Search found 42 matches

by csa2125
Fri May 13, 2022 5:13 pm
Forum: Practices, Scrimmages, Online Packets, and Playtesting
Topic: 2022 IQBT NASAT Playtesting
Replies: 0
Views: 1333

2022 IQBT NASAT Playtesting

Hello! We're looking for playtesters for IQBT NASAT, between now and June 4th. We are planning to playtest by subject, on Discord, with flexible hours depending on playtesters' interest and availability. As NASAT's main site will be playing the set as a high school championship, we ask that playtest...
by csa2125
Sun Mar 13, 2022 1:28 am
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2022 WORKSHOP: Thanks and General Discussion
Replies: 19
Views: 5555

Re: 2022 WORKSHOP: Thanks and General Discussion

This set was largely solid , but seems to follow a trend of "weird" regular(ish) difficulty sets (along with, to varying extents, this year's Regionals, ARCADIA, HARI, and Winter; but this "weirdness"--which I feel is invariably the bad kind of "weird"--probably prompts...
by csa2125
Mon Feb 14, 2022 2:47 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous Quizbowl
Topic: 2022 NASAT Call for Writers and Editors
Replies: 0
Views: 1159

2022 NASAT Call for Writers and Editors

We are in need of additional help writing and editing this year’s NASAT iteration. Applications are open to high school graduates over 18 years of age who are not coaching or organizing any main site NASAT teams. Further, we are still looking for subject editors in the following areas of the distrib...
by csa2125
Tue Feb 01, 2022 6:36 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 53
Views: 25802

Re: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion

I'm not sure why the pulsar TU was confusing, since it used the plural. Was there another astro TU that was confusing? 6. An upper bound on preferred-frame effects has been obtained by analyzing a unique binary system of these sources discovered by Marta Burgay. Three citizen scientists made the fi...
by csa2125
Tue Feb 01, 2022 5:56 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 53
Views: 25802

Re: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion

My knowledge of biology and genetics isn't the best, but can I ask what the reasoning was behind having "this phenotype" as the indicator for the death tossup? A lot of people I talked to at our site were really confused by that question, since it seemed like a fairly obtuse way to ask fo...
by csa2125
Fri Dec 24, 2021 7:14 pm
Forum: Theory
Topic: How much "world" should there be in art?
Replies: 12
Views: 7532

Re: How much "world" should there be in art?

Quiz bowl is, of course, a game best equipped to handle European canons of art, in which works are almost always identified with a single known creator and a strong dividing line exists between high and "folk" art exists. This leads to non-Western art often being asked about in "grou...
by csa2125
Fri Dec 24, 2021 2:14 am
Forum: Theory
Topic: How much "world" should there be in art?
Replies: 12
Views: 7532

Re: How much "world" should there be in art?

In memoriam of a well-thought-out post lost to a disconnect (if only we had auto-drafts or auto-saves of some sort...), here are two very relevant and apt comments from the Discord (credit Erik Christensen): i. "I think writers worried about pushback from "expanding the canon" should ...
by csa2125
Thu Dec 23, 2021 3:08 am
Forum: Community Discussion
Topic: A Message for Quizbowl Adults Online
Replies: 6
Views: 8678

Re: A Message for Quizbowl Adults Online

In support of taking action to solve the problems addressed, I would like to propose the following actionable changes to major online hubs for quizbowl discussion and socialization: QBWiki -As Caroline Mao suggested, edit-a-thons would help greatly in solving the current tonal issues with much of th...
by csa2125
Thu Sep 23, 2021 1:01 pm
Forum: Community Discussion
Topic: How Do We Expand and Improve Our Writing Community?
Replies: 7
Views: 7448

Re: How Do We Expand and Improve Our Writing Community?

In consultation with other community members, I have decided to proceed with the creation of such a server. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or encouragement, please contact me here, on Facebook, or on Discord as soon as possible. Accordingly, the following application for potential mo...
by csa2125
Tue Sep 21, 2021 9:21 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Announcing the Clark Smith + Friends Side Event Series!
Replies: 6
Views: 1625

Re: Announcing the Clark Smith + Friends Side Event Series!

