Judges Volunteers

• All Judge Volunteers for either session must have at least completed high school.
• High School students are NOT allowed to volunteer as Judges. Volunteers may be parents, adult family members, and other professionals.

Regional Chair/Sponsor Information:

• Remember to NOT contact anyone at the host colleges or schools at the regional level or the host university at the state level to recruit judges. Professors and other staff members have been recruited by the host, the regional chair, or IJAS already to judge.
• For 2025, one (1) judge is required for every two (2) papers submitted from the region/school advancing to the State Exposition. One (1) judge is required for every two (2) posters submitted from the region/school advancing to the State Exposition.

Judging Overview

Judging is, without a doubt, one of the most important phases of any science exposition. Because of its extreme importance, all judges should carefully review the following.

• Expositions are not intended to be contests between students or schools. Each exhibitor is to be judged based on the rating criteria of the IJAS rubric or the given special award criteria/rubric. 
• Even though many exhibits show a remarkable degree of scientific knowledge, judges are asked to remember that all of the exhibitors are junior or senior high school students, many of whom are experiencing their first taste of scientific evaluation by a distinguished critic.
• As a judge, use your own good judgement at all times. Be honest with yourself and the student. Remember that only a small percentage of the students will ever actually go into scientific research; however, many of them will have a great deal to say about the future of science. Certainly, a valuable experience with science at this level might potentially reap valuable rewards later.
• The opportunity to discuss their project with interested adults acting as judges is a high point for most students. Be aware that most students have spent many months preparing for a judging period, which normally lasts 15 minutes. Feel free to discuss any aspect of the student's work; they deeply appreciate all questions and comments.

Judging Mechanics

• Be sure to report for final instructions promptly on the day of the Exposition. Allow yourself enough time to park your car, and to allow for traffic interference so that you will report on time. The Category Judging Chair will inform you about when and where to report.
• At the judges meeting, you will be informed of any last minute changes and/or special instructions concerning judging assignments.
• Each judging team is to be assigned five to six projects or papers to judge.
• The Regional and State Expositions are planned so that each judging team is allowed fifteen to thirty minutes for each project or paper.
• You may be asked to judge projects in both divisions: Junior (grades 7 and 8) and Senior (grades 9, 10, 11, and 12). Please keep the age of the exhibitor in mind.
• Each project judged must have a final score so that the certificate of award can be made. Be certain that you are using the correct rubric when scoring the project. Do not show or discuss students' scores with them. Information on specific guidelines and procedures concerning ratings will be supplied by and discussed with the judging chair.
• Be pleasant and interested. Do not use cell phones while judging. 
• Please remember that you are working with tomorrow's scientists; their "decision for science" may rest on the impression you give them.
• Students must be with their project or at their assigned paper session room at the time of judging. If the student cannot be located within a reasonable amount of time, then the project or paper is considered a "No Show", and no rating is to be given.
• Many intangible factors are involved in judging. These can be evaluated only by talking with the student and cannot be estimated merely by looking at the physical aspects of the exhibit. Judges should keep in mind that a spectacular exhibit or one composed of costly equipment is not necessarily the best science project.
• Fill out the judges' comment sheet BUT DO NOT return it to the student. Please indicate comments that would help the student improve. Comments might be positive or constructive, but they should not be sarcastic. Please make sure that your comments are clear and to the point. Do not indicate the award on this sheet. Judges may give verbal feedback BUT not the score.
• It is imperative that each judging team finish its judging responsibilities in the allotted time, and have its judging results turned into a student runner or score table as they are completed. Enough time must be available to prepare the awards by the Awards Chair. Please allot your time accordingly so that results are turned in by the end of each session.
• Be sure every project for which you are responsible has been judged. Return the scoring rubric immediately following the judging of each project. Do not hold all scoring rubrics until you are finished judging all projects.
• Judges must return all materials/papers to the student. You may not keep any portion of the student's paper.
• Questions may be directed to the IJAS Staff in the judge meeting area in the Upper Bowl of the State Farm Center.