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Tailsfan101 wrote:

NinjaKat748 wrote:Does dinosaurs usually come up on tests?

It's very common. At my state test last year when I did Fast Facts, I distinctly remember "Dinosaurs" being a category. I think test writers look for categories that aren't way off the grid, and dinosaurs usually works well.

Not only on state, but it was also on the national test last year. However, comparing the tests from the invitationals from last year to this year, the categories seem exponentially harder. Probably means for tougher categories in future competitions, since it is the event's second year.

Is Luna accepted as the Earth's moon?

JionPark wrote:Is Luna accepted as the Earth's moon?

I'm pretty sure that you have to use the English name. Luna is the Spanish name. In case you didn't know...

While technically Luna is sometimes used as a name for the Moon, I wouldn't say it's typically used that way in a scientific context. However, I suppose it's worth a try if you really need something and have no better options.

Does anyone know how not to get misgraded? I have tried using them widely known terms, but apparently Anthrax doesn’t count as bacteria A. I’ve had this problem for many invitationals and I’m beginning to believe that being misgraded is part of fast facts, but constantly feel like I would have placed higher. Does anyone have a solution?

In the case of your example, Anthrax isn't the name of the actual bacteria, but the name of the infection, so I don't think "Anthrax" would count for Bacteria A. Since we're talking about bacteria, you generally want the specific name of the bacteria. For example, Bacteria T - Treponema Pallidum

There are some diseases that are the same. For example, flu and influenza are considered the same. Which one would count for points?

JionPark wrote:There are some diseases that are the same. For example, flu and influenza are considered the same. Which one would count for points?

Depending on the supervisor/judge, both could probably count, but if they do, you can’t use them both in the same test. I usually use influenza for I and Fibromyalgia for F.

Anomaly wrote:In the case of your example, Anthrax isn't the name of the actual bacteria, but the name of the infection, so I don't think "Anthrax" would count for Bacteria A. Since we're talking about bacteria, you generally want the specific name of the bacteria. For example, Bacteria T - Treponema Pallidum

And, it's neither reasonable nor age appropriate to expect any teams to come up with T. pallidum. Bacteria is a terrible category. Well, if the category is "Bacteria" by itself, that's broad enough that everything from infections to cellular structure is fair game.

Re: flu versus influenza, I would avoid constructing the table to get those kinds of answers. I can't imagine too many people would design the table with "flu" as a valid answer, especially when it's a street name referring to various types of infections (in different parts of the body, at that).

WhatScience? wrote:I do feel like this is a good thing so that competitors don't waste time on something that can not be answered. Plus, what is the point of a question you can not answer.

physics