Scioly.org

Earlier (like wayyyyy earlier, pages 3-5 ish?) there was clarification between genus Carchardon and genus Carcharocles specifically

I'm kind of weirded out by the regionals test I took. In a bunch of the stations there were pop references to the fossils like "what popular video game is this fossil in(dunkleosteus)" and "this fossil was attacked by (forgot the dinosaur name ) in Jurassic Park, name the genus that attacked the dinosaur"

Nba2302 wrote:I'm kind of weirded out by the regionals test I took. In a bunch of the stations there were pop references to the fossils like "what popular video game is this fossil in(dunkleosteus)" and "this fossil was attacked by (forgot the dinosaur name ) in Jurassic Park, name the genus that attacked the dinosaur"

I guess you never know what you'll get

Nba2302 wrote:I'm kind of weirded out by the regionals test I took. In a bunch of the stations there were pop references to the fossils like "what popular video game is this fossil in(dunkleosteus)" and "this fossil was attacked by (forgot the dinosaur name ) in Jurassic Park, name the genus that attacked the dinosaur"

Jurassic Park questions aren't too uncommon, although that's oddly specific

wec01 wrote:

Nba2302 wrote:I'm kind of weirded out by the regionals test I took. In a bunch of the stations there were pop references to the fossils like "what popular video game is this fossil in(dunkleosteus)" and "this fossil was attacked by (forgot the dinosaur name ) in Jurassic Park, name the genus that attacked the dinosaur"

Jurassic Park questions aren't too uncommon, although that's oddly specific

Really? I've never seen a Jurassic Park question. That seems a little unfair to people who haven't watched the movie...

DragonTownEpic wrote:

wec01 wrote:

Nba2302 wrote:I'm kind of weirded out by the regionals test I took. In a bunch of the stations there were pop references to the fossils like "what popular video game is this fossil in(dunkleosteus)" and "this fossil was attacked by (forgot the dinosaur name ) in Jurassic Park, name the genus that attacked the dinosaur"

Jurassic Park questions aren't too uncommon, although that's oddly specific

Really? I've never seen a Jurassic Park question. That seems a little unfair to people who haven't watched the movie...

Yeah, that's pretty weird. I would consider that illegal as nowhere in the rules does it mention to know exactly what happened in movies and video games. Jurassic Park questions usually are somewhere along the lines of "Which paleontologist assisted in the making of Jurassic Park", etc., but the examples you provided are probably illegal questions.

isotelus wrote:

DragonTownEpic wrote:

wec01 wrote:
Jurassic Park questions aren't too uncommon, although that's oddly specific

Really? I've never seen a Jurassic Park question. That seems a little unfair to people who haven't watched the movie...

Yeah, that's pretty weird. I would consider that illegal as nowhere in the rules does it mention to know exactly what happened in movies and video games. Jurassic Park questions usually are somewhere along the lines of "Which paleontologist assisted in the making of Jurassic Park", etc., but the examples you provided are probably illegal questions.

I haven't seen any at competition this year but they have come up in a couple of the practice tests I've taken. Maybe it has something to do with different rules in the past?

wec01 wrote:

isotelus wrote:

DragonTownEpic wrote: Really? I've never seen a Jurassic Park question. That seems a little unfair to people who haven't watched the movie...

Yeah, that's pretty weird. I would consider that illegal as nowhere in the rules does it mention to know exactly what happened in movies and video games. Jurassic Park questions usually are somewhere along the lines of "Which paleontologist assisted in the making of Jurassic Park", etc., but the examples you provided are probably illegal questions.

I haven't seen any at competition this year but they have come up in a couple of the practice tests I've taken. Maybe it has something to do with different rules in the past?

No, test writers just stray outside the rules occasionally.

What are some examples of questions that would be asked on a state level? We placed first in fossils for regionals, but I think the questions on there were really easy and simple (which I doubt will happen at states), and given the vague information of our binder, I know I need to revamp it within the next month. My last page literally just says, "ferns, they were ferns, they have fronds and spores". What would y'all recommend to put when going into detail, and which specimens would be the most important to start on?

jennarholt wrote:What are some examples of questions that would be asked on a state level? We placed first in fossils for regionals, but I think the questions on there were really easy and simple (which I doubt will happen at states), and given the vague information of our binder, I know I need to revamp it within the next month. My last page literally just says, "ferns, they were ferns, they have fronds and spores". What would y'all recommend to put when going into detail, and which specimens would be the most important to start on?

There are some details that you can add for pretty much every specimen such as:
- age/time range
- ecology (diet, habitat, if you have time possibly predator-prey relationships)
- index fossil status

There are also details which may apply to specific taxa like:
- type of eyes for trilobites
- rugose vs tabulate vs sleractinian corals
- anapsid vs euryapsid vs synapsid vs diapsid dinosaurs (and other vertebrates)

Finally, make sure to have information on things mentioned in the rules besides just the things on the list such as:
- the different lagerstatten and their significance
- modes of preservation
- extinction events

As for which specimens that would be best to start on, it's kind of hard to say since most likely the test writers will try to represent a wide array of specimens, however there are definitely some that are easier to write questions about than others, like Archaeopteryx. In general, I'd say if you're not finding much on a specimen, then the test writers aren't either and you can just get some of the basic information. Of course, ideally you would come back to these and research them more thoroughly if you have time.