HSNCT Subject Distribution

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This is the template distribution used by NAQT for its High School National Championship Tournament (HSNCT).

Category Name Weights Per Set
(31 Packets)
Tossup / Bonus
Per Packet
     Literature 40 125 / 123 4.0 / 4.0
         Religious Literature 5 8 / 7 0.3 / 0.2
             Judeo Christian Literature 5 5 / 4 0.2 / 0.1
             Non Judeo Christian Literature 4 3 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
         English Literature 53 76 / 75 2.5 / 2.4
             American Literature 50 38 / 38 1.2 / 1.2
             British Literature 50 38 / 37 1.2 / 1.2
         Non English Literature 23 33 / 33 1.1 / 1.1
             European Literature 16 23 / 23 0.7 / 0.7
             World Literature 7 10 / 10 0.3 / 0.3
         Young Reader Literature 2 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
         Any Literature 4 6 / 6 0.2 / 0.2
     Science and Math 54 169 / 165 5.5 / 5.3
         Math 22 / 33 33 / 44 1.1 / 1.4
             Computation 0 / 22 0 / 30 0.0 / 1.0
             Theory 22 / 11 33 / 14 1.1 / 0.5
         Science 91 136 / 121 4.4 / 3.9
             Physics 22 33 / 29 1.1 / 0.9
             Astronomy 7 11 / 9 0.4 / 0.3
                 Non Solar System 1 4 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
                 Any Astronomy 2 7 / 6 0.2 / 0.2
             Biology 22 33 / 30 1.1 / 1.0
                 Anatomy Medicine Biology 25 8 / 8 0.3 / 0.3
                 Cell Molecular Biology 25 8 / 8 0.3 / 0.3
                 Organismal Population Biology 25 9 / 7 0.3 / 0.2
                 Non Medicine Biology 15 4 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
                 Any Biology 10 4 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
             Chemistry 22 33 / 30 1.1 / 1.0
                 Non Element 2 22 / 20 0.7 / 0.6
                 Any Chemistry 1 11 / 10 0.4 / 0.3
             Computer Science 3 5 / 4 0.2 / 0.1
             Earth Science 5 7 / 7 0.2 / 0.2
             Other Science 3 4 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
             Any Science 7 10 / 9 0.3 / 0.3
     Fine Arts 20 62 / 61 2.0 / 2.0
         Visual 38 28 / 27 0.9 / 0.9
             Painting 12 15 / 15 0.5 / 0.5
             Architecture 4 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
             Sculpture 4 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
             Other 2 3 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
         Music 32 23 / 23 0.7 / 0.7
             Composers Works 24 16 / 15 0.5 / 0.5
             Jazz 4 2 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
             Instruments Theory ClassicalPerformers 6 4 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
             Any Music 2 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
         Performance 10 7 / 7 0.2 / 0.2
             Opera 100 6 / 6 0.2 / 0.2
             Dance 10 0 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
             Theater 5 1 / 0 0.0 / 0.0
             Any Performance 10 0 / 0 0.0 / 0.0
         Any Fine Arts 6 4 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
     History 46 145 / 141 4.7 / 4.5
         American History 40 54 / 53 1.7 / 1.7
             American Military History 7 9 / 10 0.3 / 0.3
             American Govt History 17 23 / 23 0.7 / 0.7
             American Social History 12 16 / 15 0.5 / 0.5
             American History 4 6 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
         European History 23 31 / 31 1.0 / 1.0
             British History 8 13 / 14 0.4 / 0.5
             French History 3 6 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
             Russian History 3 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
             German History 3 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
             Italian History 1 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
         World History 18 25 / 24 0.8 / 0.8
             Asian History 8 11 / 11 0.4 / 0.4
                 Chinese History 1 1 / 2 0.0 / 0.1
                 Japanese History 1 2 / 1 0.1 / 0.0
                 Indian History 1 1 / 2 0.0 / 0.1
                 Middle Eastern History 1 2 / 1 0.1 / 0.0
                 Asian History 4 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
             African History 3 5 / 4 0.2 / 0.1
             South American History 3 4 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
             North American History 4 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
                 Mexican History 2 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
                 Canadian History 2 2 / 1 0.1 / 0.0
                 Other North American History 2 1 / 2 0.0 / 0.1
         Ancient History 8 11 / 10 0.4 / 0.3
             Ancient Greece History 2 3 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
             Ancient Rome History 3 4 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
             Non Classical 3 4 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
         Cross History 18 24 / 23 0.8 / 0.7
             Religious History 4 5 / 6 0.2 / 0.2
             Exploration History 4 6 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
             Europe History 4 6 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
             Non America Non Europe History 2 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
             Any History 4 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
     Geography 19 60 / 58 1.9 / 1.9
         North American Geography 30 18 / 18 0.6 / 0.6
         World Geography 70 42 / 40 1.4 / 1.3
             European Geography 25 11 / 10 0.4 / 0.3
             Asian Geography 30 13 / 12 0.4 / 0.4
             African Geography 20 8 / 8 0.3 / 0.3
             South American Geography 10 4 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
             Any World Geography 15 6 / 6 0.2 / 0.2
