Creating a Project

2.0 Ten Steps graphic_1
  1. Read about the contest theme. What are you interested in and how can you tie it back to the theme?
  2. Select a topic. Make sure to talk to your teacher and your parent(s) about your topic before making the final decision.
  3. Decide whether you will work on your own or in a group.
  4. Research your topic. Reference materials are a good place to start: a textbook chapter or encyclopedia entry. Visit your school or public library. And check out the NHD Arkansas Research Resources for tips and tricks on making the most of your research.
  5. Start your annotated bibliography. Create your citations and annotations as you read your sources.
  6. Select your project category and begin building.
    1. Documentary
    2. Exhibit
    3. Paper
    4. Performance
    5. Website
  7. Self-evaluate your entry. Here are the rubrics that judges will use to evaluate your entry.
  8. Enter your regional NHD contest. Work with your teacher or contact your state coordinator to find out how to enter the contest.
  9. Create a Process Paper. Here is one example (.pdf) and another (.doc)
  10. Run through the checklist from the project category you chose and make sure you’ve completed everything.