Scioly Summer Study Session 2014

[foreverphysics]

With the close of this year’s National tournament, many of us eagerly anticipate the new events being put into rotation for next year, but face the long summer months in between the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Yet save those tears, members of scioly.org- our second annual Science Olympiad Study Session (SSSS) has just begun!

This event will be run very similarly to last year’s. You submit a resource, listed below, for one of the events scheduled for the 2014-2015 season. Once it is approved by an SSSS moderator, you gain access to all other resources submitted to SSSS! The resources are yours to use, but we ask that they are not shared with other people (including teammates) not in SSSS. Around August, when SSSS ends, these resources are uploaded to the wiki, test exchange, and image gallery.
Over sixty people participated in SSSS last year; let’s see if we can beat that this year! Science Olympiad Study Session is a great way to get a head start towards the next season and explore the new events as well as brush up on ones continuing their rotation. Interested? Here are the logistics of participating in SSSS in detail:


1.Make a forum account if you don’t have one yet. Due to logistical reasons we can only add users who are members of scioly.org

2.There are multiple ways to get involved.
You can make a test and answer key. This must be tournament quality and length.
You may submit notes for an event scheduled for 2015. The notes must be similarly extensive and at least 7,500 words long.
You may submit a set of images AND build plans for build events. There must be at least 3 images. They can be CAD or actual images.
You may submit a building guide for build events, like Aia’s Boomilever Guide. Guides must be a minimum of 1,000 words and include diagrams and clear, concise instructions. Tips are good as well.
All resources must be homemade.
For a list of events, please see this document.

3. Check the Test Exchange to find examples of tests that have been submitted by other users in the past. Many of the tests titled “[Username]’s [Event Name] Practice Test 2014 are ones that were submitted to last year’s SSSS.

4.You email your resource to [email protected]. The email should be titled [Your scioly.org username]’s [Name of Event] [Type of Resource: test, notes, plans, or guide]. For example, “Mnstrviola’s Experimental Design Test”. The file(s) should be attached to the email, preferably in PDF format.

5.The moderators will look over the resource. If they are approved, you will be added under the SSSS usergroup. We will reply to the email with instructions on accessing the SSSS forums and database. If they are not approved, we will reply to the email with suggestions on issues and/or improvement. You should be contacted in under 3 days, 5 tops! If not, please contact us further. When responding to an email, please click REPLY TO ALL.

6. Once accepted, you can then access the files through scioly.org on your logged-in account.



SSSS will end sometime in August. The resources will all be added to the scioly.org wiki and Test Exchange unless the user requests otherwise. You must tell us beforehand if you do not wish to have your notes and/or tests uploaded publicly.

For a list of events, please see this document.

Have any questions or comments? You can respond to this post, private message mnstrviola or foreverphysics, or email the mods at [email protected].

Note: The SSSS is not a tournament. It is not meant to be a competitive event, but an unofficial study event to practice for the upcoming Science Olympiad season.

[cifutielu]

With the close of this year’s National tournament, many of us eagerly anticipate the new events being put into rotation for next year, but face the long summer months in between the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Yet save those tears, members of scioly.org- our second annual Science Olympiad Study Session (SSSS) has just begun!

This event will be run very similarly to last year’s. You submit a resource, listed below, for one of the events scheduled for the 2014-2015 season. Once it is approved by an SSSS moderator, you gain access to all other resources submitted to SSSS! The resources are yours to use, but we ask that they are not shared with other people (including teammates) not in SSSS. Around August, when SSSS ends, these resources are uploaded to the wiki, test exchange, and image gallery.
Over sixty people participated in SSSS last year; let’s see if we can beat that this year! Science Olympiad Study Session is a great way to get a head start towards the next season and explore the new events as well as brush up on ones continuing their rotation. Interested? Here are the logistics of participating in SSSS in detail:


1.Make a forum account if you don’t have one yet. Due to logistical reasons we can only add users who are members of scioly.org

2.There are multiple ways to get involved.
You can make a test and answer key. This must be tournament quality and length.
You may submit notes for an event scheduled for 2015. The notes must be similarly extensive and at least 7,500 words long.
You may submit a set of images AND build plans for build events. There must be at least 3 images. They can be CAD or actual images.
You may submit a building guide for build events, like Aia’s Boomilever Guide. Guides must also be a minimum of 7,500 words.
For a list of events, please see this document.

