I guess I might as well review the tests:
Wind Power(11th):
The test was relatively difficult. Relatively. The other tests I took were very easy, so there isn't much of a comparison. It went over the rules fairly well, but then again the rules are pretty vague, so idk. On the total power from our devices, how were you supposed to calculate without swept area? Not sure if I did it right, but I just assumed max radius.
Time(20th):
Eh. The test was pretty easy, state level, although, like above, the Indian calendar and gravitational time dilation/other questions we may have missed may not have necessarily been from just general difficulty, but just unluckily not having remembered/looked over the information for the topic(Although those two mentioned are some things we REALLY should have looked over). On a side note, I know this event won't be back for my lifetime, but what does everyone think about the time-keeping devices that, in general, were very loud? While I know this wasn't the purpose of the devices, and I was lucky enough to not have any in my section, I feel like a constant loud ticking while I look at a weight swinging back and forth for 4-5 minutes might have made me pass out.
Experimental Design(16th):
I've been doing this event for 5 years, and I honestly don't know how to improve on my placing. I'm assuming my interpretation of the rubric, as many others(varunscs11
), may not be the same as the national supervisor? I don't know where on the rubric we could be going wrong, but it's obviously somewhere, as the scores chalker gave seemed to be pretty low. Regardless, this year's materials threw me off somewhat, because, like varunscs11 said, the event begs for a quantitative experiment, and the materials at first seemed to be begging for a qualitative experiment, with the multiple biological ingredients(I think that's what they called them?). I really really hope that we didn't get any point deductions for having linear data, because I've developed experimental design as my rock event over my 5 year SciOly career and really hope I can possibly get a medal in the remainder of my high school career.
As a whole, I thought the tournament was very well planned. The activities Friday were amazing and the events were very very easy to find. I could tell the ceremonies had a lot of thought put into them, and the work put into it was evident(Madilyn Bailey was pretty awesome too). As a single complaint/request, may there be air conditioning at the opening and closing ceremony next year(pretty please)?
EDIT: So this post kinda had some technical difficulties and I realize now that it was a double post. So, uh, sorry? Idk what happens now. Do I go to jail?
