Academic U.I.L
Woodsboro ISD U.I.L Coordinators
Beth Linscomb- Elementary School (Contact: beth_linscomb@wisd.net)
Belinda Gonzalez- Junior Senior High School (Contact: belinda_gonzalez@wisd.net)
Elementary
- Music Memory
- Chess Puzzle
- Creative Writing (Grade 2)
- Spelling (Grade 3-5)
- Ready Writing (Grade 3-5)
- Storytelling (Grade 2/3)
- Oral Reading (Grade 4/5)
- Number Sense (Grade 4/5)
- Art (Grades 4/5)
- Dictionary Skills (Grade 5)
- Listening Skills (Grade 5)
- Maps, Graphics, & Charts (Grade 5)
- Social Studies (Grade 5)
Music Memory
General Contest Information
The focus of the Music Memory contest is an in-depth study of fine pieces of music literature taken from a wide spectrum of music genres to expose students to great composers, their lives and their music. In the course of preparing for the contest, students should be given the opportunity to describe and analyze the music, relate the music to history, to society and to culture, and to evaluate musical performance.
A new list of selections is provided each school year. See the link below.
Students will listen to approximately 20 seconds of up to 20 musical selections and identify the name of the major work, selection and the name of the composer.
To receive full credit for an answer, all information about the music selection must be complete as shown on the official list. Spelling and punctuation are considered in the grading of this contest.
Chess Puzzle
General Contest Information
The benefits of chess are well documented for players of all ages, and especially for young people. Chess teaches problem solving, hones concentration and encourages analytical and strategic thinking. Chess can be a lifelong pursuit.
Chess puzzle competition is very different from tournament chess play. Contestants in a chess puzzle contest receive a paper-and-pencil test that includes a series of chess boards with pieces in particular positions. Questions are based on analysis of material or possible moves in each given diagram. See links above for sample tests and other resources.
A chess puzzle event provides an avenue for chess participation that does not require the time and resources of actual tournament play. The fixed time limit makes it practical to include in a district meet schedule, and the availability of free resources allows any school (including those that do not currently have chess programs) to include chess puzzle in their slate of A+ events at minimal cost.
Creative Writing (Grade 2)
General Contest Information
The contest is designed to promote creativity in an academic format and to encourage writing skills at an early grade level. Through preparation for the contest, students in second grade will be able to evaluate their own writing and the writing of others.
Contestants will be given a prompt with several captioned pictures. From these pictures, the students will create an original story based on their selections in 30 minutes. The stories must contain at least one of the pictured items, but it is not required that all items on the page be included.
Spelling (Grade 3-5)
General Contest Information
The spelling contest is designed to give students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 exposure to a wide variety of vocabulary words. It is not a contest of memorization. For the most educational value, preparation for this contest should include instruction in the rules of the English language, meanings and definitions, and root words. In addition to learning to spell proficiently, contestants will learn to write clearly and to capitalize words properly.
Students will write down words given by the pronouncer on their paper at a rate of approximately five words per minute.
(A) Grades 3 and 4: 50 words; tiebreaker, 15 words.
(B) Grades 5 and 6: 80 words; tiebreaker, 20 words.
(C) Grades 7 and 8: 110 words; tiebreaker, 30 words.
The tiebreaker is given to all contestants immediately following the initial test.
Tests will be fully compatible with the Merriam Webster's Intermediate Dictionary 2004 and subsequent editions.
Ready Writing (Grade 3-5)
General Contest Information
Texas has put a great emphasis on writing skills at all levels of school and all levels of state-wide testing. Ready Writing, a contest for students in grades 3,4,5,6,7 and 8, builds upon those skills and helps students refine their writing abilities. In particular, this contest helps them to learn to write clearly and correctly a paper that is interesting and original.
A standard dictionary or thesaurus may be used during the contest.
Contestants are given a choice between two prompts which defines the audience and provides the purpose for writing. Students should be encouraged to analyze the prompts for the purpose of writing, the format, the audience and the point of view. The format may be, for example, a letter, an article for the newspaper or an essay for the principal. Various writing strategies may be stated or implied in the prompt. Some of these include:
- description to inform -- describe the happening or person/object from imagination or memory;
- narration -- write a story;
- persuasion -- describe and argue just one side of an issue; describe both sides of an issue then argue only one side; write an editorial; write a letter to persuade, etc.
There is no minimum or maximum number of words the contestants must write.
