Please read all of the SMHAI Awards Prgram information thoroughly. It contains important information to prevent your site from being disqualified.
All sites will be inspected within six weeks of application. After applying for an award, you will receive an email confirmation with information about tracking your sites' evaluation progress. You may then check the current status of your application on our Status page. At least, three judges will evaluate your site site and will make several visits to your site during the evaluation process.
If you have won an award, you will receive an email with the award attached. Those who are unsuccessful will see that their evaluation is complete on the Status page BUT they will not recieve an email confirmation and award.
Only award winners are contacted. All decisions are final.
Please do not send flaming emails to SMHAI Awards if your site does not win after your first application. Flaming emails will cause your site to be permanently disqualified from the SMHAI Awards Program.
Ninety Day Waiting Period For Re-application
If you are unsuccessful at winning a SMHAI Award, you are welcome to re-apply. You must wait ninety days after your site evaluation is completed. If you do not wait the full ninety days after your site's evaluation, your site may be permanently disqualified from SMHAI Awards Program.
Bi-annual upgrades are available for sites wishing to apply for a higher level award. Sites that have undergone major improvements may apply for an upgrade six months after the initial evaluation completion date.
Please be patient with the process and we are sure that you will find the award process worth your wait.
Scoring System:
Sites accumulating scores of 70-100 points will earn an award.
Unlike most awards programs, all sites enter the program with 115 points. As the evaluation is conducted, points will be deducted or added as per the below scoring standards.
* * SMHAI has built their site and awards program completely in Notepad and the coding was done by hand. No software tools were used. For this reason, SMHAI values the hard work involved in building "your own" site more than sites built with special programs. Although the page building tools may create a very nice page, we view it as a short cut. Sites that do not use web page building tools such as Front Page, Dreamweaver, commercially prepared templates, or building tools provided by hosts like Bravenet and Homestead, will be scored higher, up to an additional 25 points. * *
Memorial Websites are judged on similar but not the same scoring system. Site criteria is somewhat different and each judge may interpret the site differently than other judges. Judging memorial sites is subjective and less restrictive.
Sites are divided into three categories that are scored individually:
* 5 to 25 points, out of date or inaccurate content, depending on the information. Credibility and reliability of your site information invites a visitor to return and count on your site to be a leader in the field related to your site. Some sites may have content that does not need as much attention. Such as, "how to" sites.
* 5 to 10 points, font is hard to read (background/text color coordination problem or is too small). Not all visitors have 20/20 vision. Please consider those that have sight deficits.
* 1 to 5 points, one point taken away for each spelling error. Five or more spelling errors, automatic disqualification. Correct spelling will add to your credibility.
* Creativity and originality do not have a point system. The judges have the freedom to chose how many points should be deducted, if any. By keeping your site interesting, yet not too "busy", will encourage visitors to return and theme related graphics can be a nice touch aiding in getting your message across.
* 5 points, site is not viewable with in Netscape and Internet Explorer browsers. We should be able to view your site without it being out of alignment. Not everyone uses the same browser. Some browsers will cause your site to appear differently.
* 5 point, a horizontal scroll on 1240 x 768 will lose one point. Your site should not be all over the screen. You want to make it easy for your visitors to enjoy your site.
* 5 to 15 points, broken images. Five point deductions for every broken image link. Four or more broken images, automatic disqualification. Broken images are not only ugly but they take away from your site creation. They are also a sign of a site that is not maintained. You want to keep your site well maintained.
* 1 to 5 each broken text link (internal or external) will be subject to one point taken away for each. Automatic disqualification: site contains more than five broken text links. External links will become inactive from time to time. There is nothing you can do about that. What you can do, check your links on a regular basis and delete those that are not functioning. They are also a sign of a site that is not maintained. You want to keep your site well maintained.
* 15 points, unreasonable wait time for entire pages to load, our judges use various modems. Make sure your pages aren't too "heavy". When visitors are looking for information, they want it now. Slow load times will cause visitors to move on to the next site.
* 10 points, navigation system is difficult to use or locate. Consistent navigation throughout the entire site should provide ease of movement from page to page. Your site should be a place that your visitor is comfortable and does not have to struggle to move though the pages.
* 10 points, inconsistent design or layout. All pages should look the same and not appear to us that we have left your site.
* Automatic disqualification, site contains less than 10 pages of content, excluding guestbooks and links/resource pages. Your site should show your knowledge and passion for the site theme. Sites with comprehensive content will keep the visitor and answer their questions on the theme.
* Automatic disqualification, site is not currently maintained.
* Automatic disqualification, copyright infringement.
* Automatic disqualification, secret message is absent on your SMHAI Awards application. This shows that you have not read our awards information.
* Automatic disqualification, no C.O.P.P.A Statement on sites that request/require personal information from visitors.
* Automatic disqualification, no Privacy Statement on sites that request/require personal information from visitors.
Points Added To Your Final Score:
* 20 points, credible and reliable medical and mental health related content.
* 5 points, all site images include ALT image tags.
* 10 points, webmaster's demonstrating knowledge and passion of the site theme.
* 5 points, secret message, stop suicide now, on award application.
* 5 points, extremely eye catching sites, yet our attention can focus on the content.
* 5 points, more than 20 pages of valuable content.
* 10 - 20 points, interactive content other than guestbooks.
