MATCH QUESTIONS - TOSSUP QUESTIONS
Tossup questions are asked to all contestants in general. The first person to buzz in wins the opportunity to give the answer for his/her team. If the answer given is incorrect, then the question is offered to the other team on a tossup basis. The person who buzzes in must answer the question when recognized by the emcee. Conferring is expressly forbidden during the tossup questions (see definition of “confer” below). If a student buzzes in before the completion of a question (or before the word “begin” has been read), and gives an incorrect answer, a two point penalty is assessed against that student’s team, and the question is offered in its entirety to the other team on a tossup basis. Note that there is no penalty for any student who buzzes in early during the rereading of the question following the opposing team’s incorrect answer.
Prior to the reading of the first tossup question, all notes must be taken from all contestants. The emcee should ensure that this has been done prior to the reading of the first tossup question. Any materials written after the tossup questions have begun must not be shared with other team members. Such sharing will be considered conferring.
DEFINITION OF “CONFERRING”
During tossup competition conferring, or consultation, is not permitted among team members of both teams. Conferring in this context shall mean any sharing of information through discussion, using another team member’s written notes, or “signals” used among team members (i.e., nodding of the head, shrugging or giving any other signals).
While tossup questions are being read, one or more judges for each round should assume the responsibility for checking for conferring or consultation among team members. If such conferring should occur the team which conferred shall be denied the chance to answer that particular question in the tossup round, and it shall be reread and offered only to the other team.
DEFINITION OF “IMMEDIATELY”
Rules of competition require contestants to respond immediately when recognized by the emcee. The definition of “immediately” shall be consistent from judge to judge at any given match. The following procedure should be used: after the question is read, and time has run, the emcee is to prompt the team with the expression: “Time is up.”(three second pause) . . . “Do you have an answer?”. . . (one second pause) . . . “Time is up.” Once the second “Time is up.” statement has been read, the team loses its opportunity. “Immediately” does not mean “instantaneously” in the context of MACC competitions. The format for the Mathematics round is slightly different (see Mathematics information).
WRITING OF NOTES DURING COMPETITION
Team members shall be provided pencil and paper for their use during the competition. However, no notes or other information shall be written until the reading of the first directed question has begun. If any notes are written prior to this point, they must be removed immediately. All notes shall be removed prior to the reading of the first tossup question. Any notes written following that reading shall not be shared among team members. Such sharing of notes shall be considered conferring.
SPECIFICITY OF ANSWERS
If a team’s response is correct, but not specific enough as determined by the head judge, the emcee will direct the contestant to be more specific, or “elaborate”. Only one more opportunity is given to provide the more specific answer. The head judge then determines whether the final response is sufficiently specific to be considered correct. However, the head judge should be reasonable. If the student’s answer means the same thing as the correct answer provided on the question sheet, it should be counted as correct.
Because there is sometimes a problem in obtaining consistent rulings on the sufficiency of answers to questions involving calculations, the following guidelines shall be used:
Units are not required in answers; all questions will be phrased so that the statement of units in the answer is not necessary. However, if a student does include units in his answer and those units are incorrect, the answer is judged to be incorrect.
Unless specified in the question, answers may be in the factored or unfactored form; e.g., “2 a + 4 “ and “ 2 ( a + 2 )“ are both acceptable. In all questions involving factoring, however, the answer must be factored completely.
Unless specified in the question, answers may be expressed as a fraction, or as a mixed number; e.g., “7/2“ and “3 and ˝” are both acceptable.
Answers involving fractions with radicals or variables may be expressed completely as a fraction or a fraction plus a term; e.g., “the quantity 4 x plus 3 y, the quantity divided by 4 “ and “x plus the quantity 3 y divided by 4“ are both acceptable.
The word “times” may be included or omitted in answers involving multiplication of variables; e.g., “ 4 times x “
PARAGRAPH ANSWERS
While it may be tempting to give an answer in paragraph form, hoping to somehow include the correct response, this is not allowed. The first item of information given by a contestant is considered to be the answer. All following pieces of information are disregarded. Example: The question is a familiar quotation: “To be or not to be ... “. Team A buzzes in and answers: “Hamlet’s soliloquy from the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare.” Since the question was going to ask for the author of the quotation, but the first piece of information given was the name of the soliloquy, the answer is ruled incorrect.