Rules and Procedures for State Contest

Sources of Information

The following sources will be used to develop questions for the State 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl. Questions may be formatted as multiple choice, fill in the blank,true/false, or open ended. Teams participating at the State 4-H Livestock Quiz Bowl are encouraged to submit 10 to 20 questions for consideration of use for the contest. Questions should be forwarded to the contest supervisor a minimum of 14 days prior to competition. Question topics should be varied so that a variety of subjects, nutrition, reproduction, breeds, tools, etc., are included.

Reference materials may come from but not limited to any of the following:

Oklahoma 4-H Quiz Bowl Guide #599 available from Oklahoma Cooperative
Extension Offices.
Any other recognized industry sources such as breed periodicals, breed websites (please print and submit), college textbooks, leaders manuals, species specific association publications (i.e. Oklahoma Cowman, OPC Pork Pages,etc.), or other sources that are correctly referenced and deemed reliable by the panel of judges/contest administrator.

Equipment
1. Game Panels: An appropriate device will be used that will provide a clear indication
  of the first contestant to respond to a question.
2. Time Recorders: A stopwatch or other appropriate timing device will be required.
3. Scorekeeping Devices: Two devices should be used. One, such as a chalkboard, flip chart, or electronic light display for contestants to observe, and a second device such as a score book for a back-up.
Officials
1. Moderator (Quiz Person): The moderator shall assume complete direction of the game, ask all questions, and designate contestants to answer questions, and accept or reject all answers unless the questions or the answers are challenged. The moderator shall indicate when a contestant has exceeded the allocated time for a question. The moderator will declare the game winner and shall be in control of the games at all times.
2. Referee Judges: At least two referee judges should be used. The referee judges must be knowledgeable with a strong background in management, training, nutrition, physiology, showing, or veterinary medicine. The referee judges may rule individually or jointly on the acceptability of any question or answer. In cases of challenges to questions or answers, both the referee judges or oneTeams referee judge and the moderator must agree on the acceptability or rejection of any question or answer.
3. Timekeeper: When using a quiz bowl board, it may be easiest for the moderator to keep time. If not, at least one individual shall be used to indicate to the moderator the expiration of the time allowed to respond to a question. A referee judge may serve as timekeeper.
4. Scorekeeper: At least two individuals should be used to keep score for each contest.
Teams
1. Each team shall consist of four contestants or five contestants if an alternate is
  appointed. The alternate shall not be seated at the panel, nor may the alternate
  participate in the questions and answers unless: The moderator deems it impossible for one of the regular members of the team to continue in the contest; or the captain or coach of a team requests the replacement of a team member with the alternate.
2. If an alternate is seated following the removal of a regular contestant, the team
  member removed becomes the alternate and becomes ineligible to return to that
  game. The team member removed, and the alternate remain eligible to
  participate in further games. The use of an alternate is strongly recommended.
3. The alternate, if not used as a competing member of the contest, shall be considered eligible for future contests.
4. Upon completion of a match, team members and coaches must remain in the match room until the completion of the round or go directly to a designated, supervised holding area. After completion of a round, team members and coaches must remain in the designated holding area until their match or lunch break.

