General Rules for the Competition
Scoring Procedures

General Rules for the Competition

1. Each round will consist of two 8-minute sessions with a maximum of a 4-minute break between sessions. If the moderator and both teams agree, the break may be shortened.
   
2. At least three members of a team must be present to qualify for the competition.
   
3. The moderator will read the questions, not directing them to any particular team. Unless otherwise noted, the questions should be re-read only if the moderator feels that circumstances warrant such a re-reading (e.g., if both teams request it or if the moderator did not read it as well as was desired).
   
4. The moderator will stop the reading of a question whenever a team member buzzes, even if accidentally. The moderator then recognizes the team that has buzzed and one member from this team has 5 seconds to answer the question. No conference is allowed at this time.
   
5. If the team answers incorrectly, the question will then be directed to the second team. The question will be re-read in its entirety, after which the second team has 10 seconds to answer the question. The second team does not have to buzz.
   
6. If the second team fails to answer correctly, then that question is considered "dead" and the moderator should read the correct answer.
   
7. If, after the question is first read, neither team buzzes within 10 seconds, the question should also be considered "dead" and the correct answer should be read by the moderator.
   
8. After being recognized by the moderator, the first answer given to a question must be the response accepted. Any correction made by the respondent after this first answer cannot be accepted.
   
9. Conferences will be allowed except during the 5 seconds after the first team has buzzed.
   
10. Coaches, who should sit out of sight of their team, may not confer, signal, or otherwise attempt to direct their teams except during the 5-minute break between sessions. They should not take notes during the round - they are only allowed to keep score.

Scoring Procedures

1. Each question is worth 1 point.
   
2. The team with the highest point total at the end of the round will be the winner of the round.
   
3. To determine semifinalists, finalists, and overall team rankings, a team score will be computed. This score will be calculated for each team by dividing their number of correct responses by the total number of questions asked in that round.
   
4. The answer given by the moderator will be considered as the only acceptable answer for scoring purposes during the round.
   
5. Challenges may be made after a moderator has deemed a response from a team incorrect.

   1. This request must be lodged prior to the next question being asked. The clock will be stopped on command of the moderator and begun in the same manner.
   2. The moderator will direct the timer/recorder to note the challenge. This is done on the back of the scoring sheet.
   3. A challenge of the validity of the "official" answer is a request for additional review by the competitions judges. A team of judges considers challenges between each round of the competition.
   4. In the case of successful challenges, where an alternative answer has been judged to be equally valid to the one provided by the moderator, the team that challenged will receive one point for the question. No team will lose points as a result of a challenge.

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