Rochester Area Youth For Christ Bible Quizzing Rules

Revision Date: September 6, 2004

1. Preparation
   1. Leagues and Eligibility
      1. Any quizzer who is age 20 or under on August 31 is eligible for the entire quizzing season which begins that Fall.
      2. Any quizzer satisfying the above requirement may quiz in the "A" or "B" Leagues, though both leagues are primarily intended for quizzers in seventh grade or above. The "A" League is intended for the more advanced quizzers, while the "B" League is intended for quizzers with less experience. At the discretion of the Program Director, the "A" and "B" Leagues may be combined into a single "A/B" League if there are not enough teams to support separate leagues.
      3. The Little League is limited to quizzers who have not yet entered seventh grade, and is primarily intended for grades 4-6, though younger quizzers may participate.
      4. Quizzers quiz as teams within the appropriate league.
      5. Once the quizzing season begins, quizzers may not be moved between teams, nor teams moved between leagues, without the prior approval of the Program Director.
   2. Team Composition
      1. Each team must have a Coach and may have an Assistant Coach.
      2. Each team may have up to six quizzers. However, it is preferred that a team of six be split into two separate teams of three. There is no minimum number of quizzers required for a team, but small teams are discouraged and the program director may request that teams of one or two quizzers be combined with other teams.
      3. Each team may have only four quizzers in the quiz at any time. If a team has more than four quizzers, the coach must designate the starting quizzers and the substitutes. This designation may change between quizzes.
      4. Each team must have one quizzer in the quiz serving as Captain. The captain is the only person who may appeal a quizmaster's ruling, and the only quizzer who may request a time-out.
      5. The coach designates a captain and an Alternate Captain in the team line-up. Whenever the designated captain is in the quiz, he serves as captain. Otherwise, whenever the alternate captain is in the quiz, he serves as captain. When neither are in the quiz, then at that time the coach appoints another quizzer in the quiz to serve as captain. The designation of captains may change between quizzes.
   3. Registration and Identification
      1. Teams (including quizzers and coaches) should register with the program director before the start of the quizzing season, in order to be ready for the first quiz meet. New teams and quizzers may join the program throughout the season and register at their first quiz meet.
      2. Each team chooses its name when it registers. It will have this name throughout the quizzing season.
      3. Each team is assigned a Team ID Number at each quiz meet. This number is used to identify the team for scoring data entry purposes, and may change from one quiz meet to the next.
      4. Each quizzer is assigned a Quizzer ID Number at his first quiz of the season. This number is used to identify the quizzer for scoring data entry purposes, and does not change throughout the quizzing season. Quizzers should memorize their own ID numbers.
   4. Quiz Room Setup
      1. Twelve chairs should be set up in a row as three groups of four, facing the audience and the quizmaster's table. The chairs should be set in an arc with the quizmaster's table as the focal point.
      2. Groups of chairs are designated Left, Center, and Right, from the quizmaster's perspective. Teams sit on the group of chairs corresponding to their position in the schedule.
      3. Chairs for each team are numbered 1 through 4, left to right from the quizmaster's perspective. A team's quizzers sit on seats 1-4 according to the line-up provided by the coach before each quiz.
      4. Electronic quiz seats must be used for determining which quizzer is the first to jump when a question is read.
2. Officials and Responsibilities
   1. Program Director
      1. The program director is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Quizzing Program, and assumes sole responsibility for the quiz meet.
      2. The program director chairs the Coaches Meeting at the end of the quiz meet.
   2. Quizmasters
      1. The quizmaster assumes sole responsibility for the quiz. He may ask the program director for assistance if needed.
      2. The quizmaster must know and understand the Rochester Bible Quizzing program rules and procedures thoroughly.
      3. The quizmaster must be familiar with the portion of the Scripture which is the subject of the quiz.
      4. The quizmaster must read all questions at a normal conversational rate, clearly and steadily, without hesitation or slurring. The only exception to this is that he must read Finish questions with a distinct pause between each word.
      5. The quizmaster must stop reading the question immediately when the first quizzer jumps, and should recognize the quizzer by name (rather than by seat position, for example).
      6. The quizmaster must render his decisions firmly and consistently, without excessive deliberation. He may request assistance from other officials as needed.
      7. The quizmaster is the only person who can call a foul, though infractions which would constitute a foul may be brought to his attention by other officials.
      8. The quizmaster must keep the quiz moving at a consistent and comfortable pace. It must neither be rushed nor dragged out. He should do his best to keep the quizzes moving on pace according to the schedule for the day.
      9. The quizmaster should announce the score periodically, as well as announce bonuses and quiz-outs as they occur.
      10. The quizmaster must be enthusiastic about quizzing and maintain a positive attitude toward the quizzers, coaches, and audience.
