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hscmom wrote:

NoL617 wrote:What abbreviations do writers like to use? What abbreviations help doers?
I like only abbreviating colors like B for blue, Y for yellow, R for red, BK for black, G for green etc. That way my partner doesn't get confused from all of the different abbreviations.

I've coached this for a few years and have observed the following. OK, they are rather obvious but sometimes the obvious needs to be stated. I've seen students make these mistakes.

1) Don't bother making an abbreviations that you'll not use at least twice more.
2) Don't make your doer have to keep flipping back a few pages to remember that a is YSASWBTFOTC a yellow speckled arch shaped wood block that fits over the cylinder. Just call it an arch instead.
3) Measurements are good candidates for abbreviations.

You get the idea!

Great! Thanks! Yeah, I have had it where people say things like YSASWBTFOTC. It doesn't help at all, and only makes it confusing. Thanks again!

NoL617 wrote:What abbreviations do writers like to use? What abbreviations help doers?
I like only abbreviating colors like B for blue, Y for yellow, R for red, BK for black, G for green etc. That way my partner doesn't get confused from all of the different abbreviations.

I suggest that you might not want to rely on color-coding pieces, as the doer's pieces might be different colors than the original structure's materials.

GoofyFoofer wrote:

NoL617 wrote:What abbreviations do writers like to use? What abbreviations help doers?
I like only abbreviating colors like B for blue, Y for yellow, R for red, BK for black, G for green etc. That way my partner doesn't get confused from all of the different abbreviations.

I suggest that you might not want to rely on color-coding pieces, as the doer's pieces might be different colors than the original structure's materials.

While I agree that you don't want to rely only on color for abbreviations, I would not assume that color doesn't count. At a few of our regional tournaments, the writers were told that "bead color doesn't matter and the doers might have different colors." But at other tournaments, color DID matter as the scoring rubric required that the red block went here and the blue block went there. If the writers' supervisor doesn't mention, it only takes a few seconds to ask, "In past tournaments color didn't matter. What is it today?"

Yeah, it's' real confusing. I wonder if they'll tell us at the competition.

GoofyFoofer wrote:Yeah, it's' real confusing. I wonder if they'll tell us at the competition.

With the exception of the very rare grumpy supervisor, most everyone in SO (coaches, tournament directors, and event supervisors) all want the students to do well and have a positive experience.

So, I suggest that you use your best manners and, if you are the writer, ask the supervisor about whether or not color is important. If the supervisor decides not to answer (maybe you're the last hour of testing and he figures that giving the answer to your group of writers where the other earlier groups of writers don't hear the answer...) then the safe bet is to describe pieces by all attributes, not skipping color.

If you are the doer, trust your writer to ask the supervisor in his room and communicate to you. One thing you two might want to do is assume color IS important. It will be your default. Then, if your writer discovers that color is not important, then early in the build the writer can say "any color" when describing a piece. You'll then know that it's not.

In my two years of doing this event(I know.. very experienced.. jk) I have learned that I usually forgot to do abbreviations unless they are ones used in everyday life. Ex: Inches to In. Centimeters to Cm. My partner and I just basically decided to create different names for various nouns, such as the popsicle stick. we basically called them pop sticks, because it was shorter and easier to write down. TECHNICALLY its not an abbreviation

As for adjectives, we used simple descriptions most of the time. mini, small, big, light/dark (colored), vertical, horizontal, flat, top, ect...

I have been both a writer and a doer in competition, so if you are stressing about being able to have a common understanding with your partner, take a chill pill and let it all come easily. Good luck to you all!

Alright.
Thanks for the tips, mom and swimmer!

Welcome.

Does anybody have some tips for the doer?
Thanks!

GoofyFoofer, I would practice a lot so can get to know the writer's style. During the event, time does matter so be efficient as possible. If you're stuck, re-read that part so you can understand it. If you're a little confused on a part then try to check it so you don't lose major points.