WRITE IT/DO IT

DESCRIPTION:

Technical writing skills are an important part of an engineer's or a scientist's abilities to communicate precisely and clearly. This event will test a competitor's ability to effectively communicate with a colleague in writing by having their partner construct a device from this written description.

A TEAM OF: 2                                  APPROXIMATE TIME: 55 Minutes

THE COMPETITION

• A student is shown an object, a system, or an arrangement built form blocks, science equipment, science materials, or other inexpensive materials (e.g., straws (colored or plain); push pins; Styrofoam balls; paper cups; Popsicle sticks (plain or with notches); colored pipe cleaners; colored paper clips; colored tooth picks; modeling clay; small wooden spools, 3x5 cards (pleated like accordion); cotton balls; rubber bands; colored gum drops; colored marshmallows; commercial sets (e.g., Pattern blocks; Googoplex; Tinker Toys; Lego; Lincoln Logs, etc.)
 
• The student has twenty-five (25) minutes to write a description of the object and how to build it. There will be no advantage to finishing early. Only words and numerals may be used. Symbols, drawings and diagrams are not allowed, with the exception of common punctuation and editing symbols. All abbreviations (not symbols)  must be defined either at the beginning or when the abbreviations is first used. 
 
• The supervisor of the event will pass the description to the remaining team member who will take the description and attempt to recreate (build) the original object in twenty (20) minutes. If every student has an original object, they can disassemble their device and have the doers come into the same room.


• Supervisors will attempt to use different materials than the materials that were used last year.


• Any words, letters or symbols that are used as codes will result in a penalty, being ranked below other teams, or disqualification by the supervisor.

SCORING:

The team, which builds the object nearest to the original and has properly written instructions, is declared the winner.  Any improper use of symbols or codes will result in the team being ranked below other teams or disqualification at the discretion of the supervisor.  A point will be given for each piece of material placed in the proper connection and location compared to the model.  Pieces that are connected correctly beyond the incorrect connection will be counted in the score.  No penalty will be assessed for parts that were not used.  Time for the construction phase only may be used as a tiebreaker.  If additional tiebreakers are needed, orientation of pieces may be considered.