2007-2008 Future City Competition™
Essay and Abstract

Judge's Name: Password:

Future City Name:

School Name:

The judging teams will complete this section. Judges will answer these questions and assign a point value for each question. This sample judging form is provided to the students so they know the components of the judging criteria. Please use whole numbers, not fractions. New! Teams will need to place the word count at the end of the essay that they submit.

Essay: Part 1
500-700 Word Essay (0-70 points) "Keeping our Future City's infrastructure healthy: Using nanotechnology to monitor city structures and systems". A score of zero is assigned if none of the criteria is met.

Does the Essay...

Values

1. Selecting a critical infrastructure component to monitor

(4 - 5 points) Component selected and good explanation of its Importance to City.
(3 points) Component selected but not critical to City's health.
(1 - 2 points) Component selected but no explanation of criticality.
(0 points) No Component selected.

Requirements of the Monitoring and Control System.  

2. Defining potential problem areas for the selected infrastructure component

(4 - 5 points) Thorough analysis of potential problems and threats.
(3 points) More than one problem or threat identified with good explanation.
(1 - 2 points) One potential problem or threat identified, little or no explanation.
(0 points) No potential problem areas identified.

3. Determining the variables to monitor to identify problem condition

(4 - 5 points) Appropriate variables and ranges identified for potential problem areas.
(3 points) Appropriate variables selected, but acceptable range of values not defined/ determined.
(1 - 2 points) Variables selected are inappropriate or insufficient for successful monitoring.
(0 points) No variable identified.

4. Determining the appropriate actions or responses to problem

(4 - 5 points) Appropriate responses or a hierarchy of responses identified to address the problem with minimal human intervention.
(3 points) Appropriate response identified to address the problem.
(1 - 2 points) Response identified, but inadequate or inappropriate to address problem
(0 points) No actions described.

Control system hardware and implementation.  

5. Overall control system (or distributed control system) description

(4 - 5 points) Exceptional monitor and control system design. Fully integrated into the infrastructure. Thoroughly described.
(3 points) Control system adequate. Hardware partially described and integrated into infrastructure.
(1 - 2 points) Simple or incomplete control system design. Hardware not fully defined. Not integrated into the infrastructure.
(0 points) No description.

6. Sensor component.

(4 - 5 points) Sensor components identified and thorough discussion of their implementation and operation.
(3 points) Sensor components identified with a brief description of their implementation and operation.
(1 - 2 points) Sensor component identified, but inappropriate or inadequate to monitor defined variable.
(0 points) No sensor component described.

7. Controller and communication components

(4 - 5 points) Good design and thorough description of the controller and communication components.
(3 points) Adequate controller and communication design. Brief discussion..
(1 - 2 points) Incomplete description of the controller and communication components.
(0 points) No discussion.

8. Actuator component

(4 - 5 points) Good design and response to monitored problem(s). Thorough description of actuator.
(3 points) Adequate response to resolve monitored problem (s). Brief description of actuator.
(1 - 2 points) Inadequate response to monitored problem(s) and incomplete description of actuator.
(0 points) No discussion.

9. Applying nanotechnology

(4 - 5 points) Takes full advantage of nanotechnology throughout the design of monitoring and control system. Thorough discussion.
(3 points) Nanotechnology applied to sensor design. Some discussion and some understanding of nanotechnology.
(1 - 2 points) Some discussion, but little understanding of nanotechnology.
(0 points) No discussion.

10. Advantages of nanotechnology

(4 - 5 points) One or more advantages thoroughly discussed.
(3 points) One or more advantages listed with partial discussion
(1 - 2 points) One advantage listed, but not discussed.
(0 points) No discussion.

11. Role of one type of engineer in monitoring and control

(4 - 5 points) Role of engineer in the design and implementation of the monitoring and control system is thoroughly discussed.
(3 points) Role of engineer is briefly, but incompletely discussed.
(1 - 2 points) Role of one type of engineer is mentioned, but not discussed.
(0 points) No discussion.

12. Creative solution

(4 - 5 points) Solution is creative, well-designed, and exceptionally well communicated.
(3 points) Solution is creative and fairly well communicated.
(1 - 2 points) Solution is not particularly creative and poorly communicated.
(0 points) No creativity shown.

Written communication skills  

13. Well written

(1 - 2 points) Exceptionally well organized and written.
(0 points) Poorly organized and written.

14. Grammar

(1 - 2 points) No grammatical errors.
(0 points) Many grammatical errors.

15. Spelling

(1 - 2 points) No spelling errors.
(0 points) Many spelling errors.

16. Length

(1- 2 points) Within the 500-700 word limit.
(0 points) Less than 500 words or greater than 700 words.

17. List of references

(1- 2 points) At least three appropriate references, correctly listed.
(0 points) No references

TOTAL ESSAY POINTS (0-70) =

 

Abstract: Part 2
300-500 Word Abstract (0-20 points)
A score of zero is assigned if none of the criteria is met.

Values

1. Describes the City and its services.

(4 - 5 points) Excellent description of City and many of its services.
(3 points) Good description of City and some of its services.
(1 - 2 points) Poor description of City and services.
(0 points) No description.

2. Overview of City's Infrastructure.

(4 - 5 points) Excellent description of 3 or more infrastructure components.
(3 points) Good description of 2 - 3 infrastructure components.
(1 - 2 points) Poor description OR description of only one infrastructure component.
(0 points) No description.

3. Organization

(1 - 2 points) Exceptionally organized.
(0 points) Poorly organized.

4. Is the abstract well written?

(1 - 2 points) Exceptionally written.
(0 points) Poorly written.

5. Is the abstract free of grammar errors?

(1 - 2 points) Essay has no grammatical errors.
(0 points) Essay has many grammatical errors

6. Is the abstract free of spelling errors?

(1 - 2 points) Essay has no spelling errors.
(0 points) Essay has many spelling errors.

7. Is the abstract between 300 - 500 words?

(1 - 2 points) Within the 300-500 word limit.
(0 points) Less than 300 words or greater than 500 words.

TOTAL ABSTRACT POINTS (0-20) =

TOTAL ESSAY AND ABSTRACT POINTS (0-90) =

Suggestions for Improvement?

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