Storytelling (Grade 2/3)
General Contest Information
To tell a story, the participant must develop skills in listening, thinking and speaking. This contest also allows for the development of creative expression, something being given more attention in the professional world. For practice, teachers can use stories from any good children's books or magazines.
Contestants in the second and third grades shall listen to a storyteller read a brief story (between 600 and 1100 words long) only once, and then retell that story in their own words before a judge or judges.
There are no time restrictions on the length of the story the student creates.
Oral Reading (Grade 4/5)
General Contest Information
Reading literature out loud provides opportunities for students to analyze the text, to grow and to develop as a performer, to communicate a message to an audience and to perform an artistic creation. The oral reading competition should be an extension of the classroom literary and language arts activities in poetry, short stories and children's fiction. See the link below for frequently asked questions about oral reading.
Students in grades 4, 5, and 6 read a selection of poetry. Each selection may be one poem, a cutting of a poem, or a combination of poems. The same selection may be read in all rounds, but different selections are permissible. Selections must be published although the poet may be unknown or anonymous.
Students in grades 7, 8, and 9 read selections of prose or poetry according to the following schedule:
- 2024-2025- prose
- 2025-2026- poetry
- 2026-2027- prose
Each may be a single reading, a cutting from a longer selection, or a combination of several selections. The same selection may be read in all rounds, but different selections are permissible. Selections must be published although the author may be unknown or anonymous. Selections may be fiction or nonfiction and may be a cutting from a short story or novel. The maximum time for each presentation is six minutes.
Number Sense (Grade 4/5)
General Contest Information
Individuals are called upon every day to use their ability to make quick mental calculations to make decisions. The development of such abilities should be an integral part of the math curriculum. Concepts covered include, but are not limited to: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, proportions, and use of mathematic notation.
Students will be given a 10-minute, fill-in-the-blank test which they must complete without doing calculations on paper or on a calculator. Erasures and mark-outs are not permitted.
The handbook, Developing Middle School Number Sense Skills, is available. It is the same edition first published in 1996.
Contact the contest director, Andy Zapata.
Art (Grades 4/5)
General Contest Information
This contest involves the study of paintings from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and paintings or pictures from selected Texas museums. The Art Smart Bulletin, published every other year, is the source for study of history and art elements relative to the 30 art selections and is the final authority in the spelling of artists' names and titles of art works. As part of their study, students will demonstrate an understanding of art history and interpret ideas and moods in original artworks while making informed judgments about the artwork.
Part A of the contest requires the contestant to identify the names of 15 selected artists and titles of pictures selected randomly by the director from the official list of 30 pictures. Part B consists of 30 questions about art history and art elements characteristic of the 30 art selections.
The Art Contest is in the first year of a two-year cycle. Prints and the Art Smart Bulletin are different than they were for 2020-2021. Both divisions (grades 4-6, grades 7-8) use the same prints and bulletin, but different tests are provided for each division.
Dictionary Skills (Grade 5)
General Contest Information
Thorough knowledge of the dictionary is a way to increase a student's ability to find the information that is needed for classwork as well as everyday living. Each Dictionary Skills test consists of 40 objective and short answer questions to be completed in 20 minutes. Contestants use dictionaries during the competition, which may be tabbed. Contest questions cover word origins and histories, parts of speech, variant spellings, plurals, alphabetizing and other such elements. Test questions are also taken from charts, tables and lists contained in the dictionary.
The subject matter of all tests is taken from the Merriam Webster's Intermediate Dictionary copyrights 2016, 2020, and 2024. Contestants may use other dictionaries in the contest, but the contest subject matter will be found in Webster's Intermediate from any of the copyrights mentioned above.
The Intermediate Dictionary is available for purchase at a discounted price through Texas Educational Paperbacks.
Practice tests are included in the A+ Elementary and Junior High Study Materials booklets, which are available for purchase through the UIL Online Store. Other practice materials are available from independent vendors.
Listening Skills (Grade 5)
General Contest Information
The listening contest is designed to help students in grades 5,6,7 and 8 recognize the importance of effective listening skills and to identify problems they may have in listening effectively. It also provides a challenging format to test the improvement of their listening abilities. Through preparation for the contest, participants will listen actively to a variety of material and learn to analyze and evaluate a speaker's message critically. Tests will include, but not necessarily be limited to, language arts, fine arts, natural sciences and social studies. The objective tests will measure skills such as identifying the main idea and supporting ideas, drawing conclusions, distinguishing fact from opinion, and mastering other listening and thinking skills.
