Science (UIL test)

Last updated

In the US state of Texas science is one of several academic events sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League. It is also a competition held by the Texas Math and Science Coaches Association, using the same rules as the UIL.

Contents

Science is designed to test students' knowledge of scientific fact, understanding of scientific principles and the ability to think through scientific problems.

Eligibility

Students in Grade 7 through Grade 12 are eligible to enter this event. Students in Grade 6 may compete with permission of the district executive committee, but can only compete in each junior high division (see below) only one time throughout their academic career.

For competition purposes, Grades 7 and 8 compete in separate divisions (Division I for Grade 7 and Division II for Grade 8) while Grades 9-12 compete together, with separate subjects covered on each test as follows:

Each school may send up to three students for each junior high division. In order for a school to participate in team competition, the school must send three students.

For Grades 9-12 each school may send up to six students; students qualify for the next level if they are on the winning team, score in the top three individuals at a meet, or place first in biology, chemistry, or physics. In order for a school to participate in team competition, the school must send at least three students. Team scores are found by adding the scores of the top 3 individuals from a school.

Rules and Scoring

As the format and rules differ significantly for the junior high and high school levels, each is discussed separately below.

Junior High Level

The test consists of 50 questions, which must be completed in 45 minutes. A time warning is given at 30 minutes. At the stop signal, incomplete answers cannot be completed. Calculators are not allowed.

The questions may be answered in any order; there is no penalty for skipping questions.

Scoring is five points for each correct answer, and two points deducted for each incorrect answer. Unanswered questions are not scored.

High School Level

At the high school level, the test consists of 60 questions, which must be completed in two hours. The first 20 questions involve biology, the second twenty questions involve chemistry, and the final twenty questions involve physics. No time warning is given, except that tests cannot be turned in until the proctor announces that 30 minutes have passed.

The questions may be answered in any order; there is no penalty for skipping questions.

Questions must be answered to the proper number of significant digits, with "small variation" in the final significant digit acceptable.

The test booklet includes a periodic table of the elements, including atomic weights and atomic numbers, plus other scientific relationships, such as the vacuum speed of light or the gravitational constant, which may be used by the student.

Scratch paper is allowed in the contest, and notations may be made anywhere except on the answer sheet. Students may bring one calculator plus one spare, so long as it does not need external power. Hand-held computers are not allowed, nor are any calculators with factory-installed memory or with the ability to accept memory cards or memory sticks.

Scoring is six points for each correct answer, and two points deducted for each incorrect answer. Unanswered questions are not scored. In addition to the total score, each subsection (biology, chemistry, and physics) is scored separately.

Determining the Winner

Junior High

Scoring is posted for only the top six individual places and the top three teams.

There are no tiebreakers for either individual or team competition.

High School Level

The top three individuals and the top team (determined based on the scores of the top three individuals) will advance to the next round. In addition, within each region, the highest-scoring second place team from all district competitions advances as the "wild card" to regional competition (provided the team has four members), and within the state, the highest-scoring second place team from all regional competitions advances as the wild card to the state competition. Members of advancing teams who did not place individually remain eligible to compete for individual awards at higher levels. Furthermore, the individuals with the top score in each subsection will also advance even if the individual was not one of the top three overall scorers or the top team.

For individual competition (overall and for each subsection), the tiebreaker is percent accuracy (number of problems answered correctly divided by number of problems attempted, defined as any question with a mark or erasure in the answer blank). In the event a tie remains, all remaining individuals will advance.

For team competition, the score of the fourth-place individual is used as the tiebreaker. If a team has only three members it is not eligible to participate in the tiebreaker. If the fourth-place score still results in a tie, the individual tiebreaker rules will not apply, and all remaining tied teams will advance. At the state level ties for first place are not broken.

For district meet academic championship and district meet sweepstakes awards, points are awarded to the school as follows:

The student with the most wins in the history of the competition is Kieran Fitzgerald from Friendswood High School, who achieved the highest score in any division three years in a row: 2003-2004, 2004-2005, and 2005-2006.

