Contest Categories

Students may participate in one of the following contest categories: Junior Division (grades 6-8) Senior Division (grades 9-12) In these divisions, students may participate as individuals or in groups of two to five. There are five contest categories:

Exhibit
An exhibit is a visual representation of a topic and its significance in history, much like a small museum exhibit. Labels and captions should be used creatively with visual images and objects to enhance the message of the exhibit.

Documentary
A documentary may take the form of a videotape, slide show, Power Point presentation, or similar types of multimedia presentations. It uses images such as film, video, or photographs and audio such as music, excerpts from tapes, and voice-overs to present a topic.

Performance
A performance is a dramatic portrayal of a topic and its significance in history. It should be original and creative, not simply an oral report or a recitation of facts.

Historical Paper
A paper is the traditional form for presenting historical research and interpretation. As an alternative to a research paper, students may choose to write an historically-based creative paper, such as a fictional diary or an epic poem. Please note: The historical paper category is for individual students only.

Website
The website category is the newest addition to National History Day, first appearing at the national contest in 2008. This category features a computer-based presentation of student scholarship and interpretation, including media and illustrations in addition to student analysis. Students must use the NHD Website Editor, provided by NHD, to create and submit their websites for competition.