      11. The quizmaster must attend the Coaches Meeting at the end of the quiz meet.
   3. Scorekeepers
      1. The scorekeeper must sit with the quizmaster at the quizmaster's table.
      2. The scorekeeper must record the line-ups on the official scoresheet, as they are received from the coaches before the quiz.
      3. The scorekeeper must record the score and the events of the quiz as they occur, on the official scoresheet, keeping track of quizzers quizzing-out or erroring-out, quizzer substitutions, time-outs, and overruled appeals.
      4. The scorekeeper must inform the quizmaster of any of the following as they occur:
         • An inaccurate reading of the question by the quizmaster
         • Team point deductions for errors, fouls, and overruled appeals
         • Team point bonuses
         • Quizzers who must leave the quiz due to quizzing-out or erroring-out
         • Substitute or late-arriving quizzers entering the quiz
         • Any infraction which would constitute a foul (though only the quizmaster may call the foul).
      5. The scorekeeper must complete the official scoresheet after the quiz is complete, and obtain the verification and signatures of the coaches.
      6. The scorekeeper assures that the completed official scoresheet is taken to the Statistician.
      7. The scorekeeper must attend the Coaches Meeting at the end of the quiz meet.
   4. Statistician
      1. The statistician should nominally check each official scoresheet for accuracy and completeness. If he finds an error, he must consult with the scorekeeper who completed the scoresheet. If the error is deemed to be trivial and can be corrected without impacting the outcome of the quiz, he makes the correction to the scoresheet. If the error is not trivial, he must consult with the quizmaster, who determines whether to re-do the affected portion of the quiz or let the error stand.
      2. The statistician must enter the team and individual quizzer results from the official scoresheets into the official standings.
      3. The statistician must produce the reports used for announcing the results of the quiz meet.
      4. The statistician must complete the ribbons for the awards presentation at the end of the quiz meet.
   5. Coaches
      1. The coach is not an official in the sense that the others are, but he has specific duties and responsibilities at the quiz meet.
      2. The coach assumes responsibility for his team throughout the entire quiz meet.
      3. The coach must bring his team's electronic quiz seats (if any) to the quiz meet for use in the various quiz rooms.
      4. The coach must provide his team's line-up to the scorekeeper before each quiz. The line-up includes the team name and ID number, each quizzer's name, ID number, and seat position, and designates the captain and alternate captain.
      5. The coach must coach his team from the sidelines during the quiz. He may request time-outs as he desires.
      6. The coach must register any late-arriving quizzers with the scorekeeper before they enter the quiz.
      7. The coach must inform the scorekeeper of quizzer substitutions.
      8. The coach must verify and sign the official scoresheet after each quiz. His signature means that he has verified that the scoresheet is correct, including both team and individual quizzer names, ID numbers, and points.
      9. The coach must attend the Coaches Meeting at the end of the quiz meet.
3. Quiz Structure
   1. Overview
      1. The quiz consists of a series of questions asked by the quizmaster and answered by the quizzers.
      2. The first quizzer to jump from his chair (as registered by the electronic quiz seats) earns the right to answer the question. A correctly answered question scores points both for the individual quizzer and for his team.
      3. At the end of the quiz, team ranking is based on the number of points scored by each team. Teams earn Olympic Points for each quiz based on their rank in the quiz as well as the number of points scored. A team's position in the League standings is based on the total number of Olympic Points earned in the quiz meet and through the quizzing season.
      4. A quizzer's individual points accumulate through the quiz meet and through the quizzing season, and determine his position in the League standings.
   2. Number of teams competing in a quiz
      1. Where possible three teams must be scheduled to compete in each quiz. Otherwise, where this is not possible, two teams must be scheduled to compete in a quiz. The only way a single team may compete in a quiz is if the quiz is allowed to start with only one of the scheduled teams present.
      2. A quiz is designated as a 3-team, a 2-team, or a 1-team quiz depending on the number of teams competing. This is an important designation, as it affects the flow of the quiz.
      3. The number of teams competing in a quiz may change through the course of the quiz. When a quiz starts, the number of teams competing in the quiz is the number of teams scheduled to compete which are present at that time. If a scheduled team arrives late and is permitted to enter the quiz after it has started, then the number of teams competing is increased when the late team enters the quiz. If an entire team quizzes-out or errors-out so that it no longer has any quizzers in the quiz, that does not reduce the number of teams competing in the quiz. The only way the number of teams competing is ever reduced is after the Regulation Period, where only teams with tied scores continue to compete in the Overtime Period in order to break the tie.
   3. Kinds of questions
      1. The first question in a quiz is always a Regular Question. A regular question is one in which all competing teams are eligible to jump. Unless a quizzer makes an error on a regular question, the question following it is always another regular question.
      2. In a 3-team quiz, if a quizzer makes an error on a regular question, the next question is a Tossup Question in which only the other two teams are eligible to jump. Unless a quizzer makes an error on a tossup question, the question following it is always a regular question.
