SC - Sources, not sauces the Documentation and Subjective vs. Objective Judging

[Decker, Terry D.]

> I opted out of the A&S competitions years ago mainly because of
> superficial
> and erroneous evaluations.
> 
> My response:
> 
> I opted out of A/S competition for a long time and when I started up again
> I
> realized that complete and damned near exhaustive documentation is as
> vital
> as the object created.  Consider the questions that might be asked and
> answer them point by point in your documentation.  
> 
This presumes an interest in competing.  I much prefer educational venues.
Judges may not read your documentation, but people who are interested in
your art will.

At the time I opted out of competition, the documentation requirements in
Ansteorra were almost nil and documentation counted little in the judging.
This has improved greatly over the years.

Even with documentation, it is next to impossible to make a truly objective
evaluation of an artifact in a field of which you do not have a working
knowledge.  For example, I might be able to make a better than average call
about a sewing project, but my judgement would be superficial next to my
wife's evaluation.  She has over 40 years of experience and education in
that field, while I've only been a casual observer.

> Bad judging is generally
> not the result of malevolence but ignorance.  
> 
You are probably correct, but I know of several occasions where the judging
appears deliberately skewed.  The appearance of impropriety is more
damaging, than true malevolence undetected.    

> Education is thus the key.  Be
> that as it may, if someone judges your entry based on subjective criteria
> and not on the evidence you have presented you have every right to take
> them
> to task.   Base your arguments on the facts as presented in your
> documentation.  Bring them back to the issues at hand.  Insist that they
> judge solely on the issues as presented.  If for example they insist that
> the ratafia you created is too sweet respond by saying that "based on
> modern
> tastes" perhaps they might be correct.  Then  trot out your evidence
> documenting the legendary medieval "sweet tooth"  up to and including
> tooth
> decay as evidenced in Queen Elizabeth's dental problems.
> 
> Daniel Raoul
> 
This is difficult to do when the rules call for blind entries.  The judging
is over and done with before you can discuss anything with the judges, if
you can find them.  Rather than argue points with an unknowledgeable judge,
I would prefer to discuss opinions with a knowledgeable one.

In all fairness to the A&S people in Ansteorra, there has been a serious
effort to upgrade judging standards, improve documentation and provided
qualified judges and instructors.  There is also a small movement trying to
change the standard competition into something more medieval.  

Avoiding competitions does not mean avoiding A&S.  It means finding better
ways to enjoy A&S.

Bear
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