Checklist

Please use this checklist to keep your team on track.

The ThinkQuest Website Competition gives teams approximately eight months to develop their entries. To help you plan your time, two sample timelines are provided within the checklist. The Standard timeline works best for teams that have the full eight months. For teams with less time, use the Fast Track timeline as a guideline.

Step 1: Enroll

Standard timeline: Month 1
Fast Track timeline: Week 1

• Read the Rules and Evaluation Criteria.
• Enroll as a Coach (if you are not already a member of ThinkQuest Projects).
• Obtain coach authorization from your principal, head teacher, or school administrator (if you are not already a member of ThinkQuest Projects).
• Collect Consent Forms from parents of student team members.
• Create your team (only the Coach can complete this action).

Step 2: Plan

Standard timeline: Month 1
Fast Track timeline: Weeks 1-2

• Identify curriculum standards and assessment methods (if integrating the ThinkQuest Website Competition into the classroom).
• Determine team members' roles and responsibilities.
• Create a project plan and timeline.

Step 3: Research

Standard timeline: Months 2-4
Fast Track timeline: Weeks 3-6

• Choose a topic.
• Create a preliminary site map or outline.
• Identify resources.
• Review information literacy and online safety concepts with students, if necessary.
• Review guidelines for avoiding plagiarism with students.
• Conduct research, being sure to prepare citations for all resources used.
• Contact copyright owners for permissions, if necessary.

Step 4: Create Website

Standard timeline: Months 5-6
Fast Track timeline: Weeks 7-10

• Decide on the design of the website.
• Determine the preliminary site architecture (how files and folders will be organized).
• Review entry requirements with students.
  Warning! Violation of entry requirements can result in disqualification.
• Review technical restrictions, which include restrictions on file names, storage, and linking, with students.
  Warning! Violation of these restrictions can cause technical problems on your website, which can result in disqualification.
• Create the website, making sure to provide clear citations and permissions.
  Warning! Plagiarism and copyright violation will result in disqualification.

Step 5: Upload Website (due on Entry Submission Deadline)

Important: It's strongly recommended that you upload your site well before the Entry Submission Deadline. Waiting until the last minute to upload your site is risky; unforeseen issues could mean your site is not uploaded in time, resulting in lower scores or even disqualification.

Standard timeline: Month 7
Fast Track timeline: Weeks 11-12

• Upload all website files to your team's directory on the ThinkQuest server.
  Warning! Files and content (including videos and games) cannot be hosted externally or your team will be disqualified.
• Test the website thoroughly on a variety of computers with different browsers.
• Make final fixes and edits.

Step 6: Submit Site Profile (due on Entry Submission Deadline)

Important: The Site Profile is a required part of a team's entry. Teams who do not submit a Site Profile by the Entry Submission Deadline risk disqualification.

Standard timeline: Month 8
Fast Track timeline: Week 12

• Fill out and submit the Site Profile, a short questionnaire about your project (only the Coach can complete this action).
  

Step 7: Competition Results

• Celebrate student achievements.
• Review judge feedback, which will be sent to the Coach.
• Return to the ThinkQuest website to see a list of winners and to view your site in the ThinkQuest Library.