Plant Science Project Award judging criteria and prize categories

Categories

The Plant Science Project Award is open to all Australian students from Prep to Year 12.

Whole class

• All students within the class group contribute towards the experiment or activities.
• One entry is submitted on behalf of the whole class, which is a compilation of each student's work.

Small team

• Students work on the experiments/activities in small teams.
• One entry submitted per team.
• Each entry may contain a compilation of each team member's work.
• Each team entry will be allocated a score and teams are eligible for individual awards.

Individual

• Students work on the activities alone, or as part of a class or team, but they each write up and submit their own entry.
• One entry is submitted per student.

Judging criteria

As this is a science competition, students must prepare their entries correctly:

• set out their research information and experiment results in a scientific report or poster format.
• keep a separate science journal.

Entries are judged by a team of Hermitage Research Facility staff. They score each entry out of 50, based on these elements.

Presentation: 10 marks

• neatness
• creativeness
• grammar and spelling
• layout of text and images
• use of scientific report structure.

Method and content: 20 marks

• evidence of having completed all required activities and experiments as outlined
• demonstrated understanding of scientific method and processes
• science journal content
• thorough observations made
• data displayed in tables or graphs
• photographs, sketches, samples, media clippings included
• background research and information on topic
• going the extra mile—further experimentation or activities undertaken including farm or industry visits, interviews with professionals, etc.

Discussions and conclusions: 20 marks

• interpretation and explanation of experiment results
• outcomes compared to original hypothesis
• explore the importance or significance of results
• how do results relate to agricultural and environmental issues and current information on the topic
• outline any new research questions that results have suggested
• include answers to questions outlined with each competition activity (if applicable)
• how could the experiments be improved
• what could be done differently next time.

Scoring

Whole class

• A score is allocated for the entry and students are eligible for overall 1st, 2nd and 3rd class awards.

Small team

• Each team entry will be allocated a score and teams are eligible for individual awards.
• If multiple team entries are submitted by a class, an average overall class score is provided and all teams (collectively) are eligible for overall 1st, 2nd and 3rd class awards as well.

Individual

• Each individual entry will be allocated a score and students are eligible for individual awards.
• If multiple individual entries are submitted by a class, an average overall class score will also be provided and all students (collectively) will be eligible for overall 1st, 2nd and 3rd class awards as well.

Prizes for specific year categories

Year 10 to Year 12

Paul Johnston Memorial Senior Science Awards

• Awarded to students who submit the 2 most outstanding entries.
• Winner: $1,000 towards educational materials for first-year tertiary education, a plaque and a certificate.
• Runner up: $500 towards education materials for first year tertiary education or a subscription to scientific journal, a plaque and a certificate.

Conference Awards

• 2  x winners: $1,000 to a senior high school student and an accompanying adult, to assist with the costs in attending a science or agriculture conference within Australia.

Year 7 to Year 9

AIA Junior Science Achievement Awards

• Awarded to students who submit the top 2 most outstanding entries.
• Winner: Medallion, book prize and a certificate.
• Runner up: Book prize and a certificate.

Year 3 to Year 6

Joe Baker Outstanding Achievement Award

• Awarded to a student with the most outstanding entry from Year 3 to Year 6.
• Winner: Medallion, a scientific or educational prize and a certificate.

Prep to Year 2

Joe Baker Outstanding Achievement Award

• Awarded to a student with the most outstanding entry from Prep to Year 2.
• Winner: Medallion, a scientific or educational prize and a certificate.

John and Chris Purdie Young Science Investigator Award

• Awarded to a student who demonstrates the most enthusiasm and curiosity towards science, as evident in their project entry.
• Winner: Medallion, a scientific/educational prize and a certificate.

Prizes across all year categories

Crawford Fund International Agricultural Science Awards

• Awarded to students that submit an entry, or part thereof (in any format), that communicates how the topic relates to international agriculture and global food security.
• Winners: a share in $1,000 worth of gift cards, medallions and certificates.

QUT Most Outstanding Poster Awards

• Awarded to students that submit the most outstanding informative or scientific poster entries.
• Winners: a share in $200 worth of gift cards, medallions and certificates.

Highly Commended Awards

• Awarded to students with excellent, high scoring entries.
• Prize: Medallions and certificates.

Class Awards

• Awarded to class groups with the overall highest scores.
• Overall First, Second and Third prizes: Trophies and scientific or educational prizes for the class to share, and individual certificates.

Encouragement Awards

• May be awarded to a class, small team or individual with an entry demonstrating great effort and enthusiasm towards the project but has not received a major award.
• Prize: Scientific or educational prize and certificates.

Participation certificates

Awarded to all participants who enter the Plant Science Project Awards but do not receive a prize.