Rules clarifications will be posted on this page as soon as they are announced. Please check back here regularly for updates. The newest clarifications will be posted at the top of the list.

Be sure to visit the National Science Olympiad homepage for 2005 rules changes, corrections, and clarifications. The ND State Science Olympiad will abide by these changes.

• National Rules Clarification: Mission Possible: Jack Cairns of the national Science Olympiad has ruled on an appeal from a North Dakota team about whether gluing a string to a ping pong ball was a modification. Ruling: "Modification means just that. Has there been anything done to the ball that would make it difficult to use again in a ping pong competition? Gluing a string to the ball is very definitely a modification." (Posted April 7, 2005)

• North Dakota Rules Clarification: For the "Forestry" event, the official list of trees and shrubs to know is the North Dakota List of Common Trees & Shrubs, available at www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/aginfo/trees/handbook/ndhand-1.htm#common. Because of the low diversity of trees in our state (compared to other states), we are also including shrubs into the expected knowledge. (Posted 2/04/04).

• North Dakota Rules Clarification: For "Feathered Frenzy," the official list of birds to know is the Science Olympiad bird checklist. This list is available here. (Posted 10/28/02).

• North Dakota Rules Clarification: At the State Science Olympiad, we will not be including trial events into the total team scores. This ruling has been made upon advice from the national office. (The national event likewise does not include trial events into total team scores). (Posted 10/28/02).

• National Rules Clarification: Trial event rules for 2005 are not in the Science Olympiad coaches manuals but can be found at www.soinc.org/trial/.

• North Dakota Rules Clarification: The State Science Olympiad has equipment capable of launching bottle rockets only from standard types of pop bottles (7-Up, Coke, Pepsi, etc.). We do not guarantee our ability to launch bottles of "non-standard" neck openings. (Posted 10/28/02).