World Quizzing Championships - June 7 - Denver, LA, NYC, etc
Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 12:26 am
I'm planning to take the World Quiz in Arvada, Colorado in two weeks. I invite everyone here to join me, if it's reasonably convenient for you to get there. Most of what you need to know is in the blurb below, but if you have any questions about it, just ask. The quiz is free. It will have an international perspective, trying to achieve balance for participants around the world. I expect it to be hard, but I don't think anyone on this board would be embarrassed by their score, as long as they have realistic expectations. Those British quizzers are hard core. In recent years, the maximum possible score has been 210, and the scores have ranged from maybe around 20 right to about 170 right, with an average maybe around 75, so you have to be very good just to get half the questions right.
Anyway, most people find it fun, or at least interesting. There are no prizes other than bragging rights and the chance to meet some good people.
I hear that Chicago and New York may also have quiz sites, but the only confirmed cities I've seen in North America are Denver and Ottawa.
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World Quizzing Championships
Saturday June 7th
0900 to 1200
ARVADA JAYCEES HALL
5640 YUKON ST
ARVADA, COLORADO 80002-2446
RSVP's REQUESTED TO WQC.Colorado@gmail.com
more info at www.wqc2008.com
What are the World Quizzing Championships?
A quiz tournament for individuals with a variety of material from across the globe in terms of difficulty, timeframe, and spatial/geographic distribution drawn from a number of academic and popular culture categories. The questions are translated to a variety of languages for use in the 25+ countries that are taking part at roughly the same time on Saturday June 7th, 2008.
How does it work?
Players have 120 minutes to attempt 240 written questions. These are printed in English for North America, some are accompanied by snippets of sound or pictures which will be printed and projected when facilities permit. The quiz is taken in two parts with a short break in between. No access to reference materials or any other assistance is permitted.
Each half of the quiz covers four of the eight 'Genres' (categories) used by the International Quizzing Assoc. ('IQA'). A genre comprises 30 questions and makes up a separate contest in its own right - a bit like the individual elements of the Olympic Gymnastic tournament.
A player's finishing place is decided by reference to the aggregate of their best 7 scores from the 8 genres. Players drop their lowest score, this only being referenced in order to settle a tie. The player with the best aggregate score will become the 2008 World Quizzing Champion on a national and/or international basis.
What are the questions about?
As the IQA's 8 genres encompass all areas of knowledge it follows that the quiz is very wide ranging - everything from Anchorage, Alaska to Michael Caine in 'Zulu'. The 8 genres are:-
Culture: including Architecture, Fine Arts, Philosophy, Museums, Religion, Mythology
Entertainment: including Music (Classical, Blues, Film Score, Jazz, Rock, World), Ballet, Musicals and Operas, Radio, Television
History: including Ancient and Modern, Current Affairs, Exploration, Famous People, Historic Civilizations
Lifestyle: including Costume, Design, Fashion, Food & Drink, Handicrafts, Health & Fitness, Human Body, New Age Beliefs, Products & Brands, Tourism
Media: including Movies (old & new), Literature, Poetry, Drama, Comic books, Language
Sciences: including Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Social Sciences, Fauna & Flora, Physical geography
Sport: Track and Field, Team Sports, Motor Sports, Winter Sports, Olympics, Equestrian Sports, Games, Hobbies & Passtimes, Sporting Records
World: Human Geography, Cities, Space travel, Technology, Transport, Inventions
Are there any house rules?
There are only points for correct answers, no penalty for wrong answers. It's not a spelling test, answers which are phonetically close are good enough. Answers required will be short and where a person's name is required, unless stated, a surname is good enough.
Players are allowed to take an impromptu break during the 60 minute duration of each half (though no 'time outs' are allowed - other than in exceptional circumstances, see below) during which they can visit the toilet, go for a smoke etc., but during this time they must not consult with other players about answers, use telephones or computers, etc..
When you have finished all the questions you can answer, you may leave your seat. However, we ask you to respect the need for other players still quizzing to be free of distractions.
Papers will be swapped with another player for marking at the end of each 60 minute half. After marking you will get your paper back and you have 5 minutes to check you agree with the marking/score. Disputes must be referred to your proctor in this time. Please indicate which answer(s) you are querying with a large "?" question mark. The proctor will provide official adjudication on the matter, in some cases in consultation with national or international IQA representatives. The proctor's decision is final.
Your checker should then copy your scores into the table on the cover sheet. If you agree with their marking, sign next to the score(s) to show your approval. Your complete script should then be handed in. Once this has been done, no further discussions will be entered into about your score. The score signed for will be considered to be correct. Scripts will be returned once the officials have logged your scores etc..
