Yeah. You should NEVER just copy and paste paragraphs. Not only does that make it hard to read and find information, you're not learning much by doing it. If you type it out yourself and organize it, you'll be able to find information much faster, and you'll learn some stuff while your typing it.Mimsie wrote:A good thing that I've learned from over the years on binder events is to make a binder and then go through EVERY SINGLE genus/species on the list and literally type up an information page from scratch for each. It takes forever but it pays off, not to mention it really helps you with your identification.
Fossils B/C
- gneissisnice
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Re: Fossils B/C
2009 events:
Fossils: 1st @ reg. 3rd @ states (stupid dinosaurs...) 5th @ nats.
Dynamic: 1st @ reg. 19thish @ states, 18th @ nats
Herpetology (NOT the study of herpes): NA
Enviro Chem: 39th @ states =(
Cell Bio: 9th @ reg. 18th @ nats
Remote: 6th @ states 3rd @ Nats
Ecology: 5th @ Nats
Fossils: 1st @ reg. 3rd @ states (stupid dinosaurs...) 5th @ nats.
Dynamic: 1st @ reg. 19thish @ states, 18th @ nats
Herpetology (NOT the study of herpes): NA
Enviro Chem: 39th @ states =(
Cell Bio: 9th @ reg. 18th @ nats
Remote: 6th @ states 3rd @ Nats
Ecology: 5th @ Nats
- without
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Re: Fossils B/C
All the way with you. If you are using a guide, you can also learn a lot from tabbing it too. The binder, however, is your biggest resource and largest study material.
gneissisnice wrote:Yeah. You should NEVER just copy and paste paragraphs. Not only does that make it hard to read and find information, you're not learning much by doing it. If you type it out yourself and organize it, you'll be able to find information much faster, and you'll learn some stuff while your typing it.Mimsie wrote:A good thing that I've learned from over the years on binder events is to make a binder and then go through EVERY SINGLE genus/species on the list and literally type up an information page from scratch for each. It takes forever but it pays off, not to mention it really helps you with your identification.
- cycloneslover
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Re: Fossils B/C
Which guide is better? Audubon or Smithsonian? I have Smithsonian, but just recently found out that it doesn't have all the specimen's that are on the fossils' list.
Cyclones.Life.Love.
2010 Regional Events: Cell Biology, Fossils, Dynamic Planet, Ornithology.
2009 Events:
Cell Biology: 6th @ Regionals. 29th @ State.
Chem Lab: 8th @ Regionals.
Physics: 5th @ Regionals.
Astronomy: 13th @ State.
Dynamic Planet: 21st @ State.
Fossils: 10th @ State.
Herpetology: 24th @ State.
2010 Regional Events: Cell Biology, Fossils, Dynamic Planet, Ornithology.
2009 Events:
Cell Biology: 6th @ Regionals. 29th @ State.
Chem Lab: 8th @ Regionals.
Physics: 5th @ Regionals.
Astronomy: 13th @ State.
Dynamic Planet: 21st @ State.
Fossils: 10th @ State.
Herpetology: 24th @ State.
- without
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Re: Fossils B/C
Look at the bottom part of my signature. Then follow its instructions to guide you to your answer.
cycloneslover wrote:Which guide is better? Audubon or Smithsonian? I have Smithsonian, but just recently found out that it doesn't have all the specimen's that are on the fossils' list.
- courage7856
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Re: Fossils B/C
Depends on the person. I like the Smithsonian because it's pretty detailed on range, classification, and time period. It also has a lot of general info. At the same time, it doesn't have every genus (especially for dinosaurs). I haven't had too much experience with the Audubon, so I can't say much there. Check the Wiki- I think it has some information on the different guides, but that might have been Ornithology. I can't remember.cycloneslover wrote:Which guide is better? Audubon or Smithsonian? I have Smithsonian, but just recently found out that it doesn't have all the specimen's that are on the fossils' list.
It is in the Wiki, and it's right http://scioly.org/wiki/Fossils#Choosing_a_Guide.
Last edited by courage7856 on February 25th, 2010, 4:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
There once was a group of teens
Who were lean mean science machines.
They liked to win medals,
when everything settles
and their favorite color was green.
2012: Forestry, Forensics, Water Quality, R and M
Who were lean mean science machines.
They liked to win medals,
when everything settles
and their favorite color was green.
2012: Forestry, Forensics, Water Quality, R and M
- packer-backer91
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Re: Fossils B/C
like many people have said before it just depends on the person reading the book every one has own opinion I don’t use either of them, my advice if you can is to get both see what one works better for you and go from there. Remember that you can add notes, pages to your fossil guide too. This is big I don’t think too many people take full advantage of how much manipulation of the field guide is allowed, I wish I could find a large field guide to use so I could have more room to add information or other notes which is allowed by the rules. So if done correctly the field guide can be equal or better that the folders that people make.cycloneslover wrote:Which guide is better? Audubon or Smithsonian? I have Smithsonian, but just recently found out that it doesn't have all the specimen's that are on the fossils' list.
Because I buy the books I use for this event I cut out the pages of stuff that is not needed. This year I thought of just copying and pasted pages from other books over the bad pages of my field guide I use. So that I can make another book for my partner to use

Favorite Events: Experimental Design, Scrambler, Mousetrap Vehicle
Thanks Science Olympiad for the 6 Great Years!