      3. If a quizzer makes an error on a tossup question, or on a regular question in a 2-team quiz, the question following it is a Free Question on which only the remaining team is eligible to jump. The question following a free question is always a regular question, regardless of the outcome of the free question.
      4. In a 1-team quiz, all questions are regular questions.
      5. If all quizzers on a team have either quizzed-out or errored-out, the team is still regarded as competing in the quiz and eligible to jump as before, even though it has no quizzers remaining in the quiz. If such a team becomes eligible for a free question, the free question is not asked, and the next question is a regular question instead.
   4. Question numbering
      1. Questions are generally numbered sequentially starting with Question 1.
      2. In a 2-team or 3-team quiz, if there are three or fewer quizzers present after Question 5, Questions 6-15 are omitted; the question following Question 5 is Question 16.
      3. Otherwise in a 2-team quiz, or in a 3-team quiz with only 4 or 5 quizzers present after Question 5, Questions 6-10 are omitted; the question following Question 5 is Question 11,
      4. In a 1-team quiz, Questions 4-15 are omitted; the question following Question 3 is Question 16.
      5. Question 18 and all sequentially numbered questions thereafter until the end of the quiz, must be regular questions (all competing teams must be eligible to jump). A and B questions are added as needed for tossup and free questions. For example, if Question 18 would otherwise be a free question, the free question is numbered 17A instead, and Question 18 follows as a regular question. If Question 18 would otherwise be a tossup question, the tossup question is numbered 17A instead, and if a free question is required, it is numbered 17B, and Question 18 follows as a regular question.
   5. Starting a quiz
      1. The quizmaster starts a quiz as soon as all scheduled teams are present.
      2. If a scheduled team is not present because it is still participating in another quiz, that team cannot be considered late, and the quiz cannot be started without it.
      3. A quiz may not be started without a late team until 10 minutes after the scheduled starting time. At that point, the quizmaster will no longer wait for a late team before starting the quiz.
      4. The quizmaster will verify that all electronic quiz seats are working properly before starting the quiz.
      5. All quizzers and coaches who are scheduled to quiz in another room during the same round must leave the room before the quiz begins.
   6. Accommodating late-arriving teams and quizzers
      1. A late team may only enter a quiz before a regular question and only if it arrives before Question 6. The quizmaster will call an official time-out to add the team to the quiz, before asking the next regular question. If a team arrives after Question 6, it forfeits the quiz.
      2. A late team entering a quiz is charged with a team foul for each question it misses before arriving.
      3. A late-arriving quizzer whose team is competing in the quiz may enter the quiz before any question. A time-out is not charged to the team, provided that the quizzer occupies an empty chair on his team.
   7. Ending a quiz (Regulation Period)
      1. A 1-team quiz ends with Question 20, regardless of whether or how it is answered.
      2. For a 2-team or 3-team quiz, the regulation period ends with the first correctly-answered question beginning with Question 20, or ends with Question 23 regardless of whether or how it is answered, whichever happens first. (Questions 23A or any beyond it are never asked in the regulation period).
      3. When the regulation period ends, the teams' scores at that point become their final scores for the quiz. The placements for all teams whose scores are not tied are determined by those final scores. If there are no teams with tied scores, the quiz ends at that point; otherwise only those teams with tied scores continue to compete in the overtime period to determine their placements.
   8. Breaking a tie (Overtime Period)
      1. Only teams whose scores are tied at the start of the overtime period compete in it (there may be two or three teams).
      2. Question numbering and team scores continue from the point at which the regulation period ended.
      3. Prior to Question 23, whenever an overtime period question is answered correctly, then any teams which no longer have a tied score will no longer compete in the quiz; a team continues to compete (even if its score is not tied) until a question is answered correctly (by any competing team).
      4. Beginning with Question 23, whenever there is a difference in the score after a question (regardless of whether or how the question was answered), then any teams which no longer have a tied score will no longer compete in the quiz. (Questions 23A and any beyond it are only asked to tied teams).
      5. A tie is not considered to be broken until after a question has been asked. If a team is charged with a foul while a question is being asked, the team continues to compete in the quiz, even if there is a penalty associated with the foul which makes a difference in the team's score.
      6. At the point where a team no longer competes in the quiz, its placement relative to any other teams whose placements have not already been determined, is based on its score and the scores of those teams.
      7. The quiz ends when there are no longer any teams remaining to compete.
4. Types of Questions
   1. Questions in general
      1. Questions must be written from the 1984 New International Version of the Bible.
      2. Questions must be Scripturally correct.
      3. Questions must be grammatically correct complete sentences, though word order may be inverted.
      4. Question styles must adhere closely to World Bible Quiz Association formats.
      5. The questions for each quiz meet come from pre-determined portions of the Scripture, which are the basis of competition for each quiz in the meet. Questions which were from the basis of competition for earlier quiz meets are identified as Old Questions when they are announced.
