A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO ...
It's hard being a beginner in Division C Science Olympiad. If you did Science Olympiad in most middle schools in San Diego, chances are that you had coaches, scheduled meetings/practices with the rest of your event teams, and so much more.
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Unlike those schools, many high school teams do not have coaches or scheduled meetings. All participants are expected to self-study -- and along with being in a new school, difficult classes, and adjusting to a higher workload, it can be daunting to get started. And that's why we've made a handy guide to getting started. Whether you've done SciOly for 3 years or 0, here's all the information you'll need to know!
... MAKING A BINDER
Oh no! It's your first time doing a binder event, and you don't know where to begin. Lucky for you, you've got a guide!
Sharing is caring! Creating a detailed binder can be a lot of work for just 2 people. If you would like, you can also collaborate with other team members in the same event to create a shared binder! It's easy to reach out via your event channels in Discord or at study sessions. Creating a shared binder allows you to split up the work across twice as many people and research individual topics more comprehensively.
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​Compiling info is my passion. Check the Rules Manual for specifics on what to include and how large your binder can be! For most events, there is no limit to your binder size; don't worry too much about running out of space, and include as much useful information as you can. As you research, look at multiple sources to find a wider range of information. Incorporate abbreviations, incomplete sentences, and reduced font size to save space and spend less time flipping pages.​
For ID events... Create identification sheets for all specimens; these sheets should have key details and images for quick identification at the competition. You should ideally use a colored printer to see the photos in full clarity. As you make your sheets, reference the examples in the shared Resources Drive! These show you how to format your identification sheets effectively.
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Organizational hacks.​ ​​Adding these 3 things to your binder will make finding information so much easier: page numbers, a table of contents, and tab dividers! As you order your information, put the pages you reference most in the front and back of your binder to find them faster. Any identification sheets should be in the middle of the binder. Place sheet protectors on the most important pages; for instance, the geologic time scale for Fossils. This allows for easy identification and prevents damage.
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Practice, practice, practice! For an effective binder, you need to work ahead of time and practice with it. Even with the best binder in the world, you will struggle if you don't know how it's organized. Remember that time is your largest concern. Keep in mind that you DON'T need to memorize everything -- and you probably shouldn't; you have a binder for a reason. Focus on understanding larger concepts first before details. Your binder can fill in the gaps, and you'll have plenty of time to search if you've taken the time to practice with it.
Making a whole binder can seem daunting, but we know you can do it. Good luck!