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Exhibit Project

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Read the Rules

Before you begin work on an entry for competition, you, your teacher, and your guardians should carefully read the Contest Rule Book. Contact the state coordinator at NHD.Iowa@iowa.gov to learn if any rules have been revised since the publication of this rule book, and for more information on topics, sources, and deadlines. 

Understand the Theme

Each year your research must connect to the annual National History Day theme. Themes for each contest year are chosen to be broad enough to encourage investigation of topics ranging from local history to world history, and from ancient time to the recent past. To understand the historical importance of your topic you need to ask questions about time, place and context, cause and effect, change over time, and impact and significance. You must consider not only when and where events happened, but also why they occurred and what factors contributed to their development.

Choose a Topic

Topics for research are everywhere! Think about a time in history or individuals or events that are interesting to you.

  • Read books, newspapers or other sources of information and add to your list.
  • Talk with relatives, neighbors, or people you know who have lived through a particular time in history that interests you and add more ideas.
  • Keep thinking, reading and talking to people until you have many ideas that are interesting.
  • View the list of topics related to Iowa history if you are interested in exploring a local topic.

Now go back through the list and circle the ideas that connect with the theme. From the ideas that you circled, select one to begin your research. Keep your list because you might need it again. Selecting a National History Day Contest topic is a process of gradually narrowing down the area of history (period or event) that interests you to a manageable subject.

Project Submission Process for 2023

Documentary Projects

  • Upload written materials (Title Page, Process Paper, and Annotated Bibliography) as one PDF file by your contest registration deadline 11:59 p.m. CT
  • Paste shareable link to documentary in "Link" field in your zFairs profile by your contest registration deadline 11:59 p.m. CT
  • Do not bring printed copies of your written materials to the contest

Exhibit Projects

  • Upload written materials (Title Page, Process Paper, and Annotated Bibliography) as one PDF file by your contest registration deadline 11:59 p.m. CT
  • Bring exhibit to the contest to display
  • Do not upload digital exhibits or photographs of physical exibits to your zFairs profile
  • Do not bring printed copies of your written materials to the contest

Paper Projects

  • Upload written materials AND finished paper (Title Page, Process Paper, Finished Paper, and Annotated Bibliography) as one PDF file by your contest registration deadline 11:59 p.m. CT
  • Do not bring printed copies of your written materials or finished paper to the contest

Performance Projects

  • Upload written materials (Title Page, Process Paper, and Annotated Bibliography) as one PDF file by your contest registration deadline 11:59 p.m. CT
  • Bring finished costumes, props, and set pieces to the contest to perform live
  • Do not upload recordings of performances to your zFairs profile
  • Do not bring printed copies of your written materials to the contest

Website Projects

  • Paste NHDWebCentral key in "NHDWebCentral Key" field in your zFairs profile by your contest registration deadline 11:59 p.m. CT
    • Written materials (Title Page, Process Paper, and Annotated Bibliography) should be included in websites
  • Websites will be locked on the day following your contest registration deadline at 12:00 a.m. CT
  • Do not bring printed copies of your written material to the contest