Submit your entry for the TOPSS Competition for High School Students by APA. The deadline for submission is March 20, 2025!
About the Competition
Students are invited to create a video not longer than 3 minutes that demonstrates how psychological science helps us to understand and counter the spread of misinformation. The video must relate to content covered in the National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula. Up to three winners will be selected by a panel of psychology educators at the high school and college level. Each winner will receive a $300 scholarship award.
Required Elements
Submissions should include the following:
- An accurate definition of misinformation
- Description of one or more key psychological constructs (e.g., theory, concept, or term) from the National Standards that helps to explains why people believe misinformation and/or how it spreads.
- Summary and analysis of at least one published research study that demonstrates how psychological science be applied to counter misinformation.
- The summary should include critical features of the research study such as the study goal or research question, sample, and conclusion described in the students’ own words. Direct quotations are discouraged.
- A real-world example of how applying psychological science to understand and counter the spread of misinformation could benefit society and improve student lives.
- A closing slide with at least one APA-style reference (see Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition).
- Students are encouraged to visit the APA Style website for instructions on reference formatting.
- This APA Style page also shares reference examples.
This APA webpage on misinformation and disinformation may be of use to students.
Eligibility
- Only current high school students can compete. International students are eligible to participate in the competition.
- Team submissions are not eligible.
- No more than five (5) entries per school will be accepted.
Rules
Please read these rules carefully. Submissions that do not adhere to the rules will be disqualified.
- Submissions must be complete and include all required elements.
- All information must be accurate and supported by psychological theory and/or research.
- Students’ real-world examples of how applying psychological science could benefit society and improve lives cannot include the names of specific people (e.g., politicians, celebrities) currently living or deceased or specific organizations (e.g., companies). Students cannot reference specific political parties in their submissions.
- Videos may not be longer than 3 minutes maximum. This time limit includes the amount of time the reference slide appears on screen.
- Students can incorporate a slide show (e.g., Google slides, PowerPoint) into their video, but this is not required beyond the closing reference slide.
- Videos must represent completely original, independent work. The student contestant is solely responsible for the development, recording, and editing of the video. Only their voice and image are allowed in the video.
- Original, student-drawn art, graphics, and music is not required, but are allowed, but students must clearly state in text on their end reference slide that any included artwork, graphics, or music is original and drawn or developed by the student. Submissions with any type of artwork without such a disclaimer will be disqualified from the competition. Students who submit original artwork must also attest on the application form that the work is their own.
- Besides original art, graphics, and music, no outside photographs, images, emojis, clip art, designs, sound effects, music or video is permitted regardless of whether the material is copyrighted, available in the public domain, or generated by artificial intelligence.
- Students may not use generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the creation of the video, which includes, but is not limited to, summarizing research articles, generating text/a script, and creating artwork or graphics.
- All contest entrants must read and approve of the terms, conditions, and rules of the contest per the submission form.
- If a contest entrant is under 18, their parent or legal guardian must also read, approve of, and sign the terms, conditions, and rules of the contest per the submission form.
- A teacher must also review the competition rules and approve the student submission to ensure the submitted content follows competition rules. This teacher would ideally be a high school psychology teacher, but any teacher at or outside of the student’s school is eligible for this review.
Submission Instructions
- Videos must be posted to YouTube. Entrants must comply with YouTube’s terms of service. A link to the video must be submitted via the submission database. The following YouTube instructions are required:
- Create a YouTube account if needed and upload your video.
- While uploading, tag your video with the following keyword: APA TOPSS 2025 Contest. To tag a video, you’ll see a “Tags” section below the upload progress bar where you can add your tags. To add tags to an existing video, visit the Video Manager and click the Edit button below the video for which you’d like to add formatting tags.
- When uploading to YouTube, choose “unlisted” from the dropdown menu (rather than public). Once uploaded, edit the title. The end of title should include brackets [APA TOPSS 2025 Contest student last name] – e.g. Misinformation [APA TOPSS 2025 Contest Smith.] Go to the Advanced Settings tab and follow these three steps:
- Uncheck “allow comments.”
- Uncheck “users can view ratings for this video.”
- Choose “Education” for category.
- Check the box to declare that the video is not for children.
- Press publish when upload is complete
- Copy the video URL (link) and include it in your submission per the database linked above
Judging Criteria
- The definition of misinformation is accurate. (5 points)
- Conveys a strong understanding of the key psychological construct. (20 points)
- Demonstrates a strong understanding of a relevant research study. (20 points)
- Includes a strong and compelling example of how applying psychological science to understand and counter the spread of misinformation could benefit society and improve lives. Conveys the example’s importance in a powerful and impactful way. (20 points)
- The central message is compelling (precisely stated, appropriately repeated, memorable, and strongly supported). (20 points)
- Organizational pattern (specific introduction and conclusion, sequenced material within the body, and transitions) is clearly and consistently observable, skillful, and makes the presentation’s content cohesive. (10 points)
- Delivery techniques (articulation, pace, volume, vocal expressiveness) make the presentation compelling, and the speaker appears prepared and knowledgeable. (10 points)
How to Register?
Interested participants can register through this link.
Deadline
The deadline for submission is March 20, 2025.