      6. The order of questions is determined before the quiz, and is not changed during the quiz.
   2. Interrogative Questions
      1. Interrogative questions are taken directly from the Scripture, using only the exact same words and tenses, though perhaps in a different order, and forming a complete sentence. The word order may not correspond to normal speaking syntax. The first five words of the question must uniquely identify the passage from which the question is written.
      2. One of the following interrogative words must be added to the Scripture text to form the question: How, how long, how many, what, when, where, which, who, whom, whose, or why. While there is no requirement regarding the placement of the interrogative word in the question, it is preferred that it be one of the first five words of the question, unless that would make the wording of the question too awkward.
      3. Pronouns in the Scripture text may be replaced by their antecedents in the question, provided that the antecedent is in the same verse from which the question is taken. (A pronoun may need to be clarified by its antecedent in the answer).
      4. Direct question and answer pairs from the Scripture may be used, including questions which are answered by another question.
   3. Reference Questions
      1. Reference questions are Interrogative questions which identify the chapter or the chapter and verse from which the question must be answered.
      2. Reference questions must be used when the same Interrogative question could be asked from different passages but would have different answers. More precisely, reference questions must be used when the first five words of an Interrogative question are the same as the first five words of an Interrogative question from a different passage. Reference questions may also be used when there is no other significant context to the question.
      3. If the question and the answer come from the same single verse, a Chapter-And-Verse Reference Question should be used. If the question and the answer come from more than one verse but within a single chapter, a Chapter-Only Reference Question must be used.
      4. A Chapter-Only Reference question begins with the words "According to <book> chapter <number>," preceding the rest of the question, and must be announced as a Chapter-Only Reference question.
      5. A Chapter-And-Verse Reference question begins with the words "According to <book> chapter <number> verse <number>," preceding the rest of the question, and may be announced either as a Chapter-And-Verse Reference question or simply as a Reference question.
   4. Situation Questions
      1. Situation questions are only taken from narrative passages. They are taken from a quotation within the Scripture.
      2. Situation questions consist of a quote and up to three questions about that quote, which are answered in the passages surrounding the quotation. The following are the possible questions:
         • Who said it? (In the event that one person quotes another, the answer is the person who said it most recently).
         • To whom (was it said)?
         • When (was it said)?
         • Where (was it said)?
         • How (was it said)?
         • Why (was it said)?
         • In reply to what (was it said)?
         • In response to what (was it said)?
         • About whom (was it said)?
         • About what (was it said)?
         • What was the reply?
         • What was the response?
         • What was the result?
      3. The quote must start at the beginning of the quotation in the passage, and must come only from a single verse (though the quotation itself may continue into the following verses). The combination of the words in the quote and the questions asked about it must uniquely identify the passage from which the quote is taken.
      4. The quizmaster identifies the questions which must be answered about the quote, at the time he announces the Situation question. He then asks the question by reading the quote.
   5. Finish Questions
      1. In a Finish question, the quizmaster asks the question by beginning to read a passage of Scripture. The quizmaster reads no more than 5 words, and reads them with a deliberate pause between each word. A quizzer answers the question by completing the quotation of the passage. After completing the quotation, if it is not word-perfect, the quizmaster may ask him to state the quotation again.
      2. There are different types of Finish questions.
         1. Finish types beginning with the words Finish this verse indicate that the quotation starts with the first word of a verse and goes through the end of that or subsequent consecutive verses.
         2. Finish types beginning simply with the words Finish this indicate that the quotation starts somewhere other than with the first word of a verse, and goes through the end of that or subsequent consecutive verses.
      3. The following are the different types of Finish questions. The quizmaster identifies which type is being asked when he announces the Finish question:
         • Finish this verse
         • Finish this verse and the next or Finish this verse and the next verse or Finish these two verses
         • Finish this verse and the next two verses or Finish these three verses
         • Finish this
         • Finish this and the next verse
         • Finish this and the next two verses
         • Finish this verse and give the reference requires that the quizzer state the complete reference after quoting the verse. The reference is regarded as part of the quotation of the verse, and must be stated each time the verse is quoted.
   6. Quote Questions
      1. In a Quote question, the quizmaster's question begins with the word "Quote", and is followed by the reference for the verse or consecutive verses which are to be quoted. The quizzer answers the question by quoting the requested passage, from the beginning of the first verse through the end of the last verse. After completing the quotation, if it is not word-perfect, the quizmaster may ask him to quote the verse(s) again.
      2. The following are the different types of Quote questions. The quizmaster identifies which type is being asked when he announces the Quote question:
         • Quote this verse (the question is read as "Quote <book> chapter <number> verse <number>.")
         • Quote these two verses (the question is read as "Quote <book> chapter <number> verses <number> and <number>.")
