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Northeastern Wisconsin National History Day Contest

A guide for all of your Northeastern Wisconsin National History Day needs!

FAQ

General Contest Questions

I am trying to register and cannot find my teacher's name. What do I need to do?

Have your teacher contact our regional contest. It is likely that your teacher hasn’t registered for the contest yet and we can help with that.

My school isn't participating in National History Day® (NHD), but I want to on my own. What do I do?

You may absolutely participate even if your school is not. We need your parent/guardian or a school staff member to serve in the role of teacher for the registration and contest process.

My school has a different event on the same day. Or, my family planned a vacation on the contest day. Can I do a virtual interview at a different time?

You need to physically be present on the contest day.

I am in a group but not all my members can be present on the contest day. What do I do?

You can still participate in the contest if some members of your group may need to miss the contest day. There is an expectation that the missing contest members would be available for the next level of competition if your project advances. The project cannot become an individual project after it has been researched and prepared by a group.

Do I need to be present all day at the contest event?

Not necessarily. You must be present for the interview time with judges. We advise you to register and arrive 15 minutes before your interview time.

If you are in the exhibit category, you must be registered and have the exhibit set up before the contest judging begins (approximately 9:00 a.m.).

If you are in the performance or documentary category and a second round (run-offs) of judging is needed, you will need to be present for that as well.

We do provide downtime activities and dining options for the times you are not presenting your project.

What is a final round?

Final rounds are essentially a second round of judging. Due to number of entries we need to divide the projects into multiple groups so it is not just one judge team judging 20 junior group exhibits or watching 12 senior individual documentaries. These multiple groups each send on their top few projects to a "final round" or "second round" of judging to determine the regional or state finalists.

How do I know if I am in a final round?

Depends on their category.

REGIONALS:

  • Paper, Website, and Exhibit* = WILL NOT know whether they made final rounds or not (there are no interviews in final round)
  • Documentary and Performance* = WILL know whether they made final rounds as they need to be present to showcase their project in-person (there are no interviews in final round)

*Keep in mind there may not be a final round at every regional since final rounds depend on number of entries. Check the program to see categories with final rounds.

General Project Questions

Are interviews with experts considered primary sources?

No. An interview with an expert (a professor of Civil War history, for example) is not a primary source, unless that expert actually lived through and has first-hand knowledge of the events being described.

If I find a quote from a historical figure in my textbook or another secondary source, and I use the quote in my project, should I list it as a primary source?

No. Quotes from historical figures which are found in secondary sources are not considered primary sources. The author of the book has processed the quotation, selecting it from the original source. Without seeing the original source for yourself, you don’t know if the quotation is taken out of context, what else was in the source, what the context was, etc.

Should I list each photograph or document individually?

You should handle this differently in notes than in the bibliography. When you are citing sources for specific pieces of information or interpretations, such as in footnotes or endnotes, you should cite the individual document or photograph. In the bibliography, however, you would cite only the collection as a whole, not all the individual items. You should include the full title of the collection (e.g., Digges-Sewall Papers or the Hutzler Collection), as well as the institution and city or city/state where the collection is located (e.g., Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore). You can use the annotation to explain that this collection provided seven photographs which you used in your exhibit or that collection provided 14 letters which were important in helping you trace what happened. The same treatment applies to newspaper articles. In the footnotes or endnotes, you should cite the individual articles and issues of a newspaper. In the bibliography, you would list only the newspaper itself, not the individual issues or articles; you can use the annotation to explain that you used X number of days of the newspaper for your research.

Do I need other primary sources if I have lots of photographs?

Yes. It is not enough to only have photographs as primary sources. Your project must be based on critical analysis and relying only on photos or images would not provide enough depth of historical analysis.

How many sources should I have for my project and annotated bibliography?

We can’t tell you a specific number of sources, as that will vary by the topic and by the resources to which you have reasonable access. For some topics, such as the Civil War or many 20th-century U.S. topics, there are many sources available. For other topics, such as those in ancient history or non-U.S. history, there likely are far fewer primary sources available. The more sources you have, the better, but don’t pad your bibliography. Only list items which you actually use; if you looked at a source but it didn’t help you at all, don’t list it in your bibliography.

You do need to find both primary and secondary sources. Secondary sources help you put your topic in context, that is, to see how your topic relates to the big picture and to understand its long-term causes and consequences. Primary sources help you develop your own interpretation and make your project lively and personal.

As much as possible, your research should be balanced, considering the viewpoints of all relevant groups. That means different perspectives, different genders, different nations, different socioeconomic/ethnic/religious groups, etc. What balanced means will vary depending on your topic.

What changes can I make to my entry if I was chosen to advance to the next contest level?

As you move through the NHD contest levels, you are able to revise and adjust nearly everything about your project. The only thing you cannot change is the topic; adding new group members; and moving between individual and group categories.

Documentary Category Questions

Can my family and friends watch my documentary?

Yes. The documentary judging is open to anyone who would like to view the project.

Can I play my documentary via YouTube?

We highly recommend you create and present your documentary as a mp4 file on a flash drive to ensure it will work even if the Internet fails.

Do I need to bring my own equipment to play it?

No. Our contest site has all the equipment needed for sharing documentary projects.

Exhibit Category Questions

Is the 500 word limit separate from the 500 word limit for the process paper?

Yes, the title page, process paper, and bibliography are considered separate from the exhibit. Entries must follow the 500-word limit for the exhibit itself as well as the 500 word limit for the process paper.