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. ― Dr. Seuss
- without
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Re: Fossils B/C
I'm in agreement with packer-backer91. Buy the Audubon for your primary guide. Then cut the pages out of the Smithsonian that you need. Put these in your binder.
packer-backer91 wrote:like many people have said before it just depends on the person reading the book every one has own opinion I don’t use either of them, my advice if you can is to get both see what one works better for you and go from there. Remember that you can add notes, pages to your fossil guide too. This is big I don’t think too many people take full advantage of how much manipulation of the field guide is allowed, I wish I could find a large field guide to use so I could have more room to add information or other notes which is allowed by the rules. So if done correctly the field guide can be equal or better that the folders that people make.cycloneslover wrote:Which guide is better? Audubon or Smithsonian? I have Smithsonian, but just recently found out that it doesn't have all the specimen's that are on the fossils' list.
Because I buy the books I use for this event I cut out the pages of stuff that is not needed. This year I thought of just copying and pasted pages from other books over the bad pages of my field guide I use. So that I can make another book for my partner to use
- cycloneslover
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Re: Fossils B/C
Well. when I don't have a life, I'll be sure to sit down and read the WHOLE forum. But right now, I do have a life, and don't FEEL like wasting my time by reading stuff I don't want to read and don't HAVE to read. You can read it and tell me what it says, how's that?!without wrote:Look at the bottom part of my signature. Then follow its instructions to guide you to your answer.cycloneslover wrote:Which guide is better? Audubon or Smithsonian? I have Smithsonian, but just recently found out that it doesn't have all the specimen's that are on the fossils' list.
Cyclones.Life.Love.
2010 Regional Events: Cell Biology, Fossils, Dynamic Planet, Ornithology.
2009 Events:
Cell Biology: 6th @ Regionals. 29th @ State.
Chem Lab: 8th @ Regionals.
Physics: 5th @ Regionals.
Astronomy: 13th @ State.
Dynamic Planet: 21st @ State.
Fossils: 10th @ State.
Herpetology: 24th @ State.
2010 Regional Events: Cell Biology, Fossils, Dynamic Planet, Ornithology.
2009 Events:
Cell Biology: 6th @ Regionals. 29th @ State.
Chem Lab: 8th @ Regionals.
Physics: 5th @ Regionals.
Astronomy: 13th @ State.
Dynamic Planet: 21st @ State.
Fossils: 10th @ State.
Herpetology: 24th @ State.
- amerikestrel
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Re: Fossils B/C
No need to get so defensive.cycloneslover wrote: Well. when I don't have a life, I'll be sure to sit down and read the WHOLE forum. But right now, I do have a life, and don't FEEL like wasting my time by reading stuff I don't want to read and don't HAVE to read. You can read it and tell me what it says, how's that?!
Oh, and a tip: use the search box to look for keyword in posts, so you don't have to read through the entire forum.
Not competing in the 2011-12 season.
2011 B division PA State Ornithology and Fossils champ!
Medal count: 14
2011 B division PA State Ornithology and Fossils champ!
Medal count: 14
- without
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Re: Fossils B/C
Choosing a Guide
There are 3 main fossil guides used for this event, They are Simon and Schuster's Guide to Fossils, National Audubon Guide To North American Fossils, and Eyewitness Handbook: Fossils (also called Smithsonian Guide to Fossils). Here is my humble option on the books. Simon & Schuster's Guide: Good info but it's organized awkwardly and is VERY hit and miss on the fossils (more miss then hit). National Audobon: Very good info,has everything you need wen it comes to ID, buts its EXTREMELY bulky, and there's a lot of flipping back and forth. Smithsonian: Good straight forward info (something the other two don't have, but it doesn't have all the samples. If you where buying one I would recommend buying in this order.
1) Audubon: It has almost all invertebrates on the list, that automatically puts it first, thought I think it is i bit bulky for these purposes.
2) Smithsonian: I recommend this book because it's really straight forward, not very bulky, but the only thing wrong is that it doesn't have all the specimen's on the fossils list. "The fossils rules recommended you use it and so do I," says GGuy5.
3) Simon and Schuster's: It's ok... it doesn't have many of the samples, but what is does have is great because its the only guide of the three here that has information on dinosaurs.
Here is the info you wanted. from the wiki.
There are 3 main fossil guides used for this event, They are Simon and Schuster's Guide to Fossils, National Audubon Guide To North American Fossils, and Eyewitness Handbook: Fossils (also called Smithsonian Guide to Fossils). Here is my humble option on the books. Simon & Schuster's Guide: Good info but it's organized awkwardly and is VERY hit and miss on the fossils (more miss then hit). National Audobon: Very good info,has everything you need wen it comes to ID, buts its EXTREMELY bulky, and there's a lot of flipping back and forth. Smithsonian: Good straight forward info (something the other two don't have, but it doesn't have all the samples. If you where buying one I would recommend buying in this order.
1) Audubon: It has almost all invertebrates on the list, that automatically puts it first, thought I think it is i bit bulky for these purposes.
2) Smithsonian: I recommend this book because it's really straight forward, not very bulky, but the only thing wrong is that it doesn't have all the specimen's on the fossils list. "The fossils rules recommended you use it and so do I," says GGuy5.
3) Simon and Schuster's: It's ok... it doesn't have many of the samples, but what is does have is great because its the only guide of the three here that has information on dinosaurs.
Here is the info you wanted. from the wiki.

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