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Information for Judges

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Information for Judges

The Graduate Exhibition features the exciting research and creativity of Penn State graduate students. 

How Judging Works at the Exhibition

Exhibits to judge are assigned at random; no expertise is needed. Interested judges can choose one or more of the following categories:

1. Performance Category (In Person Judging)
7:00 p.m., Monday March 20, 2023
The Recital Hall, Penn State’s University Park Campus

Join us and serve as a judge for a delightful evening of music from Penn State’s talented School of Music graduate students. Judges will be given evaluation forms at the event to complete.

2. Research Poster, Design, and Visual Arts Categories (In Person Judging)
1:00–4:00 p.m., Friday, March 24, 2023
HUB-Robeson Center, Penn State’s University Park Campus

Join us to serve as a judge while our graduate students present their research, design, and creative projects. If you are not available for the full time period, you can still serve as a judge. You will be able to indicate your availability on the registration page. Judges will be emailed with a link to an online evaluation that must be completed by 4:00 p.m. ET on Friday, March 24.

3. Video Category (Remote Judging)
Monday March 20, 2023 through Friday March 24, 2023
Online

Serve as a judge for 5-minute presentations on a wide range of research topics designed for an online virtual viewing experience. Judges will be emailed with a link to an online evaluation that must be completed by 4:00 p.m. ET on Friday, March 24.

Tips for Judges 

  • Judging for the research poster, design, and visual arts components of the Graduate Exhibition will take place on Friday, March 24 in-person from 1-4 PM in the HUB-Robeson Center on the University Park campus. Judges should check in by 3 PM to ensure that they have time to visit all the assigned exhibits. Presentations are assigned to judges at random and may come from the research poster, design, and/or visual arts categories.
  • The musical performance component of the Graduate Exhibition will be held on Monday, March 20 7:00 PM in the Recital Hall on the University Park campus. Judges are expected to attend in-person. An orientation for judges will be held before the performances.
  • The video category of the Graduate Exhibition will be judged online. Judging will open on Monday March 20 and close on Friday March 24. 
  • Judges for the research poster, design, visual arts, and video categories will receive an email with information about how to use the online scoring system and with the exhibits they will be judging. If one of your assignments presents a significant conflict of interest (family member, dissertation advisee) please email exhibition@psu.edu to receive a new assignment. 
  • Electronic scoring can be completed on a wide range of devices from smartphones to electronic notepads to computers. A limited number of iPads will be available for judges to use at the exhibition on March 24.
  • Each category has its own judging criteria that will be available to guide your scoring in the online scoring system. The criteria can also be accessed through the links in the judging criteria section.
  • You are highly likely to judge exhibits in a range of subject areas that may be outside of your area of expertise. Not to worry! The Graduate Exhibition is designed for graduate students to showcase their research and creative activities to the general public. One of the scoring criteria is the accessibility of the presentations to a non-expert.  
  • All presentations are scored in five different categories. Make sure that you complete each category when scoring.   
  • Judges may save scores and return to a scoring page at any point during the Exhibition (design, research presentation, video, and visual arts categories).  Final scores for these categories will be collected from the system at 4:00 p.m. EST on Friday, March 24, 2023.  
  • Judges signed up to judge the performance category will be required to complete their judging in person during the performances at the Recital Hall at the University Park campus at 7:00 p.m. EST on March 20, 2023. 
  • In addition to the scoring categories, judges will have a space on the scoring form to add comments for the students regarding their presentations. Please provide comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the presentation and materials. These written comments are extremely useful to and appreciated by the students. Try to be constructive and positive in your feedback.  
  • The presentations are purposefully intended for a general audience. Please keep this in mind if you are an expert in the field of one of the exhibits you are judging. 
  • Awards in each category are based on the judges’ scores. Please use the entire scoring range, as appropriate. Reserve the highest scores for exhibits that are truly outstanding.  
  • The Research Presentation category has a separate award for Data Visualization. The purpose of this award is to increase digital information literacy by raising awareness of the importance of data visualization and celebrating good examples. A scoring guide for this award will appear in the judging app for presentations that are eligible for the award.  More information about the scoring criteria can be found here.   
  • This year the Graduate Exhibition features a new award for research or creative work that has a focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Students select whether they would like to be considered for this award. A scoring guide for this award will appear in the judging app for presentations that are eligible for the award. More information and scoring criteria can be found here.
  • Please make sure to complete and save scores in all categories by the end of your judging window. If for some reason you are not able to complete your judging assignments, please notify exhibition@psu.edu so that alternative judging arrangements can be made.  

Judging Criteria for Categories and Awards

Learn about the categories and awards for the Graduate Exhibition.

 

This page was generated on March 27, 2023 at 7:53 PM local time. This may not be the most recent version of this page. Check the Penn State Graduate School website for updates.