Contestants will listen to a script ranging from seven to ten minutes in length, take notes as needed, and use their notes to answer 25 multiple choice, true/false and short answer test questions. A variety of subject matter will be used for the listening tests.
Maps, Graphics, & Charts (Grade 5)
General Contest Information
The maps, graphs & charts contest is designed to help students learn to get information from a variety of maps, graphs and charts including world maps, pie charts, bar charts and local area maps. The objective test will measure skills such as using a reference book to locate information, making comparisons, estimating and approximating, using scale and interpreting grid systems, legends and keys.
Students will be given an objective test containing approximately 75 multiple choice and true/false questions, which must be answered in 45 minutes.
The official source for Maps, Graphs & Charts is the Nystrom Desk Atlas, 2016 and 2018 edition. Students may also use any other atlas they choose, but the test questions are written using this source.
Social Studies (Grade 5)
Junior High
- Art Smart
- Chess Puzzle
- Editorial Writing
- Listening Skills
- Mathematics
- Music Memory
- Oral Reading
- Science
- Spelling
- Calculator
- Dictionary Skills
- Impromptu Speaking
- Number Sense
- Maps, Graphs, & Charts
- Modern Oratory
- Ready Writing
- Social Studies
Art Smart
General Contest Information
This contest involves the study of paintings from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and paintings or pictures from selected Texas museums. The Art Smart Bulletin, published every other year, is the source for study of history and art elements relative to the 30 art selections and is the final authority in the spelling of artists' names and titles of art works. As part of their study, students will demonstrate an understanding of art history and interpret ideas and moods in original artworks while making informed judgments about the artwork.
Part A of the contest requires the contestant to identify the names of 15 selected artists and titles of pictures selected randomly by the director from the official list of 30 pictures. Part B consists of 30 questions about art history and art elements characteristic of the 30 art selections.
The Art Contest is in the first year of a two-year cycle. Prints and the Art Smart Bulletin are different than they were for 2020-2021. Both divisions (grades 4-6, grades 7-8) use the same prints and bulletin, but different tests are provided for each division.
Chess Puzzle
General Contest Information
The benefits of chess are well documented for players of all ages, and especially for young people. Chess teaches problem solving, hones concentration and encourages analytical and strategic thinking. Chess can be a lifelong pursuit.
Chess puzzle competition is very different from tournament chess play. Contestants in a chess puzzle contest receive a paper-and-pencil test that includes a series of chess boards with pieces in particular positions. Questions are based on analysis of material or possible moves in each given diagram. See links above for sample tests and other resources.
A chess puzzle event provides an avenue for chess participation that does not require the time and resources of actual tournament play. The fixed time limit makes it practical to include in a district meet schedule, and the availability of free resources allows any school (including those that do not currently have chess programs) to include chess puzzle in their
Editorial Writing
General Contest Information
The Editorial Writing Contest is designed to develop the persuasive writing skills of the participants. Students must advocate a specific point-of-view in response to a prompt. Sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students have 45 minutes in which to complete their editorials.
Listening Skills
General Contest Information
The listening contest is designed to help students in grades 5,6,7 and 8 recognize the importance of effective listening skills and to identify problems they may have in listening effectively. It also provides a challenging format to test the improvement of their listening abilities. Through preparation for the contest, participants will listen actively to a variety of material and learn to analyze and evaluate a speaker's message critically. Tests will include, but not necessarily be limited to, language arts, fine arts, natural sciences and social studies. The objective tests will measure skills such as identifying the main idea and supporting ideas, drawing conclusions, distinguishing fact from opinion, and mastering other listening and thinking skills.
Contestants will listen to a script ranging from seven to ten minutes in length, take notes as needed, and use their notes to answer 25 multiple choice, true/false and short answer test questions. A variety of subject matter will be used for the listening tests.
Mathematics
General Contest Information
Students begin taking math in elementary school and continue taking it in high school. Learning to complete math problems quickly is a valuable skill in all facets of life including engineering, accounting, completing a tax return and even grocery shopping. This contest includes problems covering, but not limited to: numeration systems, arithmetic operations involving whole numbers, integers, fractions, decimals, exponents, order of operations, probability, statistics, number theory, simple interest, measurements and conversions. Geometry and algebra problems may be included as appropriate for the grade level.