Sadly forgot to add a question about contact info in the above form (EDIT: until now), but if I have not contacted you yet and you have signed up, please feel free to reach me on FB or Discord preferably (forum as last resort if you don't have the other two, please)! Your applications have all been ...
by csa2125
Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:36 pm
Forum: Community Discussion
Topic: How Do We Expand and Improve Our Writing Community?
Replies: 7
Views: 7448

How Do We Expand and Improve Our Writing Community?

Sparked of course by the recent Discord panel discussing diversity and inclusion in quizbowl question creation, I spoke to some other community members about this issue, and realized it needs its own post so we can get more voices in on this topic. I believe we should have a larger, more diverse wri...
by csa2125
Sun Sep 19, 2021 3:52 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Gender Neutrality in Quizbowl Writing and Playing
Replies: 13
Views: 3975

Gender Neutrality in Quizbowl Writing and Playing

[This post is mostly made up of things I posted in Discord during discussion of the same, but decided we should "set our ideas in stone" somewhat so it'll eventually be "solved" in some form or fashion] We all know of the "High School Catherine the Great tossup problem"...
by csa2125
Sat Sep 18, 2021 12:46 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Announcing the Clark Smith + Friends Side Event Series!
Replies: 6
Views: 1625

Re: Announcing the Clark Smith + Friends Side Event Series!

Also, looking for a bunch of logistics help, especially because of the number of these ideas, so please reach out to me if you'd like to help organize these and make them come into fruition, whether just one or the whole series!
by csa2125
Sat Sep 18, 2021 12:45 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Announcing the Clark Smith + Friends Side Event Series!
Replies: 6
Views: 1625

Announcing the Clark Smith + Friends Side Event Series!

Which of the following questions sets and packets which I am (soon!) writing would you be interested in playing, collaborating on, playtesting, proofreading, or reading, etc.? [Provisional Titles and Descriptions] are listed in brackets, while parentheses are used (when further detail is needed, as ...
by csa2125
Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:18 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: How do you write and edit quizbowl creatively?
Replies: 7
Views: 4318

Re: How do you write and edit quizbowl creatively?

I want to make a full-scale, perhaps embarrassingly manifesto-like post about quizbowl writing theory once the set Clark, others, and I are working on is released in a year or so, so that I will be able to use our writing to illustrate my points. Very excited for this to come out and spark even mor...
by csa2125
Thu Sep 16, 2021 5:23 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: How do you write and edit quizbowl creatively?
Replies: 7
Views: 4318

How do you write and edit quizbowl creatively?

[Inspired by and borrowing from recent conversations with several quizbowl writers] Is writing a quizbowl question an art form? Is curating a set art? How should we balance the "art' and "accessibility" of the questions and sets we create? First and foremost, knowing how to make solid...
by csa2125
Wed Aug 11, 2021 5:14 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2021 ACF Nationals: Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 35
Views: 8712

Re: 2021 ACF Nationals: Specific Question Discussion

There were too many questions I loved to single any out for their greatness without having to look back at the packets; there wasn't a packet that went by without at least four or five home runs. Again, going back to the packets would let me detail this better, but I remember a few questions that se...
by csa2125
Mon Feb 01, 2021 11:58 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2021 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 39
Views: 15805

Re: 2021 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion

Let me preface this post by saying this set was great. I want to try to point out as many positive examples as problems I had. I’m just going to go by the packets we played at the Invitational mirror: Round 1 (Packet L): -Matisse/Ernst/Ed Ruscha bonus was strong and well-themed -Yom Kippur TU was we...
by csa2125
Wed Dec 30, 2020 7:09 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: RAGAS Call for Writers (College Open Side Event, Summer / Fall 2021)
Replies: 0
Views: 1412

RAGAS Call for Writers (College Open Side Event, Summer / Fall 2021)

I am pleased to announce RAGAS (Reasonable Answers on Global Arts and Song), a side event focusing on world art and music, planned for Summer or Fall of 2021. This event will be open, but accessible to the majority of college players. The scope of this tournament includes the art and music of Asia, ...
by csa2125
Fri Nov 20, 2020 1:54 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Longhorn Invitational Tournament Individual Questions
Replies: 54
Views: 10385

Re: Longhorn Invitational Tournament Individual Questions

I was mildly disappointed by the jazz tossups I played, which were both on chording instruments from the rhythm section (that helped throw me off on the latter question). I don't agree with a lot of decisions about the placement of clues in these questions: I love the first two clues, but would put ...
by csa2125
Mon Mar 02, 2020 2:14 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2020 WORKSHOP Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 42
Views: 9175

