​

In the essay evaluation process, our main goal was to ensure fairness and objectivity. To achieve this objective, our team introduced multiple strategies to minimize grading biases:

• Initially, all essays were evaluated by three judges.

• The top 30 essays with the highest marks advanced to the next round, where each essay was evaluated by seven judges.

• Essays were graded based on a comprehensive rubric, with a focus on the following criteria:

  • Clarity and articulation of the thesis

  • Problem-solution structure

  • Innovative and unique perspectives

  • Quality and insightfulness of arguments

  • Quality of the data and examples supporting the arguments

  • Logic, structure, and flow of the essay

  • Effectiveness of communication, style, and grammar.

• Each essay was anonymized and presented in the same format / font.

• The evaluation order was randomized to minimize reading order bias.

• Scores were normalized for evaluator’s average score as some judges gave on average higher scores than others.