Oregon Battle of the Books: Battle Procedures          PDF version

• All students participating must be in grades 3-5 or 6-9 for the current school year.
• Each team must have a sponsor from their school who is a school library media specialist, library paraprofessional or other school staff member.
• The composition of the team members may not change once the regional battles have started.
• The regional competition do not require participation in a district/county/ESD competition. The state battles require participation in the regional competitions.
• Each school may send only one team to the regional competition (grant recipients must attend the regional competitions) and each region may send their top two teams to the state competition.
• Teams are usually made up of four members with one optional alternate, for a total of five members.
• There may be only one alternate. This alternate may take the place of a player for a battle. When the alternate is used, the alternate must remain in competition for the entire battle. No other substitutions may be made.
• No other person may assist in answering any question directed to a team, including the team’s coach. The judge will disqualify a team determined to be receiving outside help.
• In the event of a situation that is not specifically addressed in the OBOB rules, the decision of the judges is final.
• The OBOB Committee has the authority to refuse to allow a team to participate in the event of un-sportsmanlike behavior or other extenuating circumstances.

• Prepare the teams by reviewing procedures and rules.
• Conduct practice battles which follow OBOB protocol.
• Encourage and moderate discussions about the books.
• Direct teams in writing their own practice questions if additional questions are desired.
• Offer moral support to teams during Battles without actually offering any input to help them with their answers.
• Must secure adult supervision for the team at all regional and state competitions.
• Reinforce that the focus of this program is to celebrate the love of reading and promote good sportsmanship for both teams and spectators.

• The following must be available for each battle:
• A packet of OBOB questions
• A copy of each of the OBOB Battle Books
• A copy of the Official Book List
• A copy of the Official Handbook
• A coin for the coin toss
• Sufficient score sheets
• A stopwatch and clipboard
• Teams are usually made up of four members with one optional alternate, for a total of five members. Of the four competing members, one will serve as the spokesperson throughout each battle.
• Two teams will compete during a single battle. Efforts will be made to assure teams can quietly discuss answers among themselves without fear of being overheard by the other competing team(s).
• A coin toss will be held before the start of each battle. The winning team decides where they want to sit. The team that sits on the left will be always be given first chance at the odd numbered questions, and the team on the right will always be given first chance at the even questions.
• The Moderator/Reader will review the rules with the participating teams and find out who is serving as the Spokespersons.
• The Moderator/Reader will accept answers from only that Spokesperson; no other team member's answer shall be heard and recorded during that battle.
• The "odd" team (on the Moderator/Reader's left) will go first and be read question number one.
• The Moderator/Reader will ask a question, prefacing the question with the name of the team it is directed to.  Timing starts immediately after the question has been read for the first time. Teams will use the allotted time to quietly discuss the question among themselves. The team will have 15 seconds in which to discuss and answer the question. Only the first answer the Spokesperson gives will be acceptable--the team cannot use up the time left to guess other titles.
• During battle, a team’s spokesperson may request a repeat of a question. All repeats must take place within the time limit, which starts after the question is read for the first time.
• Discussion must stop as soon as time is called, the question must then be answered immediately.
• In the "In which book" questions, if the title is correct, the team is awarded 3 points. An additional 2 points shall be awarded for the correct author (both first and last names, as listed on the official OBOB book lists).
• If a team gives an incorrect title or author, the opposing team may pick up points for title (3 points), or author (2 points), or both. The question will be repeated to the "acquiring" team, which will then have 15 seconds in which to come up with their answer. NOTE: If the acquiring team does not answer correctly, play does NOT pass back to the other team.
• In the "open response" questions, 5 points are given for the correct answer.
• If a team gives an incorrect answer, the opposing team may pick up the points by answering correctly (5 points).
• Regardless of who scored what on the last question, even numbered questions will be read to the even team, and odd numbered questions will be read to the odd team. This means that an "acquiring" team will get to answer two questions in a row--the one it acquired, followed by their own.
• If a team has begun its response before time is called, it will be allowed to complete it.
•  At the end of a battle, the Moderator/Reader must allow 15 seconds for challenges to be articulated through the team's spokesperson only. If there are no challenges, the final score will be announced and a winner will be declared. The battle will be considered complete and no further challenges will be entertained. The teams will be sent on to their next battle.
• An answer is considered correct even if mispronounced, as long as the judge can discern it. Correct titles and authors are those listed as they appear on the official OBOB book list. No points will be given for a partial title or if only the last name of the author is listed. Multiple questions may appear on certain titles and some titles may not be asked about at all. Teams may not use a title/author list or any notes.
• In the event of a CHALLENGE, this procedure will be followed:
• The challenging team will have TWO minutes to find and mark the page numbers (with a post-it note) where the answer can be found in the book they named.
• The timekeeper will begin timing after the Moderator/Reader recognizes the challenge and copies of the book are given to the challenging team.
• When time is called, discussion must stop.
• The official timer will announce only the end of the TWO minute time period.
• The challenging team should be able to provide exact reference to a page in the book so the judge can refer to the correct passage.
• The judge determines whether the challenge is successful or not. An answer may be considered correct by way of inference. If the judge accepts the challenge as successful, and the other conditions for gaining a score were fulfilled, the points shall be awarded and the scores amended.
• The judge’s decision is final.
• At the regional and state competitions, a tiebreaker battle may be played to break a tie between two or more teams. The tiebreaker rules are the same as above. As soon as one team has more points after at least two questions are answered, that team is declared the winner. If the score is still tied after 10 tiebreaker questions, the official may call a tie. Challenges ARE allowed at the end of tiebreaker battle with the usual challenge time in effect.

• Moderator/Reader
• Reviews rules and expectations.
• Will read questions and run the Battle.
• If a question is misread at the regional or state competitions, a new question may be given.
• At the end of a battle, the Moderator/Reader will ask the scorekeeper to verify the final score with the Judge and then take it to the OBOB official in charge.
• Scorekeeper
• Will keep the official score on a visual projection device or chalk/whiteboard, in a way which is visible to the audience.
• Timekeeper
• Oversees coin toss.
• Will use a stopwatch and indicate when specific time periods have expired.
• Judge
  • Will determine if the correct answer has been given within the prescribed time limit.
  • Keeps a paper copy of the scores.
  • Will make certain no help on answers to the questions is given by others outside the team.
  • Will hear any complaint issued in an approved manner, confer with any and all appropriate officials, and render judgment on the matter.
  • Once the judge's decision is stated, the battle shall resume.
  • The judge’s decision shall be final.