Knowledge Master Open: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Academic competition}}

'''Knowledge Master Open''' is a worldwide academic competition for grades 6-12.

The '''Knowledge Master Open''' (commonly known as '''Knowledge Masters''' or '''KMO''') was a computer-based semiannual worldwide [[Student competition|academic competition]] produced by [[Academic Hallmarks]]. During KMO competitions, teams of students from many [[school]]s earned points by answering multiple-choice questions quickly and accurately. The questions included 15 subject areas: American history, world history, government, recent events, economics & law, geography, literature, English, math, physical science, biology, earth science, health & psychology, fine arts, and useless trivia.<ref>[http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2297181 Oak Park among world leaders in competition]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''Trading Markets – Press Release'', April 29, 2009 – accessed May 19, 2009</ref>

The competition started in 1983 with 74 schools. In 2009, there were about 45,000 participants from over 3,000 high schools and middle schools in the U.S. and other countries. The last contest occurred in April 2013. Over the 30 years of KMO competition, more than 2.4 million students participated.

From the [http://greatauk.com/ KMO site]:

<ref>[https://hhslifeandtimes.blogspot.com/2009/01/strong-showing-in-knowledge-master-open.html Strong Showing in the Knowledge Master Open], ''HHS Life and Times'', January 5, 2009 – accessed May 19, 2009</ref>

<blockquote cite="http://greatauk.com/KMO.html">

A challenging, low-cost academic competition in which teams of students compete -- nationally and internationally -- without leaving their own schools. The KMO began in 1983 with 74 schools; it now annually attracts up to 4,000 schools and 60,000 participants from the U.S. and several foreign lands.

</blockquote>

There were five levels of competition. Fifth- and sixth-grade contests were held in January and March and consisted of 100 questions. Middle school (up to grade 8), junior high (up to grade 9), and high school (up to grade 12) contests were held in December and April and consisted of 200 questions.

Its mascot is a [[Great Auk]] with an affinity for [[puns]].

The Academic Hallmarks and Knowledge Masters mascot is a [[great auk]]<ref>[http://www.the-index.org/cgi-bin/story.php?story=1014quizbowlkmo Competition summons inner intellect] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110602061258/http://www.the-index.org/cgi-bin/story.php?story=1014quizbowlkmo |date=2011-06-02 }}, ''The Oshkosh West Index'', Dec 17, 2004 – accessed May 19, 2009</ref> with an affinity for [[pun]]s.

== Rules and scoring ==

Each participating school received a password-protected disk (originally a floppy disk, later a CD-ROM) containing the contest questions. Only the first use of the password would generate a valid score report for submission to Academic Hallmarks. Team size was left to each individual school's discretion.

All questions were multiple-choice, with a maximum value of 10 points each.<ref>[https://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/7000 It's Academic Team to compete in Knowledge Master Open], ''Silver Chips Online'', December 6, 2006 – accessed May 19, 2009</ref> Each question and its category were displayed on screen, with five choices and a 60-second timer. A correct answer on the first try awarded five points, with up to five bonus points depending on the response time. If time expired or an incorrect response was given, the timer was reset to 60 seconds and the team was given a second chance to answer.<ref>[http://www.mlive.com/news/annarbornews/index.ssf?/base/news-31/1237819268158960.xml&coll=2 Students prep for a quiz they like] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053132/http://www.mlive.com/news/annarbornews/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fnews-31%2F1237819268158960.xml&coll=2 |date=2016-03-04 }}, ''Ann Arbor News'', March 23, 2009 – accessed May 19, 2009</ref> Two points were awarded for a correct second-chance response, with no bonus.

Bonus points were awarded for correct first-try answers as follows:

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! More than

! No more than

! Bonus points

|-

| 0 seconds

| 7 seconds

| 5

|-

| 7 seconds

| 12 seconds

| 4

|-

| 12 seconds

| 17 seconds

| 3

|-

| 17 seconds

| 22 seconds

| 2

|-

| 22 seconds

| 29 seconds

| 1

|-

| 29 seconds

| 60 seconds

| 0

|}

The maximum potential score was 1,000 points (5th/6th grade) or 2,000 points (middle school and up), attainable by answering every question correctly on the first try and in less than 7 seconds each.

Teams could take up to three 5-minute breaks during the contest. They could use pencil and paper, but no other resources such as calculators or reference books, and assistance from coaches or spectators was not allowed.

Once a particular contest was over, the participating schools could use a second password to unlock the questions for unlimited use in practice sessions.

==See also==

* [[Thinking Cap QuizKnowledge Bowl]] academic competition

==References==

{{reflist}}

* [http://greatauk.coomcom GreatAuk.com], the official KMOAcademic Hallmarks sitewebsite.

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[[Category:EducationEducational games]]

[[Category:Student quiz competitions]]

[[Category:Semiannual events]]

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[[Category:Education competitions in the United States]]