List of prior winners

Individual (Overall)

NOTE: For privacy reasons, only the winning school is shown. The 1958-59 winner was an "all schools" winner; beginning with the 1959-60 academic year winners were held in all five classifications. The classifications were renumbered in 1980-81, with Class B becoming Class A and the other classes adding one letter (thus, Class A became Class AA, and so forth). [1]

School YearClass AClass AAClass AAAClass AAAAClass AAAAAClass AAAAAA
1980-81Paint RockWolfe CityNew BraunfelsBrownfieldHouston Westchester
1981-82Paint RockLindsayKermitCollege Station A&M ConsolidatedPlano
1982-83RobyAnnaNorth LamarAlamo HeightsHouston Stratford
1983-84LindsaySpringlake-EarthPflugervilleNew BraunfelsArlington Lamar
1984-85Gold-BurgBairdNorth LamarCorpus Christi Flour BluffLubbock
1985-86Lenorah GradyBairdSlatonAustin WestlakeArlington
1986-87LindsayLiberty HillSlatonDenisonHouston Stratford
1987-88LindsayCliftonLampasasCedar HillHouston Stratford
1988-89PlainsRedwaterLampasasGranburyLeague City Clear Creek
1989-90AveryRedwaterBishopKerrville TivyHouston Memorial
1990-91Valley MillsSpringlake-EarthLampasasKerrville TivyLeague City Clear Creek
1991-92Valley MillsCanadianTroyCarthageKlein
1992-93LindsayWimberleySeminoleKingsvilleSan Antonio Holmes
1993-94LindsayFlorenceCueroKingsvilleSan Antonio Holmes
1994-95RuleTroupWaco ConnallyMesquite PoteetFort Worth Dunbar
1995-96RuleFranklinWimberleyAustin JohnsonSugar Land Elkins
1996-97Garden CityCanadianCommerceAustin AndersonHumble
1997-98Lenorah GradySundownBridgeportAustin JohnsonCollege Station A&M Consolidated
1998-99Lenorah GradyRogersAlvaradoAustin JohnsonTyler Lee
1999-2000Water ValleySaladoLa FeriaGregory-PortlandHouston Bellaire
2000-01Lenorah GradyStinnett West TexasSeminoleKingsvilleArlington Lamar
2001-02High IslandPattonville PrairilandSeminoleCedar ParkSouth Texas Science Academy
2002-03Port AransasArgyleWimberleyWhite Settlement BrewerBrazoswood
2003-04AveryArgyleBallingerFriendswoodKlein
2004-05Port AransasArgyleSeminoleFriendswoodSugar Land Clements
2005-06(tie) Garden City/Nueces CanyonArgyleCueroFriendswoodKaty Taylor
2006-07Garden CityFloydadaCueroHighland ParkSan Antonio MacArthur
2007-08MoultonVanderbilt IndustrialWimberleyFriendswoodSugar Land Clements
2008-09CanadianWhite OakWimberleyAustin Lake TravisArlington Martin
2009-10CanadianWhite OakWhitneyHighland ParkSugar Land Clements
2010-11CanadianWhitneyLa FeriaHighland ParkFort Worth Paschal
2011-12CanadianLago VistaLa FeriaHighland ParkSugar Land Dulles
2012-13SundownWhitneyArgyleHighland ParkDallas Science & Engineering Magnet
2013-14LockneySan Antonio ColeArgylePearland DawsonSugar Land Dulles
2020-21GuthrieEldoradoSkidmore-TynanArgyleMission Sharyland PioneerArlington Martin

[2]

Individual (Biology)

NOTE: For privacy reasons, only the winning school is shown. The UIL did not score individual subsections until the 1985-86 scholastic year. [1]

