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Subchapter A: ACADEMICS (956)

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Subchapter A: ACADEMICS (956)

Section 956: HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES

(a) THE CONTEST.

(1) Purpose. The Social Studies Contest challenges students to read widely and deeply in the areas of social studies in order to: expand and apply their understanding of the nature of geography and the physical setting of the earth to physical and cultural environments; expand and apply their understanding of the governmental systems; and expand and apply their understanding of historical trends, movements and eras, the impact and significant of time and place, cause and effect, and change over time.

(2) Format. The contest will consist of objective questions and an essay assessing knowledge of history, geography, civics and economics. Students are tested over material based on a theme announced annually on the UIL website.

(3) Essay. Contestants who fail to submit an essay shall be disqualified. A judge or judges will evaluate the essays of the eight contestants with the highest scores in the objective portion of the test. If a tie occurs for the eighth slot, then essays of all contestants tied for eighth will be judged. Each essay will be read and assigned a score based on a zero to 20 scale, with 20 being the highest score possible. The score will be added to the point total from the objective portion of the test, resulting in an overall score.

(b) ENTRIES.

(1) Individual Competition. Each member high school may enter as many as four individuals in the district meet.

(2) Team Competition. A school shall have a minimum of three contestants compete in order to participate in the team competition. All four members of the winning team will advance to the next higher meet.

(c) QUALIFICATION.
Individuals, team and wildcards qualify for the next level of competition according to Section 902.
(d) TIES.

(1) Individual Competition. All ties shall be broken through sixth place. If a tie exists after the grading of the essays, then those essays involved in the tie will be judged one against the other(s) to break the tie.

(2) Team Competition. Refer to Section 902 (h) (3) (D).