Judging is one of the most important parts of a science fair. This is partly because it accounts for a significant portion of your final score, but it’s also an important learning opportunity. 

Most often, especially at state and Regeneron ISEF-level fairs (and even in regionals), these judges are experts in the general field of your chosen category. 

You will get judges who are PhD students doing research in a similar industry, professors who have taught the fundamentals of your research for years, or industry professionals who work with similar concepts every single day. That being said, learning from their feedback to improve your project is one of the best ways to prepare for future judging rounds.

I’m Kara Gaiser, a ScienceFair Coach and Mechanical Engineering student at UC Berkeley, focused on the aerospace industry with experience at NASA and space startups. In high school, I competed in all levels of science fairs from regional to Regeneron ISEF, where I am a two-time Grand Award winner. When I pursued science fairs, I received some pivotal feedback from judges early on that helped me qualify for ISEF and win awards. 

Receiving feedback from judges at science fairs

You can receive feedback in three different ways, depending on your fair:

Direct feedback

Judges may give you feedback directly as you talk to them. This is important, and in fact a good sign, because they ultimately want to see young researchers like yourself succeed. 

Written feedback

Some fairs, especially regional or state fairs, offer written feedback to the students from the judges a few weeks after the fair takes place. 

This is not always the case, and judges may remain anonymous in this process.

Ask for feedback

Towards the end of your conversation, especially if you’re learning a concept from them, ask how you could’ve explained a technical concept better or how you could’ve improved your elevator pitch. 

This shows the judges that you’re interested in learning, have an open-minded mindset, and want their feedback. 

When you receive feedback, it is important that you fully digest and understand the actionable changes you need to make to improve your project and presentation. 

Using judges' feedback constructively

Here are some ways you can turn constructive feedback into actionable, tangible tasks:

Reflect on your judging experience

After your fair, take some time to reflect on what type of questions judges asked you, especially those “curve-ball” questions, and any feedback your judges gave you during your session. This is incredibly important, as you may not remember a few weeks or months from now when you’re preparing for your next fair.

Write out the questions

Practice really does make perfect, so write out all the questions you received and develop detailed answers for them. 

It’s important to practice the questions you were asked, especially the ones that stumped you, to ensure you can flawlessly answer the same question in the future.

Turn those questions into actionable tasks

Got a hard question about a technical topic you are not super familiar with? Research it before your next fair. Get comfortable with explaining the concept in connection with your research plan and future work. 

Got some points of feedback on your presentation style? Practice answering questions in the way that they recommended, even if it feels unnatural or uncomfortable. Practice always makes perfect, and more importantly, builds your confidence.

Keep an ongoing log 

As you move forward in your science fair journey, reflect on how you’ve improved on answering previously difficult questions in a log or journal so you can see how you’ve perfected your public speaking voice. It’s important to stop and look back and see how far you’ve come!

While the judging process at science fairs can feel scary and overwhelming, you can learn so much from the judges. Ask them to explain a certain topic you’re interested in or don’t understand super well, if the topic comes up. 

They are a great resource for knowledge, and take their feedback into account for your future judging experiences. You got this!

Want science fair support?

At sciencefair.io, we provide complete coaching for every level of science fair. Your mentors are ex-ISEF winners who will help to identify your research question, practise your pitch, build your poster, and give you full support so that you go into judging with complete confidence.

Schedule a consultation call to connect with one of our team members and create a personalized plan tailored to your needs.