Judges' Criteria for Postgraduate Awards

The judges score and rank the candidates according to: (1) content and scientific quality, (2) clarity and (3) presentation skills. The judges combine their results to determine the winner. Decisions by the panel are final.

Content and scientific quality are important criteria. The presentation must be interesting, and the material should be seen to be significant within the field of research. Context is important for establishing what the state of current research in the field is and how the described research contributes to and extends current knowledge. The candidate must balance the competing demands of providing a clear explanation to the nonspecialist and illustrating the techniques and methods to allow a meaningful assessment of the candidate's own understanding and contributions to the research. The context can be further clarified during the question-and-answer session.

Clarity is a skill which is required to communicate a subject requiring years of study into a 20 minute presentation. The judges are looking for the presenter's ability to communicate the essence of the research without becoming excessively encumbered with detail. A proper introduction, good exposition and meaningful conclusions are important factors in providing a clear presentation.

Presentation skills include the best use of audiovisual aids, speaking ability, eye contact, the efficient use of time, projecting a professional and confident attitude, preparedness and response to questions.

These factors and others contribute to the overall impression of the candidate's performance. A good talk is more than the sum of good performance in each component. The best talk is well-presented, well-practised, clear, conveys significance and impact, and is stimulating and memorable.

A judge may have a conflict of interest. Any conflict of interest will be disclosed and considered by the judging panel which, under these circumstances, also includes the Chair of the AIP (NSW) who is chairing the sessions.