Rules & Guidelines
General Rules for All Categories
These are rules form the National History Day Rule Book, with some additions that relate to the Colorado contests. For detailed rules, visit the link below.
Rule 21: Artificial Intelligence and your NHD Project: Guidance on how you may use (and may not use) AI tools when creating an NHD project can be found using this handout from NHD.
Exhibit Rules & Guidelines
Exhibits are displays of visual and written information. They are similar to exhibits found in a museum. People walking by should be attracted to an exhibit's main idea and, therefore, stop to learn more about the topic. To be successful, an exhibit must create an effective balance between visual interest and historical explanation.
The most common form of exhibit entry is a three-panel display. This style is the least complicated to design and build but is still a very effective way to present information.
Paper Rules & Guidelines
A research paper is the traditional form of presenting historical research. Various types of creative writing (such as fictional diaries, poems, etc.) are also permitted, but must conform to all general and category rules. Your paper should be grammatically correct and well-written.
The written work should consist of four parts:
An annotated bibliography divided into primary and secondary sources
Website Rules & Guidelines
The Website category is the most interactive of all NHD categories. A website should reflect the students' ability to use website design software and computer technology to communicate the topic's significance to history. Your historical website should be a collection of web pages, interconnected by hyperlinks, that presents both primary and secondary sources and your historical analysis.
In designing the entry, students should include elements that actively engage the audience in learning about the topic. These elements do not have to be technologically complex, but they should let the audience participate in exploring the topic, rather than passively viewing information. The presentation should include primary source materials, but must also be an original production. To produce a web site, students must have access to appropriate software and equipment and be able to operate it. Students must submit their work on the NHD Portal for judging. All websites must be build on the NHDWebCentral platform!
Documentary Rules & Guidelines
A documentary should reflect your ability to use audiovisual equipment to communicate your topic's significance, much as professional documentaries do. The documentary category will help you develop skills in using photographs, film, video audiotapes, and graphic presentations. Your presentation should include primary materials but must also be an original production. To produce a documentary you must have access to equipment and be able to operate it.