         • Quote these three verses (the question is read as "Quote <book> chapter <number> verses <number> through <number>.")
5. Quizzing
   1. Question Flow
      1. Calling the question
         1. The quizmaster announces each question and its question number. If not all teams are eligible to jump, he announces which teams are eligible. If the type of question is anything other than an Interrogative question, he announces the question type.
         2. No time-outs are permitted after a non-Interrogative question has been announced, until the question is complete.
         3. After announcing the question, the quizmaster begins each question with the following sequence: "Question number __, Question" . There is a slight pause before the final "Question" is called. Prior to calling the final "Question", the sequence may be interrupted and restarted as necessary.
         4. Once "Question" has been called, the question is underway and may not be interrupted without a foul. No time-outs are then permitted until the question is complete.
      2. Reading the question
         1. Once "Question" has been called, there is a slight pause before the quizmaster begins reading the question.
         2. If a quizzer jumps before the quizmaster begins formulating the question on his lips, the quizzer is charged with a foul, and the question is restarted.
         3. The quizmaster stops reading the question immediately when a quizzer jumps, and calls on the first quizzer who jumped.
         4. If no quizzer jumps within 5 seconds after the quizmaster finishes reading the question, the question is complete. The quizmaster gives the answer to the question, and the quiz continues on to the next question.
      3. Answering the question
         1. A quizzer who speaks before being called upon by the quizmaster is charged with a foul.
         2. Once called upon by the quizmaster, the quizzer is allotted 30 seconds to finish the question (if the quizmaster did not finish reading it) and answer it.
         3. The quizzer must stand facing the quizmaster while answering, and speak clearly and loudly enough to be heard.
         4. Once the quizzer returns to his seat he can add nothing more to his answer, even though he may have time remaining in his 30-second allotment.
      4. Completing the question
         1. Once the quizzer has completed his answer or his 30 seconds have expired, the quizmaster rules on his answer, deliberating as necessary.
         2. The quizmaster announces whether the quizzer's answer was correct or incorrect. Afterwards the quizmaster may explain his ruling if he desires, but he must pause briefly before doing so, to give opportunity for a captain to appeal his ruling first, if desired.
         3. If there are no appeals, the question is complete.
         4. If a captain makes an appeal, the captains of the other teams also have an opportunity to add to the appeal or to rebut it, and then the quizmaster reconsiders his ruling based on the information presented in the appeal.
         5. Once the quizmaster announces his decision regarding an appeal the question is complete. He must explain his decision regarding an appeal.
         6. After the question is complete, time-outs are again permitted.
         7. After the question is complete, the quizmaster is available to answer any questions from quizzers or coaches regarding quiz rules or procedures.
   2. Quizmastering
      1. The quizmaster stops reading when the first quizzer jumps, and does not repeat any portion of the question.
      2. If the question was completely read, the quizmaster may tell the quizzer that the question is complete. The quizzer may ask the quizmaster if the question is complete, and if it is complete, he will respond affirmatively; if not he will not respond.
      3. The quizmaster is generally silent while the quizzer is answering, and the quizzer should understand that this means his question or his answer is not yet complete.
      4. The quizmaster will not interrupt the quizzer, but will use the following prompts as appropriate when the quizzer pauses:
         1. If the quizzer completes the question before giving the answer, the quizmaster will say "That is the question" or "What is your answer?"
         2. If the quizzer completes the question before giving the answer, and gives a different question, but one that is taken from the same passage, and the quizmaster believes that in answering that question the quizzer would give all of the information required in the question and answer, the quizmaster will say "I'll accept your question on the basis of your answer".
         3. If the quizzer jumps on a Reference question before it was completely read, and chooses not to answer it in question-answer format, then when the quizzer has stated all of the information in the question and the answer, the quizmaster will ask "What is the question?".
         4. On a Finish or Quote question which is not quoted word-perfectly, the quizmaster may say to the quizzer "Please say it again".
         5. If the quizzer's answer is complete but includes information beyond what the quizmaster required, he may say "Don't say anything else". This enables him to check the accuracy of the extra information without allowing the quizzer to add additional information which may not be correct.
         6. If the quizzer's answer is complete except that it includes an unclarified pronoun, the quizmaster may ask the quizzer to clarify the pronoun.
         7. If the quizzer's answer is complete except that it includes a person-perfect deity title that is not the specific title in the passage, the quizmaster may ask him to clarify the deity title.
         8. If the quizmaster did not read the question completely, but it was so close to complete that the quizzer could easily think it had been completely read, the quizmaster may prompt the quizzer to finish the question.
      5. Once the quizzer is obviously correct or obviously incorrect, the quizmaster does not wait for the 30-second limit to expire before making his ruling. Otherwise, as long as the answer is not yet as complete as it could be, the quizmaster does not make his ruling until the 30-second limit time expires.
