Nevada Regional Science Bowl

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Nevada Regional Science Bowl SCIENTIFIC
JUDGE TRAINING
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SCIENCE BOWL
What did you volunteer for?
Launched in 1991, the Nevada Regional Science
Bowl is a highly competitive science education
and academic event among teams of high school
students. They compete in a fast-paced verbal
forum to solve technical problems and answer
questions in all branches of science and math.
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OFFICIALS
The officials at each match include
Moderator Responsible for controlling each
match. Scientific Judge Resolves any
question challenges. (The Judges decision is
final!) Rules Judge Ensures that all rules are
followed and all questions are read
correctly. Timekeeper Keeps track of the
clock. Times the 20 seconds allowed for team
responses to bonus questions. Times five seconds
after a toss-up question that has been read
before the Moderator moves on to the next
question. Scorekeeper Awards points accurately
and records the competition score.
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Minimum qualifications for a Scientific Judge

• Be able to follow the competition flow.
• Know and be able to apply all of the rules.
• A science, engineering, math, or teaching
  background.
• Read and review the questions prior to the event.
• Be prepared to serve as the alternate moderator
  should the need arise.
• Be at least a junior in college.

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What does a Scientific Judge do?

• Resolves question challenges
• Along with Moderator, request that the clock be
  stopped during challenges.
• All efforts must be made to resolve challenges
  within the competition room. If this is not
  possible challenges go to the Control Center.
• Controls the buzzer system.
• Follows questions read by moderator (ensure
  correct pronunciation).
• Gets the answer.

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RESOLVE QUESTION CHALLENGES
Your primary duty as a Scientific Judge is to
resolve question challenges.
Challenge? Ask timekeeper to stop the clock!
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Resolving Question Challenges
Should a question be challenged, there are
several steps that should be followed FIRST, see
that the competition clock is stopped. THEN, if
the challenged question is in your field or that
of Moderator or other Science
Bowl official in the room, you should resolve the
challenge without outside assistance.
IF a challenge arises which is outside the
fields of the officials in your room, please have
the Scientific Judge bring the challenge to the
Command Center.
Challenge? Ask timekeeper to stop the clock!
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Time lost because of challenges?
Should you feel that time was lost because of the
interruption (5, 10 or 15 seconds, for example),
check with the Moderator who may add that time
back onto the clock before resuming the
competition.
Be certain to announce that you are correcting
the time because time was lost due to the
interruption so that all participants understand
what is happening.
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Control Buzzer System
WAIT!
WAIT to turn the flashing light off until after
the student has been recognized.
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ENSURE THE MODERATOR HAS READ EACH QUESTION
CORRECTLY
As the Moderator reads a question, please follow
along to make sure the question is read correctly
and that all words are pronounced correctly.
Note Please review questions before the
competition.
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About the questions
The questions in each subject area have been
reviewed by at least two individuals with subject
expertise to eliminate erroneous or ambiguous
questions.
Questions are either multiple-choice or short
answer. A participant may answer a
multiple-choice question with either the letter
answer (W, X, Y or Z) or the verbal answer. The
verbal answer must be exactly as indicated in the
question!
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Getting the Answer

• Verbally recognize the individual before she/he
  responds by
• Announcing Team A or Team B and
• Announcing participant ID (captain, 1, 2, or
  3)

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Lets Review!
Team A, Competitor 2
The Scientific Judge will

• Follow questions read by moderator (ensure
  correct pronunciation)
• Control buzzer system
• Wait to turn the flashing light off until the
  student has been recognized.
• Get the answer
• Verbally recognize the individual before she/he
  responds.
• Identify student by
• Announcing Team A or Team B and
• Announcing participant ID (captain, 1, 2, 3)
• Resolve question challenges (Main duty!)
• Along with Moderator, request that the clock be
  stopped during challenges.
• All efforts must be made to resolve challenges
  within the competition room. If this is not
  possible challenges go to the Control Center
• Note Please review all questions before the
  competition.

Challenge? Ask timekeeper to stop the clock.
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Your generous gift of your time and talent is
greatly appreciated!
Many types of volunteers are needed each year to
run the Nevada Regional Science Bowl so students
can compete with some of the brightest kids
around not to mention a chance to travel to
Washington D.C. for the National Science Bowl
competition where they compete with regional
winners from most of the United States, the
District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
and Puerto Rico. Simply put we could not do
it without you!