To be eligible to become the Regional representative team at the National competition, teams MUST compete in both the Academic and the Fuel Cell Car competitions. Teams are welcome to participate in the Regional Academic competition whether or not they are interested in representing the region at the National competition, however dual-competitors will be given top priority for 8 slots in both competitions.

The Academic (question and answer) competition will use a round robin format for the preliminary rounds and a double elimination format for the final rounds. During the round robin format, each team will play every other team in its bracket. There will be no tie-break questions during the round robin matches. All eight teams will advance to the double-elimination format final rounds. Seeding based on round-robin results will determine first round opponents for the double-elimination rounds. After this, a competition flow chart will be followed to determine opposing teams. Final ranking in the academic competition will be based on the double-elimination competition chart.

Rules for the Academic Competition
1. Two types of questions will be used: toss-up and bonus questions. A toss-up question, may be answered by any member of either team that is playing. The toss up question must be answered correctly in order for a team to be offered a bonus question.

2. No team will have more than one opportunity to answer a toss-up question.

3. Questions are either multiple-choice or short answer. The only acceptable answer to a multiple-choice question is the one read by the moderator.

4. Once read in its entirety, a question will not be re-read.

5. On toss-up questions, the first player on either team to activate the lock-out buzzer system wins the right to answer the question. No player may buzz in until AFTER the moderator has identified the subject area of the question, e.g., Physical Science.

6. Before answering the questions, the team member must be verbally recognized by the moderator . If not recognized, it is treated as a non-answer and the moderator will not indicate whether the answer was right or wrong.

7. No consultation is allowed on toss-up questions.

8. Should a player answer a toss-up question before being verbally recognized or should consultation among any of the team members occur, any answer given does not count (the moderator does not say whether the answer given was correct or incorrect) and the team loses the right to answer the toss-up question. The question is then offered to the opposing team.

9. On a toss-up question, the first answer given is the only one that counts. However, for a multiple choice question, if both the letter answer and the scientific answer are given, both must be correct.

10. If the answer to a toss-up question is wrong and the question was completely read, the other team is given the opportunity to answer the toss-up question, unless time expires before the second team has buzzed in. The second team is allowed a full 10 seconds to buzz in after the first team has answered incorrectly or has answered without being recognized, unless time expires.

11. The answer to the bonus question must come from the team's captain. Moderators should ignore an answer from anyone but the captain on the bonus question.

Timing Rules
12. The match is played until either the time expires or all the toss-up questions have been read. Regional competitions have two 8-minute halves with a 2-minute break. Each half begins with a toss-up question.

13. After reading a toss-up question, the moderator will allow 10 seconds for the two teams to respond before proceeding to the next toss-up question. Timing begins after the moderator has completed reading the toss-up question.

14. A student who has buzzed in on a toss-up question must answer the question promptly after being verbally recognized by the moderator. After recognizing a student, the moderator will allow for a natural pause (up to 3 seconds), but if the moderator determines that stalling occurred, the team loses its opportunity to answer the question and it is offered to the opposing team if eligible.

15. After a team member has answered a toss-up question correctly, the team is given the opportunity to answer a bonus question. The team will have 30 seconds to begin to give its answer to the bonus question. Consultation among team members is allowed on bonus questions.

16. On a bonus question, the signal "5 SECONDS" will be given by the timekeeper after 25 seconds of the allowed 30 seconds have expired. Additionally, the timekeeper will indicate the end of the 30-second bonus period by saying "TIME." If the team captain has not begun the response before the timekeeper calls "TIME," the answer does not count. If the team captain has begun the response, he/she may complete the answer.

Scoring
17. Toss-up questions are worth 4 points, and bonus questions are worth 10 points.

18. If a toss-up question is interrupted, the student recognized, and the answer correct, the team will receive 4 points. If the answer is incorrect, 4 points are added to the opposing team's score, the question is reread in its entirety, and the opposing team has an opportunity to answer the toss-up question with the chance to answer the bonus question if correct.

19. The double interrupt. If a toss-up question is interrupted, the student recognized and the answer is incorrect, 4 points are added to the opposing team's score. The question is then reread in its entirety. However, if a student on the opposing team interrupts the re-reading of the question, the player is verbally recognized and gives an incorrect answer, 4 points are added to the other team's score. The moderator will give the correct answer and move on to the next toss-up question.

