Volunteer Opportunity: Scientific Judge

The questions in each subject area have been reviewed by at least two individuals with subject matter expertise to eliminate erroneous or ambiguous questions. In addition, a multiple-choice format for many of the questions has been selected. This eliminates more than one correct answer (it's either one of the choices or the response is wrong).

• Read and review all questions before the event.
• Your primary duty is to resolve question challenges.  Should a question be challenged, take the following steps:
  
  
  1. Stop the competition clock.
  2. If the question is in your field, or in the fields of expertise of the Moderator or another Science Bowl official in the room, resolve the challenge without outside assistance.
  3. If a challenge arises that is outside the fields of expertise of the officials in your room, bring the challenge to Science Bowl Central. The organizing committee will either have someone on call or in the building in each of the science, math, or computer science areas who can resolve the issue. Once you report a decision, that decision is final.
  4. If you feel that time was lost due to the interruption (e.g., 5, 10, or 15 seconds), check with the Moderator who may add that time back onto the clock before resuming the competition. Be certain to announce that you are "correcting" the time because time lost was due to the interruption, so that all participants understand what is happening.
• Ensure that the Moderator has read each question correctly. You will be given a packet of questions identical to those of the Moderator. As the Moderator reads a question, follow along to make sure the question is read correctly and that all words are pronounced correctly.
• Control the buzzer system. Turn the flashing light off after the student has been recognized.

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