School YearClass AClass AAClass AAAClass AAAAClass AAAAAClass AAAAAA
1985-86Ropesville RopesWaskomSlatonDaytonSugar Land Dulles
1986-87LindsayWaskomSlatonCorpus Christi Flour BluffKilleen Ellison
1987-88LindsaySan Antonio LacklandLampasasCedar HillArlington
1988-89WheelerVan AlstyneLampasasAndrewsLubbock
1989-90(tie) Avery/Petrolia/MedinaRedwaterWylieNorth LamarJersey Village
1990-91Valley MillsWaskomLampasasKerrville TivyLeague City Clear Creek
1991-92LindsayIngram Tom MooreHalletsville(tie) Carthage/Highland Park(tie) Klein/Langham Creek
1992-93LindsayCanadianRockdaleNorth LamarSugar Land Clements
1993-94LindsayValley MillsPearsallNorth LamarFort Worth Dunbar
1994-95RuleTroupWimberley(tie) Mesquite Poteet/North LamarFort Worth Dunbar
1995-96RuleFranklinKirbyville(tie) Port Lavaca Calhoun/Austin Johnson/North LamarCollege Station A&M Consolidated
1996-97Garden CityYorktownCommerceLongview Pine Tree(tie) Houston Bellaire/Sugar Land Clements
1997-98Lenorah GradyLexingtonWimberleyBay CityCorpus Christi Carroll
1998-99Lenorah GradyCallisburgShallowater(tie) Midlothian/Sulphur SpringsAustin Westlake
1999-2000Lenorah GradyColemanKirbyvilleGregory-PortlandHouston Bellaire
2000-01Lenorah GradyCallisburgKirbyvilleLongview Pine TreeSugar Land Clements
2001-02(unavailable)Comfort(unavailable)(unavailable)(unavailable)
2002-03(unavailable)Comfort(unavailable)(unavailable)(unavailable)
2003-04ShinerJunctionWimberleyFriendswoodTaylor
2004-05Martin's MillTeagueLa GrangeFriendswoodClements
2005-06Garden CityFloydadaPleasant GroveHighland ParkClements
2006-07Garden CityFloydadaGrahamHighland ParkSan Antonio MacArthur
2007-08MuensterElysian FieldsWhite OakHighland ParkSugar Land Clements
2008-09FlatoniaWhite OakWhitneyAustin Lake TravisSugar Land Clements
2009-10MuensterWhite OakLa FeriaWichita FallsSugar Land Clements
2010-11AlbanyWhitneyLa FeriaHighland ParkSugar Land Clements
2011-12Valley ViewWhitneyLucas LovejoyThe ColonyFort Worth Paschal
2013-14LockneySan Antonio ColeArgylePearland DawsonWestlake
2020-21GuthrieAlbanyTuscola Jim NedArgyleNew Braunfels CanyonSan Antonio Reagan

[2]

Individual (Chemistry)

NOTE: For privacy reasons, only the winning school is shown. The UIL did not score individual subsections until the 1985-86 scholastic year. [1]

School YearClass AClass AAClass AAAClass AAAAClass AAAAAClass AAAAAA
1985-86BronteLiberty HillSlatonAustin WestlakeSugar Land Dulles
1986-87LindsayLiberty HillSlatonCedar HillDallas Skyline
1987-88HappyCliftonLampasasCedar HillLubbock
1988-89PlainsAbernathyLampasasMcKinneyBrazoswood
1989-90Valley MillsVan AlstyneBishopHighland ParkFort Worth Dunbar
1990-91Valley MillsCanadianAbilene Wylie(tie) Carthage/Kerrville Tivy(tie) League City Clear Creek/Lubbock/Pasadena Dobie/Houston Strafford
1991-92Valley MillsCanadianTroyHighland ParkLangham Creek
1992-93VegaCanadianDripping SpringsKingsvilleSan Antonio Holmes
1993-94LindsayStinnett West TexasBridgeportCorpus Christi Flour BluffSan Antonio Holmes
1994-95LindsayStinnett West TexasBridgeportMesquite PoteetSugar Land Elkins
1995-96RuleFranklinKirbyvilleAustin JohnsonRound Rock Westwood
1996-97MoultonStinnett West TexasWimberley(tie) Highland Park/Waco Midway/WillisHumble
1997-98MoultonStinnett West TexasKirbyvilleHighland ParkTyler Lee
1998-99San Antonio LacklandJourdantonAlvarado(tie) Gregory-Portland/Sulphur SpringsArlington Lamar
1999-2000Water ValleyStinnett West TexasOrangefieldGregory-PortlandHouston Bellaire
2000-01HedleyStinnett West TexasSeminoleKingsvilleKlein
2001-02(unavailable)(unavailable)(unavailable)(unavailable)(unavailable)
2002-03(unavailable)(Comfort)(unavailable)(unavailable)(unavailable)
2003-04AveryArgyleWimberleyFriendswood Pharr-San Juan-Alamo North
2004-05AcademyFloydadaWimberleyFriendswoodCollege Station A&M Consolidated
2005-06AveryHarmony Science AcademyCueroFriendswoodOak Ridge
2006-07Houston Harmony Science AcademyFloydadaCueroNorth Richland Hills Birdville(tie) San Antonio MacArthur/Sugar Land Clements/College Station A&M Consolidated
2007-08MoultonNew BostonWimberleyNorth Richland Hills BirdvillePlano
2008-09LindsayWhite OakWimberleyFrindswood(tie)Plano/Sugar Land Clements
2009-10CanadianIrving North HillsNew BostonDallas Highland ParkSouth Texas Science Academy
2010-11CanadianWhite OakLa FeriaPearland DawsonFort Worth Paschal
2013-14Fort Worth Harmony School of InnovationLago VistaArgyleWhitehouseSugar Land Dulles
2020-21AveryEldoradoSkidmore-TynanArgyleMercedes South Texas Science AcademyFort Worth Paschal

