FINALIST ROUND

DESCRIPTION
In this round, you will listen to each assigned audiobook, and rank each title on a 1 to 7 (7 highest) scale in areas of Performance, Direction, Production, and Overall. Please keep notes as you go and be uncompromising in your search for excellence.

Please remember to keep your Audies assignment confidential – although you may share your appointment as an Audies judge, please do not share any titles or your judging category.

INSTRUCTIONS
You are being tasked with selecting the winning title in your assigned category, so please continue to be uncompromising in your search for excellence.

Be sure not to vary the listening speed in any way as it is important to assess each audio at recorded speed. Listen for the highest quality: a polished, professional narration coupled with a clean, clear technical production. In this round, we do expect you to listen to the audiobooks in your library in their entirety. But we also understand that you might have a 30-hour-long title on your list that you can tell, an hour in, will not measure up to the others. Please use your discretion, and just be sure you give every title a fair shake even if you don’t love it from the start.

JUDGING TIPS/GUIDANCE

• Refresh yourself with the judging criteria.

• Watch this Zoom video where Judging Chair, Mary Burkey, reviews the judging process and answers questions from judges.

• Read this article: Sounds Good to Me: Listening to Audiobooks with a Critical Ear.

• Read this article: It's Time to Slow Down Your Audiobook Speed.

ACCESSING YOUR TITLES
All titles will be distributed to judges digitally. Most will be shared through Audible.com, but some (when not available on Audible) will be sent via dropbox.

When this round opens for listening in mid January, this web page will be updated with a link to your category that will include your list of titles and Audible log in information.

EVALUATION FORM
Evaluation forms will be found in Open Water. Once your titles are shared, we will also give you judging access in Open Water. Please review the judging instructions for your assigned category through the links below. Your results will determine the 2024 winners!

If you have any questions, please reach out to Emma Harris at eharris@audiopub.org .

DEADLINE to submit your rankings is February 14.