CANONEXPANSION, an experimental science side event ('18-'19)

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Jet Fuel Can't Melt Steel Dreams
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CANONEXPANSION, an experimental science side event ('18-'19)

Post by Jet Fuel Can't Melt Steel Dreams »

I’m pleased to announce, CANONEXPANSION (Creating Additional Names Or New EXtra Possible Answers Now Science Is Only Natural, thanks to Sam Brochin for the name), an experimental science side event written by Vishwa Shanmugam and I to be played in the 2018-2019 season.

CANONEXPANSION is experimental in the sense that it will focus on unique and interesting answerlines as well as questions regarding scientifically relevant, but not commonly asked about in quizbowl topics.
There will also be a focus on questions on “canonical” quizbowl topics asked in a novel manner.

The superconducting critical temperature tossup from the 2018 ACF Regionals set is a good example of a question in the latter style that will appear in CANONEXPANSION

The set will consist of at least 6 (we have about 2 packets worth of questions written so far) but possibly more 20-question all tossup packets with the following distribution:

3 Chemistry
3 Physics
3 Biology
2 Astronomy
2 Earth Science
2 Computer Science
2 Mathematics
3 Interdisciplinary/Common link

The set is intended to be playable by a wide range of (science) audiences, so the questions are written with the following tentative difficulty guidelines in mind:

30% of the tossups in each category will be “easier” tossups, where easier tossups will have answerlines no harder than the average ACF Fall medium bonus part, and the tossup itself no harder than an average Pace NSC tossup.

50% of the tossups in each category will be “medium” tossups, where medium tossups will have answerlines no harder than the average ACF regionals medium bonus part, and the tossup itself no harder than an average ACF Regionals tossup.

20% of the tossups in each category will be “harder” tossups, where harder tossups will have answerlines no harder than the average ACF nationals medium bonus part, and the tossup itself no harder than an average ACF Nationals tossup.

Tossups will be power marked and super power marked and will be no longer than 8 lines in 11pt Times New Roman font.

I plan on hosting it at the 2019 HSNCT.
Message Vishwa or I if you are interested in mirroring it.
Geoffrey Chen
Wayzata High School '19
UMN (dual enrollment) '19
Cornell ???
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Re: CANONEXPANSION, an experimental science side event ('18-'19)

Post by Jet Fuel Can't Melt Steel Dreams »

An update post.

Akshay Govindan is writing for the set now as well. The set is approximately 60% complete and well on track to being complete by HSNCT. All the questions written so far are (in my opinion) very interesting, whimsical and enjoyable to play.

A few people have asked me if the planned side event at HSNCT is happening, given that I may or may not actually attend. Regardless of whether I actually end up going to HSNCT, the event is going to happen at HSNCT.

One more thing, I’m throwing the “tossups will be no longer than 8 lines thing” completely out the window. Questions will be less than 1000 characters long.
Geoffrey Chen
Wayzata High School '19
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Cornell ???
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Re: CANONEXPANSION, an experimental science side event ('18-'19)

Post by Jet Fuel Can't Melt Steel Dreams »

I confirmed about a week ago that I am going to HSNCT so there'll be a CANONEXPANSION @ HSNCT announcement post up very soon.

105 out of the 120 questions in the set are now written. The questions right now are shaping out to be somewhat harder than outlined in the OP and the set will probably end up slightly harder than advertised.

Edit: An announcement has been made for CANONEXPANSION @ HSNCT.
Geoffrey Chen
Wayzata High School '19
UMN (dual enrollment) '19
Cornell ???
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Re: CANONEXPANSION, an experimental science side event ('18-'19)

Post by t-bar »

Amizda Calyx, in another thread wrote: Thu May 16, 2019 5:00 pm Are there any plans to run CANONEXPANSION at NSC? I won't be able to make it to HSNCT.
I'd also be interested in this.
Stephen Eltinge
Then: TJ, MIT, Yale, PACE, NAQT
Now: ACF
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Re: CANONEXPANSION, an experimental science side event ('18-'19)

Post by Jet Fuel Can't Melt Steel Dreams »

I added a section on the spreadsheet for buzzers a while ago, please volunteer your buzzers if you have any or otherwise we'll have to play slapbowl and I'd like to avoid that.

I've decided there isn't going to be a formal mirror at NSC, but I might run an informal shootout. I'm 80%+ sure right now I'm going to run this at Chicago Open though.
Geoffrey Chen
Wayzata High School '19
UMN (dual enrollment) '19
Cornell ???
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Theodore
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Re: CANONEXPANSION, an experimental science side event ('18-'19)

Post by Theodore »

We had fun playing this at Carleton University:
Theodore wrote: Sat Jun 08, 2019 11:08 pm In the evening, we played CANONEXPANSION in voluntary "upper" and "lower" rooms.

The upper room stats were as follows:

(Player: 20s/15s/10s/-5s - Total)
Ian: 4/15/30/13 - 390
Akhil: 4/10/17/18 - 310
Joe: 0/6/18/5 - 245
Wentao: 1/1/8/9 - 70
Ted: 0/1/9/7 - 70

Congratulations goes out to Ian and Akhil for their high scoring!
Thanks to Geoff and Vishwa for writing! Is there any discussion forum or similar method to provide feedback?
Ted (Ze Feng) Gan
The Pennsylvania State University, 2025
The Pennsylvania State University, 2021
Carleton University, 2019
Colonel By Secondary School, 2015

Former Executive Member of the Ontario Quizbowl Association (ONQBA), 2015-16
Former NAQT Writer, 2013-2016
Jet Fuel Can't Melt Steel Dreams
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Re: CANONEXPANSION, an experimental science side event ('18-'19)

Post by Jet Fuel Can't Melt Steel Dreams »

I've been meaning to set up a discussion forum, but I haven't got to it yet. I'll do it after I'm rested from NSC.
Geoffrey Chen
Wayzata High School '19
UMN (dual enrollment) '19
Cornell ???
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Re: CANONEXPANSION, an experimental science side event ('18-'19)

Post by Jet Fuel Can't Melt Steel Dreams »

I have finally gotten a discussion forum set up. You can request to join it by going to your user control panel, finding the usergroups tab, and applying to join the group called "2019 CANONEXPANSION Discussion".
Geoffrey Chen
Wayzata High School '19
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Cornell ???
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eygotem
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Re: CANONEXPANSION, an experimental science side event ('18-'19)

Post by eygotem »

Will this set ever be posted to https://quizbowlpackets.com?
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