   3. Answering
      1. General Information
         1. When a quizzer is called on by the quizmaster, he has 30 seconds to complete his answer. He can say no more after the time limit expires, or if he returns to his seat and sits down.
         2. If the quizzer jumps before the quizmaster finishes reading the question, he must include the rest of the question in his response. In most cases, the information does not have to be provided in question and answer form, as long as his response includes all of the information required. For a Reference question, the quizzer must state the question.
         3. If the quizzer states any incorrect information, the quizmaster immediately rules his answer as incorrect. Within the 30-second time limit, as long as the quizmaster has not made his ruling, the quizzer should think of his response as correct so far, but not complete.
         4. Except for Finish and Quote questions, the quizzer's response does not have to be word-perfect, but it must be complete and have the correct meaning (thought-perfect).
         5. If the quizzer states a question, it must be the correct question or an incomplete version of the correct question. A correct question asks for the same answer as the quizmaster's question, and states all of the information that is in the quizmaster's question.
         6. References to deity must be Person-perfect. The quizmaster may require a specific deity title if he considers it significant to the context of the question.
         7. The quizzer's response is ruled incorrect if the quizmaster is unable to hear or understand him.
         8. Recognizably mispronounced names are acceptable.
      2. Interrogative Questions
         1. A quizzer's answer must come only from the passage from which the question is written. If a quizzer answers from more than one passage, he must state the intervening passages thought-perfectly and in consecutive verse order.
         2. If the first five words of a valid question are exactly the same as the first five words of a different valid question, the alternate question and answer will be accepted provided that:
            • The quizzer and/or his team is able to give a reference for the alternate question, or the quizmaster is able to find it himself through his knowledge of the Scripture or through the use of a concordance
            • The alternate question is indeed valid and is answered accurately and completely
            • The quizzer jumped before the two questions could be distinguished
            • The alternate question is in a passage which is in the basis of competition for the quiz
      3. Reference Questions
         1. Reference questions (both Chapter-Only and Chapter-And-Verse) require that the quizzer state the rest of the question if the quizmaster did not finish reading it. If the quizzer chooses to quote the passage or portions of it before stating the question, then the first time he pauses after he has quoted all of the information required in the question and the answer, the quizmaster will ask him for the question.
         2. A quizzer's response must come only from the referenced passage. However, if in quoting the referenced passage, the quizzer quotes beyond it, he may do so without being incorrect and the extra material may not be the subject of an appeal, as long as he is recognizably quoting the subsequent verse(s).
      4. Situation Questions
         1. If the quote is not complete, the quizzer must finish quoting it (only through the end of the first verse if the quote goes into the next verse). The quote need not be word-perfect, but it must be thought-perfect and precise enough to distinguish it from other similar quotations.
      5. Finish and Quote Questions
         1. When the quizzer completes the quotation, if it is not word-perfect, but has the correct meaning and did not omit any key phrases, the quizmaster asks the quizzer to say it again. The quizzer must start from the beginning and quote completely through the quotation again. This is repeated as many times as are necessary until the quotation is word-perfect or the 30-second time limit expires.
         2. If the League policy does not require Finish and Quote questions to answered word-perfectly, then if the last completed quotation was thought-perfect, the quizmaster rules the answer as correct. However, the captain of an opposing team may successfully appeal the quizmaster's decision by identifying and correcting only one error in the last complete quotation. (If the time expires before the quizzer completes the entire quotation, that partial quotation is neither the subject of the quizmaster's decision, nor may it be the subject of an appeal).
         3. On a Finish This Verse And Give The Reference question, the quizzer must include the entire book, chapter, and verse reference each time after he finishes quoting the verse. The reference is regarded as part of the verse for this type of question and must be stated for the quotation to be considered complete. The quizmaster cannot prompt the quizzer to say the verse again (if necessary) until the reference is given.
         4. On a Finish This Verse And Give The Reference question, if the quizzer states the wrong reference, his answer is immediately incorrect.
         5. A quizzer's quotation must always begin within the verses containing the passage to be quoted. Other than for a Finish This Verse And Give The Reference question, a quizzer's quotation may continue beyond the required passage without being incorrect and without being the subject of an appeal, provided that he is recognizably quoting the subsequent verse(s).
   4. Asking for a Reference
      1. If a quizzer is ruled incorrect and believes his answer is correct from a different passage, he may ask to give a reference. If the quizmaster does not change his ruling as a result of the reference, the quizzer's team is charged with an overruled appeal.
      2. If a quizzer's answer would otherwise be incorrect, but the quizmaster believes it may be correct in a different passage, he may ask the quizzer for a reference. (If the reference does not support the answer, an overruled appeal is not charged to the team).
      3. If a quizzer asks to give a reference, or is asked by the quizmaster for one, he may consult with his team provided that he obtains permission from the quizmaster first. In any case, he has 15 seconds to provide the reference.
