two or three people.

  • Interview Length: 8 to 10 minutes - Keep the same for each participant.

  • Judges conduct interviews. The participants will not have a presentation prepared.

  • Ask questions based on your initial review of research display boards.

  • Sample Questions (https://cusef.byu.edu/judges/possible-judge-questions/)

    • Explain your project.

    • What was your question/problem?

    • What was your hypothesis?

    • What was your control?

    • What was your variable(s)?

    • How did you test your hypothesis?

    • What were the results of your tests?

    • How did others help you with your project?

    •  What is your conclusion?

    • Could you have come up with another conclusion?

    • Did you run into any problems?

    • How would you do your project differently if you did it again?

    • What are your unanswered questions?

    • What did you learn from your project?

    • Did you have fun doing your project?

    • Would you like to continue your project in the future?

    •  If you do continue with your project, how would you proceed?

    • How did you come up with your idea?

    • How does your project relate to other research?

    • Does your project have practical applications?

    • Why did you choose to do a science fair project?

    • How much time did you spend on your experiments?

  • LVSF does not use a rubric to determine winners.

  • After interviews, you will caucus with your team of judges to determine winners.

  • Each judged category and grade must have a single first place winner. No ties!

  • One second place winner for second and third place as well.

  • You may award multiple Honorable Mentions. This is encouraged for larger categories.

  • Judge the project compared to the other projects in the grade and category, not to an outside standard.

  • If you see a project that’s “been done before,” remember, not for them.

  • Use your interview questions to clear up any doubts if you do not believe the work is the participant’s own.

  • Judge this year’s work only for Continuation Projects.

  • Each member of a Team Project should have a key role in the work.

  • They should be able to articulate what they did and be familiar with the work of the others.

  • Participants may be nervous!

  • This could be the first time participants have ever been interviewed by adults they have never met.

  • You can provide feedback and offer suggestions for the next time they participate.

  • When interviews are complete return to the judge’s area to caucus.

  • Once your group has completed the results sheet submit it to Jill at the head table in the judging area