Re: 2020 WORKSHOP Specific Question Discussion

The only question that I really didn't like was the opera bonus with the "1920s" answer. This seemed like the kind of detail that quizbowl, especially at this level, avoids for triviality reasons. In what sense do you think that knowing this particular piece of historical context (Wozzeck...
by csa2125
Sun Jan 26, 2020 11:55 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2020 ACF Regionals: Specific Questions and Errata
Replies: 66
Views: 25409

Re: 2020 ACF Regionals: Specific Questions and Errata

Someone in the General Discussion thread brought up an example of “bait,” which was disappointingly more widespread than one question. Off the top of my head, the E minor question had a sentence along the lines of, if I recall correctly, “Victor Herbert’s second cello concerto in this key inspired ...
by csa2125
Sun Jan 26, 2020 10:47 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2020 ACF Regionals: Specific Questions and Errata
Replies: 66
Views: 25409

Re: 2020 ACF Regionals: Specific Questions and Errata

This tossup was definitely my most frustrating neg of the day, as it was incredibly annoying to buzz on a description of The Ecstasy of St. Theresa in a tossup on "this profession," say "saint," and not get points. I probably should have been able to get to nun with the prompt, ...
by csa2125
Tue Nov 19, 2019 1:58 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2019 Fall Open Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 66
Views: 14368

Re: 2019 Fall Open Specific Question Discussion

I wasn’t a huge fan of the “interest and inflation rates” TU: both Kai and I knew none of the specific papers or what but knew “we’re in Econ, talking about or around monetary policy, and two related measures that seem to work in opposite directions (likely rates),” which was enough for Kai to guess...
by csa2125
Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:48 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: ACF Fall 2019 Specific Question Discussion and Errata
Replies: 51
Views: 14578

Re: ACF Fall 2019 Specific Question Discussion and Errata

Also not a gameplay issue, but I don't think it's really true that the ontological argument is more popular than the cosmological or teleological arguments. Given the rise of the Kalam cosmological argument, this seems a bit doubtful, but also: What does this even mean? Given Kalam is popular now, ...
by csa2125
Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:26 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: ACF Fall 2019 Thanks and General Discussion
Replies: 15
Views: 4680

Re: ACF Fall 2019 Thanks and General Discussion

The only problem I did notice though was a problem that I think many sets at this difficulty suffer from, which is the tendency for some of the non big 3 categories (most notably fine arts and social science) to become probably a bit hard for this level. With a limited array of askable topics in th...
by csa2125
Mon Nov 04, 2019 8:53 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: ACF Fall 2019 Specific Question Discussion and Errata
Replies: 51
Views: 14578

Re: ACF Fall 2019 Specific Question Discussion and Errata

I seem to recall the sonata giveaway being exceptionally confusing, though perhaps I just didn't parse it correctly. For 10 points, identify this genre of instrumental music for a solo instrument without orchestral backing, contrasted with the sung cantata. ANSWER: sonatas Believe this was trying t...
by csa2125
Wed Aug 07, 2019 4:59 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: CO 2019 Discussion
Replies: 48
Views: 31850

Re: CO 2019 Discussion

There are a few individual questions I'd like to take another look at before referencing them, which also may change how I comment on the set generally. How soon should the packets be on the archive?
by csa2125
Thu Jul 25, 2019 10:13 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2019 Unanswered Question - Auditory Arts General Discussion
Replies: 2
Views: 362

Re: Auditory Arts General Discussion

This tournament had a lot of good ideas for questions. There were a few tough answers, but nothing manifestly ridiculous. It also seemed to vary answers a good amount across composers, genres, instruments, pieces, performers [and performing groups], lyricists(!)*, and so on; I can't recall any signi...
by csa2125
Thu Jul 25, 2019 5:32 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2019 Unanswered Question - Specific Questions/Errata
Replies: 23
Views: 1723

Re: Specific Questions/Errata

I personally disagree with not at least prompting on "Russia" for the USSR question, due to the facts that a) The Canticle of the Sun was composed in 1997, after the 1991 dissolution of the USSR -- a consequential inaccuracy. b) All other works mentioned were created by composers who were ...
by csa2125
Thu Jul 25, 2019 3:14 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2019 Unanswered Question - Specific Questions/Errata
Replies: 23
Views: 1723

