Quiz Bowl Rules

The goal is to provide a spirited competition between schools for the enjoyment of all. This competition is conducted on an honors basis and it is the responsibility of all participants to insure its integrity. If dishonorable behavior comes to light, the entire competition may be cancelled. Questions will be related to the many disciplinary fields of forestry and natural resources and may include questions on current issues. The Quiz Bowl will be organized by the quiz bowl committee and can be, but does not have to be, hosted by a local student chapter. The winning team will be awarded the Quiz Bowl trophy to house for the upcoming year.  Winners are responsible for making sure the trophy is brought or sent to the following year’s competition.

Rules

Each school may field one team with a maximum of four student members currently enrolled at the school. Teams consisting of fewer than four members are welcome. Only one graduate student is allowed for each team. Team members do not have to be determined in advance of the competition.  The maximum number of teams will be 32. Schools that wish to participate must register in advance. Teams must register online at the SAF convention website. Registrations will be on a first-come basis. Teams that register after the 32 team limit is reached will be placed on a waiting list. Registration will close 2 weeks before the competition. Each team must have a designated captain at the time of the competition, who will be designated to serve as spokesperson for answering the questions.

The competition will be single elimination. Brackets will be arranged in advance by a random selection. In the event of an uneven number of teams, a “bye” for the first round will be determined randomly. In the event that a registered team withdraws after the brackets are determined, teams on the waiting list will take the place in the bracket vacated by the withdrawing team. If no teams are on the waiting list to take the vacated place in the bracket, the other team in the bracket will get a “bye” for that round.

Each round will consist of 10 questions. At the end of the round, the team with the most points will be the winner and will move on to the next round.

Conduct for Each Round

The moderator will read each question. After the question is read in its entirety, it will be shown on the screen.

Each team member will have a buzzer and any team member can buzz in. The buzzer system shows the moderator which team buzzed first. In the event that both teams buzz, the moderator will consult the system and announce which team actually buzzed first.

Team members may only confer with each other after the team has buzzed in and has been recognized by the moderator. The team captain must be the one to answer the question.
Team members may buzz in at any time during the reading of the question, but once buzzed in the moderator will cease reading the question and the question will not be shown on the screen.

1. If a team buzzes in before the question is read in its entirety:

A. The moderator will cease reading the question; and the team that buzzed (first) will have 10 seconds to answer the question.  If the answer is correct, the team will receive 5 points; and the moderator will proceed to the next question. If the answer is incorrect, the team will be docked 5 points. If the team fails to answer within 10 seconds, the team will be docked 5 points.
B. If the first team answers incorrectly or not at all, the moderator will read the question in its entirety and display it on the screen.  he other team will have 5 seconds to buzz in after the question is displayed, and if it buzzes, it will have 10 seconds to answer the question. If the answer is correct, the team will receive 5 points, and the moderator will proceed to the next question. If the answer is incorrect, the team will be docked 5 points. If the team fails to answer within 10 seconds, the team will be docked 5 points.  If the team chooses not to buzz in or does not buzz within 5 seconds, the moderator will proceed to the next question.

2. If neither team buzzes before the question is read in its entirety, it will be shown on the screen and each team will have 5 seconds to buzz in.

A. The first team to buzz in will have 10 seconds to answer the question. If the answer is correct, the team will receive 5 points; and the moderator will proceed to the next question. If the answer is incorrect, the team will be docked 5 points. If the team fails to answer within 10 seconds, the team will be docked 5 points.
B. If the first team to buzz gives an incorrect answer or no answer, the other team will have 5 seconds to buzz in – and 10 seconds to answer. If the answer is correct, the team will receive 5 points. If the answer is incorrect, the team will be docked 5 points. If the team fails to answer within 10 seconds, the team will be docked 5 points. If the team chooses not to buzz in, the moderator will proceed to the next question.
C. If neither team buzzes in on a given question, the moderator will proceed to the next question.

3. At the end of each round, the team with the most points will be the winner.

4. In the event of a tie, for any round, there will be a single question playoff as follows:

A. The playoff question will be shown on the screen and then read. Team members may buzz in at any time, but no more than 5 seconds after the question is read and displayed will be given for either team to buzz in. The first team to buzz in will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. If the answer is correct the team will win. If the answer is incorrect, the other team will win.
B. If neither team buzzes in for the first question, a second question will be shown on the screen and then read. Team members may buzz in at any time, but no more than 5 seconds after the question is read and displayed will be given for either team to buzz in. The first team to buzz in will be given 10 seconds to answer the question. If the answer is correct the team will win. If the answer is incorrect, the other team will win.
C. If neither team buzzes in for the second question, the winner will be determined by a coin toss. The proctor will toss the coin and the team whose school’s State’s name begins first alphabetically will be allowed to call the toss. In the event that both schools are from the same State, the proctor will toss the coin and the moderator will call the toss.

Scoring

Scores will be kept by a scorekeeper in each room. Scores will not be displayed on screen or on flip charts or whiteboards. The score will be announced prior to the 6th question being read and after the 10th question has been completed. However, team captains may ask to have the score announced at any time in between questions. Scores may be challenged at any time by either team captain. The team of judges will consult the score sheet being kept by the scorekeeper. The scores for both teams will be examined. If it is determined that a math error has been made, the score(s) will be corrected. The judges’ determination will be final.

Challenges

Team captains may make challenges. Judges may make challenges if they believe an error has been made in following the Rules of Conduct for Each Round. Challenges from the audience will not be allowed. If a team buzzes in before a question is read in its entirety and displayed on the screen, and the answer is determined by the moderator to be incorrect according to the answer given with the question, no challenge will be allowed. The moderator may consult the judges, if s/he wishes. Consultation will be made without the question being displayed to the teams. If a question has been read in its entirety and displayed on the screen, and the team’s answer is determined by the moderator to be incorrect according to the answer displayed on the screen, the team captain may challenge the moderator’s decision. The team of judges will consult among themselves and determine if the answer is correct or incorrect. Their decision will be final.