Does my exhibit need to be on a tri-fold panel?

No. You can design your exhibit however you desire to fit with your project content. Keep in mind, the key element judges will use to evaluate your project is historical content and analysis. If something is creatively amazing, but lacks depth of content, it will likely not be considered a strong project.

Paper Category Questions

Can my family and friends be with me during my interview?

No. The paper judging is closed. There are options available throughout the day to share your paper with others.

Can I have pictures, like illustrations, graphs, etc. in my paper?

Illustrations are acceptable. Captions do not count in the word total. Make sure that illustrations are directly related to the text, and don’t overdo them. A paper project heavy on illustrations may end up being too light on analysis and interpretation.

Can I use a fictional 1st person in a paper?

Various types of creative writing (for example, fictional diaries, poems, etc.) are permitted, but must conform to all general and category rules.

Do I need a process paper if I am writing a paper?

Yes. You still must prepare a process paper.

Performance Category Questions

Can I use a fictional 1st person in a performance?

You can make up characters to make a broader historical point, but don’t make up history.

Can my family and friends watch my performance?

Yes. The performance judging is open to anyone who would like to view the project.

Where can I unload my props?

To unload large props, use the circle drive just off the Campus Court lot. For more information on parking, head over to the Contest tab.

Where can I store my props when I am done with my performance?

We do not have a secure storage location for props. It is best if you plan on returning them to your vehicle.

Website Category Questions

Is there a size limit?

Your entire site is limited to 100 MB of file space per the National NHD office.

Do I need a process paper if I am preparing a website?

Yes. Process papers in pdf format must be included in the actual website and part of the navigational system.

Can my family and friends be with me during my interview?

No. The website judging is closed. There are options available throughout the day to share your website with others.

I accidentally built my website using the regular Weebly platform. Can I still participate?

Probably. You will need to contact us and we will can see if the National NHD office can convert it for you.

How can I help my student with their project?

Be a source of encouragement! Your child will be doing a lot of research and writing. Support their effort and creativity. Reminder: you will need to resist an urge to do the project for them. For example, you cannot operate the camera to record a documentary or paint the boards for an exhibit.

My student's school isn't participating in National History Day® (NHD), but they want to participate on their own. What do I do?

Your student may absolutely participate even if their school is not. You or school staff member may serve in the role of teacher for the registration and contest process.

Can I attend the contest?

Yes! We love to have parents support their youth! Head to the Contest tab for particulars.

Do I have to pay to enter the contest?

No, the public is welcome to observe all projects!

Can I be with my student when they are being judged?

Paper and website judging is closed to the public, but performances and documentaries are open. There are also specific times for public viewing of exhibits. Options are available to view website and paper projects throughout the day.

Does my student need to be present all day at the contest event?

Not necessarily. They must be present for the interview time with judges. We advise them to register and arrive 15 minutes before their interview time.

If they are in the exhibit category, they must be registered and have the exhibit set up before the contest judging begins (approximately 9:00 a.m.).

If they are in the performance or documentary category and a second round (run-offs) of judging is needed, they will need to be present for that as well.

We do provide downtime activities and dining options for the times they are not presenting their project.

What is a final round?

Final rounds are essentially a second round of judging. Due to number of entries we need to divide the projects into multiple groups so it is not just one judge team judging 20 junior group exhibits or watching 12 senior individual documentaries. These multiple groups each send on their top few projects to a "final round" or "second round" of judging to determine the regional or state finalists.

How do I know if my student is in a final round?

Depends on their category.

REGIONALS:

  • Paper, Website, and Exhibit* = WILL NOT know whether they made final rounds or not (there are no interviews in final round)
  • Documentary and Performance* = WILL know whether they made final rounds as they need to be present to showcase their project in-person (there are no interviews in final round)

*Keep in mind there may not be a final round at every regional since final rounds depend on number of entries. Check the program to see categories with final rounds.

I did not study history. Can I still volunteer?

Of course! The only requirement for a National History Day® (NHD) volunteer is a love of history and an appreciation of students’ hard work.

What should I do to prepare?

If you know which category you are assigned, look over the following in the Resources tab:

  • The contest theme
  • National History Day judging process and tips
  • Sample questions
  • The rules for your category
  • The evaluation form for your category
How long is the competition?

Duration depends on what kind of volunteer you are.

  • Room monitors: depending on the space, a few hours seated and/or standing.
  • Judges: depending on what you are judging, at minimum a few hours seated interviewing students or walking around exhibition halls. You will also need additional time to complete your evaluation rankings and forms.
  • Run-off judges: volunteering tasks usually only take place after lunch.
  • Registration Desk: Early morning on contest day. The Lead Registration Desk volunteer will need to stay the contest day.
Do we get breaks?

Yes. Briefly between each judge timing slot and for lunch.

Can I choose what I want to judge?

During the registration process, you will be asked to rank your preferences.

What if I know a student competing?

You may still volunteer. However, we will ask you to disclose who you know so we can assign you accordingly. We do not want any conflicts of interest while judging.

How do I register?

Complete the volunteer registration form in ZFairs. More information on signing up can be found under the Register tab.

Contact Us

Deb Anderson, Northeastern Wisconsin NHD Coordinator
UW-Green Bay Archives & Area Research Center
David A. Cofrin Library, Room 705
2420 Nicolet Drive, Green Bay, WI 54311
Phone: (920) 465-2539
Email: historyday@uwgb.edu