Process
The process listed below describes how a typical NSB event is run. You can go through NSB-P Starter Pack to understand the process better. We should note that special circumstances may necessitate slight variations from event to event. Therefore please make sure to see the details on a specific upcoming event for any changes.
Toss Up Questions
- The match begins with a TOSS-UP question
- A toss-up is worth 4 points
- A student has 5 seconds to buzz in and answer
- The student who buzzes fastest gets to answer after his/her number has been called out by the moderator.
- If a student answers wrongly on a tossup their team cannot buzz again
Bonus Question
- If the answer on a Toss-Up questions is correct
- A Bonus Qs. is worth 10 points
- The team has 20 seconds to consult with each other and answer
- As the opposing team is not participating in a bonus question, there is no rush to buzz in before 20 seconds.
Short Answer / MCQ
Both Toss-up and Bonus questions are either
- Short Answer or Multiple Choice
- A participant can answer a multiple-choice question with either the letter answer (W, X, Y, or Z) or the verbal answer.
- W) Answer 1
X) Answer 2
Y) Answer 3
Z) Answer 4 - If verbal answer is given, it must be exactly as indicated in the question or as read by the moderator (with the exception of mathematical expressions)
- The first response, as determined by officials, is the only one that counts. But if a participant gives both the letter answer and the verbal answer, both parts must be correct.
- Prefacing remarks such as “my answer is” or repeating the question, as determined by officials, may be considered as delaying the game and will be counted as an incorrect answer.
Challenge
- Challenges CAN be made to the scientific content of the question (whether a question is scientifically correct or not)
- Challenges CANNOT be made to the judgment calls by the officials
- Challenges must be made before the moderator begins the next question
- If answer on a toss-up is incorrect, and the team wishes to challenge the scientific content of the question, the first team must hold the challenge until after the opposing team has completed its toss-up opportunity.
- Challenges to scientific content are limited to 2 unsuccessful challenges per team per round
- Successful challenges do not count within this limit
Scoring
Correct answers
- Toss-up : +4 points, a bonus question
- Bonus : 10 points
Incorrect answers
- Toss-up : 0 points, opportunity for opposing team to answer
- Bonus: 0 points
Penalty for a blurt
- +4 points to opposing team
Penalty for an interrupt followed by an incorrect answer - +4 points to opposing team
Consultation among team members on a toss-up question
- +0 points, answer does not count even if correct
Scoring for Round Robin
- Every team will always get the points equal to their score for the match
- A WIN will add 100 points to that score
- A TIE will add 50 points to that score
- A LOSS will add {50 points minus number of points by which the team lost}.
Examples:
- Lose by 1 point —add 49 points (50 -1)
- Lose by 40 points —add 10 points (50-40)
- Lose by 50 points —add 0 points (50-50)
- Lose by more than 50 points—add 0 points (a minimum of 0 points will be added)
