Social Studies

History Fair Website Rules

Rule 1: Size Requirements
Web site entries may contain no more than 1,200 visible, student-composed words.
Citations, code used to build the site, and alternate text tags on images do not count
toward the word limit. The word limit does not include words found in materials used for illustration such as documents, artifacts or graphs not created by the student, or quotations from primary sources such as oral history interviews, letters, or diaries, photos of artifacts with writing, or other illustrative materials that are used as an integral part of the web site. Brief citations crediting the sources of illustrations or quotations included on the web site do count toward the 1,200-word limit. The entire
site, including all multimedia, may use up to 100MB of file space.

Rule 2: Navigation
One page of the web site must serve as the“home page.” This page must be saved in the root directory of the CD-R (not in any folder) with the name “index.” The home page must include the names of participants, entry title, division, and a main menu that directs viewers to the various sections of the site. All pages must be interconnected with hypertext links. Automatic redirects are not permitted.

Rule 3: Multimedia
A single multimedia clip may not last more than 45 seconds and may not include studentcomposed narration. If an entry uses any form of multimedia requiring a plug-in (for example, Flash, QuickTime or Real Player), you must provide on the same page a link to an Internet site where the plug-in is available as a free, secure, and legal download. Judges will make every effort to view all multimedia content, but files that cannot be viewed cannot be evaluated as part of the entry.

Rule 4: Entry Production
All entries must be original productions. You may use professional photographs, graphics, video, recorded music, etc. within the site. Such items must be integrated into the web site, and proper credit must be given within the site as well as in the annotated bibliography. The student must operate all software and equipment
in the development of the web site. NOTE: Using objects created by others specifically
for use in your entry violates this rule. However, using graphics, multimedia clips, etc. which already exist is acceptable.

Rule 5: Citations
Citations—footnotes, endnotes or internal documentation—are required. Citations are
used to credit the sources of specific ideas as well as direct quotations. Refer to Part II Rules 15-17, for citation and style information.

Rule 6: Stable Content
The content and appearance of a page cannot change when the page is refreshed in the browser. Random text or image generators are not allowed.

Rule 7: Viewing Files
The pages that comprise the site must be viewable in a recent version of Microsoft Internet Explorer. Entries may not link to live or external sites, except to direct viewers to plug-ins.

Rule 8: File Safety
Entries that contain potentially harmful file contamination (e.g. a virus) are subject to
disqualification.

Rule 9: Submitting Entry for Judging
You must submit projects on CD-R for advance viewing by judges. CD-Rs must be
labeled with the names of participants, division, and entry title ONLY; decorations or
illustrations are not appropriate. All CD-Rs must be accompanied by four hard copies of your process paper, annotated bibliography, and print-outs of the site.