Compare the use of personal and prescribed judging criteria when assessing the performance of athletes - HSC - SSCE Personal Development and Physical Education - Question 22 - 2022 - Paper 1

Personal criteria are developed by an individual, such as the athlete or coach, to assess key aspects of performance based on individual preferences and experiences. In contrast, prescribed criteria are often established by a governing body of a sport, creating a standardized evaluation framework.

The subjectivity inherent in personal criteria means they can vary significantly between individuals. For example, one athlete may prioritize their personal technique based on what feels effective for them, while another might focus on the aesthetics of their performance. Conversely, prescribed criteria are objective and applied uniformly, which can lead to a more consistent assessment across all athletes.

When using personal criteria, the assessment results might differ, as they reflect individual interpretations of performance. For example, during a judging panel at a gymnastics event, judges utilizing personal criteria might score a routine differently based on their unique perspectives. In contrast, with prescribed criteria, all judges will be looking for the same technical skills and execution standards.

Furthermore, prescribed criteria aim to reduce bias and enhance fairness in scoring. However, personal criteria can lead to more passionate and nuanced evaluations, which might capture elements that prescribed criteria overlook. For instance, a judge might appreciate the emotional engagement of a performance in ways that a rigid rubric cannot embody.