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Website Guide 2012
Website Guide 2012
Website Guide 2012
A History Fair website is a computer-based representation of your research and argument that incorporates both textual and non-textual content (e.g. images, songs, interviews, videos, images and interactive features) to engage and inform your viewer about your topic. Think of it as an online, in-depth, multimedia, interactive exhibit. The History Fair Website is not like the websites that you typically use when you are doing your research or seeking information or shopping. It has an argument with evidence just like any other projectbut a website communicates to the audience in a different way. While many topics can be effectively conveyed using this category, it is especially suitable for topics that have a variety of non-textual materials that can be used to support your argument and provide an interactive experience for the viewer.
Website Organization
Since youre not just building different web pages but building a website, you have to give your site an overall organization that is logical and easy to navigate. There are many ways to do this and planning your site on paper first will give you a chance to play with these organizational structures before you put time and energy into construction. At this stage of planning, diagram the organization your site will use. Time, location, or topic are just a few of the general categories into which you can sort information. Different categories will help you to make different arguments through your website. For example, a website about the Black Hawk War could be organized chronologically, sorted by battle or by groups of people involved in the conflict. How would each of these organizational formats help or hinder a viewers understanding of the topic?
Linear organization assumes that a viewer is going to go from one page to the next in a very specific order.
6 5 4 H 3
1 2
Spider web organization lets the viewer explore the website in a variety of ways. Since the pages are one level deep, it assumes that information is equally important. Note: Not all pages have to link together.
Hierarchical organization lets the viewer explore the website 1 2 3 4 in a variety of ways. Since there are multiple levels of pages, you can A B D E organize the more C important information to be closer to the home page and the supporting information to be deeper in the site. Tip: For many topics, the multiple layers of hierarchical organization allows you to deepen your historical analysis.
Begin Construction
After taking these initial steps, youre ready to begin constructing your website. Become familiar with the NHD Website Editor and start translating your ideas into reality!
2. Content is More Important Than Glitz The most important elements of the History Fair website are:
analysis, interpretation, historical context, significance, and effective use of sources and medium. Remember, you are not making separate web pagesyoure making an online, interactive, multimedia exhibit. A clear cohesive argument should unite everything. All pages and elements should support your argument and have a purpose for being there. Make sure your website design is easy to read and understand. Keep decorative animation and clip art to an absolute minimum and avoid busy background images and other clutter. Leave some blank space in your pages so the viewer isnt overwhelmed.
3. Write Your Text Before Uploading Writing out your text first helps ensure that your most important
ideas are clearly expressed and that you have matched your conclusions to multimedia evidence that supports your ideas. Avoid writing text online! You will save yourself a lot of time and headache by always using a word processing program. You can save multiple drafts (if you write directly within the NHD Website Editor, your previous work is lost when you make changes) and you can keep much better track of your word count. Just be sure to upload through Notepad or in the .txt format so that you dont insert unnecessary format codes from the word processing program.
4. Edit your Photos, Audio, Footage Before Uploading You will need to edit your photos, audio,
and other multimedia in external editing programs and then upload to your website. Use the recommended list of free software (check the CMHEC website). As noted earlier, avoid making a picture gallery.
5. Save Your Work Early and Often Save your own writing and your textual and non-textual sources in
at least one additional place such as a wiki-space, Google Docs, or external or Flash drives.
6. Give Credit Where Credit is Due and Make Sure Judges Know the Difference Between Your Original Words and the Quotations You must give credit for and make apparent which
materials are not yours, such as illustrations, media, movies, applications, scripts, forms, etc. These materials should have a complete citation in the annotated bibliography. When using quotations, either from primary or secondary sources, it is your job to make it clear to the judges that these are not your words. Use quotation marks!! Including other peoples work under the impression that its yours will affect your word count, but more importantly, it is plagiarism. Also, credit the sources that appear on the site, such as Photo from the Chicago History Museum. These brief captions do not count against your word limit. Finally, when borrowing or using someone elses coding or scripting, you must give them credit just as you would with other materials in your annotated bibliography.
7. Test It Out Before you are finished with your site for judging, triple-check your site to make sure it works in
a variety of browsers since the judges may not use the same one you did when you produced your website. Check your original word count again to make sure it is not above 1200 words. Finally, have someone who has never seen your website look at it. Without explaining anything, let them read through the entire website. Then, ask them a few questions: What am I trying to prove? What evidence have I shown to support that argument? What do you like about my website? What is confusing to you? Dont wait for the last minute to get this important feedbackgive yourself time to make any final revisions.
8. Submitting Websites to Competition If your website has been selected to represent your school, the
website will be submitted in advance of the competition in order for the judges to have adequate time to assess it. If you did not create your website through the NHD Website Editor, it will not be able to compete in the History Fair. Once the registration deadline passes, your website will be locked and you will be unable to make further changes for that competition. You must remember to PUBLISH IT by the lock deadline so judges see your final work. You may be asked to publically present it at one of the competitions. 7
As you create your website, go through this list and ask yourself if youve met all the criteria for a good History Fair project. Judges will use these criteria to evaluate your project.
Historical Knowledge35% Junior Division (gr. 6-8); 30% Senior Division (gr. 9-12)
My website is historically accurate: All the information in my website is true to the best of my knowledge. My website demonstrates thorough, balanced, relevant knowledge: I have made an effort to fully explain my topic and show different perspectives. I place my topic in historical context: My topic didnt take place in isolation. I made sure to place my topic into historical context the wider intellectual, political, social, and cultural setting.
Historical Analysis25% Junior Division (gr. 6-8); 30% Senior Division (gr. 9-12)
My project offers a historical interpretation/argument that is supported by evidence: I present a thesis in my project and back it up with information drawn from my research. I have demonstrated historical significance and impact: My project offers an answer to the so what? question. I explain why it is important to know about these events in history. I have shown change over time and cause and effect: My website offers an explanation of what things changed over time and why the changes took place.
Sources20%
My project uses a depth and range of available primary sources: I consulted a wide variety of sources from the time period of my project (newspaper accounts, diary entries, photographs, archival accounts, and other first-hand accounts). My project uses a depth and range of secondary sources: I used accounts written by historians and other experts to understand the issues involved in my topic and their long-range significance. I make effective use of sources in my website: Sources are used as evidence for points I am making in the site.
Clarity of Presentation20%
My website tells a coherent, well-organized story: I made sure my website is easy to follow and understand. I used the website medium effectively: My topic lends itself well to the website category. I have used multimedia effectively and actively involved the viewer. My website and written materials show attention to detail and make an impact: My website text and images are carefully written and selected. I have proofread and edited my annotated bibliography and Summary Statement Form.
Special thanks to Sarah Aschbrenner, National History Day in Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Historical Society for permission to adapt its Category Guides. Original version: August 2009. Updated and Revised September 2011: Chicago Metro History Education Center. 8