3. Check the Test Exchange to find examples of tests that have been submitted by other users in the past. Many of the tests titled “[Username]’s [Event Name] Practice Test 2014 are ones that were submitted to last year’s SSSS.

4.You email your resource to [INSERT EMAIL ([email protected]?)]. The email should be titled [Your scioly.org username]’s [Name of Event] [Type of Resource: test, notes, plans, or guide]. For example, “Mnstrviola’s Experimental Design Test”. The file(s) should be attached to the email, preferably in PDF format.

5.The moderators will look over the resource. If they are approved, you will be added under the SSSS usergroup. We will reply to the email with instructions on accessing the SSSS forums and database. If they are not approved, we will reply to the email with suggestions on issues and/or improvement. You should be contacted in under 3 days, 5 tops! If not, please contact us further. When responding to an email, please click REPLY TO ALL.

6. Once accepted, you can then access the files through scioly.org on your logged-in account.



SSSS will end sometime in August. The resources will all be added to the scioly.org wiki and Test Exchange unless the user requests otherwise. You must tell us beforehand if you do not wish to have your notes and/or tests uploaded publicly.

For a list of events, please see this document.

Have any questions or comments? You can respond to this post, private message mnstrviola or foreverphysics, or email the mods at [email protected].

Note: The SSSS is not a tournament. It is not meant to be a competitive event, but an unofficial study event to practice for the upcoming Science Olympiad season.

This sounds like an excellent idea! I'd love to join! However, I have a quick question:

I want to write an astronomy test. However, I do not know the deep space objects that will be on next year's test. Should I just write a general astronomy test for variable stars (which is what I am predicting the topic will be for 14-15), or attempt to write a test for another subject instead?

[syo_astro]

This sounds like an excellent idea! I'd love to join! However, I have a quick question:

I want to write an astronomy test. However, I do not know the deep space objects that will be on next year's test. Should I just write a general astronomy test for variable stars (which is what I am predicting the topic will be for 14-15), or attempt to write a test for another subject instead?

I would say try to make the test focus on general areas for majority of it. That is, focus on stuff like using multi-wavelength images, understanding of doppler shift, use of spectra. That way everyone will definitely win, the best tests for Astro don't just focus on DSOs. You can even look up various objects like clusters or something and try to incorporate that as a question. Sorry if this is general, just lots of ways I can think of making tests without knowing specific rules. If you feel the need to include DSOs, then I recommend using past lists (there's many online at places like the wiki), or other famous/important objects. Then, at the beginning of the test, label which DSOs are used.

[cifutielu]

This sounds like an excellent idea! I'd love to join! However, I have a quick question:

I want to write an astronomy test. However, I do not know the deep space objects that will be on next year's test. Should I just write a general astronomy test for variable stars (which is what I am predicting the topic will be for 14-15), or attempt to write a test for another subject instead?

I would say try to make the test focus on general areas for majority of it. That is, focus on stuff like using multi-wavelength images, understanding of doppler shift, use of spectra. That way everyone will definitely win, the best tests for Astro don't just focus on DSOs. You can even look up various objects like clusters or something and try to incorporate that as a question. Sorry if this is general, just lots of ways I can think of making tests without knowing specific rules. If you feel the need to include DSOs, then I recommend using past lists (there's many online at places like the wiki), or other famous/important objects. Then, at the beginning of the test, label which DSOs are used.

Awesome, thanks for the reply syo!

I'll probably make a general one over the summer. I've got some long train rides ahead of me so I'll have time!

[Fizix]

Alright, so I have some questions:
1) The point of this is that we give resources for one event that we know really well so we can get resources on any other event(s) we want to study, right?
2) Should we use old rules for returning events like the ones from 2010 for It's About Time, or just avoid them for now?
3) For events like Compound, if I write a test do I also have to showcase a device?
4) Should we avoid specific topics that were emphasized in the 2013-2014 season that will probably be removed (but haven't been officially announced to do so)?
5) Is there any word on TPS topics for this year, whether Mission is going to be tasks or energy transfers, or if Compound's device is still a lever system?

