NASSP

Poster Presentation Checklist

Applicants wishing to present a poster at PA-JSHS should use this checklist:

  1. ABSTRACT

    The 175-word abstract must be submitted, with application form, typed on the JSHS Abstract Form.

  2. RESEARCH PAPER

    Six copies of the final research paper (five to twelve pages in length) will be submitted with the application by Friday, February 5, 2010, and will be used during the judging process.

    Suggested outline of paper and poster:

  3. POSTER PRESENTATION

    Research to be summarized and displayed must be on standard science fair presentation boards with a maximum width of four feet and a maximum height of five feet. Your poster board will stand on tables we provide.

  4. JUDGING

    The JSHS judging team includes individuals who hold either a Ph.D. or equivalent experience in the general fields of research that are represented by the student presenters. Judges are selected also for their interest in encouraging the students' interests and future development in the sciences, engineering, or mathematics. The judges review the student papers and presentations as follows:

    • All of the written reports (e.g., abstract and paper) are read. The paper is used as supporting documentation during the judging process.
    • The oral presentations are evaluated by each member of the assigned session judging team.
    • Following the sessions, the individual session judging teams meet and deliberate to select finalists from each session.

    ALL JUDGES' DECISIONS ARE FINAL

    Judging criteria
    The following criteria are used to judge the research presentations:

  1. Quality of the research and experimentation as evidenced by clarity in stating the problem, identification of the important variables, originality and ingenuity in the research design or apparatus, selection of proper equipment for the research task, recognition of the limitations in the accuracy and significance of the results obtained, and limitations of conclusions drawn to those that are clearly supported by the results.
  2. Evidence of students' understanding of the scientific and technical principles involved in the investigation.
  3. Originality in the choice and investigation of the topic
  4. Acknowledgment of major assistance: The student speaker must acknowledge any direct assistance received. As a researcher, the student is neither rewarded nor penalized by the judges for utilizing special advisers or equipment. Examples of areas of assistance that should be acknowledged include selecting the topic of research, planning and/or guiding the course of the research, gathering data, and constructing apparatus.
  5. The quality of the paper and poster and oral presentations as evidenced by the organization of the paper, use of audiovisuals, use of acceptable terms and grammar, definition of terms when necessary, and capacity to handle the questions that are asked. The presentation is important in the evaluation of the student, but content, not form, will be given the major weight.