Atoning for my Sins as a Test Hoarder

[Random Human]

remember that like 60% of all teams just pop up in regionals maybe cram teh day before and then are done with the year
those people dont really care about scioly lets face it, they might just pop on this website, steal a test and leave

if it was all cut off you'd probally create more incentive in having these teams trade.

[Random Human]

I don't think you're correct in assuming people will stop contributing their own tests. If public tests are the dominant form, I expect many people will make their own tests for tryouts, and can then share the tests they made with each other. Perhaps, some will post their own tests publicly, but if there are so many tests from tournaments publicly available, it's okay if they don't.

Point is, I'm not really following where a world where all invitational tests are public is a bad thing, in any way? Except for selfish reasons, perhaps. But if public tests motivate you to make and trade student-created tests, isn't that an overall positive?

I don't think you're correct in assuming people will stop contributing their own tests. If public tests are the dominant form, I expect many people will make their own tests for tryouts, and can then share the tests they made with each other. Perhaps, some will post their own tests publicly, but if there are so many tests from tournaments publicly available, it's okay if they don't.

Point is, I'm not really following where a world where all invitational tests are public is a bad thing, in any way? Except for selfish reasons, perhaps. But if public invitational tests motivate you to make and trade student-created tests privately, isn't that an overall positive?

[IcsTam]

remember that like 60% of all teams just pop up in regionals maybe cram teh day before and then are done with the year
those people dont really care about scioly lets face it, they might just pop on this website, steal a test and leave

if it was all cut off you'd probally create more incentive in having these teams trade.

I don't see how the actual process of trading is inherently suggesting harder work. I find that my test-trading experience basically consists of finding people who are willing to trade, and then sending them whatever I have. This doesn't really suggest hard work.

If we're trying to make Science Olympiad the most beneficial for the widest array of people (which I imagine is the greater goal), then wouldn't it make sense to release tests? After all, Science Olympiad at its core is about learning science. Publicly released tests would allow those who choose to take advantage of them to assess what they know and what they need to know, which fosters a more motivated and competitive atmosphere, which can only help.

[Random Human]

okay, release your tests then

[IcsTam]

okay, release your tests then

I would, but for obvious reasons (i.e. the rest of this thread) I can't.

[Unome]

remember that like 60% of all teams just pop up in regionals maybe cram teh day before and then are done with the year
those people dont really care about scioly lets face it, they might just pop on this website, steal a test and leave

if it was all cut off you'd probally create more incentive in having these teams trade.

I don't see how the actual process of trading is inherently suggesting harder work. I find that my test-trading experience basically consists of finding people who are willing to trade, and then sending them whatever I have. This doesn't really suggest hard work.

It might just be me, but I'm sure I've spent 20-40 hours trading and organizing tests so that my team actually uses them. Even for the amount of time I spend, that's a significant chunk.

[jonathanzhang53]

Guys, show a little sympathy for Jonathan please. Put yourself in his shoes: close your eyes and imagine being so sad that you troll people online for fun. Don't you feel a little bad for him now?

I'm sorry they've been so mean to you, Jonathan. Your irony and intellect are truly second to none.

i cry everyday

[jonathanzhang53]

Guys, show a little sympathy for Jonathan please. Put yourself in his shoes: close your eyes and imagine being so sad that you troll people online for fun. Don't you feel a little bad for him now?

I'm sorry they've been so mean to you, Jonathan. Your irony and intellect are truly second to none.

i cry everyday

but at least i dont run a scioly test trading discord

[Alex-RCHS]

okay, release your tests then

Didn't East already cover why this isn't a good idea?

Also, why is it a bad thing for tests to be easily available for others without any trouble for them? This kind of eye-for-an-eye idea ("I worked hard to get these tests so you have to also") is really immature and logically unsound. Besides, student-created tests are not so valuable that a world with tons of them would be more positive overall than a world where many invitational tests are easily available.

I don't like how you're equating having access to a test to doing better or benefiting in any way at all. Those "60%" of teams that you describe aren't going to get better by having access to tests unless they take them, review them and learn from them, which is a valid form of hard work and should be encouraged.

Also:

It might just be me, but I'm sure I've spent 20-40 hours trading and organizing tests so that my team actually uses them. Even for the amount of time I spend, that's a significant chunk.

It's not just you, I've spent tons of time getting and organizing tests as well. It's not a matter of 10 minutes as was previously suggested.

[Tesel]

I'm probably going to get under fire for saying this, but I don't think test trading is hard work. I believe the real work is in studying and test-taking. Even if that isn't completely true right now, I believe that should be the end goal, where every team has access to resources which can help them to succeed. I completely agree with IcsTam - the only teams that will really gain from public tests are those that actually put in the work to test themselves, which I think is perfectly acceptable.

And I don't think they need to release their tests to prove a point. The whole debate of the thread is whether it's ethical to publicly release tests that weren't intended to public use. While I want to contribute to an environment where tests are released publicly, I won't force invitationals to do that.

EDIT: My team is pretty heavily teacher run, for better or worse, so I might not have the same experience as people who need to organize tests for an entire team. I've found it pretty easy to find test material for my own events, but that's a whole other situation.