Re: Specific Questions/Errata

Can I see the questions on the Soviet Union (music) and the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, including the full answerline? I heard multiple stories about which answers were prompted or not (for the first, "Russia"; for the second, just "St Martin-in-the-Fields") in various ro...
by csa2125
Sun Mar 11, 2018 6:30 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: FACTS Question-Specific Discussion
Replies: 20
Views: 1439

Re: FACTS Question-Specific Discussion

1. In the bonus for Asclepius I'm 99% sure that it said that he was a "son of Hermes", but I'm also pretty confident that Asclepius is actually a son of Apollo. This has been fixed. 3. For the Zhuangzi/Butterfly/Name bonus was pretty difficult, even for high school reg+. For starters, (Zh...
by csa2125
Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:56 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: FACTS Question-Specific Discussion
Replies: 20
Views: 1439

Re: FACTS Question-Specific Discussion

I'd like to request feedback on the RMP and Social Science since I've heard that there have been a few complaints with it. Here's a list of every answerline in those categories to jog your memory: Religion TUs: Buddha, C S Lewis, Krishna, (Muslim) women, Iblis, (Book of) Ruth, Methodism, Faith, athe...
by csa2125
Fri Mar 02, 2018 2:25 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: FACTS General Discussion
Replies: 10
Views: 1938

Re: FACTS General Discussion

With regards to bonuses, I felt that a few of the hard parts for science and philosophy specifically were almost inaccessible at a high school level. I believe a notable example was the bonus that went Parole, Saussure, Derrida with no easy, middle, hard structure (if I'm not mistaken). That being ...
by csa2125
Fri Mar 02, 2018 2:01 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: FACTS General Discussion
Replies: 10
Views: 1938

Re: FACTS General Discussion

vrohan wrote:Since this set involves packet submissions, could someone please post which packets were read in each round at QuBIT? (of course, only if possible)
1 Canyon Crest
2 High Tech
3 Ladue
4 Westview
5-13 Editors 1-9, respectively.
by csa2125
Wed Feb 28, 2018 9:00 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: QuBIT IV (2/24/18) Lincroft, NJ [FACTS]
Replies: 10
Views: 7494

Re: QuBIT IV (2/24/18) Lincroft, NJ [FACTS]

The private discussion forum for FACTS is now open. Any and all feedback is appreciated!
by csa2125
Wed Feb 28, 2018 8:59 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: FACTS, A CSW and TJ Housewrite/Packet Submission
Replies: 13
Views: 14119

Re: FACTS, A CSW and TJ Housewrite/Packet Submission

The private discussion forum for FACTS is now open. Any and all feedback is appreciated!
by csa2125
Mon Jan 22, 2018 2:56 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: General Discussion
Replies: 12
Views: 2088

Re: General Discussion

Quick note: asking for "hemiola" in a bonus part is considerably too hard for a regular high school set.
by csa2125
Mon Jan 08, 2018 6:13 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: General Discussion GSAC XXV
Replies: 21
Views: 1501

Re: General Discussion GSAC XXV

I wrote up a few pages of notes about the music questions in this tournament. Don't take that to mean that the music in this set was terrible; it was about on par with what it should be for a high school housewrite, but in general music writing is rather difficult and hence often subpar, so I'd like...
by csa2125
Tue Jun 13, 2017 5:24 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: 2017 NSC set discussion
Replies: 85
Views: 53900

Re: 2017 NSC set discussion

[10] The dualist Marcion of Sinope taught that the God described in this religious text was not the God taught by Jesus. The protocanonical books, but not the deuterocanonical ones, derived from this text. ANSWER: Tanakh [accept Hebrew Bible or Hebrew Scriptures or Mikra; prompt on the Old Testamen...
by csa2125
Tue Jun 13, 2017 2:21 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: 2017 NSC set discussion
Replies: 85
Views: 53900

Re: 2017 NSC set discussion

I'll write up a larger commentary on the set later, but overall I enjoyed it very much. One question I was curious about, however, was the bonus asking for "The Hebrew Bible," which prompted but did not outright accept "the Old Testament," when asking about some philosopher who d...