[2]

Individual (Physics)

NOTE: For privacy reasons, only the winning school is shown. The UIL did not score individual subsections until the 1985-86 scholastic year. [1]

School YearClass AClass AAClass AAAClass AAAAClass AAAAAClass AAAAAA
1985-86Lenorah GradyPlainsPflugervilleSan Antonio SouthwestArlington
1986-87MoultonLiberty HillSlatonBuda Hays ConsolidatedHouston Stratford
1987-88LindsayEastlandLampasasCedar HillSan Antonio Clark
1988-89Falls CityIraanLampasasDickinson(tie) Houston Bellaire/San Antonio Clark
1989-90PlainsBlancoBishopSaginaw BoswellLeague City Clear Creek
1990-91Valley MillsSpringlake-EarthVanKerrville Tivy(tie) Lubbock/Tyler Lee
1991-92Lindsay(tie) Ingram Tom Moore/WimberleyTroyHighland ParkPasadena Dobie
1992-93LindsayWimberleySeminoleKingsvilleSan Antonio Marshall
1993-94LindsayFlorenceWylieRed OakFort Worth Dunbar
1994-95RuleEldoradoWaco ConnallyStephenvilleFort Worth Dunbar
1995-96ThorndaleBolingWimberleyAustin Johnson(tie) Houston Bellaire/Sugar Land Elkins
1996-97EvadaleEldoradoBridgeportCarthage(tie) College Station A&M Consolidated/Fort Worth Dunbar
1997-98MoultonSundownBridgeportAustin JohnsonHumble
1998-99Valley ViewRogers(tie) Alvarado/StaffordWichita Falls RiderAustin Westlake
1999-2000Valley ViewUniversal City RandolphVanderbilt IndustrialHighland ParkHouston Bellaire
2000-01Lenorah GradyStinnett West TexasSeminoleCarthageArlington Lamar
2001-02(unavailable)(unavailable)(unavailable)(unavailable)(unavailable)
2002-03(unavailable)(unavailable)(unavailable)(unavailable)(unavailable)
2003-04Spring LakeArgyleChina SpringJohnsonKlein
2004-05Valley ViewArgyleCueroFriendswoodCollege Station A&M Consolidated
2005-06Garden CityArgyleHardin-JeffersonFriendswoodCollege Station A&M Consolidated
2006-07Garden CityThree RiversCueroKaty Seven LakesCollege Station A&M Consolidated
2007-08YantisIrving North HillsArgyleFriendswoodBeaumont West Brook
2008-09Perrin-WhittWhite OakArgyleAustin Lake TravisArlington Martin
2009-10CanadianWhite OakPollok CentralDallas Highland ParkSan Antonio MacArthur
2010-11Gail Borden(tie) Whitney/New BostonArgyleAustin Lake TravisAllen
2013-14(tie) Avery/ComstockGeorge WestArgylePearland DawsonSugar Land Dulles
2020-21GuthrieEldoradoFort Worth IDEA College PrepPort Lavaca CalhounNew Braunfels CanyonArlington Martin

