This page will explain the extra judging requirements for the 2022 Virtual WSSEF Fair under the “Judging Requirements” and “Special Award Video” milestones in STEM Wizard software.
Virtual Project Board
The virtual project board is to give the judges information about your project including any important graphs or results. The virtual project board should contain the information normally displayed on a physical project board at an in-person fair.
Create your virtual project board as a pdf for the judges. You can use Goggle Slides or PowerPoint and save or download the file as a pdf file. Your pdf should explain the most important data about your project. Do not depend upon slides to be your presentation. Your oral presentation during the judging session is vital to your success.
Keep in mind that judges will be viewing your virtual project board on their computers. Please make your slides are easy to read online with little need to scroll or enlarge. It is not recommended to create a whole project board on one slide like you might if you were actually printing it out as one flat project board.
The following virtual project board pdf link is an excerpt from International Science and Engineering (ISEF) drafted guidelines from the Society for Science and the Public and will be used for next year’s ISEF. These guidelines can be used to help you create your virtual board and to give you suggestions. Younger students will not be expected to need as many slides to explain their project as older students. High school students, if selected for ISEF, will be required to submit up to 12 slides per the ISEF guideline.
Click Here: Virtual Project Board Tips
Logbook or Scientific Journal
Every student(s) presenting a project at WSSEF should keep a logbook or scientific journal throughout your project’s process. The logbook is a daily journal of your progress, any notes, ideas, brainstorming or sketches. Also students should keep a 3-ring notebook with any printed material, forms and their research or engineering report. Students should display the log book and 3-Ring notebook at your project. Judges will be looking at your logbooks.
Click Here: WSSEF Logbook & Journal Guide.
NOTE: For the virtual 2022 WSSEF select up to five log book or scientific journal pages and upload them into the STEM Wizard to complete your student registration.
NOTE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: Logbooks are required for any high school student interviewed by the judges selecting the ISEF Finalists. Your project must include a logbook to be selected as an ISEF Finalist.
Student(s) Picture
Picture of the Student for identification purposes during judging. Teams need to combine pictures of all team members into one pdf.
** Student pictures may be displayed during award ceremony.
Special Awards
Special Awards for the 2022 Virtual Fair will be judged by video. Students who wish to be considered for a special award need to upload a 3-minute video presentation of their project. Special Award Judges will review your video and abstract to select special award recipients.
Special Awards are optional. The WSSEF Category Awards (1st, 2nd, 3rd and honorable mention) are based on the Fair day judge interviews.
Click HERE for tips on a presentation Courtesy of Zoe Gotthold, WSSEF Student Alumni. This PowerPoint presentation video uses a the example: “Comparative Study of Penguin Cuteness”. It is also uploaded on Flipgrid as a reference.
Details on where to upload the video are on the “Special Awards” milestone in your STEM Wizard student registration account.
How do I start my special awards Flipgrid video for WSSEF judges? Students should describe your project, discuss how you completed your project, testing data, results, conclusions and any thoughts on how to further explore your project. Judges are looking for project details not a sales pitch. Zoe’s example above showed the basic outline for a presentation as a suggestion — you build your own presentation best representing your project.
A good start is to take the highlights of your project including pictures, graphs and statistical data . Eliminate any explanation of technical terms or process. Concentrate on what your project is about, how it was done, what you found and any conclusions. If you still have time, you what you would like to explore more or test more with your project.
Remember, the judges has scientific and engineering backgrounds. They are familiar with different technical terms and processes.
Click HERE for instructions to upload to Flipgrid
When uploading your video on Flipgrid, there are editing tools available.
Two special award questions are being asked to find projects using a significant amount of metrics and statistics.
For statistics, answer yes if your project needed an extensive use of statistics to complete the project. Projects must include enough analyzed data to make the results statistically significant.
For metrics, answer yes if your project has multiple uses of the metrics system to complete your project. Only consider answering yes if your project used the metric system in more than a couple calculations or measurements. Only having a few measurements in meters or liters does not qualify for the special award.
Fair Day Virtual Interview
WSSEF will be using Zoom and Zoom breakout rooms for judge interviews. Students are required to attend an orientation meeting via Zoom on Wednesday or Thursday night before Fair day. Students should download Zoom to their computer, laptop or phone prior to student orientation. Links to orientation, Fair day interviews and award ceremony will be sent by email using the STEM Wizard email system.
A schedule showing your judging interview times will be published several days before fair day. Students present their projects via zoom followed by questions and answers with the judges.
Students should prepare a presentation that leaves enough time for questions. Judges may interrupt presentations with questions. Students are allowed to share their screens during their presentation.
A short YouTube video on screen sharing tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q8N-79np4E