Procedure of Play

Order of teams will be drawn at random. A bye system will be used if an odd number
of teams enter. The number of teams participating, and the time allowed for the contest
will determine the exact procedure followed.
Whenever time and space permit, a double elimination procedure will be used.
Each match will consist of three phases as described below. In all phases, only the first
answer given is accepted and will be ruled as correct or incorrect.
1. Phase One: Phase One will consist of eight (8) one-on-one questions. During the one-on-one competition, only one member of each team who the specific question is directed
  to will be eligible to respond. This eligibility will rotate with each question beginning
  with the captain of each team, and rotating to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th contestants of each
  team, respectively, until all eight questions have been asked. This means each pair of
  individuals (one member from each team) will be asked two questions. Correct answers
  are worth 10 points with no deduction for incorrect answers. If neither contestant buzzes
  in, the question dies, and no points are awarded or lost. No teammate assistance may be
  offered or received in this phase. A contestant must buzz-in within 5 seconds after the
  question is read and answers must be started within 5 seconds of the contestant being
  recognized by the moderator (starting an answer after the 5 second buzzer goes off is not
  acceptable). Answers will consist of multiple choice; fill in the blank, and/or completion
  type questions.
  1. The moderator shall indicate prior to reading each question which two contestants are eligible to respond. If the first recognized contestant fails to respond or answers incorrectly, the moderator will offer the question to the other contestant. The moderator will read the correct answer if both contestants answer the question incorrectly or no answers are given.
  2. Each question shall be addressed to only one member of each team, beginning with the team captain and progressing with subsequent questions to the number 2, 3, and 4 contestants, respectively. If neither contestant buzzes in, the question dies, and no points are awarded or lost. The next pair of contestants gets a new question.
  3. A contestant must be recognized by the moderator prior to beginning his/her answer. Any member answering a question without being acknowledged will result in the deduction of 10 points from the team score. The opposing contestant has the option of answering the question within 5 seconds after receiving an offer from the moderator.
  4. If a contestant buzzes in and fails to respond to the question in the form of an answer, a five-point penalty will be assessed.
  5. There will be a five-point deduction if any contestant, other than the two designated contestants, responds.
  6. If the equipment allows a member of each team to buzz in at the same time or locks out both team members because they hit the button at the same time, and the moderator cannot determine which team member buzzed first, the question will be discarded and a new question will be selected by the judges.
2. Phase Two: Phase Two will consist of six (6) questions. Each team will be asked three
  questions each on an alternating basis. Each team may write the question down on the
  paper provided to them when it is first read. Correct answers are worth 10 points, with no
  deductions for incorrect answers. The team shall discuss questions prior to answering, but
  only the team captain can report the answer. If anyone other than the team captain
  answers, no points will be awarded. Answers must be started within 20 seconds after the
  question is read (starting an answer after the 20-second buzzer goes off is not acceptable).
  Teams are not required to buzz in to provide their answer. Questions shall primarily be
  fill-in-the-blank, completion, or short answer, but may include some multiple choice.
  When a team fails to answer the question in the allotted time or answers the question
  incorrectly, the moderator shall offer the question to the opposing team, without re-reading it. The opposing team may discuss the question and shall have 20 seconds (from
  the time the moderator offers the question) to begin an answer to the question. Correct
  answers are worth 10 points, with no deductions for incorrect answers. This team may
  discuss the question only, after being offered to them, by the moderator (not while the
  team originally asked the question is discussing it). Only the team captain may report the
  answer. Teams are not required to buzz in before answering the question.
3. Phase Three: Phase Three will consist of regular, toss-up and bonus questions with a
  possible total of eight (8) questions worth 15 points each. During this phase, any team
  member from either team may buzz in to answer a regular or toss-up question. The first
  two questions will be regular questions. Every 3rd question will be a toss-up question
  with a bonus attached. The only difference between a regular and a toss-up question will
  be that toss-up questions will have a bonus question attached.
  1. Scoring and procedures of regular and toss-up questions with no Violation of Play:
    After the regular or toss-up question has been read, the first individual from either team
    to signal will answer the question within five seconds after being acknowledged by the
    moderator or will lose 10 points. Ten points will be deducted for incomplete or incorrect
    answers. In the event of an incorrect answer, the other team can answer after buzzing and
    being acknowledged by the moderator. The second team must buzz in within 10 seconds
    of being offered the question by the moderator. The question will not be re-read. If
    neither team can offer an answer, the moderator will give the correct answer and neither
    team will forfeit points.
  2. Scoring and procedures of regular and toss-up questions with Violation of Play: Any
    member answering regular or toss-up questions without being acknowledged will result
    in the deduction of 10 points from the team score. The opposing team has the option of
    answering the question within 10 seconds after receiving an offer from the moderator.
    The question will not be re-read. The second team must buzz in and be acknowledged by
    the moderator before answering.
  3. Bonus questions: If a bonus question is attached to a correctly answered toss-up question, the moderator reads the bonus question and the team that answered the toss-up question is allowed to discuss the question. The question will not be re-read. The team may write the question down on the paper provided to them when it is first read. Answers must be started within 20 seconds after the question is read. Only the team captain may answer the question. If anyone other than the team captain answers the question, no points will be awarded. Correctly answered bonus questions are worth 15 points. All parts of bonus questions must be answered correctly. No points are deducted for incorrect or incomplete answers to bonus questions. The opposing team does not have the opportunity to answer bonus questions.
  4. If a bonus question was attached to an unanswered toss-up question or an incorrectly answered toss-up question, the bonus question dies with no points awarded and the moderator will read the next regular question.
  5. Pre-mature buzzing: When the buzzer is pushed before the question is completely read, the moderator will stop reading and that person must answer the question after being acknowledged. If the answer is incorrect or incomplete, ten points will be deducted from the team score. The judge(s) will not ask for clarification of answers in these instances. Answers must be complete and correct. If a multiple-choice question must be answered before all the possible answers have been read, the contestant’s answer must match the moderator’s correct answer exactly, either by letter choice, or by the corresponding wording of the correct letter. If the answer is not complete and correct, the question will then be completely re-read, and the other team will have the opportunity to answer it after buzzing and being acknowledged.
  6. Both teams buzz at the same time: If the equipment allows a member of each team to
    buzz in at the same time or locks out all team members because they hit the button at the
    time, and the moderator cannot determine which team member buzzed first, the
    question will be discarded and a new question will be selected by the judges.
Questions will not be re-read, except as in (c-5) above.
The score of both teams will be announced periodically.
The judge(s) may not ask for clarification of answers from contestants.