[2]

Team

NOTE: UIL did not recognize a team championship in this event until the 1990-91 scholastic year. [1]

School YearClass AClass AAClass AAAClass AAAAClass AAAAAClass AAAAAA
1990-91Valley MillsCanadianLampasasWaco MidwayLubbock
1991-92Valley MillsCanadianTroyHighland ParkLubbock
1992-93LindsayWimberleySeminoleKingsvilleSan Antonio Holmes
1993-94LindsayCanadianCueroNorth LamarFort Worth Dunbar
1994-95LindsayTroupWaco ConnallyNorth LamarPlano
1995-96RuleCanadianWimberleyAustin JohnsonHouston Bellaire
1996-97VegaStinnett West TexasBridgeportWaco MidwayHumble
1997-98MoultonStinnett West TexasWimberleyHighland ParkHumble
1998-99Lenorah GradyLindsayWimberleyHighland ParkArlington Lamar
1999-2000HedleyStinnett West TexasBridgeportGregory-PortlandHouston Bellaire
2000-01Lenorah GradySeymourBridgeportCarthageArlington Lamar
2001-02(tie) Sudan/VegaArgyleSeminoleFredericksburgSouth Texas Science Academy
2002-03Port AransasArgyleWimberleyJacksonvilleFort Bend Hightower
2003-04VegaArgyleBallingerWichita FallsKaty Taylor
2004-05Kingsville AcademyArgyleWimberleyFriendswood Sugar Land Clements
2005-06Garden CityArgyleCueroHighland Park Sugar Land Clements
2006-07Garden CityFloydadaCueroHighland Park Sugar Land Clements
2007-08HarperFloydadaArgyleHighland Park Sugar Land Clements
2008-09Lindsay(tie) North Hills School Irving/White OakWhitneyHighland Park Sugar Land Dulles
2009-10CanadianNorth Hills School Irving(tie) La Feria/WhitneyHighland Park Sugar Land Clements
2010-11AveryWhitneyLa FeriaHighland ParkFort Worth Paschal
2011-12Valley ViewWhitneyLa FeriaHighland Park Sugar Land Dulles
2012-13Valley ViewWhitneyArgyleHighland Park Sugar Land Dulles
2013-14Harmony School of InnovationLago VistaArgylePearland Dawson Sugar Land Dulles
2014-15KnippaValley ViewWhitneyArgyleCollege Station Sugar Land Dulles
2015-16KnippaLockneyWhitneyArgyleFrisco Liberty Sugar Land Dulles
2016-17Cross PlainsThrallWhitneyArgyleHighland Park Sugar Land Dulles
2017-18Cross PlainsLindsayWhitneyArgyleHighland Park Sugar Land Clements
2018-19Lamesa KlondikeThrallWhitneyLa FeriaHighland Park Sugar Land Dulles

[2]

Related Research Articles

Quiz bowl is a quiz-based competition that tests players on a wide variety of academic subjects. Standardized quiz bowl formats are played by lower school, middle school, high school, and university students throughout North America, Asia, Europe, Australia, and Africa.

National Geographic Bee Geography competition held in American schools

The National Geographic GeoBee was an annual geography contest sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The bee, held annually since 1989, it is open to students in the fourth through eighth grades in participating schools from the United States.

United States Academic Decathlon Annual high school academic competition

The Academic Decathlon is an annual high school academic competition organized by the non-profit United States Academic Decathlon (USAD). The competition consists of seven objective multiple choice tests, two subjective performance events, and an essay. Academic Decathlon was created by Robert Peterson in 1968 for local schools in Orange County, California and was expanded nationally in 1981 by Robert Peterson, William Patton, first President of the new USAD Board; and Phillip Bardos, Chairman of the new USAD Board. That year, 17 states and the District of Columbia participated, a number that has grown to include most of the United States and some international schools. Patton and Bardos served on the board in these two executive positions for the first 10 years of the USAD and not only personally contributed significantly both financially and in personal effort to the organization in those early day when there were no corporate sponsors they, along with Robert Peterson, were the major three factors in bringing corporate sponsors to the program during these challenging growth years eventually resulting in a financially self sustaining organization. In 2015 Academic Decathlon held its first ever International competition in Shanghai, China. Once known as United States Academic Decathlon, on March 1, 2013, it began operating as the Academic Decathlon.

