How to Write an Award Entry Judges Can Score

The most reliable way to write an award entry is to build it around the criteria it will be judged on. At Glonary Awards, every entry is scored against five equally weighted criteria, each from 0 to 10. If each section of your entry speaks clearly to one criterion, jurors have something specific to score instead of searching for it. This guide gives you that structure, section by section, and finishes with a checklist to run before you submit.

How entries are scored, and why structure matters

Every entry is scored independently by at least three appointed jury members, and there is no public voting. Each juror rates the entry on five criteria:

• Originality & Innovation
• Clarity & Strategic Logic
• Measurable Results & Impact
• Category Alignment
• Strategic Depth & Sustainability

Each criterion is scored 0–10, and the final score is the average of all valid evaluations. Recognition levels are Gold (9.00–10.00), Silver (8.00–8.99) and Bronze (7.00–7.99); entries below 7.00 receive no recognition. You can read the full method on the Judging Process page.

Because the criteria carry equal weight, a weak section costs as much as a strong one earns. An entry that dazzles on innovation but offers vague results is likely to be marked down on results, however impressive the idea. The aim is balance: give every criterion its own clear, evidenced answer.

Before you write: confirm eligibility and choose the right category

Category Alignment is one of the five criteria, so the category decision is part of your score, not just an administrative step. Glonary Awards has six categories:

• Cybersecurity – security leaders, engineers and teams
• Women in Business – women founders, executives and professionals
• Influencers and Infobusiness – creators and online educators, judged on results
• Technology and Design – product, UX, engineering and design work
• Business Leaders – founders, CEOs and executives
• Young Innovators – innovators aged 35 and under

Pick the category where your achievement is most obviously at home, then confirm you meet the eligibility conditions in the Competition Rules and Eligibility. In short: participation is open internationally to individual professionals at Senior / C-level or above, and to founders, innovators, creators and industry leaders with an implemented project. Companies, startups and teams enter through an authorised representative. The achievement must have taken place within the last five years.

A five-part structure mapped to the criteria

Use the following outline as your skeleton. Each part answers one criterion, so a juror can move through your entry and score as they read.

1. What was new (Originality & Innovation)

State plainly what you did differently. Avoid claiming to be "first" or "unique" unless you can show it. Instead, describe the usual approach in your field and explain how yours departed from it. One concrete contrast is more persuasive than a paragraph of adjectives.

2. The problem, the plan and the reasoning (Clarity & Strategic Logic)

Set out the starting point, the goal and the decisions that connected them. A simple sequence works well: situation, objective, approach, why that approach. Write so that someone outside your organisation could follow the logic without a glossary. Short paragraphs and clear headings help.

3. What changed, in numbers (Measurable Results & Impact)

This is where many entries lose ground. Give before-and-after figures, timeframes and the scope of the change. Where a result cannot be expressed as a number, describe the observable outcome and who it affected. Make sure every figure is one you can support.

4. Why this category (Category Alignment)

Do not leave jurors to infer the fit. Add a short, direct statement connecting your achievement to the category description. For example, a security programme entered in Cybersecurity should make the security outcome explicit, and a Women in Business entry should make your own role in the achievement clear.

5. What lasts (Strategic Depth & Sustainability)

Show that the work was more than a one-off. Explain how it is maintained, what it enabled next, and how it fits a longer-term strategy. If you learned something that changed how you or your team works, say so briefly.

Back every claim with evidence

Jurors score what you show them, not what you hope they will assume. A useful habit is to reread your draft and mark every sentence that makes a claim. Next to each, note what supports it: a metric, a document, a public link, a client or partner reference you are permitted to share. If a claim has no support, either find it or cut the claim.

Some practical points:

• Be specific about dates. Since the achievement must fall within the last five years, state when the work happened.
• Be clear about your role. Separate what you personally led from what the wider team delivered.
• Prefer plain language. Technical terms are fine in Cybersecurity or Technology and Design, but explain anything a capable non-specialist might not know.
• Respect confidentiality. If figures are sensitive, use percentages or ranges you are allowed to publish rather than leaving the results section empty.

Before you finalise your entry, read the Official Rules and Regulations so that nothing in your submission conflicts with them.

Pre-submission checklist

1. Category fit: Is the category the most natural home for this achievement, and does the entry say why?
2. Young Innovators rules: If entering Young Innovators, are you 35 or under, and have you not entered the same project in another category this cycle?
3. Five-year window: Did the achievement take place within the last five years, and is the timing stated?
4. Eligibility: Do you meet the participation conditions, or are you entering as an authorised representative of a company, startup or team?
5. All five criteria covered: Does each criterion have its own clearly identifiable section?
6. Evidence for every claim: Is each figure and statement supported?
7. Clarity check: Has someone unfamiliar with the project read it and understood it?
8. Fees: Each nomination is a separate entry with its own fee. Fees depend on the programme and stage, so check the entry fee on your chosen category page.
9. Deadline: Have you checked the Awards Timeline on the category page? All deadlines expire at 23:59 UTC.

FAQ

Is there public voting?

No. Every entry is scored independently by at least three appointed jury members, and the final score is the average of all valid evaluations.

Can I enter more than one category?

Yes, but each nomination is a separate entry with its own entry fee. The same project may not be entered in both Young Innovators and another category within the same cycle.

How will I find out the result?

Winners are notified by email, announced on the date shown in the category's Awards Timeline and then published on the Winners page. Scores of entries that receive no recognition are confidential.

Ready to start? Choose your category, such as Cybersecurity or Business Leaders, check its Awards Timeline and entry fee, and review the Competition Rules and Eligibility before you begin drafting. Questions can go to contact@glonaryawards.com.