[MR] A&S Questions

[Martha Wallenhorst]

There are times when knowing the judges can be very important, 1) so you can
figure out if the person/persons judging your piece has any expertise in the
area (there have been times when an iron working laurel has been asked to
judge calligraphy); 2) it is also helpful so you can get a more detailed
response (one time I entered a piece that I had done and one that my oldest
daughter had done - she was home with the chickenpox, the laurel saw me put
the piece on the table and then saw the handwriting on the form was mine and
didn't check to see that it had someone else's name.  The response was
scathing, they tore the piece apart and left a note that this person
shouldn't be doing this bad of work and then entering the other piece.  They
also marked down the other piece.  I had the names of the judges and went to
them afterward and ask how they could mark down the first attempt of a hat
by a seven year old and leave such terrible comments for her.  The judges
looked surprised and the decision was reversed and the comments that came
home were encouraging instead).  3) when you know the judge, if the comment
has been not enough documentation you can approach that judge to find out
what they were looking for or to show them some extra docs you may have
brought but not put out.

These are important points to consider but that is not my main gripe with
A&S competitions.  In looking at the current A&S schedules I find that they
are very restrictive and what I  have been working on does not fit in to any
of the categories.  This is an ongoing problem, I found that Pennsic was one
of three events I could have entered since May.  This does not make me want
to go to an event. Themes for A&S are fine, but not every event, it feels
like you are pushing people away that do other things.

Annejke
  -----Original Message-----
  From: atlantia-admin at atlantia.sca.org
[mailto:atlantia-admin at atlantia.sca.org]On Behalf Of L Shuskey
  Sent: Friday, August 31, 2001 11:05 AM
  To: Merry Rose
  Subject: Fwd: Re: [MR] A&S Questions


  I, for one, like Gorm's idea (below).  I haven't run into any dishonest
judges, but I also know that judges are human and the potential exists.
'Course tomorrow I'll only be making my third entry ever (she says, gnawing
fingernails already).

  I also like the idea that the entrants should know a little about the
judges, and perhaps have opportunity to talk with them afterwards.  I'll
take the recommendations of a judge much more seriously if I know he or she
knows something about that type of project, and not be so crushed by the
comments if I know the judge is less familiar with that type of work.  I
entered a project for a friend recently, and the two comments she received
were "not enough documentation" and "excellent documentation." Left her not
knowing what to do next time.

  Elize

      Alan MacNeill <gormofberra at msn.com> wrote:

      There is a solution for gaining the benefits of anonymous judging
while still maintaining a large degree of ability to individually discuss
with the entrants constructive critiques that I have seen used in another
hobby of mine.

      A given entry is identified by number for the judges, who do their
grading against the numbers.  Then, when they turn in their scoresheets,
they are given (or shown, if only one copy is available) the key that says
what numbers go to what person, and are encouraged to discuss their
critiques with that person.  Generally, the entrants are requested to be at
the display for an hour or so right after the judging concludes to enable
this critiquing.

      This retains the impartiality of anonymous judging, while still
allowing for the critique.  It is a bit more work than the "open" judging,
or pure blind judging, but not all that much, really.

      Gorm of Berra




    Argent, a pale purpure cotised vert between two sprigs of lavender
proper.

    "Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't
mean it's useless."

    - Thomas Alva Edison




  Argent, a pale purpure cotised vert between two sprigs of lavender proper.

  "Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean
it's useless."

  - Thomas Alva Edison

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