[knittingfrenzy18]

I was planning to write a boatload of tests this summer--however, half of my plans were for outgoing events. I noticed I could add a lot to the Heredity wiki, and write a bunch of tests for practically all of my 2013-2014 events. However, I will try to submit the ones for next year that I know about/will learn about in advance. However, is it just me, or some of these events that I'm interested in/interested in writing for I need rules for? Where would I get them?

EDIT: Also, what are your opinions on strat guides to events you haven't actually been on yet but may have ideas about/haven't been on yet but know about the science (e.g. Picture This, Bio-Process Lab)?

EDIT2: Is this the same thing as this?

[Fyren]

I was planning to write a boatload of tests this summer--however, half of my plans were for outgoing events. I noticed I could add a lot to the Heredity wiki, and write a bunch of tests for practically all of my 2013-2014 events. However, I will try to submit the ones for next year that I know about/will learn about in advance. However, is it just me, or some of these events that I'm interested in/interested in writing for I need rules for? Where would I get them?

EDIT: Also, what are your opinions on strat guides to events you haven't actually been on yet but may have ideas about/haven't been on yet but know about the science (e.g. Picture This, Bio-Process Lab)?

EDIT2: Is this the same thing as this?

Some of the study events have sample rules in the trial events section of the official website (though most are for builds). I'm pretty sure that the trial rules (B/C) for Oceanography can be applied to Dynamic Planet

The application for the SciOly Summer Project asked if we would have access to video-recording devices, which isn't a part of the SSSS, so they probably aren't the same thing. The application process is also different.

[foreverphysics]

Alright, so I have some questions:
1) The point of this is that we give resources for one event that we know really well so we can get resources on any other event(s) we want to study, right?

For the most part, yes. It can also be seen as a way to get better at an event that you have proficiency in, but still need to work on.

2) Should we use old rules for returning events like the ones from 2010 for It's About Time, or just avoid them for now?

Use old event rules, but show discretion and mark clearly that your test/notes were made using old rules. However, since the rules for study events don't generally change much from year to year, it's pretty safe to use those.

3) For events like Compound, if I write a test do I also have to showcase a device?

It would be great if you did, but we're not requiring it.

4) Should we avoid specific topics that were emphasized in the 2013-2014 season that will probably be removed (but haven't been officially announced to do so)?

PRELIMINARY specific topics should be up soon, if we can find it.

5) Is there any word on TPS topics for this year, whether Mission is going to be tasks or energy transfers, or if Compound's device is still a lever system?

This is under the same category as #4. If you cannot find it, use your best judgment on what to do.

I was planning to write a boatload of tests this summer--however, half of my plans were for outgoing events. I noticed I could add a lot to the Heredity wiki, and write a bunch of tests for practically all of my 2013-2014 events. However, I will try to submit the ones for next year that I know about/will learn about in advance. However, is it just me, or some of these events that I'm interested in/interested in writing for I need rules for? Where would I get them?

EDIT: Also, what are your opinions on strat guides to events you haven't actually been on yet but may have ideas about/haven't been on yet but know about the science (e.g. Picture This, Bio-Process Lab)?

EDIT2: Is this the same thing as this?

To go over your concerns in order:
Add as much to the wiki as you can, even if it is an outgoing event. It will probably return sometime in the future, and every little bit you contribute helps future generations of SciOly'ers.
For rules, there are a bunch of old rules probably laying around somewhere than you can use. Others have trial rules that you can use. In general, find some rules if you can and use your best judgment and discretion.
You may make strategy guides if you wish--but be careful! Again, use discretion.
No, it is not the same thing as Z's summer project.

Hope this helps!

[S C Rubs]

If we complete a guide or set of notes for a Division B event, would this also give us access to the Division C materials in the SSSS?

[PacificGoldenPlover]

Yes.