1. About the Competition
What is ThinkQuest?
ThinkQuest is an annual international competition, sponsored by the Oracle Education Foundation. Students and teachers work in Teams to create innovative and educational websites to share with the world. Along the way, they learn research, writing, Teamwork, and technology skills and compete for exciting prizes.
Eligible sites are published in the ThinkQuest Library, a rich
learning resource used by millions. Visit the ThinkQuest
Library to view the sites created during past competitions.
Along with Think.com, ThinkQuest provides an opportunity for students to participate in project-based learning.
How do I participate in the ThinkQuest competition?
Students, ages 9-19, form a Team and recruit a teacher to act as Coach (known as the Primary or Lead Coach). Once the Coach enrolls the Team, students work together to create an innovative website on any topic within a broad range of educational categories. The required steps are listed and explained in the Step-By-Step Guide. No special software is required to build sites for the competition; Teams are free to use whatever means they wish to build their sites, within the Rules.
Teachers and students who are Think.com members may also choose to participate in the ThinkQuest competition.
Is there a fee for participating?
No, participation is free.
How much time does ThinkQuest take?
ThinkQuest is an annual competition that gives Teams approximately eight months to produce and submit their entries. Depending on the size of the Team and the scope of the website, the actual amount of time required to complete an entry may vary. Some Teams use the entire competition period, while others produce award-winning sites in only a month or two.
What are the important dates and deadlines?
Please see the competition Rules for important dates and deadlines. Before getting started, make sure to consult the ThinkQuest Checklist and Step-By-Step Guide.
What are the rules?
Please see the Rules for the policies governing the competition.
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2. Eligibility
Who is eligible to participate in ThinkQuest competitions?
ThinkQuest is open to Teams from any country in the world. Each Team must consist of one Primary Coach and at least three students, with a maximum of six students. The Primary Coach must be an employee of an accredited educational institution (a school, college or university), and students must be between the ages of 9 and 19. The Team may also include one additional Assistant Coach (optional), who does not need to be a school employee, but must meet other requirements. Please see the Rules for more information.
Think.com teachers are eligible to be ThinkQuest Coaches. Think.com students are eligible to be ThinkQuest team members.
How many students can be on a Team? How many Coaches?
Each Team must consist of one Primary Coach and at least three students, with a maximum of six students. The Team may also include one additional Assistant Coach (optional). See the Rules for more details.
Can a student join more than one ThinkQuest Team?
No. Students may only participate in one Team per ThinkQuest competition.
Can homeschooled students participate in ThinkQuest?
Yes, homeschooled students may participate so long as they are part of a Team that is associated with an accredited school (that is, the Primary Coach is an employee of an accredited school or college).
Can students from winning Teams in previous competitions join a ThinkQuest Team?
Yes, but there is a limit on the number of previous winning students allowed per Team. See the Rules for more details.
Why does the Primary Coach have to be
a school, college or university employee?
In accordance with local laws in some countries and our commitment to
holding all Teams to the same standards, ThinkQuest Teams must be Coached
by an adult who is employed by an accredited educational institution. Employment verification
is required as part of enrollment.
All prospective Coaches should note that they, and their school, college, or university, will, through enrollment and authorization, be accepting responsibility for all students that the Coach includes in a Team.
Does the type of school or college I attend affect my eligibility as a Coach?
Yes. A Primary Coach must attend and be employed by an Eligible school. An "Eligible School" is:
- an accredited school that is owned or operated by a government or local school board, or
- an accredited, non-profit, private school that is tax-exempt under U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3), or the non-U.S. equivalent of a Section 501(c)(3) school.
If you are employed by a for-profit school you are not eligible to enroll as a Primary Coach.
Equivalent eligibility rules apply for prospective Coaches from colleges and universities.
If you are unsure about your eligibility, please write to us at enrollment@thinkquest.org, including your details.
Can a parent be a Coach?
Parents may serve as Assistant Coaches. The Primary Coach must
be an employee of an accredited school.
How many Teams can I Coach?
Coaches may enroll any number of Teams for a competition.
How do I connect with students or Coaches
from other countries to form a Team?
There are a number of ways that Coaches can locate potential Team members around the world:
- Coaches who are Think.com members can search for potential Team members within the Think.com community.
- Coaches can check whether their schools
have existing relationships with other schools through other academic or exchange programs.
- Refer to the Coach Resources for other ideas and resources.
What is the role of a Coach and do I need any special skills?