20. If the moderator inadvertently gives an answer to a toss-up question without giving either team a chance to respond, no points are awarded and the moderator goes on to the next toss-up question.

21. If a toss-up question is interrupted, the student is NOT recognized and blurts out an answer, the result is a non-answer. No penalty points are awarded to the opposing team. The moderator will not indicate whether the answer was right or wrong and the question is re-read in its entirety to the opposing team.

22. If the moderator inadvertently gives the answer to a toss-up question before allowing the second team to respond (after an incorrect answer, or an answer given without the team member having been recognized) the next toss-up question will be read to the second team in place of the inadvertently answered question.

Summary of Scoring

Type of Question	Points Awarded
Toss- up	+4 points, & eligible for bonus
Bonus	+10 points
Incorrectly Answered Interrupted Toss-up	+4 points to opposing team
Unrecognized Interrupted Toss-up or Unrecognized Toss- up	+0 points

Challenges
23. Challenges to questions and responses will not be permitted during the Science Bowl. However, issues regarding rules, the score, or protocol issues may be made, but only by the team members, who are actively competing. The Moderator may consult with other officials during the match. All decisions of the officials are final.

24. Should a question arise during a competition, the competition and the clock will be stopped until the question is resolved. Once the question has been resolved, the match will continue from that point. Should the moderator decide that some time was lost due to the interruption, the moderator has the right to put the appropriate amount of time back on the clock.

When Time Runs Out
25. If the question has been completely read, but neither team has buzzed in, the game or half is over.

26. If the question has been completely read, a student has buzzed in and is recognized before answering, and gives a correct answer the team gets to answer the bonus question. The half or game is then over.

27. If the question has been completely read, a student has buzzed in but time expires before the student has been recognized, the moderator or scientific judge will verbally recognize the student. If the student gives a correct answer the team gets to answer the bonus question. If an incorrect answer is given or the student answers before being verbally recognized, the game or half is over.

28. If the question has been completely read, a student has buzzed in and is recognized before answering, but gives the wrong answer or answers before being verbally recognized, the game or half is over.

If the question has NOT been read completely before time runs out --
29. If the question has not been completely read by the moderator and neither team has buzzed in (interrupted), the game or half is over.

30. If a team member buzzes in before time is called, interrupting the reading of the question, is verbally recognized and answers the question correctly, the team gets to answer the bonus question. The half or game is then over.

31. If a team member buzzes in before time is called, interrupting the reading of the question and is verbally recognized, but answers the question incorrectly, penalty points are awarded, the question is reread for the other team which is then given the chance to answer both the toss-up question and, if correct, the bonus question before the contest or half is over.

32. If a team member buzzes in before time is called, is not verbally recognized, and blurts out the answer, the answer is not accepted but no penalty points are awarded. The question is read in its entirety for the other team which, if it answers correctly, also is given a chance to answer the bonus question before the contest or half ends.
Rules for the Round Robin

33. Round robin matches may end in a tie.If at the conclusion of the entire round robin, two or more teams in a division are tied, each team, in separate rooms, will be given a series of ten toss-up questions (no bonus questions will be used during this segment of the competition). The usual ten (10) seconds will be allowed for a competitor to buzz in after the question is completely read. There are no interrupt penalties but also no reason to interrupt since all ten questions will be read. Scoring will be based on the number of questions right minus the number wrong.

Rules for the End of a Double Elimination Match
34. If the score is tied in double elimination match at the end of the regulation time period, a series of five toss-up questions will be used to break the tie. Interrupt penalties are in effect.

Miscellaneous Science Bowl Rules
35. No one in the audience may communicate with participants during the match; communication will result in ejection from the competition room.

36. If someone in the audience shouts out an answer, the question will be thrown out (as will the person) and the moderator will proceed to the next question.

37. Prior to each match, the two team coaches will introduce themselves to each other and will sit together in the back row of the competition room.

38. No notes may be brought to the competition. Nothing may be written before the clock starts. Scratch paper will be provided at the beginning of each match and collected at half-time and at the conclusion of the match.

39. Calculators are not permitted.

40. Members of the audience, including the coaches, will not write down the questions/answers the moderator reads or use any electronic recording or transmitting device, including digital cameras during the match. At the Nationals, coaches will be provided with a team score sheet to track the number of questions answered by each individual student on their team. No one else in the competition room is permitted to make notes of any kind during the active competition. If this occurs, the individual(s) will be asked to leave the competition room.

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