Studying

You want to get better at quizbowl. Well, here's a lot of resources you can use!

General Study Methods

  • Pay attention in class: While this seems silly, a nontrivial amount of information taught in classes comes up during games. Specifically, topics in history, science, and literature frequently come from the standard high school curriculum. 
  • Read past packets/Search questions: This is probably the best method of studying. Read past packets, and get to know what's in the "canon" of Quizbowl. Cover the answer and see where you would buzz (or neg). Learn what comes up often, and remember those clues! Don't forget to look up the answer lines on Google to learn more. This is also probably one of the only academic settings where Wikipedia is your friend. 
  • Create notecards or spreadsheets: This is called "flashcarding", and is a fast way to quickly refresh your memory with things you learned. Be warned of the pitfalls of binary association though, as it may not work on higher level questions. Spreadsheets are a way to keep track of information.
  • Go to tournaments: It might seem counterintuitive, as most people would think to study before tournaments, not during tournaments, but bringing notebooks and writing down unfamiliar clues/answerlines during games is immensely useful. Afterword, look up more information about each topic so the next time it comes up, you will be able to answer!
  • Ask other players: Take advantage of the knowledge other players or alumni have about a topic, and ask them about ways to remember certain clues and how they improved.
  • Write questions: Question providers need questions from somewhere! Writing questions exposes you to dozens of new clues, gets you in the mind of a question writer, offsets tournament costs, and prepares you for playing in college (where packet submissions are the norm). NHBB and NAQT [note: you must be at least 18] are always looking for new writers!
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2014 Mountain Lakes Champions

Subject-specific Study Methods

Science
  • Take AP classes: The science canon is probably the most aligned with the high school curriculum, and early science clues often draw from AP- or college-level material. 
  • Do other science competitions: Material covered while studying for Science Bowl, New Jersey Science League, and various Olympiads (Bio, Physics, and Chem) overlaps greatly with the science canon.
  • Study math: Math gets overlooked in the science distribution, but it often makes up one tossup or bonus a round. Reviewing concepts and theory from class are a good way to start. 


Literature
  • Read books: Literature is one of the most time-intensive categories, but also one of the most rewarding. Not only is reading is one of the most beneficial activities for relaxation, but it also will get you deep knowledge about characters and events. For those who don't have the time....
  • Sparknotes: Sparknotes is great for summarizing longer works while maintaining a level of detail about characters. It can be also used for quick knowledge about an author's lesser-known works.
Fine Arts
  • Visit museums: Take a trip in one of New York City's many art museums, or wait until the Junior trip to the Met to view paintings, sculptures, and artifacts. 
  • Look at paintings/sculptures/etc: Since visual art mainly asks for clues about what is in the painting, looking at famous works is a good way to improve. In addition, understanding some historical context (Guernica was painted in response to the Nazi bombing of the Basque town, for example) is useful.
  • Listen to music or play an instrument: Many music clues come either from music theory or from characteristics from a specific piece. Listening to pieces allows you to identify specific chord progressions in a piece.


History
  • History books: Reading books about history, such as textbooks and biographies, can provide in-depth knowledge, but this is considerably more time-intensive.
  • Wikipedia: Browsing Wikipedia is a good way to get a quick overview on historical topics and figures, but be aware of Wikipedia's limitations.