In “Uniform Subjective Scoring,” appraisers score subjective items in a uniform 1 – 30 score range. Then, the DI Scoring Program or the number cruncher adjust the score to the actual range defined for the item.

Introduction

Destination Imagination scoring procedures are designed to faithfully reflect the intent of the challenges while providing a fair and accurate scoring system for all participants. In keeping with these goals, we strive to make the system as appraiser-friendly and error-proof as possible.

There are two types of scores:

• Subjective scores are based on the appraiser’s opinion of how well or how creatively the team has fulfilled a challenge requirement.
• Objective scores are true/false determinations about the presence or absence of a required element.

The difference between the highest and lowest possible scores for any single team challenge requirement is called the range of the score. The range for “objective” scoring items allows for two possible scores: 0 (zero) OR n (the points for fulfilling the requirement). Subjective scores range from 1 – n, inclusive, or 0, which indicates that the element to be scored is not present. When the score for a subjective item is 0, all appraisers must agree that the item is not present.

Destination Imagination has sought to minimize range errors on the part of subjective appraisers by making all subjective scoring ranges identical on the individual appraiser scoresheet. The scores are adjusted to their actual range by the scoring program, or by the number cruncher, in a manually-scored tournament. This helps to reduce range confusion and lets the appraiser focus on the performance instead of on the mechanics of scoring.

How Uniform Subjective Scoring Works

Uniform Subjective Scoring Range

A Uniform Subjective Scoring range of 1 – 30 has been chosen for each subjective scoring element. It was chosen for several reasons.

• It is large enough to provide distinctions between teams and scores without using fractions.
• It is easily divisible into scoring levels, such as low (1-10), medium (11-20), or high (21-30).
• It avoids familiar ranges with possible preconceived sub-ranges. For example, using 1 – 100 might tend to have all the scores fall into the typical “school range” of 70 to 100. Appraisers should be able to freely use all of the range available.

After the appraisers award scores based on the Uniform Scoring Range of 1 – 30 points, DI Scoring Program (or the number cruncher) averages the scores, and then adjusts them to the range defined in the challenge. The final scores that are generated reflect the actual ranges for each element, such as 1 – 25, 1 – 15, etc. Only the appraisal team uses the 1 – 30 USS range.

USS Example

If a subjective scored element in a team challenge has a defined range of 1 – 10. Using the USS range, the appraisers can award the team 1 – 30 points for the element.

Appraiser One	27
Appraiser Two	20
Appraiser Three	22

The Number Cruncher first averages these three scores (27, 20, 22), which results in an average score of 23. The Number Cruncher divides the averaged score by 3 to adjust it from the 1 – 30 range to the 1 – 10 range. (The divisor (3) is provided to the Number Cruncher on the Master Score Sheet.) The result is 7.67. This is the raw adjusted score for this element, so out of a maximum of 10 points, the team has received 7.67 points.

The Score Sheets

The individual appraiser score sheets display the 1 – 30 score ranges for all subjective scoring elements. Objectively scored items (“0 OR n“) are scored as usual. The use of USS does not affect objective scores.

The USS Master score sheet for each challenge has a place for the average scores of all appraisers. In addition, it has the divisors that the Number Cruncher uses to adjust the USS score to the actual range, and a place for the adjust score.

Deductions

With the modified ranges for scoring by each appraiser using Uniform Subjective Scoring, most deductions are handled on an item-specific basis. Each item-specific deduction amount must be subtracted from the corresponding averaged appraisers’ scoring value. Deductions that are not item-specific are deducted from the team’s final scaled score.

For more information, see Deductions.