The Primary Coach guides the students through the competition
and serves as the primary adult responsible for the Team. The Primary Coach may also determine how best to integrate ThinkQuest with classroom
curriculum (if applicable). The Assistant Coach can provide additional guidance and support to the Team.
You don't
need to be a technical wizard to participate in ThinkQuest. A basic
understanding of web publishing is helpful, but there are many online
resources available to learn about web publishing, and we will provide
you with all of the instructions necessary to use the ThinkQuest systems.
Please see Coach Resources for tips on getting started.
What skills are needed in student Team members?
Many Teams are made up of members who bring different strengths to the Team (for example, a writer, an artist, a leader, a programmer, etc.) You don't need to be a technical wizard to participate in ThinkQuest. A basic understanding of web publishing is helpful, but there are many online resources available to learn about web publishing.
Please see Coach Resources for tips on getting started.
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3. Coaches
How do I enroll in the competition?
Coaches can enroll online by visiting http://www.thinkquest.org and clicking on the Enroll Now button. Please note that students do not enroll; the Coach enrolls and then creates Teams. Be sure that your Team meets all eligibility requirements.
Think.com Teachers do not need to enroll for the ThinkQuest competition. They can log into Think.com and access ThinkQuest from the link at the top of their page. Think.com Teachers will require authorization however.
Can students complete the online enrollment for the competition?
No. ThinkQuest does not collect personal contact information from students, so the Primary Coach must complete enrollment.
Can more than one teacher from a school be a Coach?
Yes. Any number of teachers from a single school can be Primary Coaches, although each must enroll separately and get authorization.
When can I enroll for the next ThinkQuest competition?
Primary Coaches can enroll anytime by visiting http://www.thinkquest.org. However, Teams can only be created when a competition is open. For competition dates, check the home page.
Do I need to enroll for a new competition if I have previously been a Coach?
No. If you were enrolled as a Primary Coach in a previous competition, you can use your existing Coach account to create Teams for all future competitions. However, you will need to be authorized for each new competition.
Is there anything I should do before enrolling?
Yes, please read the competition Rules before enrolling.
How do I access my Coach account?
After enrolling, you will receive a confirmation email containing your Coach username and password. To log in, go to http://www.thinkquest.org, enter your Coach username and password, and click
on the Log In button. You must log in within 30 days of enrollment; otherwise, your Coach account will be deleted.
Think.com teachers can access ThinkQuest by logging into Think.com and clicking the ThinkQuest link at the top of the page.
I have lost my password, what should
I do?
Click on the Forgot your password? link on the home page.
Enter your username and click on the Continue button. Your
password will then be emailed to you (or your Primary Coach). Students that cannot log in should contact their Primary Coach.
If you are a Primary Coach who has forgotten your username, please send an email to ThinkQuest
Support at support@thinkquest.org.
Include your full name, the name and location of your school, and if you are a Think.com user.
How do I edit my Coach account details?
Coaches can edit their details by clicking the My Account link at the top of any ThinkQuest page. The My Account page can be used to change the Coach password, edit Personal Information for the Coach, or edit School Information for the Coach's school.
Warning!: Making substantial changes to your account information will mean that we must re-verify your details;
- You must re-accept the Terms of Use.
- Your authorization status will change to Not Authorized. You must submit a new request for authorization to your Signing Authority.
- Any Teams for which you had already submitted the Site Profile will have their Site Profiles automatically unsubmitted (as you are no longer authorized). You must review and re-submit the Site Profile.
Think.com Teacher Coaches that click the My Account link will be redirected to their Think.com My Account page. Editing and verification of Think.com Teacher accounts works differently.
Can I delete my Coach account?
It is not possible to delete your Coach account. If you have an issue of this nature, please contact support@thinkquest.org.
Think.com teachers do not have ThinkQuest Coach accounts; they use their Think.com teacher accounts to access ThinkQuest and create teams. Deleting a Think.com teacher account that is the Primary Coach of a ThinkQuest team will not delete the team.
Can I get additional help with enrollment?
Yes. The Step-By-Step Guide has more information about the enrollment process. You can also contact ThinkQuest Support by sending an email to support@thinkquest.org.
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4. Authorization
What is authorization?
During enrollment or Team creation, Coaches will be asked to supply contact information for a person in your school who can validate their school employment and accept the ThinkQuest Entry Submission Agreement. Generally, this person is a principal, head teacher, or other administrator who is authorized to sign legal agreements on behalf of your school.