      4. A reference does not have to be exact; the quizmaster will check a reasonable number of verses on either side of the reference. He may also check other passages, based on his knowledge of the Scripture or through the use of a concordance. Regardless, the quizmaster is not responsible to find the passage if the quizzer's reference does not lead him to it.
   5. Appealing
      1. An appeal can only be made about a quizmaster's decision regarding a quizzer's answer. A question cannot be appealed.
      2. An appeal may be made by the captain of any team competing in the quiz, whether or not the team was eligible to jump on the question. (But a team with no quizzers remaining in the quiz cannot participate in an appeal).
      3. The captain must stand immediately after the quizmaster's decision, without communication or prompting from anyone else, and wait to be recognized by the quizmaster.
      4. The captain may not confer or communicate with anyone other than the Quizmaster during the entire appeal process.
      5. The team whose captain is the first to speak in an appeal is known as the Appealing Team. The team whose quizzer answered the question is known as the Appealed Team.
      6. An appeal of a quizmaster's decision in which he ruled a quizzer correct must contain the following information:
         • A restatement of the portion of the quizzer's response which is the subject of the appeal.
         • What the correct response should have been.
         • Why the difference is significant. Except for a Finish or Quote question, a quizzer's response does not have to be word-perfect, so the captain must show that what the quizzer said has a different meaning than the Scripture passage from which the question was written. Only for a Finish or Quote question, can an appeal be made simply on the basis of a non-word-perfect answer.
      7. An appeal of a quizmaster's decision in which he ruled a quizzer incorrect must contain the following information:
         • A restatement of the portion of the quizzer's response which is the subject of the appeal.
         • What the correct response should have been.
         • Why the difference is insignificant; the Captain must show that the Scripture passage and the quizzer's response have the same meaning.
      8. After the captain of the appealing team finishes speaking, the quizmaster gives the captain(s) of the other team(s) one opportunity to agree with the appeal and/or provide additional information, if they choose to do so.
      9. After all appeals have been made, the quizmaster gives the captain(s) of any remaining team(s) one opportunity to rebut the appeal, if they choose to do so. The captain of an appealed team has the last opportunity to rebut.
      10. After each captain has had one opportunity to speak, the quizmaster rules on the appeal(s), consulting with the scorekeeper if needed. If he overrules the appeal, then the appealing team and any teams whose captain spoke in agreement with the appeal are charged with an Overruled Appeal. If the quizmaster upholds the appeal, then any team other than the appealed team, whose captain rebutted the appeal is charged with an overruled appeal.
      11. If the quizmaster upholds the appeal, the scoring for the question is simply as though the quizmaster had originally ruled that way and there had been no appeal.
      12. The following are not considered appeals:
          • A captain may request that a question be thrown out if he has a valid basis for doing so.
          • A quizzer or coach may point out a procedural error to the quizmaster.
   6. Time-outs and Substitutions
      1. Each team is allowed two 45-second time-outs per quiz. These may only be requested by the captain or the coach.
      2. Regardless of which team requested the time-out, each coach (and assistant coach) may confer with his team during the time-out, and if desired, may substitute quizzers into the quiz.
      3. At the time a quizzer quizzes-out or errors-out of the quiz, it is not necessary to request a time-out to replace him with another quizzer; otherwise substitutions may only be made during a time-out.
      4. A time-out may not be requested either after a non-Interrogative question has been announced or after "Question" has been called, until the question is complete.
      5. A time-out may be requested after any question is complete, but no more than one time-out is allowed between two successive questions.
      6. The quizmaster may call an Official Time-out at any time. An official time-out is not charged to any team, and no quizzer substitutions are permitted.
   7. Fouls
      1. Fouls lead to penalties counted against the team and/or the individual quizzer.
      2. The quizmaster may call a foul against a team or a quizzer for any of the following reasons:
         • Any communication between quizzers, coaches, and/or the audience, from the time Question is called until the question is complete.
         • A quizzer's hands or feet touching the chair from the time "Question" is called until the Quizmaster calls on a quizzer to answer the question.
         • A quizzer jumping between the time "Question" is called and the first word of the question is formed on the quizmaster's lips.
         • A quizzer attempting to trick other quizzers into jumping by pretending to jump.
         • A quizzer answering before being called on by the quizmaster.
         • Discussion about a quizmaster's decision outside of an appeal.
         • Any other infraction of the rules, or behavior by a quizzer, coach, or the audience, which the quizmaster considers detrimental to the spirit of Bible Quizzing.
      3. A late team entering a quiz is charged with a team foul for each question it missed before arriving.
   8. Tie Jumps
      1. If the electronic equipment registers a tie between quizzers on the same team, the captain of that team immediately decides which quizzer should answer the question.
      2. When quizzers on opposing teams tie, the question is replaced by a question in which only the tied teams are eligible to jump. If a quizzer makes an error on the replacement question, the following question is handled as though there had been no tie.
