The Visible Evidence Awards is given annually to outstanding and important English-language contributions to scholarship that advance documentary film and media studies, broadly defined, by opening up new historical or theoretical lines of inquiry. More precisely, the awards recognize works that offer an innovative conceptual reassessment or advanced theoretical reflection on documentary film and media cultures, a pathbreaking analysis of overlooked archives and findings that expand our knowledge of documentary history and historiography, enriching case studies employing an interdisciplinary criticality that expand the field of documentary studies, and a strong, lucid argument conveyed with stylistic brilliance.

The award categories are Best Documentary Studies Monograph, Best Documentary Studies Essay, and Best Documentary Studies Student Essay. For each category, an award committee consisting of two Visible Evidence Governing Council members and two members-at-large evaluate submissions. Winners are announced at the annual conference.