Quizzing Etiquette - according to Andy
Quizzer do's and don'ts Coach do's and don'ts Quzmaster do's and don'ts
The following are Andy's opinions. There is nothing official about these ideas. They are not rules, just my personal views. There are people in quizzing who would not agree with everything here so please keep this in mind.
1. Are you the captain? If not, you probably should only be talking when you got the jump or a bonus. Sometimes it is ok to ask for an explanation, but it is seldom ok to try to explain, discuss or argue with the quizmaster. You can talk to them after the quiz, but during the quiz is probably not a good idea.
3. Let it go. Sometimes life is not fair, quizmasters and coaches (even question writers) make mistakes. If it went against you this quiz it will probably be with you the next time. Don't make a big deal about something you don't agree with.
4. Don't make the quizmaster shake your hand. I've been in the middle of trying to sort out a score sheet issue and have three quizzers stick their hand in my face because they thought I was ignoring them. It's nice to be nice, but if the quizmaster is busy and ignoring you GO AWAY. Their job is to get ready to start the quiz and it can be rude to insist on distracting them from that.
5. STAND UP. If you are the person answering stand up. Don't sit down just because the quizmaster puts you on hold. Don't sit down after you get the light. Do not sit down until you are done or run out of time. Sitting down causes all kinds of problems with resetting the lights, setting the time or putting someone on hold.
1. Don't look at the questions. Some rooms are very small and
it is
easy to see the quizmaster's sheet, but please try not to. There is
really no good reason for anyone but the quizmaster and answer judge
to be looking at the sheet.
2. Don't jump. It is a normal reaction for the coach to do a
"head
bob" when you recognize the key word or no one jumps on an obvious
easy answer, but please try not to. You are really giving your
quizzers information, which should not happen during a question.
3. When the quiz is done get out of the way. Take your discussion
out into the hallway. Don't make the next team wait for you.
4. When you have a substitution try saying "Bob in on 1" instead
of "Bob in for Jane". Everyone knows where 1 is, not everyone
knows
where Jane was sitting. It makes things easier for the score keeper,
especially for those teams that use all seven quizzers and sometimes
have three different people on the same seat.
5. Try to have your prayer and make your lineup in the hall instead
of making the quizmaster wait to start the quiz. Especially true of
invitationals and Internationals.
6. Remember other people can hear you. If you call a time out to
explain something, remember the quizmaster and other team can probably
hear you.
7. Give the quizmaster their space. Some rooms are small and some
tables even smaller. The table is for the quizmaster, their stuff
and the quiz box. Don't crowd them with your stuff unless there
really is room.
1. If the quizzer ends a question with "do" and it's not your question consider asking for more. Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before men" If question is "What are you to let shine before men?" and the quizzer says "What are you to do?" the quizmaster should ask for more. However if the question is "What are you to do?" and the question was "What are you to let shine before men?" the quizzer should be counted wrong for giving part of the answer in the question. To avoid this, I try not to end questions with "do" unless the word is in the verse, there are always exceptions of course.
2. Try to avoid putting a quizzer on hold. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but it is often unnecessary. I don't always stop to look up the information if the quizzer gives me something that's not on the sheet. Sometimes you know the quizzer has no real idea what you want and is just fishing. If they do give you what you need, then you can put them on hold and look up the verse to see if the other stuff they said is in the passage. But if you keep asking for more or more specific there is a good chance the quizzer will run out of time before giving you the information for which you are looking. You then avoid the hold button all together.
3. If you put them on hold, put
them on hold. Don't think about it for 5 seconds then flip the switch.
It's not fair to the quizzer to use up part of their 30 seconds.
4. Look it up before you count them wrong. This is especially true if you know the quizzer knows the material. There are times I KNEW the quizzer was wrong, but after looking up the passage I saw that they had simply given information from the passage that was not on the sheet. You usually know if the quizzer knows the material or is fishing. If they obviously know the verse try to give them the benefit of the doubt and take the time to look it up.
It's ok to explain something, but don't let the coach argue with you during the quiz. One exception to this rule is if there is an obvious mistake. If the quizmaster didn't say question before starting, if the question on the sheet has a clear typo (wrong reference), if someone quizzed out but you didn't catch it, if the wrong light was called, the time was not started, all these are valid reasons for the coach to say something if the quizmaster missed it.
But again, don't let the coach argue with you during the quiz.
7. Don't hold down the reset button until after you say question.
Different quiz equipment behaves differently. I've seen some quizmasters hold down the reset button until they start reading the question. On some equipment a person can be up before you start reading it without anyone realizing it. If the quizmaster lets go of the reset button after they start reading, it can cause the quizzer to be called for a light they when they didn't really jump. The fact that they were already up before the question was hidden by the quizmaster holding down the reset button.
There are rules, and they should be followed, but some situations are not covered exactly by the rules and most people can live with what's fair even if it is to their disadvantage.
9. It does not have to be exactly the same as what's on the sheet.
It needs to be close and cover all the important points but don't feel like they have to give you every single word listed on your sheet. If the answer is Jesus Christ and they say Jesus you should give it to them.
10. Don't read what's in parentheses. Don't ask for what's in parentheses. Sometimes parentheses is an interchangeable answer, like who "he" is. Sometimes it is additional information, not required, but in the passage. It was included so you don't have to look it up if given.
12. Don't be afraid to throw out a question if you can't make a decision. Matthew 11:10-11 says "This is the one about whom it is
written: " 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' I tell you the truth: Among those born of women…" Suppose the question is "What is written?" and the answer is `I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' But the quizzer keeps going and also gives you "I tell you the truth: Among those born of women…" you then count them wrong, that's not part of what was written. Then the captain contests and says the quizzer was simply quoting the material. In this case I would probably just throw the question out, although I could argue either way.