The authorized person (or 'Signing Authority')will receive an email with a link to an online authorization form that must be completed before we can accept entries from your Team(s).
Please note: Think.com Teacher Coaches cannot create ThinkQuest Teams before submitting an authorization request (other Coaches will have already submitted a request during enrollment).
Any Coach can create Teams whilst their authorization request is currently Pending.
How do I check my authorization status?
From the Competition page click on the Authorizations link. The Authorizations page shows contact information for the person designated to authorize your account and your current authorization status (Not Authorized, Pending, or Authorized).
If you are Not Authorized, or your authorization is Pending, a reminder will be displayed on the Competition Home page.
Can I change the details for the person authorizing my account or request authorization again?
Yes. Go to the Authorizations page and click on the Modify Request button. This will take you to a page where you can edit information for the person designated to authorize your account. When you update the information, an email request will automatically be re-sent to this person.
Can I authorize myself?
If you have legal signing authority for your school, you may enter your own contact information for the signing authority. In most cases, however, authorization will be required from another person in your school (usually a principal, head teacher, or other administrator).
Why do I need authorization if I am already a Think.com Teacher?
Currently we have separate membership agreements for Think.com and ThinkQuest. We are working on integrating agreements for both programs, but for now, a Think.com Teacher will require additional authorization to participate in the ThinkQuest competition.
Do I need to be authorized for each competition?
Yes. Although you may have been authorized for a previous ThinkQuest competition, you must complete authorization again if you choose to compete in a new competition.
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5. Teams
How do I create a Team?
Log into ThinkQuest using your Coach account details. Find the My Teams section of the Home page under the Competition tab, then click the Create a Team button to create a new Team.
Can we change our official topic
category later if we decide to do something different?
Yes. The Primary Coach can log
in and edit all Team information, including the selected category.
My Team members are different ages. How
do we figure out which age division to use?
The competition age divisions are designed to accommodate Teams of students
who are different ages. Your Team will compete in the age division that
includes all students on the Team. In other words, the oldest student
determines your age division. For example, if all of the Team members
are ages 14 and 15, the Team would compete in the division for students
ages 15 and under. However, if three Team members are age 15 and one
is age 17, the Team would compete in the division for students ages
19 and under. Please use the Entry Submission Deadline to calculate
age.
What is the Team Survey?
The Team Survey is used by ThinkQuest staff to gather additional
background information about ThinkQuest Teams, which we will use to improve
the ThinkQuest website and competition. This survey is completely separate from the Site Profile; it is optional and can be omitted
if the Coach wishes to do so. The data captured from this survey is completely
confidential and will not be seen by Judges.
Who should use which username and password?
The Primary Coach will receive a Coach username and password
when he or she enrolls. The Coach account should be used by the Primary Coach
(and only the Primary Coach) to manage Teams (create and edit Teams, etc.). Students and Assistant Coaches should log in to http://www.thinkquest.org with the Team username and password in order to access the File Upload tool and the Site Profile.
The Team username and password are chosen by the Coach when the team is created.
Please Note: The Team username cannot be changed once created, so Coaches should think carefully before choosing a username for a Team.
How do I keep track of project deadlines?
Important dates and deadlines are listed in the Rules. The Competition Calendar section of the Home page lists important upcoming dates and events.
Think.com teacher Coaches can use the Project Calendar available to their teams to create additional events for the competition.
Can I view my Teams from previous competitions?
Yes. Access your Coach account and click on the History link. This will take you to the History page, where you can view the
details of any Teams you have created in previous Competitions, including any awards one by the Team and the Site Profile.
Please note: You cannot edit any details of Teams from previous Competitions. Teams from previous Competitions cannot be entered into a new Competition.
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6. Entry Submission
How do we choose an official category
for our site?
The topic categories correspond to the twelve top-level categories in
the ThinkQuest
Library. The categories allow for a great deal of flexibility and
encourage students to consider a wide range of issues. See
the Categories page for tips on choosing a topic with your Team.
How do I verify that the subject
of our site fits within the official competition categories?
There is no need to verify your category selection with ThinkQuest.
We trust that Coaches will guide this process and ensure that students
are addressing some element of one of the category areas provided. If
you have a strong desire to check your topic idea with us, please forward
your question to support@thinkquest.org.
Can we submit a site in
our native language?
The official competition language is English. The website and Site Profile,
as well as other communications submitted to ThinkQuest, must be in
English. Translation of the website into multiple languages is acceptable;
however, Judges will evaluate the English language version of the website.
