What packets should I study?
- VinaiRachakonda
- Lulu
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- Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 12:50 pm
- Location: Maryland
What packets should I study?
Hey all,
My schools is trying very hard to improve at quizbowl, and some advice I have read is the necessity of pouring through packets. So far we have gone through stuff like old MD spring packets and 2013 Prison Bowl. But as an intermediate level team, what are some must-read packets on the archives?
Thanks
My schools is trying very hard to improve at quizbowl, and some advice I have read is the necessity of pouring through packets. So far we have gone through stuff like old MD spring packets and 2013 Prison Bowl. But as an intermediate level team, what are some must-read packets on the archives?
Thanks
Vinaichandra Rachakonda
Eleanor Roosevelt High School Quiz Team
Class of 2016
Eleanor Roosevelt High School Quiz Team
Class of 2016
- Good Goblin Housekeeping
- Auron
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Re: What packets should I study?
Almost any HSAPQ ones, LIST, NSC if you're up for a challenge, ACF Fall (easier than NSC, probably).VinaiRachakonda wrote:Hey all,
My schools is trying very hard to improve at quizbowl, and some advice I have read is the necessity of pouring through packets. So far we have gone through stuff like old MD spring packets and 2013 Prison Bowl. But as an intermediate level team, what are some must-read packets on the archives?
Thanks
Fred Morlan
University of Kentucky CoP, 2017
International Quiz Bowl Tournaments, CEO, co-owner
former PACE member, president, etc.
former hsqbrank manager, former NAQT writer & subject editor, former hsqb Administrator/Chief Administrator
University of Kentucky CoP, 2017
International Quiz Bowl Tournaments, CEO, co-owner
former PACE member, president, etc.
former hsqbrank manager, former NAQT writer & subject editor, former hsqb Administrator/Chief Administrator
-
- Yuna
- Posts: 866
- Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2012 6:45 pm
Re: What packets should I study?
I would say Prison Bowl, LIST, and GSAC are annually very good. LIST is probably the easiest of the three, prison bowl the hardest. 2013 BHSAT was a fantastic regular difficulty set, but I wouldn't recommend 2012 (I don't know about other years). Harvard Fall is good if you want slightly more difficult questions. If you want to go a step beyond that there is PACE NSC.
Michael Borecki
Middlesex Middle '13,
Darien (co-captain) '17,
Bowdoin College (club president) '21
Middlesex Middle '13,
Darien (co-captain) '17,
Bowdoin College (club president) '21
- zachary_yan
- Lulu
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Re: What packets should I study?
It seems like it would be good idea if the difficulty level of each packet set on the archive was marked (so labeled as novice, regular, nationals or whatever). Also, I'm just wondering what exactly "highly recommended as practice material" is supposed to mean? I'm assuming it's referring to the quality of the writing as tournament question material, but in that case I could imagine that any packet from like 2005 onward would be as good as any to just pick up stock clues.
Wayzata '13
St. Olaf College
Wayzata middle schools assistant
St. Olaf College
Wayzata middle schools assistant
Re: What packets should I study?
Ted Gan made a pretty nice difficulty index.
Brendan McKendy
University of Ottawa 2011
University of Ottawa 2011
Re: What packets should I study?
The Difficulty Index is pretty good, except, I believe that NASAT is meant to be regular college difficulty. I know when we practice on NASAT sets we drop a handful of toss-ups per round, while we nearly never drop a PACE question in practice by the give away.
Matt Beeken
Eastern Montgomery High School
Math Instructional Coach
Scholastic Bowl Coach (2022 - ??)
mbeeken AT mcps DOT org
Eastern Montgomery High School
Math Instructional Coach
Scholastic Bowl Coach (2022 - ??)
mbeeken AT mcps DOT org
Re: What packets should I study?
Thank you, that's been noted. I appreciate the constructive criticism, and encourage others to email/PM (don't want to derail this thread) me with comments on missing and mis-categorized sets as well.mithokie wrote:The Difficulty Index is pretty good, except, I believe that NASAT is meant to be regular college difficulty. I know when we practice on NASAT sets we drop a handful of toss-ups per round, while we nearly never drop a PACE question in practice by the give away.
To answer the question of "What packets should I study?", I would recommend practicing on a variety of difficulty levels, aka not just regular high school difficulty. Always try to push your comfort zone and play on sets a bit more difficult than what you're accustomed to. Once a week (or more!), play on the highest difficulty that does not frustrate you (e.g. if it's difficult to the point where it isn't fun and demotivates you, tone it down a notch).
Ted (Ze Feng) Gan
The Pennsylvania State University, 2025
The Pennsylvania State University, 2021
Carleton University, 2019
Colonel By Secondary School, 2015
Former Executive Member of the Ontario Quizbowl Association (ONQBA), 2015-16
Former NAQT Writer, 2013-2016
The Pennsylvania State University, 2025
The Pennsylvania State University, 2021
Carleton University, 2019
Colonel By Secondary School, 2015
Former Executive Member of the Ontario Quizbowl Association (ONQBA), 2015-16
Former NAQT Writer, 2013-2016
Re: What packets should I study?
I think you should consider breaking sets out in terms of difficulty by year; for example, HFT is usually a hard regular HS set, but in 2012-13 was pretty close to an IS set; Prison Bowl started out pretty easy, then inflated in difficulty, etc.
Fred Morlan
University of Kentucky CoP, 2017
International Quiz Bowl Tournaments, CEO, co-owner
former PACE member, president, etc.
former hsqbrank manager, former NAQT writer & subject editor, former hsqb Administrator/Chief Administrator
University of Kentucky CoP, 2017
International Quiz Bowl Tournaments, CEO, co-owner
former PACE member, president, etc.
former hsqbrank manager, former NAQT writer & subject editor, former hsqb Administrator/Chief Administrator
- Stained Diviner
- Auron
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Re: What packets should I study?
The bolding of highly recommended sets has not been updated well. At this point, it means absolutely nothing.zachary_yan wrote:It seems like it would be good idea if the difficulty level of each packet set on the archive was marked (so labeled as novice, regular, nationals or whatever). Also, I'm just wondering what exactly "highly recommended as practice material" is supposed to mean? I'm assuming it's referring to the quality of the writing as tournament question material, but in that case I could imagine that any packet from like 2005 onward would be as good as any to just pick up stock clues.