Phase One: One-on-One Questions
Scores	Points
Correct	+10
Incorrect	No Points Lost
Fail to signal or contestant not acknowledged by moderator	-10
A contestant other than the two designated contestants responds	-5
Fail to answer after signaling intent to answer is an incorrect answer	-5

Phase Two: Team Questions
Scores	Points
Correct	+10
Incorrect	No Points Lost
Fail to signal or contestant not acknowledged by moderator	-10

Phase Three: Regular & Toss-Up Questions (Every 3rd Question will be a Toss-Up)
Regular & Toss-Up Questions
Scores	Points
Correct	+15
Incorrect	-10
Fail to signal or contestant not acknowledged by moderator	-10

Bonus Questions
Scores	Points
Correct	+15
Incorrect	No Points Lost
Fail to signal or contestant not acknowledged by moderator	-10

Match Ties

If both teams are tied at the end of a match, the moderator will read a series of three additional toss-up questions until the tie is broken. Questions will be scored as in Phase Three (see below). If still tied after this series of questions, the match becomes “Sudden Death” play. Thus, the first team to achieve a higher score will become the winner of the match. Questions for “Sudden Death” play will be selected by the judges.
Protesting
When a protest is raised, the moderator will call timeout. The moderator and judge(s) will consider the protest. In all cases, the decision of the moderator and judge(s) is final.
1. Only one member of a team or the coach of a team may make a protest of a question or an answer, and then only at the time a particular question is read, or the answer given. Once the moderator has begun the next question, the protest is not valid.
  1. If a question is protested before an answer is given and the protest sustained – the moderator will discard the question. No loss or gain of points for either team.
  2. If an answer is protested (either correct or incorrect) - at least one of the judges and the moderator or two judges will determine the validity of the protest. Points will be added or subtracted as appropriate.
  3. If a question is protested after an answer is given (correct or incorrect) - at least one judge and the moderator, or two judges will determine the validity of the protest question. The question may be discarded at no loss of points, or the question may be allowed with the appropriate gain or loss of points as in the situation above.
2. If a protest is sustained, the moderator will take one of the following actions as deemed appropriate:
3. Abuse of protest provisions may result in one or more of the following: Dismissal of the team coach from the contest area; dismissal or replacement of the team member; dismissal of the entire team with forfeiture of any points or ranking.
4. Spectators, parents, and visitors may not protest any question, answer, or procedure during the course of the contest. They may, however, submit in writing to the contest officials any suggestions, complaints, or constructive criticism at the conclusion of the contest.
5. No source of information is infallible. There may at times be answers given to questions, which agree with recommended sources, which are in fact erroneous. Every effort shall be made to eliminate these questions, but in the event of such occurrences, the judges and moderator may challenge the answer to the question, and if there is unanimous agreement, may elect to accept only the correct answer or to discard the question with no loss or gain of points to either team.
6. Team coaches may bring resource materials into the contest room. In the event of a protest, a team member or the coach of the team will have two minutes to use these reference materials to clarify the protest.
Equipment Failure
1. It shall be the responsibility of contestants to assure themselves that all equipment is operating correctly at the start of the match.
2. If the device being used ceases to function during a match or is believed to be malfunctioning, a "time out" may be called by any contestant, the moderator, or by either coach.
3. If after checking it is determined that there is an equipment malfunction, the faulty part(s) will be replaced, and play resumed.
4. Scores accumulated up to the point of the "time out" shall stand and all further points awarded during the remainder of the match added to or subtracted from this total.
  1. If both referee judges or one referee judge and the moderator deem it advisable, points awarded for the two (2) questions asked immediately prior to determination of equipment failure may be recalled and two (2) additional questions used.
5. Under no conditions shall there be a replay of a match in which there was equipment failure.
Recorders, Cameras, Cell Phones and Beepers
1. Tape reorders may not be used at any time during the conduct of a match.
2. NO recording devices such as video tape cameras, movie cameras or any other type of camera and may be used during the conduct of a match.
3. Photographs will be permitted only before or after a match and then in only such a manner as not to be disruptive of the contest.
4. Please TURN OFF cell phones and beepers when in contest room.
5. Transcribing contest questions by any means is prohibited. There will be NO handwriting, typing or computer use in the contest rooms. Affiliated teams will be eliminated from the competition