Note also that file names and directories must be in basic ASCII format
(no accents or non-Western characters).
Where can I learn more about HTML or web
design?
Please see our Coach Resources or one of the many resources available in the ThinkQuest
Library and elsewhere on the internet.
Can we update our site after the competition
deadline?
No. Once the Entry Submission Deadline has passed, Teams will
not be allowed to make any changes to their sites. Following the conclusion
of the competition, Teams can notify ThinkQuest if there is incorrect
or misleading information on their site and we will make the necessary
corrections. Please send an email to library@thinkquest.org with the URL of the page at issue and a full description of the problem.
What is the Site Profile?
The Site Profile is a short questionnaire about your Team and their website that will be used during Judging. As specified in the Rules, it is a required component of your entry. It also acts as a checklist to help you ensure everything required for your Team's entry has been completed.
The Site Profile for a Team can be viewed by the Team, Assistant Coach and Primary Coach. However only the Primary Coach can edit and submit the Site Profile.
How do I submit the Site Profile?
See the Site Profile section of the Step-By-Step Guide for more details. The Site Profile must be completed before it can be submitted. A Coach must be authorized before a Site Profile can be submitted.
When must the Site Profile be submitted?
The Site Profile must be submitted before the Entry Submission Deadline. Any Team whose Site Profile is not submitted before the Entry Submission Deadline will be disqualified.
What happens after the Site Profile for a team is submitted?
After the Site Profile is submitted the Team's entry is considered complete. This means that edits can no longer be made to Team information, Site Profile details, and the Teams site files. The Team and their site will be eligible to go into the Judging phase.
I have submitted the Site Profile by mistake. What should I do?
If this happens the Primary Coach can Unsubmit a Site Profile. Simply go the the Site Profile page for the Team and click the 'Unsubmit' button. The Site Profile status will change and additional edits can be made. The Site Profile can be re-submitted afterwards.
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7. Site Construction
How much server space do Teams get?
Each Team receives 50 MB of space on the ThinkQuest server. Websites may not exceed this limit.
How can I track how much space has been used?
Teams should verify the size of their files and folders before uploading them. A file usage meter is included in the web-based file upload tool to help you track space for your site.
What kinds of technology are supported?
To maintain the focus of the ThinkQuest competition on valuable educational content, all sites should be built to run within a browser.
- Browser-based technologies such as Flash, Java script, dhtml, style sheets, and applets are supported.
- Server-based technologies such as PHP, Perl, SSI, Java, CGI, and FrontPage extensions are not supported.
Why can't we use PHP, Perl, or Java?
Students around the world have vastly different access to technology and the internet. By placing the emphasis on educational content rather than sophisticated technical functionality, ThinkQuest enables students from a wide variety of backgrounds to participate and succeed in this competition. In addition, by limiting use of these technologies, we limit potential security issues that could threaten server stability and affect the competition and the ThinkQuest Library.
Does the ThinkQuest Library support AJAX or similar technologies?
Yes. The ThinkQuest Library supports browser-based technologies such as javascript. There are AJAX toolkits available that rely mostly on javascript and will work fine on our servers. However, it is recommended that you test any ajax implementation in our preview servers to make sure your website is working properly.
Are there any specific toolkits that you recommend, or a specific feature?
AJAX tool kits that use the xmlhttprequest object may not work properly with the configuration of the Library. While we do not recommend any specific tool kit, we advise that participants test our several kits on our preview servers to find one suitable for your website and one that works with the Library.
Are there any websites in the Library that use AJAX?
Yes. Please see:
- ProjectArcix: The Global Disaster Information Portal
- DRM: Two Sides of the Story
Are there any other tips for using AJAX in the ThinkQuest competition?
Yes. Because AJAX requires modern web browsers, we encourage and suggest that you provide a "text-only" version of your website for older computers and so that they are compatible for visitors that require accessible needs. Additionally, we encourage teams to aim for HTML validity and strive for web accessibility standards. Please see the Building Web Pages section of the Coach Resources for more information.
What kind of access do Teams have to the ThinkQuest servers?
To protect server security, we offer server connectivity through our web-based file upload tool and WebDAV only. Teams will not be provided with standard FTP or shell access. For more information on ThinkQuest's upload tools, visit the Upload section of the Step-By-Step Guide.
How do I upload files and get information about WebDAV?
There are a two different methods for uploading files to your ThinkQuest file area. To learn how to prepare your files and upload them to your file area, refer to the Upload section of the Step-By-Step Guide.
