Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

[Gary B.]

A friend told me that one of the instructors at the recent judging retreat in Texas told his class that a deduct of 0.5 should not be rounded up to a 1 pt deduct, and 0.5 should in fact be rounded down to 0. Supposedly only 0.6 or greater should be rounded up to 1. Does anyone else go by that rounding method? It's not was I was taught in elementary school.

Gary

[Gene M.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Only full points is scored. There are no partial, decimal, fractional or otherwise point deductions.

[Gary B.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Gene,

So, if the standard deductions for aluminized exhaust is 25% and there are 10 originality points, and the 25% deduct should apply to all items in that line item, what is the deduct? 2? or 3?

Gary

[Gene M.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Gene,

So, if the standard deductions for aluminized exhaust is 25% and there are 10 originality points, and the 25% deduct should apply to all items in that line item, what is the deduct? 2? or 3?

Gary

I have typically seen this scored as 3 points. Keep in mind it is of little difference since it takes 45 points to equate to one percentage point.

In all honesty it is of no consequence. In the real world there will be other issues with the configuration that will increase the deduction anyway.

[Larry M.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

If there is any question or doubt, I give the benefit to the owner. So a 2.5 point deduct would be 2 on my scorecard.

For minor items, I have been taught to first put a * or dot (.) next to these miscellaneous items, but take no deduction.........and then at the very last tally up the total number and deduct 1 or a few points at the very end for all of these very minor items.......depending on how many there are. This is easy for the owners to understand and accept this concept. I have NEVER had an owner complaint from doing it this way over the many years I have been judging.

Larry

[Michael J.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Don't try to use a magnet anymore to tell, I hear they are now outlawed.

[Gary B.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Larry,

Along with what Michael says about the use of magnets now being a no-no, the instructors at the judging retreat also did not approve of the dot system which you describe, and which I have always used. The argument against dots is that if the deduct doesn't rise to the level of 1 point for a given item, then one should not accumulate dots and take 1 point later on, for a item one would have assigned just a dot if it had come earlier in the judging.

But as we see in these 3 or 4 postings, one person would take 3 points and another would take 2, based on the 25% of 10 point standard deduction. That expected inconsistency was in part the basis of my original question, and perhaps the basis for why the instructor in Texas said not to round 0.5 up to 1.

Gary

[Don H.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Some National Team Leaders do not approve of the "dot" system, others do. It is up to them.

[Gary J.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Is this coming from Mr. Brigham? Magnets should have never been used on the Judging Field.

[Gary B.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Gary,

I think it's good policy to ban the use of magnets, for both philosophical reasons and because their use can cause scratches, but I'd like to return to the 0.5 rounding question.

Gary

[Edward J.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Gary, I think Don H. Says it best? some team leaders do not use the dot system. I like to give the owner the benefit of the .5 deduct. lets face it I point here or there will not make a difference. and if it came down to 1 point between for top flite and second flite, the team leader can approach a judge that something could be adjusted I have seen this once before.

[Gary C.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Edward,

The "dot" system should be used to mention a noteworthy item that's not worth less than a 1 point deduction IMHO.

Gary
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[Gary B.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Edward,

In my mind it's not the value of a half point that is issue. The bigger issue is consistency among judges. It seems to me all judges should be use same rule for rounding up/down in an x.5 situation.

Gary

[Gary B.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Edward,

The "dot" system should be used to mention a noteworthy item that's not worth less than a 1 point deduction IMHO.

Gary
....

Gary,

Can you give a specific example of where you would put a dot in the margin of the judging sheet? Would it be for some issue that you feel is especially important to point out and that the owner should pay more attention to the text you write to the right of the line item?

Gary

[Edward J.]

Re: Rounding up or down of a 0.5 deduct

Gary B., yes round up or down should maybe be in writing so it a given on which way to go. Since I belong to the new England chapter and Dave Brigham has given us classes on rounding numbers. since .5 is not more its not a cause for deduction.

Gary C, yes I agree, a dot is a note worthy item and should be used in a situation of less that a point.