Judges

Please note that the NHD registration system is cleared after the National Contest each year. In order to sign-up for this year's contests, you will need to create a NEW account and password. Click on the "Judge Sign Up" tabs to find your contest and register as a judge.

In general, judges are expected to review all pre-judging materials prior to reviewing student entries and arriving at the contest. Check out the "Judge Toolkit" below to get started.

A brief orientation will take place the one hour before judging begins on the day-of the contest. Watch your email for judge information about one to two weeks in advance of the event. Please reach out to your Regional Coordinator or the State Coordinator with any questions.

As a judge, the Ohio History Day program, students and teachers relying on you as a critical part of the educational process. Here is what you can expect at an Ohio History Day contest, as well as what the program expects of you as a judge.

As a judge, you will:

• Sign up in advance on the website.
• Attend a judge orientation the morning of your contest.
• Work with other judges to review projects, interview students and agree on a consensus ranking.
• Select the strongest projects to advance to the next level of competition.
• Provide constructive written feedback about each project you view.

As a judge, you are expected to:

• Arrive on time to all contests for which you sign up and stay until the judging process is completed, especially if you signed up to judge final rounds.
• Let us know as soon as possible if your schedule changes and you are unable to judge.
• Remember the age of your audience. Some students are as young as 6th grade and may be nervous to discuss their work. Ask questions that prompt students to provide information based on their project and research, and be patient if they are shy or anxious.
• Pay careful attention so you can evaluate well. Students have worked for months on their projects and are looking forward to this opportunity to share their work.
• Avoid distractions such as personal phone calls, texts, etc. during the contest. You are the student’s main point of contact, make this experience a memorable one!
• Let the Ohio History Day staff know right away if there are problems. We are here to help!