wexs883198215 wrote:Hm....
Is it really that useful to plot out a timeline? The plot isn't terribly important imo, just the chemicals and stuff each person is connected with.
The analysis of the crime constitutes 30% of the overall score. I would think you have NO chance of placing without a delailed and well conceived essay.
You may want to refer to the test called "The Glass Menagerie" at
[email protected] which requires you to accurately detail the individual suspects schedules for the last month prior to the crime. In addition, it provides you with a rare exercise in glass refraction (that many had no idea what to do with). I'm told that THE Ohio State competion focused heavily on glass refraction for the second year in a row.
With the addition of entomology a few years ago, Forensic timelines have become critical to solving many of the cases... In fact, I'd say that if you see bugs, you should immediately plan on creating a timeline, if for no other reason than to determine time of death.
I will agree that timelines do not always matter... sometimes it has to do with physical properties or abilities of the suspects (i.e. who is tall enoughto reach the window, or skinny enough to fit through the pet door, etc.), but most of the tests that I write will require a certain amount of critical thinking beyond just identifying chemicals. In the essay portion I'm not looking for regurgitation of facts already identified, I'm looking to see who can tie them together in a logical thought process.
On occassion, I have even been surprised by essays that identify a different suspect than intended, but the team was able to accurately create a logic path that led them to different suspect than I had initially set up... Needless to say, I scored their essay very high, becuase they proved their point!
