Students are tested over material on the reading list and required to select the best answers involving judgment in literary criticism. Students must also analyze literary passages not on the reading list. A tie breaker is required in which the student must write a short essay dealing with a specified topic about a short literary passage. A Handbook to Literature by William Harmon and C. Hugh Holman, seventh edition, state adopted texts, and the announced reading list for the current year will be used as sources for the tests. The director may be a contestant's coach.
Assistants are optional.
Coaches may serve as graders. The contest director should select by lot, an odd number of coaches from a list of volunteers. Time Allotted for Contest. Ninety minutes should be allowed to complete all parts of the test. Contestants must furnish their own number two pencils and erasers for this event.