American Psychological Association: TOPSS Student Psychology Competition

The American Psychological Association’s Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPPSS) Student Psychology Competition invites high school psychology students to create a video no longer than 3 minutes that demonstrates their understanding of how a topic in psychological science has the potential to benefit their school and/or local community and improve people’s lives. The topic varies each year, and videos must reference at least one published research study on the annual topic. 

• Only current high school students can compete. International students are eligible to participate in the competition.
• Team submissions are not eligible.
• No more than five (5) entries per school will be accepted.
• Contest entrant must work with a teacher prior to submitting the entry to ensure the submitted content follows competition guidelines and rules. Entrants are required to confirm teacher oversight when submitting their entry.

• March 1

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• The information must be accurate and supported by psychological theory and/or research.
• All sources should be cited in APA Style (see Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition). If a winning entry contains sources that are not cited correctly, the student will be asked to fix their entry before the prize is awarded. 
• The research study(ies) should be described in your own words and should demonstrate your understanding of the main findings of any study that you cite. Direct quotations are discouraged.
• Each submission should include one reference slide at the end of the video.
• Submitted videos are limited to 3 minutes maximum. This time limit includes the amount of time the reference slide appears on screen. Any video over 3 minutes long will be disqualified.
• No media, video, or music is permitted. No emojis or other clip art are allowed. Text for closed captioning, to accompany the dialogue, and/or on a PowerPoint slide or slide deck is allowed.
• All entries must be student-produced. All dialogue, video, production, and editing must be an original production.
• Contest entrant must operate all equipment, including all editing equipment used in the production of the presentation. Contest entrant can borrow equipment from others (e.g., a friend’s cell phone or school video camera); however, the student should operate technology used.
• Contest entrant must provide the narration, voice-over, and/or dramatization.
• Only the contestant should appear or be heard in the video.
• By submitting your video to the contest, you grant APA a non-exclusive right to use, promote, or display your video as it relates to this project at the sole discretion of APA.
• APA will not be held responsible for any costs, claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses arising out of or generally related to this submission.
• All contest entrants must read and approve of the terms, conditions, and rules of the contest per the submission form. If a contest entrant is under 18, their parent or legal guardian must also read, approve of, and sign the terms, conditions, and rules of the contest per the submission form.
• Videos must be posted to YouTube.