Oral Round Rules
In the Oral Rounds, two teams are pitted against each other. Each oral round consists of 30 questions.
Each team is seated at its own table, and each table has a single “buzzer.” Scratch paper is provided by the officials for calculations. Team members may bring pencils but no other team provided materials are allowed at the table.
The Reader reads questions one at a time. Both teams have the opportunity to ring the buzzer and answer each question. The “buzzers” allow only the first buzz that is rung. Team members must keep their hands to the side of the buzzer; “hovering” over the buzzer is not allowed. A team which accidentally rings its buzzer will be treated as though it has intentionally done so.
Any team member may activate the "buzzer" on behalf of his or her team, only answers supplied by the team's designated spokesperson will be accepted. Answers blurted out by other team members will be ignored.
A team may ring in at any time during the reading of a question or within 15 seconds after the question has been fully read. If a team rings in before the question is completely read, the Reader will immediately stop reading, and the question will not be completed for that team. The team that rings in first has 15 seconds from the time it rang in to discuss and present an answer. To answer a question correctly, the spokesperson must give an answer when or before being called upon to do so at the end of the 15 seconds. Silence, or any attempt to stall when called upon to give an answer, will be treated as a wrong answer. Incomplete answers are wrong answers if not completed within the time given.
The second team may be working on an answer while the first team is using its 15-second answer time. The second team may communicate quietly with each other during this time but their communication should in no way disturb the first team.
If the first team gives the wrong answer or fails to answer within the allotted time, the second team has a chance to answer. The second team does not need to ring in. Its allotted time within which to give an answer starts as soon as the Reader announces that the first team's answer is wrong or that is has not answered in a timely manner.
If the question was read in its entirety before the first team rang in, it is not reread for the second team. The second team has 5 seconds to give an answer after the first team gives the wrong answer or fails to answer within the allotted time. The spokesperson must give an answer when called upon to do so at the end of the 5 seconds. Again, silence or any attempt to stall when called upon to give an answer will be treated as a wrong answer.
If the first team rang in before the entire question was read, the question is read in its entirety for the second team. The second team then has a full 15 seconds to discuss and give an answer.
When a question calls for the name of a person, a last name alone shall be considered a sufficient answer unless the question specifically called for more. If a team’s spokesperson volunteers an incorrect first name, then that team’s answer will be counted as a wrong answer.