The contest, designed for students in grade 6, 7 and 8, consists of 50 multiple choice problems.
Music Memory
General Contest Information
The focus of the Music Memory contest is an in-depth study of fine pieces of music literature taken from a wide spectrum of music genres to expose students to great composers, their lives and their music. In the course of preparing for the contest, students should be given the opportunity to describe and analyze the music, relate the music to history, to society and to culture, and to evaluate musical performance.
A new list of selections is provided each school year. See the link below.
Students will listen to approximately 20 seconds of up to 20 musical selections and identify the name of the major work, selection and the name of the composer.
To receive full credit for an answer, all information about the music selection must be complete as shown on the official list. Spelling and punctuation are considered in the grading of this contest.
Oral Reading
General Contest Information
Reading literature out loud provides opportunities for students to analyze the text, to grow and to develop as a performer, to communicate a message to an audience and to perform an artistic creation. The oral reading competition should be an extension of the classroom literary and language arts activities in poetry, short stories and children's fiction. See the link below for frequently asked questions about oral reading.
Students in grades 4, 5, and 6 read a selection of poetry. Each selection may be one poem, a cutting of a poem, or a combination of poems. The same selection may be read in all rounds, but different selections are permissible. Selections must be published although the poet may be unknown or anonymous.
Students in grades 7, 8, and 9 read selections of prose or poetry according to the following schedule:
- 2024-2025- prose
- 2025-2026- poetry
- 2026-2027- prose
Each may be a single reading, a cutting from a longer selection, or a combination of several selections. The same selection may be read in all rounds, but different selections are permissible. Selections must be published although the author may be unknown or anonymous. Selections may be fiction or nonfiction and may be a cutting from a short story or novel. The maximum time for each presentation is six minutes.
Science
General Contest Information
Emphasis for the Science contest, for students in sixth through eighth grades, will be placed on knowledge of scientific fact, understanding of scientific principles and the ability to think through scientific problems. The contest was designed to test not only memory but the ability to critically think about science and scientific processes and concepts. Such concepts include, but are not limited to: matter and energy, equilibrium, force and motion, physical and chemical properties, the relationship between organisms and the environment, the components of our solar system, the composition of matter and genetics. The contest will build upon the vast body of changing and increasing knowledge described by physical, mathematical, and conceptual models.
Each test will consist of approximately 50 multiple choice questions which will be taken from current state-adopted science textbooks and the curriculum. There will be approximately 15 questions for each grade level and five wild card or general questions on the test. Students will be given forty-five minutes to take the test.
The Science test for 24-25 will reflect the new Science TEKS. The test will include: 15 questions (6th grade TEKS), 15 questions (7th grade TEKS), 15 questions (8th grade TEKS), 5 questions (wild card or general questions). The wild card or general questions will be taken from high school Science TEKS: 1 Biology, 1 Chemistry, 1 Physics, 2 SEPs.
Spelling
General Contest Information
The spelling contest is designed to give students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 exposure to a wide variety of vocabulary words. It is not a contest of memorization. For the most educational value, preparation for this contest should include instruction in the rules of the English language, meanings and definitions, and root words. In addition to learning to spell proficiently, contestants will learn to write clearly and to capitalize words properly.
Students will write down words given by the pronouncer on their paper at a rate of approximately five words per minute.
(A) Grades 3 and 4: 50 words; tiebreaker, 15 words.
(B) Grades 5 and 6: 80 words; tiebreaker, 20 words.
(C) Grades 7 and 8: 110 words; tiebreaker, 30 words.
The tiebreaker is given to all contestants immediately following the initial test.
Tests will be fully compatible with the Merriam Webster's Intermediate Dictionary 2004 and subsequent editions.
Calculator
General Contest Information
The calculator applications contest is designed to stimulate the development of mathematical and calculator skills for students in grade 6,7 and 8. Goals are both intellectual and practical: developing mathematical reasoning and knowledge and requiring the application of problem-solving skills toward realistic problems. Students will take a test containing 80 problems in 30 minutes. The contest consists of problems which may include calculations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, roots, and powers. It also includes straight-forward calculation problems, and simple geometric and stated problems similar to those found in recently adopted textbooks.
Students may use any silent, hand-held calculator that does not require auxiliary electric power. The calculator data and program memory should be cleared prior to the contest; students may not use pre-recorded programs during the contest.
