Why the NSS was Created
Competitions often rely on judges giving point-based scores. But judges don’t use scoring ranges the same way, and that can unfairly affect results.
The Problem
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Different judges give points differently — some use a narrow range, some a wide range.
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Even if judges agree who’s best, a judge who spreads scores wide can have more influence on who wins.
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This “point spread bias” can let someone win overall even if most judges didn’t rank them first.
How the NSS Was Born
Ed Carnes — an IT professional, longtime fiddle competitor, judge, and contest coordinator — noticed this problem from decades of experience and wanted a fairer, more consistent scoring method.
Instead of raw point totals, NSS normalizes scoring so all judges have equal influence and reduces bias from how points are distributed. NSS can still use traditional scores, but translates them into a standardized ranking behind the scenes.
Want the Full Explanation?
For a detailed description why the NSS was created, including examples and background from the original page you can download the background methodology and detailed explanation.
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