Click each category below for more information on project requirements. 

Podcast - NEW! 

Please note: Podcast is a Massachusetts category only. Podcasts may participate at the Regional and State levels, but will NOT move on to Nationals. 

Do you enjoy speaking with others and telling stories? Podcasts may be the category for you! Podcasts create a listening experience that engages your audience in your history day topic by using voice, sounds, and interviews. 

Your presentation must: 

• follow the annual theme 
• include your primary and secondary research
• make a compelling historical argument
• be no longer than 10 minutes

Students can enter podcasts at all of the Massachusetts regional contests and showcases and can progress to the State Contest in April. 

Note: Podcasts are a Massachusetts-only category. At the state contest, Massachusetts History Day winning podcasts will not advance to the National History Day contest in Maryland. 

Podcast Rules

Podcast Evaluation Form

Documentary

A documentary is a ten-minute film that uses media (images, video, and sound) to communicate your historical argument, research evidence, and interpretation of your topic’s significance in history. 

A documentary should reflect your ability to use audiovisual equipment to communicate your topic’s significance. The documentary category will help you develop skills in using photographs, film, video, audio, computers, and graphic presentations. Your presentation should include primary source materials and also must be an original production. To produce a documentary, you must have access to equipment and be able to operate it.

Documentary Project Checklist

Documentary Evaluation Form

Exhibit

An exhibit is a three-dimensional physical and visual representation of your historical argument, research evidence, and interpretation of your topic’s significance in history.

Exhibits use color, images, documents, objects, graphics, and design, as well as words, to tell your story. Exhibits can be interactive experiences by asking viewers to play music, look at a video, or open a door or window to see more documents or photos.

Exhibit Project Checklist

Exhibit Evaluation Form

Paper

A paper is a written format for presenting your historical argument, research evidence, and interpretation of your topic’s significance in history.

A paper is a highly personal and individual effort, and if you prefer to work alone this may be the category for you. Papers depend almost entirely on words to tell the story, and you can usually include more information in a paper than in some of the other categories. Various types of creative writing (for example, fictional diaries, poems, etc.) are permitted but must conform to all general and category rules.

Paper Project Checklist

Paper Evaluation Form

Performance

A performance is a dramatic portrayal of your historical argument, research evidence, and interpretation of your topic’s significance in history.

The performance category is the only one that is presented live. Developing a strong narrative that allows your subject to unfold in a dramatic and visually interesting way is important. Memorizing, rehearsing, and refining your script is essential, so you should schedule time for this in addition to research, writing, costuming, and prop gathering.

Performance Project Checklist

Performance Evaluation Form

Website

A website is a collection of interconnected web pages that uses multimedia to communicate your historical argument, research evidence, and interpretation of your topic’s significance in history.

A website should reflect your ability to use website design software and computer technology to communicate your topic’s significance in history. To create an NHD website project, you must use NHDWebCentral^®.

Website Project Checklist

Website Evaluation Form

NHDWebCentral Instructions