Question writing help: American Literature

[MahoningQuizBowler]

I've volunteered to write the questions for my League and tournament, but I've never written questions before. So, I look to you for advice.

In Ohio format, every match starts off with American Literature questions. Given the fact that I will have to write somehwere in the vicinity of 100 questions over 35 rounds of play, I want to know how would you distribute those 100 questions?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

[QuizbowlPostmodernist]

There's no hard-and-fast you have to have x questions on topic y. There's an acceptable range, but you don't have to slavishly devote yourself to quotas. Anyone who tells you that you have to follow strict percentages is a fool.

These days, I would tell you to start of by writing some drama, enough that you think you've hit on most of the major playwrights. Then write some questions on non-fiction. Just enough to feel like you gave some representation. Then split the rest (not necessarily evenly) between poetry and fiction, concentrating on authors who have written short stories and poems that might appear in an anthology that would be used by a high school class (although these authors, of course, may be more famous for longer works).

Moer importantly, mix up the types of answers. Authors, titles, characters, and other plot elements are all fair game. And mix up the eras from which you draw questions.

I recommend a solid anthology like Norton's or Harper to give you an overview, although each book contains sections on authors who you should not write about. And, of course, those works are biased towards shorter works that can be anthologized, and you need to hit upon some novels and longer poems. One of these, or a similar book, should be available in a decent public library.

But if you want numbers, I'd say try to touch on a third to a half of the playwrights you think are askable. Write a handful of questions on non-fiction, where you get to define a handful. Split what is left between prose and poetry. Anywhere between 50-50 and 70-30 is probably doable.

[Stained Diviner]

In my opinion, which is nothing more than my opinion, I would have about one-third pre-1900, about one-third 1900-1950, and about one-third post-1950 for the prose. I would slant the poetry a little bit more towards older works.

In terms of genre, I would have a little under half about novels and novelists followed in order by poetry, drama, and short stories.

I don't know whether nonfiction fits into this category or not. If you are writing that many high school questions, you do want to include thinkers such as Franklin and Thoreau whether it is in literature or somewhere else.

[MahoningQuizBowler]

Thanks for the advice.

In Ohio format, the order of play is always as follows...

Am. Lit
Math
World History
Fine Arts
Life Science
World Lit.
Am. Gov.
Physical Sci
World Geog
US History
A 20-question worksheet where all answers begin with the same letter
A 20-question lightning round.

So from time to time I may be asking for advice on those other categories as well.

[quizbowllee]

I have written for two years for a conference in Ohio that adheres to this same format. I can tell you from experience that it is VERY tedious...

I seriously think that if I am approached to provide questions again this year in that Ohio format that I will pass... It's not worth the money I got paid...

My advice to you is to focus on one subject and then cut-and-paste the questions into the games. It took me literally 100 to 200 hours of work to put these sets together, so my heart goes out to you.

[bdavery]

You may purchase the 14 rounds in OAC format we wrote for this year, which would be 40% of your work done. Plus since we wrote the state tournaments last year, it will give you experience with our style in case we get the job again this year (no word yet).

e-mail is [email protected]

best, Bryce