Scioly.org

Disease Detectives Wiki
Disease Detectives Test Exchange 2017
Past Threads: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Past Question Marathons: 2014, 2015, 2016

Hello!

I'd just like to know everyone's opinions on the transition from B to C for disease detectives. I Know that statistics will now be included, but is there anything else significant about C?

cemsc10 wrote:Hello!

I'd just like to know everyone's opinions on the transition from B to C for disease detectives. I Know that statistics will now be included, but is there anything else significant about C?

From what I've noticed it's pretty much the same, at least in PA. The tests are a little harder but the content is pretty similar. Of course C div doesn't always have the same vocab matching section on every test.

Depends a lot on the writer, but C is likely to have sources of error - random vs systematic, type I v type II, various biases (sample, recall, Berkson etc.)

Okay thank you! I was looking at some practice tests and some seemed the exact same, but others were extremely different. I guess the invite also affects the test and its difference from a "Div B" test.

New to this event; just took the tryouts test and did badly. What should I be doing to prepare? Most of the questions I have no idea how to even start.

Unome wrote:New to this event; just took the tryouts test and did badly. What should I be doing to prepare? Most of the questions I have no idea how to even start.

I mostly learned this event by taking tests and researching the questions that kept appearing. I told all of my teammates to first read the wiki, and then take some of the Conestoga/Battle of Valley Forge tests because they're pretty easy. As you get more comfortable, you can try harder tests like MIT's 2015 test(aka half of the 2016 PA states test). Apparently the 2016 test was a little bit easier so you may want to do that one first.

The CDChttps://www.cdc.gov/careerpaths/disease ... index.html has several practice materials(and coincidentally, a picture of your school's team). They also have a free online textbook and self study course http://www.cdc.gov/ophss/csels/dsepd/ss1978/

This should be a good way to get started. Of course, the first year I actually studied for this event(my 3rd year competing in it) I ended up having the worst regionals and states performance, so I might not be the best person to take advice from.

Edit: Someone please teach me how to hyperlink

Unome wrote:New to this event; just took the tryouts test and did badly. What should I be doing to prepare? Most of the questions I have no idea how to even start.

What type of questions are the ones you have no idea how to even start?

Does anyone know how the change in subject to Food-borne Illnesses will change what we have to study as opposed to last year? Thanks.

kkenmots02 wrote:Does anyone know how the change in subject to Food-borne Illnesses will change what we have to study as opposed to last year? Thanks.

Based on my experience of a single test (which we failed badly) it'll probably involve a shift in the diseases and case studies we'll see, without much change in concepts.