Dictionary Skills
General Contest Information
Thorough knowledge of the dictionary is a way to increase a student's ability to find the information that is needed for classwork as well as everyday living. Each Dictionary Skills test consists of 40 objective and short answer questions to be completed in 20 minutes. Contestants use dictionaries during the competition, which may be tabbed. Contest questions cover word origins and histories, parts of speech, variant spellings, plurals, alphabetizing and other such elements. Test questions are also taken from charts, tables and lists contained in the dictionary.
The subject matter of all tests is taken from the Merriam Webster's Intermediate Dictionary copyrights 2016, 2020, and 2024. Contestants may use other dictionaries in the contest, but the contest subject matter will be found in Webster's Intermediate from any of the copyrights mentioned above.
The Intermediate Dictionary is available for purchase at a discounted price through Texas Educational Paperbacks.
Practice tests are included in the A+ Elementary and Junior High Study Materials booklets, which are available for purchase through the UIL Online Store. Other practice materials are available from independent vendors.
Impromptu Speaking
General Contest Information
This contest provides opportunities for students in grades 6, 7 and 8 to evaluate speeches given by others; to explore the use of the voice and body in speaking situations; to examine the different purposes for speaking; to organize ideas; to prepare and deliver various speeches; and to develop self-confidence.
Contestants will draw three topics and have three minutes to prepare a speech, which must be presented without any notes. The contest gives participants experience in thinking, organizing, formulating clear thoughts, and delivering those thoughts to an audience effectively.
The maximum time limit for each speech is five minutes. There is no minimum time limit. Students who exceed the allotted five minutes shall be penalized one rank.
Number Sense
General Contest Information
Individuals are called upon every day to use their ability to make quick mental calculations to make decisions. The development of such abilities should be an integral part of the math curriculum. Concepts covered include, but are not limited to: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, proportions, and use of mathematic notation.
Students will be given a 10-minute, fill-in-the-blank test which they must complete without doing calculations on paper or on a calculator. Erasures and mark-outs are not permitted.
The handbook, Developing Middle School Number Sense Skills, is available. It is the same edition first published in 1996.
Contact the contest director, Andy Zapata.
Maps, Graphs, & Charts
General Contest Information
The maps, graphs & charts contest is designed to help students learn to get information from a variety of maps, graphs and charts including world maps, pie charts, bar charts and local area maps. The objective test will measure skills such as using a reference book to locate information, making comparisons, estimating and approximating, using scale and interpreting grid systems, legends and keys.
Students will be given an objective test containing approximately 75 multiple choice and true/false questions, which must be answered in 45 minutes.
The official source for Maps, Graphs & Charts is the Nystrom Desk Atlas, 2016 and 2018 edition. Students may also use any other atlas they choose, but the test questions are written using this source.
Modern Oratory
General Contest Information
In Modern Oratory, the sixth, seventh and eighth grade contestants will select one of the topics, determine the critical issues in the topic, and acknowledge both pro and con points citing support discovered in their research. Students will choose a side they will defend and support that side with additional evidence. Along with the skills of analysis, research, note-taking, documentation, evaluation and decision-making come those of delivery and the skill of memorization.
2024-2025 Modern Oratory Topics
Contestants must select one of the following topics for developing the oration.
- Should schools ban cell phones?
- Does artificial intelligence negatively impact the American workforce?
- Can Texas government solve the state's water crisis?
- Is achieving the "American Dream" more difficult today compared to previous generations?
- Is the fast-food industry to blame for obesity in America?
Students will deliver a three to six minute speech without the use of notes on their topic. In the process of preparing for the contest, the student will need to:
- define the problem;
- determine the pro and con issues;
- research the issue;
- look at both sides of an issue;
- reach a conclusion; and
- support that conclusion with documentation.
To achieve and maintain the educational goals of the contest activity, the teacher and/or parent may guide the development of the research and writing of the speech, but shall not be permitted to write the speech for the student.
Ready Writing
General Contest Information
Texas has put a great emphasis on writing skills at all levels of school and all levels of state-wide testing. Ready Writing, a contest for students in grades 3,4,5,6,7 and 8, builds upon those skills and helps students refine their writing abilities. In particular, this contest helps them to learn to write clearly and correctly a paper that is interesting and original.
A standard dictionary or thesaurus may be used during the contest.