The National Science Bowl (NSB) is a high school and middle school science knowledge competition, using a quiz bowl format, held in the United States. A buzzer system similar to those seen on popular television game shows is used to signal an answer. The competition has been organized and sponsored by the United States Department of Energy since its inception in 1991.

The American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) are the first of a series of competitions in secondary school mathematics that determine the United States team for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). The selection process takes place over the course of roughly four stages. At the last stage, the Mathematical Olympiad Summer Program (MOP), the United States coaches select six members to form the IMO team. The United States Math Team of 1994 is the only team ever to achieve a perfect score, and is colloquially known as the "dream team".

Science Olympiad

Science Olympiad is an American team competition in which students compete in 23 events pertaining to various fields of science, including earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Over 7,800 middle school and high school teams from 50 U.S. states compete each year. U.S. territories do not compete; however, since 2012 high school teams from Japan have competed at the national tournament as unranked guests.

Mu Alpha Theta

Mu Alpha Theta (ΜΑΘ) is the United States mathematics honor society for high school and two-year college students. In June 2015, it served over 108,000 student members in over 2,200 chapters in the United States and in 20 foreign countries. Its main goals are to inspire keen interest in mathematics, develop strong scholarship in the subject, and promote the enjoyment of mathematics in high school and two year college students. The name is a rough transliteration of math into Greek.

The AAA Travel High School Challenge was an annual travel-themed scholarship competition run by the American Automobile Association, open to students in grades 9–12 in the fifty United States and the District of Columbia. First run in 2003 as part of AAA's centennial celebrations, the competition became an annual event and a premier high school scholarship program for a time. The competition was notable for its national coverage

The Texas Math and Science Coaches Association or TMSCA is an organization for coaches of academic University Interscholastic League teams in Texas middle schools and high schools, specifically those that compete in mathematics and science-related tests.

The Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) is a program run by the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that offers STEM programs to pre-college students, including summer programs and mentorships, as well as the Academic Challenge, a high school academic competition run by Eastern Illinois University.

Current Issues and Events is one of several academic events sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League. The contest began in the 1990-1991 scholastic year, and has been conducted every academic year since then except for the 2019-2020 scholastic year, when the contest, among other UIL spring events, was cancelled due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas. The current state director is Bradley Wilson, PhD, a professor of mass communication at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls.

Number Sense is one of several academic events sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League. It is also a competition held by the Texas Math and Science Coaches Association, using the same rules as the UIL. It is one of the UIL's oldest academic competitions: the first state title was awarded in 1943.

Calculator Applications is one of several academic events sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League (UIL) in Texas, USA. It is also a competition held by the Texas Math and Science Coaches Association, using the same rules as the UIL.

Accounting is one of several academic events sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League. The contest began in the 1986-87 scholastic year. Accounting is designed to test students' understanding of general accounting principles and practices used in the business environment.

Mathematics is one of several academic events sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League. It is also a competition held by the Texas Math and Science Coaches Association, using the same rules as the UIL.

Computer Applications is one of several academic events sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League Computer Applications is designed to test students' abilities to use word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications software, including integration of applications. It is not the same as the Computer Science contest, which tests programming abilities.

Computer science is one of several academic events sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League (UIL).

Literary Criticism is one of several academic events sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League in Texas, USA. The contest began in the 1986–87 school year.

The National Science Bee is a buzzer-based quiz competition for elementary through high school students in America. Among the topics it tests are biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, astronomy, computer science, and mathematics. It is organized by International Academic Competitions and follows a format similar to the National History Bee and US History Bee, among others. The National Science Bee is rapidly expanding and now hosts Varsity and Junior Varsity divisions, in addition to Middle and Elementary School divisions.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 UIL: Academics - Archives Archived 2011-07-05 at the Wayback Machine
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-04-26. Retrieved 2011-12-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)