Rules

Please remember that National History Day is focused on students and therefore the safety and well-being of students, as well as respectful of the wishes of parents, teachers, school principals, and the many supporters who have a vested interest in the event. As guests at Nebraska Wesleyan University, you are expected to abide by the same rules NWU has established for its students. To ensure a successful contest day, you are asked to observe the following rules:

• You may not physically harm, threaten to harm, or harass any person, including provoking and/or engaging in physical fights or malicious pranks
• Alcoholic beverages or other drugs are expressly prohibited except those prescribed by a doctor
• Possession of any weapons, firecrackers, or other flammable materials is prohibited
• You may not tamper with the fire system or fire safety equipment
• You may not set or fuel a fire of any size

We look forward to your professional conduct at the National History Day District Contest!

Please consult the official National History Day Contest Rule Book for more details. 

National History Day

National History Day^®(NHD) is a non-profit education organization based in College Park, Maryland. NHD offers year-long academic programs that engage over half a million middle- and high-school students around the world annually in conducting original research on historical topics of interest. Since 1974, NHD has continuously improved history education by providing professional development opportunities and curriculum materials for educators. The largest NHD program is the National History Day Contest that encourages more than half a million students around the world to conduct historical research on a topic of their choice. Students enter these projects at the local and affiliate levels, with top students advancing to the National Contest at the University of Maryland at College Park.

The theme for the 2019 contest is Triumph and Tragedy in History.

Day of Contest

Location

Nebraska's Western District contest is held on the campus of Chadron State College. Activities are held in the Student Center, Miller Hall, and Memorial Hall. A map of the college can be found at: http://www.myatlascms.com/map/index.php?id=798#!ct/15620

Registration

Registration will begin at 8am in the Student Center, in the area outside of the Ballroom. 

Lunch

Lunch is covered with the participant's registration fee. Lunch will be available from 11:30am-1pm in the Student Center cafeteria. Guests of participants can purchase lunch at the cafeteria, if desired.

Awards Ceremony

The Awards Ceremony will be held at 1pm in the Student Center Ballroom. 
 

Judging Criteria

Each category maintains its own particular points of evaluation; however, all categories are evaluated on the same general basis: 60% is based on the project’s historical quality, 20% is based on the project’s relation to the theme, and 20% is based on the clarity of the project’s presentation. Rules compliance and clarity of presentation will vary from category to category according to the particular demands of the type of presentation. Historical quality and relation to theme undergo the same evaluation in all categories.

Examples of evaluation variations:

• Exhibits, documentaries, and websites are expected to be visually impactful, but historical papers are expected to be neat and performances are expected to look historically accurate.
• Exhibits can be no larger 40” x 30” x 72” or 30” in diameter and have no more than 500 words, historical papers can be no longer than 2500 words, websites can have no more than 1200 words and be no larger than 100 MB, and documentaries and performances can be no longer than 10 minutes.

Examples of evaluation congruities:

• Word count must be included on title page of historical and process papers.
• All written material must be original, clear, appropriate, organized, and articulate.
• All entries must be historically accurate, show analysis and interpretation, place the topic in historical context, show wide research, use available primary sources, have balanced research, clearly relate the topic to the theme, and demonstrate the significance of the topic in history and draw conclusions.

Examples of judge evaluation sheets for each category are available at https://www.nebraskanhd.org/abouthistoryday

The judges are selected based on historical and/or educational knowledge, interest in youth, and the desire to promote interaction with history.  Judge experience can vary widely within a team; however careful consideration is given to balance experience in judging as well as historical knowledge.  A judge orientation is held before every contest to assure consistency across categories and informed individuals.