I am having trouble uploading using WebDAV. What should I do?
Firstly, check that your WebDAV connections settings are using the correct
- WebDAV URL
- Username
- Password
for your Team. Make sure that there are no additional characters or spaces added and the connection data matches the team information.
Removing then recreating your WebDAV connection may help fix any mistakes made when you first set up your connection.
Check that whatever software you are using to set up WebDAV access to the ThinkQuest server is up to date.
- If using an FTP tool that is part of a web-authoring program (like Dreamweaver, FrontPage or Adobe GoLive) check for and install the latest updates and patches.
- If using FTP or WebDAV software that is part of your operating system (such as Microsoft Windows Network Places or Webfolders) check for and install the latest updates for your system, as these should include the latest WebDAV drivers.
If you still have no success, try using a different WebDAV tool. If a different tool works correctly, this means there is a problem with the program you were using. If a different tool also does not work, the problem is likely to be elsewhere. If possible also try connecting using a WebDAV tool on another computer.
If you are connecting to the ThinkQuest server from a network, make sure that your network settings will allow WebDAV connections.
If you are still unable to set up a WebDAV connection to the ThinkQuest server, please contact support@thinkquest.org and we will do our best to help you. In the meantime, you should use the website-based File Upload tool to upload your files.
How can we make sure our links will work when we upload our site to the ThinkQuest server?
To ensure your site will work when it is uploaded to the ThinkQuest server, always be sure to use relative links when linking to pages within your site. Learn more about relative and absolute links in the Upload section of the Step-By-Step Guide.
What is the ThinkQuest Banner?
The ThinkQuest Banner is a special file that is added to all ThinkQuest sites. The Banner is used to convey important information to visitors of the ThinkQuest Library.
Does all of our site content need to be hosted by the ThinkQuest server?
Yes. All of your site files must be uploaded to the ThinkQuest server. Your site must not link to content you have created which is not uploaded to the ThinkQuest server.
Can a site include content from other sources?
Yes. However it is very important that content from other sources is used correctly. See the Conducting research section of the Coach Resources for details about how to use content from other sources.
You should also review the Evaluation Criteria for understanding how using content from other sources might affect Judging of your site.
8. Peer Review
What is Peer Review?
ThinkQuest International 2008 does not have a Peer Review phase. ThinkQuest is in the process of re-evaluating the Peer Review process. If you have participated in Peer Review in past competitions and have feedback on how it could be improved, please contact us with your comments.
While there is no official Peer Review phase in this year's competition, Teams are strongly encouraged to ask friends and family for feedback and then use their comments to improve their websites prior to submission.
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9. Judging and Competition Results
What are the criteria used for Judging?
Judges will evaluate sites based on the Evaluation
Criteria.
Who are the Judges?
Sites will be judged by educators, who are recruited by ThinkQuest Staff
and Partners from around the world. Judges will be assigned sites randomly
to avoid conflict of interest. ThinkQuest Staff do not participate in
judging.
Can I be a Judge AND a Coach in a competition?
No. If you are a Coach of a Team in the current competition, you are ineligible to serve as a Judge.
ThinkQuest 2008 Competition Update: We are currently looking at ways that Coaches can participate in Judging. We will post more details at a later date - please email support@thinkquest.org for more information.
What happens to our site after the competition
is over?
All qualified websites from the competition will be added to the ThinkQuest
Library as public websites on the internet for a minimum of one
year. Winning websites are displayed prominently in the Library. All Coaches will receive details regarding the performance of their team(s) during the competition.
What are the prizes?
The winning sites will be hosted by ThinkQuest and featured prominently
in the ThinkQuest
Library, a world-renowned educational resource. In addition, winning Team members will
be eligible for exciting prizes.
Please see the Rules for more information.
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10. Help and Support
What is the Step-By-Step Guide?
The Step-By-Step Guide is designed to help Coaches and Teams progress through and successfully complete the ThinkQuest competition. It explains each phase of the competition and includes a checklist to help Coaches keep their Teams on track. The Step-By-Step Guide also provides technical instructions on how to use the related ThinkQuest systems.
What are the Coach Resources?
The Coach Resources are designed to supplement the Step-By-Step Guide with practical advice on managing the project and leading your students from start to finish.
Who can I contact about the ThinkQuest competition?
If you have questions about the ThinkQuest competition that are not answered here, you can send an email to ThinkQuest Support at support@thinkquest.org.
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