TECHNICAL PAPER
PRESENTATION CATEGORY:
JUDGING CRITERIA AND RULES
Thank you for participating in the Technical Paper Presentation (TPP) contest. Some
of our finest young engineers have laboured for’ months preparing their entries and
are eager to share their outstanding research and conclusions with you and we expect
the same from you.
PURPOSE OF JUDGING
TPP’s goal is to provide young people with a high quality educational experience—
whether or not they win a prize. It is critical that your interactions with the students
be fair, helpful, and positive. Your spoken and written comments are fundamental to
the learning process.
Together we succeed or fail based on the quality of the learning experience.
YOUR PROCESS
Everyone is supposed to send an abstract of their idea/ paper. You will be selected for
further rounds based on your abstract submitted. Below are the details mentioned for
abstract and paper submission
Quick Guide
Section A: Abstract rules
Section E: General (for all)
Sections F and G: Written and Oral Presentation Rules (for students and judges)
Sections H, I, and J: Judging Guidelines and Criteria (for judges)
A. ABSTRACT
Format for Abstract for Technical Paper Presentation
• Last date for submission of abstract is 12th December 2017
• Abstract should be submitted in PDF only.
• Maximum number of words should be less than 300 words.
• The contents should be as follows:
1) Title
2) Introduction
3) Motivation behind the ideas
4) Working
5) Existing related technologies (if any)
6) Improvements in current technologies (if any)
7) Summary
8) References
The proposal would be judged on basis of feasibility and significance.
Note: Please mention the following details in the mail of each member:
- Project Name
- Member Name
- Contact number
- Email-Id
- College Name
E. General
Purpose: To improve communication skills of engineering students.
Eligibility: The TPP entrants may collaborate with up to three other undergraduate
entrants.
Subject: Papers must cover technical, engineering, management, or societal aspects of
subjects. A paper must address a research of the literature, entrant’s original work, or
work performed by a group to which the entrant belongs.
F. Written Presentation Rules
Penalties: Submissions not in PDF format will be disqualified. Submissions without a
title page and a Originality/Acknowledgements page will be disqualified.
Submissions violating the page limits will have a 15 pt. per page penalty to the score.
Submissions without correct formatting or without required sections will be given a
15 pt. penalty per failure to the score.
General format: Papers must be submitted as Portable Document Format (PDF),
single-spaced, single column, and formatted for letter- sized paper. All entries must
have the title page and a second page giving Originality and Acknowledgements. The
main paper text (includes Abstract, Introduction, Body, Conclusions, References,
Tables, and Figures, this is about 7 pages) must be 2,500 to 3,000 words — over/under
results in penalty. The optional Appendices must not exceed 5 pages.
Style: While third person is preferable, first person is acceptable if it enhances clarity
or readability (e.g., “our team” or “I” vs. “the author”). Active voice and a tight writing
style enhance paper quality.
Structure: Include the following, in the order listed (appendices are optional).
Title page (Required First page): The title is concise, but conveys the
subject. List on separate lines: title, author name(s), school name, and
month/year of contest.
Originality Statement and Acknowledgments Page (Two Separate
Sections Required on the Second page): Briefly explain the originality of
the paper and project. Briefly list specific contributions of each author and
of supportive parties.
Table of Contents (Optional): Use formal format, with page numbers.
Abstract (Separate Section Required): In 100 words or less, briefly states
the problem or objective and summarizes the results or conclusions,
touching upon details only if they are particularly significant.
Introduction (Separate Section Required): Explain the significance of the
paper; summarize what the paper will deliver. One-way: briefly explain
the problem and then how the paper will address it.
Body: Provide the subject arguments in logical sequence, with supporting
data.
Conclusions (Separate Section Required): Summarize the major points of
the paper.
References (Separate Section Required): List the literature used to develop
the paper. Number references consecutively in order of first citation and
follow this citation form:
Periodical: R.N. Hall, Power Rectifiers and Transformers," Proc. IRE, Vol.
40 pp, 1512-1518, November 1952.
Book: W.A. Edison, Vacuum Tube Oscillators, John Wiley and Sons, Inc.,
New York, New York, pp. 170-171, 1948.
Article: B. Lawrence, B.H. Well, and M.H. Graham, "Making on line search
available in an industrial research environment," Journal of the American
Society for Information Science, pp. 364-369, Nov.-Dec. 1974.
Electronic Sources: In addition to author and title data, include the URL and
date accessed.
Appendices (Optional): In these, include material that is helpful (but
unessential) for supporting the arguments in the body. Each appendix
item must have a reference in the body. Number items consecutively,
continuing the sequence used in the body (e.g., if Table 3 were last in the
text, Table 4 would be first in the appendices). Judges may penalize a
paper with essential information included in an appendix rather than the
main paper.
Graphics: These supplement, not duplicate, the text (or each other).
Graphics enhance the presentation of supporting data with curves, charts,
or tables.
