TEACHERS: Please go over this with students before they come to the PEI Science Fair. 

PREAMBLE: Judging of projects in all age groups at the Regional Science Fair takes place at two levels: general category judging (overall winners, honourable mentions) and specialty prize judging (prizes awarded by national and local sponsors). The following description pertains only to general category judging. Criteria and procedures for specialty prizes are established by the individual sponsors. Judging criteria for general category judging are the same as those used at the Canada Wide Science Fair. 

JUDGES: General category judging normal uses about 45 volunteer judges. Judges are selected on the basis of knowledge of scientific method. General category judges are recruited from the faculty and senior research staff of UPEI, graduate students and the 4th year honours undergraduate students at UPEI, government research scientists (e.g. Agriculture Canada), and other professional scientists. Every attempt is made to recruit a number of bilingual judges. Judges must not have any formal affiliation with a PEI regional school board or individual school but may be involved in parents' groups (e.g. Home & School Association). Those judges who have children competing in the Regional Science Fair are not permitted to judge in their child's age group. 

JUDGING ASSIGNMENTS: Judges in Junior and Intermediate category operate in pairs but each judge evaluates each project individually. This ensures that each project will receive a minimum of 2 evaluations. Normally there are 12 pairs of judges in Junior category and 6 pairs of judges in Intermediate category (approximately 1 pair for each 10 projects). Judges participating in the Regional Science Fair for the first time are always paired with an experienced judge. Judges in Senior category are always highly experienced Science Fair judges and operate independently. Normally there are 4 judges in this category ensuring that each project receives a minimum of 4 evaluations. 

A core of very experienced judges and specialists in particular disciplines (e.g. computing) are also identified as "floaters" to resolve discrepancies in judging (see below). 

PROCEDURES: 

A. Junior and Intermediate Categories 

Projects are assigned to each pair of judges at random. This eliminates potential bias arising from individual judges being dedicated to a particular school or topic area. In the first round of judging, each pair evaluates 12 projects in 4 hours (20 minutes per project). Judges are instructed to give each project at least 15-20 minutes regardless of the degree of sophistication and to provide feedback to the children on ways their project may have been improved. They are also instructed to treat all competitors with the respect warranted by having reached the Regional Fair. 

After the first 4 projects are evaluated the results are conveyed to the Chief Judge who screens for major discrepancies both within and between pairs of judges. If members of a pair are seriously discrepant (difference over 20 marks) they are asked to temporarily suspend judging and consult to make sure that the difference is not due to misinterpretation of the criteria. If a pair of judges appears to be "too high" or "too low", one or two of the previously judged projects will be evaluated by a "floater" (see above) who will then report back to the Chief Judge. If the previous evaluation seems reasonable no action is taken; if unreasonable, the judging pair is informed of the problem and all projects judged by that pair to date are automatically entered into the second round of judging. 

At the conclusion of the first round, the evaluations for each project are averaged and compiled in rank order. Each judge that is available for an additional 2 hours is then assigned an additional 8 projects to be evaluated individually (15 minutes each), with the order of assignment based on the standing in the first round. Normally, 70-80% of the projects in the competition will be judged in the 2nd round (ie. A minimum of 3 evaluations). In cases, where one of the 3 evaluations deviates by more than 20 marks from the others, a "floater" is assigned to provide a fourth evaluation. At the end of the 2nd round of judging results for each project are averaged and compiled in rank order to determine final standings. 

B. Senior Category 

Judges in Senior category evaluate independently and all projects are seen once by all judges (approximately 20 minutes each). In cases of significant discrepancy either a designated specialist in the relevant topic area (see above) or the Chief Judge will also evaluate the project. If the average score for the original and subsequent evaluations is more than 20 points removed from the outlier score, the outlier is removed from the final calculations. All scores are then averaged and compiled in rank order to determine final standing. 

SUMMARY: The procedures described above are designed to provide the most objective and unbiased evaluations possible within the 6 hours available for judging at the Regional Science Fair. Our intent is two-fold: (1) to identify the best projects and reward the competitors for their achievements, and (2) to provide maximum feedback and encouragement to all of the young scientists who participate in the Fair. The success of the program depends upon making sure that participants return again next year with an even better project. I believe that PEI's recent trend to both increased participation and National prominence at the CWSF argues in favour of our efforts. 

If there are questions about criteria or procedures at any time of the year please feel free to contact me. Tel. (902) 566-0662 or e-mail TASKER@UPEI.CA 

R.A.R. Tasker, PhD 

Chief Judge, PEI Regional Science Fair