Contestants are given a choice between two prompts which defines the audience and provides the purpose for writing. Students should be encouraged to analyze the prompts for the purpose of writing, the format, the audience and the point of view. The format may be, for example, a letter, an article for the newspaper or an essay for the principal. Various writing strategies may be stated or implied in the prompt. Some of these include:
- description to inform -- describe the happening or person/object from imagination or memory;
- narration -- write a story;
- persuasion -- describe and argue just one side of an issue; describe both sides of an issue then argue only one side; write an editorial; write a letter to persuade, etc.
There is no minimum or maximum number of words the contestants must write.
Social Studies
High School
- Oral Interpretation
- Debate
- Current Issues & Events
- Spelling
- Copy Editing
- Mathematics
- Calculator
- Number Sense
- Science
- Computer Science
- Social Studies
- Literary Criticism
- Ready Writing
- Journalism
- Essay Competitions
Oral Interpretation
Debate
Debate is the League’s longest-running contest, dating back to 1910. A small group of debate coaches met in Abilene and enthusiastically began an interscholastic forensic program to motivate their students and provide them with a practical application for the skills they were developing. It was then that UIL was born. Ten teams representing ten divisions of the state competed in the first state tournament. Over one hundred years later, the UIL Cross-Examination Policy Debate State Meet is celebrated as the largest high school debate tournament in the nation.
At the first state meet, educators voted to add declamation as a state-qualifying contest. Since that time, the League has expanded speaking competition to include two debate contests, two public speaking contests and two oral performance contests and congress. Thousands of students from across the state of Texas compete each year in Cross-Examination Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Congress, Extemporaneous Informative Speaking, Extemporaneous Persuasive Speaking, Prose Interpretation and Poetry Interpretation.
Current Issues & Events
Elements of the Contest
The Current Issues and Events Contest focuses on a basic knowledge of current state, national and world events/issues and consists of 40 multiple-choice questions and one essay. The essay is intended to assess the competitor's ability to synthesize and evaluate information and present it in an informed manner.
Spelling
Elements of the Contest
Each year, the UIL Spelling and Vocabulary Contest is based on a different vocabulary list provided by UIL and consists of a three-part test:
- Part I: A fifteen-minute section of 30 multiple-choice items focused on vocabulary and proofreading, and...
- Part II & III: The hand-written spelling of 70 words pronounced aloud to contestants, as well as a tiebreaker section of 20 additional pronounced words.
Additional Information
Eighty percent of the test will come from the UIL “Word Power” list that changes each year. Twenty percent will come from outside sources, such as commonly used words, proper names/words in the news, and words that are representative of important elements of the English language.
The “Word Power” list is a free digital download found on the right-hand column of this page.
The final authority for all words is The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition: Fiftieth Anniversary Printing (2018) published by Houghton Mifflin Company. No online version, compact paperback, or any other edition will be accepted. A word’s definition and not its etymology will be the sole determining factor for correct spelling.
Copy Editing
The UIL sponsors five journalism contests - news writing, feature writing, editorial writing, headline writing and copy editing. Students compete at the district level, and then the top three places advance to regionals. From regionals, the top three places advance to state competition.
The UIL offers additional journalism contests through its scholastic press organization, the Interscholastic League Press Conference. ILPC offers its members yearbook, newspaper, online news and broadcast competitions. ILPC also sponsors an annual three-day spring convention and a three-day intensive summer workshop. Both are held at the University of Texas at Austin.
Students who excel in scholastic journalism, whether it be through UIL contests or through student publications, learn communication, media literacy and leadership skills that will make them successful in whichever path they may choose.
Mathematics
Calculator
Number Sense
Science
Elements of the Contest
The purpose of the Science Contest is to challenge high school students to do a wide range of reading in biology, chemistry and physics, to gain an understanding of the significance of experiments rather than to recall obscure details, to be alert to new discoveries and information in the areas of science, to gain an understanding of the basic principles as well as knowledge of the history and philosophy of science, and to foster a sense of enthusiasm about science and how it affects our daily lives.
The contest consists of a two-hour objective test with 60 questions – 20 from biology, 20 from chemistry and 20 from physics.
Computer Science
Elements of the Contest
The Computer Science contest challenges students to study a broad range of areas in computer science and has both an individual and a team component. Competition consists of a 45-minute written exam for both components, along with a two-hour programming contest for teams.
