Disease Detective B/C

[Infinity Flat]

How did you go from 27th in Disease in 2011 to first at Nationals in 2012? Did you just know more, or have a better partner, or what?

I'm asking because I got 9th last year, to 27th this year, and I want to do well next year.

To be honest I'm not really sure haha. But there are a few things that I think definitely helped.
1. Time management. Last year neither my partner nor I brought a watch so we ended up not getting to about a third of the test. This year we were much better prepared in this regard, which was really useful when we ended up having
45 minutes for a 30 page test.
2. No offense to my partner from last year, but the one I had this year was just leagues and miles better. She also did microbe mission, which helped, and actually made me study when I thought I was finished preparing for this event.
3. Studying more effectively. I'm not really going to elaborate on this too much except to say that at the national tournament the test tends to stick very closely to the event rules. But don't get caught up in the rules too much, some times it can really help to just read about recent outbreaks and how they were investigated to see how it all ties together.

Generally, the best advice I could give for the event is this: be prepared to answer every question

[havenguy]

Did you split up the test?

[Infinity Flat]

Did you split up the test?

Yes, right down the middle. There was a little overlap, but for the most part the two halves were done independently.

[Gearbox]

I heard that for next year, the topic will be Water Quality for Disease detectives. Does anyone have any idea what this will entail. I am assuming that this will relate to pollution and such and its effect on disease, but I'm not sure

[crazyfloboe]

I heard that for next year, the topic will be Water Quality for Disease detectives. Does anyone have any idea what this will entail. I am assuming that this will relate to pollution and such and its effect on disease, but I'm not sure

Where did you hear this? Would they really do that when Water Quality is already an event? Then people would double and it wouldn't be as hard.

[ILoveEgretsClub]

Actually, I think it's supposed to cycle back into Environmental Quality.

[Infinity Flat]

Just a reminder, all we know about the topic focus next year is that Chalker posted here that "the tentative plan is for the topic to be 'Environmental Quality.'" Chalker is usually a quite reliable source, but don't count on anything until after the summer coaches clinic.

Should that be the event focus for next year, I outlined what that might mean on the last page.

[silverheart7]

And anyway, it wouldn't be water quality like the existing event. "Water Quality" as a Disease Detectives event would probably be about water-bourne illnesses (which kind of relate to Environmental Quality).

[Infinity Flat]

And anyway, it wouldn't be water quality like the existing event. "Water Quality" as a Disease Detectives event would probably be about water-bourne illnesses (which kind of relate to Environmental Quality).

Well, there might be more overlap then you'd think at first, as water quality would also include such things as insect populations (e.g. mosquitoes.)

[ThornStone]

Does anyone know if Environmental Quality has been a topic for Disease Detectives before?