Your score will be determined from your best 7 out of 8 categories. In the event of a tie, the score you dropped from your lowest scoring genre will be taken into consideration. If there is still a tie, the person with the highest score in any single genre will win. If there is still a tie the player whose next best genre score is highest (and so on) will be deemed the winner.
In the event of any unprecedented occurrence or unforeseen circumstances arising in the course of the quiz, the proctor may give a ruling on the matter and their decision shall be final.
Anyway, most people find it fun, or at least interesting. There are no prizes other than bragging rights and the chance to meet some good people.
I hear that Chicago and New York may also have quiz sites, but the only confirmed cities I've seen in North America are Denver and Ottawa.
=======
World Quizzing Championships
Saturday June 7th
0900 to 1200
ARVADA JAYCEES HALL
5640 YUKON ST
ARVADA, COLORADO 80002-2446
RSVP's REQUESTED TO WQC.Colorado@gmail.com
more info at www.wqc2008.com
What are the World Quizzing Championships?
A quiz tournament for individuals with a variety of material from across the globe in terms of difficulty, timeframe, and spatial/geographic distribution drawn from a number of academic and popular culture categories. The questions are translated to a variety of languages for use in the 25+ countries that are taking part at roughly the same time on Saturday June 7th, 2008.
How does it work?
Players have 120 minutes to attempt 240 written questions. These are printed in English for North America, some are accompanied by snippets of sound or pictures which will be printed and projected when facilities permit. The quiz is taken in two parts with a short break in between. No access to reference materials or any other assistance is permitted.
Each half of the quiz covers four of the eight 'Genres' (categories) used by the International Quizzing Assoc. ('IQA'). A genre comprises 30 questions and makes up a separate contest in its own right - a bit like the individual elements of the Olympic Gymnastic tournament.
A player's finishing place is decided by reference to the aggregate of their best 7 scores from the 8 genres. Players drop their lowest score, this only being referenced in order to settle a tie. The player with the best aggregate score will become the 2008 World Quizzing Champion on a national and/or international basis.
What are the questions about?
As the IQA's 8 genres encompass all areas of knowledge it follows that the quiz is very wide ranging - everything from Anchorage, Alaska to Michael Caine in 'Zulu'. The 8 genres are:-
Culture: including Architecture, Fine Arts, Philosophy, Museums, Religion, Mythology
Entertainment: including Music (Classical, Blues, Film Score, Jazz, Rock, World), Ballet, Musicals and Operas, Radio, Television
History: including Ancient and Modern, Current Affairs, Exploration, Famous People, Historic Civilizations
Lifestyle: including Costume, Design, Fashion, Food & Drink, Handicrafts, Health & Fitness, Human Body, New Age Beliefs, Products & Brands, Tourism
Media: including Movies (old & new), Literature, Poetry, Drama, Comic books, Language
Sciences: including Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Social Sciences, Fauna & Flora, Physical geography
Sport: Track and Field, Team Sports, Motor Sports, Winter Sports, Olympics, Equestrian Sports, Games, Hobbies & Passtimes, Sporting Records
World: Human Geography, Cities, Space travel, Technology, Transport, Inventions
Are there any house rules?
There are only points for correct answers, no penalty for wrong answers. It's not a spelling test, answers which are phonetically close are good enough. Answers required will be short and where a person's name is required, unless stated, a surname is good enough.
Players are allowed to take an impromptu break during the 60 minute duration of each half (though no 'time outs' are allowed - other than in exceptional circumstances, see below) during which they can visit the toilet, go for a smoke etc., but during this time they must not consult with other players about answers, use telephones or computers, etc..
When you have finished all the questions you can answer, you may leave your seat. However, we ask you to respect the need for other players still quizzing to be free of distractions.
Papers will be swapped with another player for marking at the end of each 60 minute half. After marking you will get your paper back and you have 5 minutes to check you agree with the marking/score. Disputes must be referred to your proctor in this time. Please indicate which answer(s) you are querying with a large "?" question mark. The proctor will provide official adjudication on the matter, in some cases in consultation with national or international IQA representatives. The proctor's decision is final.
Your checker should then copy your scores into the table on the cover sheet. If you agree with their marking, sign next to the score(s) to show your approval. Your complete script should then be handed in. Once this has been done, no further discussions will be entered into about your score. The score signed for will be considered to be correct. Scripts will be returned once the officials have logged your scores etc..
Your score will be determined from your best 7 out of 8 categories. In the event of a tie, the score you dropped from your lowest scoring genre will be taken into consideration. If there is still a tie, the person with the highest score in any single genre will win. If there is still a tie the player whose next best genre score is highest (and so on) will be deemed the winner.
In the event of any unprecedented occurrence or unforeseen circumstances arising in the course of the quiz, the proctor may give a ruling on the matter and their decision shall be final.