Questions about Answering & the "New High School Package" of Questions

[MattB]

Hello, we're in the process of putting together a quiz bowl team. We've purchased our buzzer system and also the "New High School Package" of questions from the NAQT website. However, I have a few questions.

After watching some videos, it looks like the tournaments begin with a toss-up question. The team that gets the toss-up correct, is then read a series of bonus questions that only their team can answer.
1) If Team A buzzes in first and is incorrect, then Team B is allowed a chance to answer. What if Team B also answers incorrectly? Is a new question given, or is Team A allowed another chance to answer? If so, does it have to be a different player than the one who initially answered incorrectly?

2) Are teams only allowed to conference on an answer for the bonus questions?

3) If a math question is asked, are teams allowed pencils, papers, or calculators to figure out problems?

4) How long does a match last? Is there a certain time limit or is it whoever reaches a given score first?

Lastly, I have a question about the "New High School Package" itself. I don't see any questions labeled "Toss-Up" or "Bonus." They just seem to be packets of questions that are double numbered. For example, Question 1 has to do with religion and then under that question is another Question 1 that has to do with elements in paint. I'd like to try and prepare my students for how an actual match/tournament is carried out, but I'm not sure if these question sets do that. Am I missing something?

Thank you so much for any help you're able to provide. We are completely new to this and any help/advice is greatly appreciated.
-Matt

[Important Bird Area]

Welcome to the quizbowl community!

1) If Team A buzzes in first and is incorrect, then Team B is allowed a chance to answer. What if Team B also answers incorrectly? Is a new question given, or is Team A allowed another chance to answer? If so, does it have to be a different player than the one who initially answered incorrectly?

If Team B also answers incorrectly (or is unable to give an answer at all), that tossup-bonus cycle is over (without a bonus, because no one answered the tossup), and the moderator will move on to begin reading the next tossup question.

2) Are teams only allowed to conference on an answer for the bonus questions?

In almost all quizbowl formats: yes, teams are only allowed to confer on bonus questions. There are a few local formats that sometimes allow conferral on tossups.

3) If a math question is asked, are teams allowed pencils, papers, or calculators to figure out problems?

Pencil and paper: yes. NAQT questions that call for math computation will always begin with the words "Pencil and paper ready." Calculators are not permitted.

4) How long does a match last? Is there a certain time limit or is it whoever reaches a given score first?

This varies from place to place. The most common rules are "the game is concluded after 20 tossups" or "there is a fixed time limit, such as '18 minutes' '20 minutes' or '25 minutes'". In general, timed formats call for more staff and more experienced staff- it's usually necessary to have a scorekeeper to read sufficient quantities of questions within the time limit.

Lastly, I have a question about the "New High School Package" itself. I don't see any questions labeled "Toss-Up" or "Bonus." They just seem to be packets of questions that are double numbered. For example, Question 1 has to do with religion and then under that question is another Question 1 that has to do with elements in paint. I'd like to try and prepare my students for how an actual match/tournament is carried out, but I'm not sure if these question sets do that. Am I missing something?

The longer questions with a "power mark" (*) and "For 10 points--" near the end are the tossups; the short three-part related questions are the bonuses.

(For example, in the NAQT sample packet posted here, tossup 1 has the answer of "pope(s)." If a team answers that tossup correctly, they would earn the opportunity to confer on bonus 1, a music question with "octave/tritone/perfect fifth" as the three parts of the bonus.)

Let us know if you have any questions about how to get started, about the organization of quizbowl in general, or about the resources available from this forum!

[jonpin]

Welcome to the Quiz Bowl community! You may also find this primer from PACE, another national quiz bowl organization, helpful in learning some of the jargon that you'd see and hear.

[MattB]

Thank you both so much for helpful information and links! I really do appreciate it!