Layout options:
Place graphics in the text or place at the end.
Provide explanatory caption for each graphic.
Letters, explained in captions, may identify portions of graphics.
When feasible, combine multiple curves in one graphic, and identify
appropriately.
Tables may be images (or files) embedded in the document. Do not build
with spaces or tabs (due to display disparities).
Number equations consecutively, from order of first appearance.
Number tables consecutively (e.g., Table 1, Table 2).
Number figures consecutively (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2).
Use MS-Equation editor or embedded images for equations or symbols.
Use standard symbols and abbreviations. (Ref. "Graphic Symbols for
Electrical and Electronic Diagrams," IEEE STD 315 and/or IEEE
Information for Authors).
Upon first use of an abbreviation, use the full wording then follow with
the abbreviation in parentheses (AIP).
G. Oral Presentation Rules
Penalties: If a presenter continues speaking 15 seconds beyond the 10-minute “Stop”
signal, all judges will give a 15 pt. penalty to the presenter’s score (the Paper
Competition Chair will determine if the presenter has exceeded this limit and report
the penalty to the judges).
General format: Determine the order of presentations by lot. Each presenter has 12
minutes to present, including the 2-minute Question & Answer (Q&A). In the case of
co-authors, only one may orally present. During Q&A, the presenter will recognize
questioners and answer questions from judges. The Competition Chair may veto
inappropriate questions.
Questions – only judges may ask questions.
Visual aids – using impermissible aids will result in disqualification of the contestant.
Permissible: Slides using software packages like PowerPoint or Adobe to be shown
using a projector and a computer.
Impermissible: Demonstrations, hardware displays, films, sound recordings or hand-
outs.
H. Guidelines and Criteria for Judges and Judging
Judges: The Competition Chair will select 3 to 5 judges. Preference is for judges with
expertise in written and oral communication.
Judging Criteria: The criteria are on the official score sheets. Note: 70 percent of the
criteria relate to communication skills, not technical skills.
Winner selection: Based on their scoring, each judge will rank the paper or
presentation and award 5 points to first, 4 points to second. The judges’ ranking points
awarded will be tallied and the winners determined by these tallies. Judges vote to
break a tie. Note that papers and presentations will be ranked separately.
Disqualifications: Only the Contest Chair, the judges, or a Branch Counselor (or
equivalent) may report a disqualification issue (for only explicit reasons given in the
rules). A majority vote of the judges will decide if a disqualification is warranted and
the Competition Chair will break any tie vote on disqualification among the judges.
Judge Guidelines: Score each criterion on a 1 to 10 scale. Scores of 2-4 weak, 5-7
normal, and 8-9 superior. Scores of 1 or 10 indicate extremes so a solid paper will get
a 6.
The subject matter criteria emphasize technical grasp of the subject. At oral
presentations, judges should ask probing questions to determine the presenter’s role
in the project. Judges should add comments and constructive criticisms to score sheets
to help contestants improve communication skills. Presenters should be shown or
given the judges scoring sheets.
I. Disputed Decisions
Branch Counselor (or equivalent) may dispute contest results, for technical errors only
(e.g., score sheet arithmetic or a time limit breach not reflected in scores). Absent any
technical errors, the decision of the judges is final.
Branch Counselor (or equivalent) may appeal (the judges’ response to a disputed
decision) to the Competition Chair. The decision of the Competition Chair is final.
J. Judging Criteria
Score each criterion on a 1 to 10 scale. Scores of 2-4 weak, 5-7 normal, and 8-9 superior.
Scores of 1 or 10 indicate extremes so a solid paper will get a 6.
Written Presentation Portion
Form (35% of overall score)
Concise, informative abstract
Adequacy of introduction
Logical development and analytical treatment in the body (delivers on
the promise of the introduction)
Adequacy of conclusion
Compliance with format rules
Clarity and directness
Grammar, spelling, and style
Subject Matter (15% of overall score)
Originality of ideas, procedures, processes, designs, results, or
conclusions
(For paper based on literature: originality of analysis and interpretation)
Quality, level of content, appropriateness, interest, and importance
Factual and technical accuracy
Oral Presentation Portion
Form (35% of overall score)
Adequacy of introduction and conclusions
Logical development of major points
Flow and balance of subject material
Poise, eye contact, and manners
Grammar, fluency and word choices
Clarity and directness (Tone, pace, annunciation, volume and delivery)
Use of graphic aids
Subject Matter (15% of overall score)
Technical and factual accuracy, grasp of the subject.
Use of examples, metaphors, and analogies
Answers to questions
Success tip: For your slides (e.g., done in PowerPoint), limit your text to only a few words per
line and no more than 6 bulleted items per page. Use graphics liberally. For best results, add a
photo that ties the project to a larger social or economic theme.
Regards,
Abhishek Pandey,
Chairperson,
IEEE, VJTI.