     Mythology 6 19 / 19 0.6 / 0.6
         Classical Myth 60 11 / 12 0.4 / 0.4
         Scandinavian Myth 10 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
         Non European Myth 10 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
         Nonclassical Myth 10 2 / 1 0.1 / 0.0
         Any Myth 10 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
     Pop Culture Sports 16 51 / 49 1.6 / 1.6
         Sports 25 13 / 12 0.4 / 0.4
             Major Sport 12 7 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
                 Baseball 2 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
                     Modern 10 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
                     Any Time 10 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
                 Football 2 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
                     Modern 10 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
                     Any Time 10 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
                 Basketball 2 3 / 1 0.1 / 0.0
                     Modern 10 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
                     Any Time 10 2 / 0 0.1 / 0.0
             Minor Sport 6 3 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
                 Modern 2 1 / 2 0.0 / 0.1
                 Any Time 3 2 / 1 0.1 / 0.0
             Any Sports 7 3 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
                 Modern 1 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
                 Any Time 1 1 / 2 0.0 / 0.1
         Pop Culture 75 38 / 37 1.2 / 1.2
             TV 18 7 / 7 0.2 / 0.2
                 Pop Culture TV Modern 1 3 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
                 Pop Culture TV Any Time 1 4 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
             Music 18 7 / 7 0.2 / 0.2
                 Pop Culture Music Modern 1 3 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
                 Pop Culture Music Any Time 1 4 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
             Film 18 8 / 7 0.3 / 0.2
                 Pop Culture Film Modern 1 4 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
                 Pop Culture Film Any Time 1 4 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
             Video Games 16 6 / 7 0.2 / 0.2
             Musicals 4 2 / 1 0.1 / 0.0
             Comics 4 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
             Other 6 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
                 Pop Culture Other Modern 4 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
                 Pop Culture Other Any Time 4 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
             Any 12 4 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
     Social Science 6 18 / 18 0.6 / 0.6
         Anthropology Sociology 16 4 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
         Archaeology 8 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
         Economics 16 4 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
         Government 8 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
         Jurisprudence 4 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
         Political Phil 4 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
         Psychology 16 3 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
         Any Social Science 6 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
     Theo Phil 5 15 / 15 0.5 / 0.5
         Theology 40 6 / 6 0.2 / 0.2
         Philosophy 60 9 / 9 0.3 / 0.3
             Pre 1800 30 3 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
             Post 1800 30 3 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
             Any Philosophy 40 3 / 4 0.1 / 0.1
     Current Events 15 48 / 46 1.5 / 1.5
         Business 5 3 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
         Science 5 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
         US Current Events 50 22 / 21 0.7 / 0.7
             Political 36 10 / 10 0.3 / 0.3
             Social 22 7 / 6 0.2 / 0.2
             Any 20 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
         World Current Events 50 21 / 21 0.7 / 0.7
             Political 45 10 / 11 0.3 / 0.4
             Social 15 4 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
             Any 30 7 / 7 0.2 / 0.2
     Miscellaneous 10 / 16 32 / 49 1.0 / 1.6
         Mixed 18 / 35 25 / 43 0.8 / 1.4
             Pure Academic 10 / 21 14 / 26 0.5 / 0.8
             Impure Academic 8 / 14 11 / 17 0.4 / 0.5
         Mixed or General Knowledge 5 7 / 6 0.2 / 0.2

The Weights column gives the numeric weights associated with each category; these are relative to the weights of sibling categories. If, for example, a category had two children, one with weight 2 and the other with weight 3, then the first would receive 40% of questions (2 / (2+3)) and the second would receive 60%. If two weights are specified, then tossups and bonuses are treated differently.

The Per Set column shows the total number of tossups and bonuses in that category for the entire set.

The Per Packet column shows the per-set numbers divided by the number of packets in the set. The total number of tossups in this category in a single packet will be this number either rounded up or down; the bonuses follow a similar constraint. In addition, a single set will never have a packet in which both of those numbers are rounded up and another in which both of those numbers are rounded down.

Question sets may differ slightly in that in each category (not only the innermost categories), at most one question may be shifted from tossup to bonus (or vice versa). For example, if a category is listed as 0/1 here, it does not mean that every question set will have a bonus and no set will have a tossup; there is an equal chance that the one question would be a tossup or a bonus.