   9. Thrown-out Questions and Replacement Questions
      1. A question is thrown out and replaced with another question in any of the following cases:
         • If the question is not a valid question.
         • If the question contains erroneous information or does not come from the Scripture which is the basis of competition.
         • If there is a serious mispronunciation or stumbling in the reading of the question.
         • If a foul occurs after the quizmaster begins reading the question.
         • If the quizmaster rules on an answer before the quizzer's 30-second allotment expires, and his ruling is appealed, and in the course of the appeal it is determined that the quizzer's answer was incomplete at the time the quizmaster made his ruling. No team is charged with an overruled appeal in this case.
         • If the quizmaster does not believe he can make a fair ruling.
      2. A replacement question is always the same type of question as the question it replaces. The quizmaster chooses the replacement question randomly from among extra questions of the same type.
6. Scoring and Points
   1. Points and bonuses for correct answers
      1. Both the team and the individual quizzer are awarded 20 points for a correctly answered regular or tossup question.
      2. If a quizzer answers four regular or tossup questions correctly, he quizzes-out and must permanently leave the quiz. If he has made no errors, both the team and the quizzer are awarded 20 bonus points.
      3. A team is awarded 20 bonus points when three different quizzers have correctly answered a regular or tossup question.
      4. A team is awarded 10 points for a correct answer to a free question; the individual quizzer receives none.
   2. Errors and penalties for incorrect answers
      1. An incorrect answer to a regular or tossup question is an Error. An incorrect answer to a free question is an Attempt, and is not considered an error.
      2. If a quizzer makes three errors, he errors-out and must permanently leave the quiz. Both he and the team are penalized 10 points.
      3. A team is penalized 10 points for each error starting with whichever of the following occur first:
         • The third error by the same quizzer
         • The fourth error by quizzers on the team
         • Any error on Question 16 or later
      4. It is possible for a team and/or an individual quizzer to have a negative score.
   3. Foul penalties
      1. Foul totals are accumulated for each quizzer and for each team. Fouls charged to a quizzer also count towards his team's total.
      2. A quizzer receives a 10 point penalty for every second foul charged against him.
      3. A team receives a 10 point penalty for every second foul counted against it.
   4. Overruled Appeal penalties
      1. Overruled appeal totals are accumulated for each team.
      2. A team is penalized 10 points for each overruled appeal counted against it, starting with the second one.
   5. Overtime Period points
      1. All team and individual quizzer points, bonuses, and penalties continue through the regulation period and into the overtime period (if needed).
      2. A quizzer's individual points for the quiz include those scored during the overtime period.
      3. A team's final score is its score at the end of the regulation period. Team points continue accumulating in the overtime period only for the purpose of knowing when the tie(s) are broken and in what place each team finished.
   6. Olympic Points

      Olympic points are based on both total team points in the quiz, and the place in which the team finished the quiz. These points are used to rank the teams in the League standings. Ties in Olympic points are broken by total team points.

      1. In a 3-team quiz:
         1. The first place team receives 10 Olympic points with 1 additional Olympic point for each 10 team points over 120 points, up to a maximum of 14 Olympic points.
         2. The second place team receives 5 Olympic points with 1 additional Olympic point for each 10 team points over 70 points, up to a maximum of 9 Olympic points.
         3. The third place team receives 1 Olympic point with 1 additional Olympic point for each 10 team points over 30 points, up to a maximum of 4 Olympic points.
      2. In a 2-team quiz:
         1. The first place team receives 8 Olympic points with 1 additional Olympic point for each 10 team points over 110 points, up to a maximum of 14 Olympic points.
         2. The second place team receives 3 Olympic points with 1 additional Olympic point for each 10 team points over 60 points, up to a maximum of 9 Olympic points.
      3. In a 1-team quiz:
         1. The team receives 6 Olympic points with 1 additional Olympic point for each 10 team points over 80 points, up to a maximum of 14 Olympic points.
7. Individual Quizzing
   1. In an Individual Quiz, there are no teams, and the quizzers compete only for individual points.
   2. Quizzers may sit on any seat.
   3. Because there are no teams, there are no team points, and no captains and coaches, and therefore no time-outs or appeals.
   4. If there are three or fewer quizzers present after Question 5, Questions 6-15 are omitted, and the next question is Question 16.
   5. If there are four or five quizzers present after Question 5, Questions 6-10 are omitted, and the next question is Question 11.
   6. Individual quizzer points are scored the same as in a team quiz, and quizzers quiz-out or error-out in the same way.
   7. All questions are regular questions. If a quizzer makes an error, he alone is ineligible to jump on the next question.
   8. The quiz ends at the end of the regulation period, that is, with the first correct answer starting with Question 20, or after Question 23 (whether or how it is answered), whichever comes first.