Critique Scoring Details
Overview
Our critique service relies solely on the scorebook items. We do not use a point system, but do ask the judges to mark if an item is gold, silver, or bronze level work. Your publication does not compete against any other publication, only against the scorebook as printed. We provide three levels of awards as explained below.
All publications earning an overall GOLD AWARD will be sent to a different judge where your publication will compete against other GOLD AWARD publications to determine which will receive the Clyde F. Lytle All-State Keystone Award.
Item/Category Ratings
GOLD MARK - Earning a gold mark for an item means your publication has achieved at a level that is ABOVE STANDARD for that individual item or category as published in the scorebook.
SILVER MARK - Earning a silver mark for an item means your publication has achieved at a level that is AT STANDARD for that individual item or category as published in the scorebook.
BRONZE MARK - Earning a bronze mark for an item means your publication has achieved at a level that is BELOW STANDARD for that individual item or category as published in the scorebook.
Overall Ratings
GOLD AWARD: publication consistently exceeds journalistic standards in terms of content, writing, design, and photography. The publication need not be perfect, nor need to represent state-of-the-art trends, but must exemplify high ideals of scholastic journalism. This publication is considered ABOVE STANDARD in most categories in the scorebook.
SILVER AWARD: publication consistently demonstrates proficient level of understanding of the basic principles of journalism, but may have several problem areas which keep it from overall excellence. The publication may not have a distinct “personality,” or it may simply need to perfect its execution of a few problem areas. This publication is considered AT STANDARD in most categories in the scorebook.
BRONZE AWARD: publication demonstrates a lack of understanding of several journalistic principles. It may rely too much on journalistic jargon or gimmicks, may not take a sufficiently journalistic approach, or may need substantial work on content, writing, design, and/or photography. A BRONZE AWARD demonstrates an incomplete or inconsistent mastery of several journalistic concepts. Bronze awarded publications may demonstrate BELOW STANDARD levels in many categories.
Our critique service relies solely on the scorebook items. We do not use a point system, but do ask the judges to mark if an item is gold, silver, or bronze level work. Your publication does not compete against any other publication, only against the scorebook as printed. We provide three levels of awards as explained below.
All publications earning an overall GOLD AWARD will be sent to a different judge where your publication will compete against other GOLD AWARD publications to determine which will receive the Clyde F. Lytle All-State Keystone Award.
Item/Category Ratings
GOLD MARK - Earning a gold mark for an item means your publication has achieved at a level that is ABOVE STANDARD for that individual item or category as published in the scorebook.
SILVER MARK - Earning a silver mark for an item means your publication has achieved at a level that is AT STANDARD for that individual item or category as published in the scorebook.
BRONZE MARK - Earning a bronze mark for an item means your publication has achieved at a level that is BELOW STANDARD for that individual item or category as published in the scorebook.
Overall Ratings
GOLD AWARD: publication consistently exceeds journalistic standards in terms of content, writing, design, and photography. The publication need not be perfect, nor need to represent state-of-the-art trends, but must exemplify high ideals of scholastic journalism. This publication is considered ABOVE STANDARD in most categories in the scorebook.
SILVER AWARD: publication consistently demonstrates proficient level of understanding of the basic principles of journalism, but may have several problem areas which keep it from overall excellence. The publication may not have a distinct “personality,” or it may simply need to perfect its execution of a few problem areas. This publication is considered AT STANDARD in most categories in the scorebook.
BRONZE AWARD: publication demonstrates a lack of understanding of several journalistic principles. It may rely too much on journalistic jargon or gimmicks, may not take a sufficiently journalistic approach, or may need substantial work on content, writing, design, and/or photography. A BRONZE AWARD demonstrates an incomplete or inconsistent mastery of several journalistic concepts. Bronze awarded publications may demonstrate BELOW STANDARD levels in many categories.