At all levels of competition, individual places are determined solely by written exam scores. All contestants compete for individual honors at all levels of competition. Individuals placing first, second and third advance to the next level. For the team component, the team’s top three scores on the written exam are added to its score in the programming session to produce an overall team score. First-place teams advance to the next level of competition.
Social Studies
Elements of the Contest
The Social Studies Contest consists of 45 objective questions and an essay. Students are expected to master primary reading selections, as well as specific documents, and to be familiar with general-knowledge social studies concepts and terms. Each year, the contest focuses on a different topic area and a reading list that is provided by UIL.
Additional Information
2024-2025 TOPIC: The Rise of Factionalism, Partisanship, and the “Vices of Democracy” in the early United States (1795-1850)
Primary Reading Selection: A Magnificent Catastrophe: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America's First Presidential Campaign by Edward J. Larson
The Reading List and Supplemental Resource list will be updated for 2024-2025 and can be found on the right-hand side of this webpage under Social Studies Topic for you to download.
The above topic is for high school Social Studies. For A+ Social Studies information (grades 5/6 and 7/8), please click here.
Literary Criticism
Elements of the Contest
The rules for all UIL Academic contests are found in the UIL Constitution and Contest Rules (C&CR), which can be found online. Students and coaches new to Literary Criticism should become familiar with the rules found in Section 940 of the C&CR online. The UIL Literary Criticism Contest is a ninety-minute contest in which the competitor's familiarity with the concepts associated with literary analysis and the authors and works that represent English-language literary history is assessed.
Three sets of items comprise the scored part of the test; a required tie-breaking essay that invites the competitor to exercise his or her skill in literary analysis completes the test.
- Part 1: Knowledge of Literary Terms and Literary History (30 one-point items)
- Part 2: The UIL Reading List - differs year to year (20 two-point items)
- Part 3: Ability in Literary Criticism (15 two-point items)
- Part 4: The Tiebreaking Prompt
Ready Writing
Elements of the Contest
In the Ready Writing Contest, the students are given two hours to write expository compositions. They have a choice between two prompts, each an excerpt from literature, publications (past and present) or speeches.
Additional Information
Expository writing explains, proves, or explores a topic in a balanced way, allowing the argument and the evidence given to be the deciding factor in the paper.
The composition is judged on interest (60%), organization (30%) and correctness of style (10%).
Journalism
The UIL sponsors five journalism contests - news writing, feature writing, editorial writing, headline writing and copy editing. Students compete at the district level, and then the top three places advance to regionals. From regionals, the top three places advance to state competition.
The UIL offers additional journalism contests through its scholastic press organization, the Interscholastic League Press Conference. ILPC offers its members yearbook, newspaper, online news and broadcast competitions. ILPC also sponsors an annual three-day spring convention and a three-day intensive summer workshop. Both are held at the University of Texas at Austin.
Students who excel in scholastic journalism, whether it be through UIL contests or through student publications, learn communication, media literacy and leadership skills that will make them successful in whichever path they may choose.
Essay Competitions
Important Update: UIL Essay Contest
The UIL has implemented changes to the 2025 essay contests. These updates unify the previous essay contests into a single essay competition and expand its scope, offering students more opportunities to explore and celebrate Texas history and culture, while maintaining the existing evaluation rubric and general guidelines. In honor of Barbara Jordan’s profound legacy in Texas history, the consolidated contest will be known as the Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition.
Please note:
- Essays already submitted for the 2025 contest are not affected by these changes.
- To give students more time to prepare their submissions, the entry deadline has been extended to March 1, 2025.
Please review the updated guidelines below.
Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition 2025
Essays should focus on an individual, organization or movement that has made significant and positive contributions to Texas history or culture. Students should look first to their local communities for possible essay subjects.
Entry Deadline: March 1, 2025
Essay Entry Form: Submit essay using this form
General Guidelines
- Essay with a word count between 1,500 and 2,500 words
- MLA format or APA format is recommended
- Source citations and bibliography required
- Essays should display original research; use of primary sources and interviews strongly encouraged
State finalists will be invited to attend the State Academic Meet in May, where UIL will award state champions by conference divisions based on the number of entries received.
Competition Structure and Awards
- Any student in grades 9-12 who attends a UIL member high school is eligible to enter
- Judges will evaluate each entry and provide comments that will be returned to the contestants
- Judges will nominate essays to be considered as state finalists
- A selection committee will determine state finalists from among the nominees
- All state finalists will become eligible to apply for Texas Interscholastic League Foundation scholarships