Author Topic: How do you study?  (Read 2247 times)

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Offline Cowtown Ref

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How do you study?
« on: January 24, 2020, 02:33:27 PM »
Lookin to see how others rule study.

Personally, just reading the book can be monotonous and hard to truly take in.

So wanted to see how others approach to get ideas.

Thanks

Offline ElvisLives

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Re: How do you study?
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2020, 10:19:25 AM »
Reading the rules is no different than reading the assembly instruction manual on your kid’s new 10-speed bike, or your new 6-burner gas grill, or that new desk for your wife’s office.  When you get through, and the gears don’t shift, the burners don’t light, and the right side of the desk should be the left side, you finally decide to read the manual.  “Oh. I didn’t realize that I needed to (align the gears) (remove the gas seal) (look for the R or L marks on the parts).” At least in the cases of a bike, a grill, or a desk, you can usually go back, read the manual, and fix the errors before they become a safety problem, or cause irreparable damage.
In the case of rules, we don’t often get the chance to fix our screw-ups, so we must read the manual first. In real time, we must know the rules - the language, the purpose, and the implementation of the rules. There is no short cut.  You simply must read, and know, the rules as they are written.  Period. It is impossible to make rulings on the field without knowing the rules thoroughly - the language, the purpose, the interpretations, and the application of all rules.
Self study by reading the rules, interpretations, and bulletins is a must, and the first step - an ongoing step, but the first step.  The next steps, in no particular order, are collaboration with fellow officials, attendance at rules clinics and meetings, completion of rules exams and understanding errors, participation on officiating chat sites, and getting as much on-field experience as possible (especially with scrimmages, where screw-ups won’t be as damaging as in true competition).
The importance of knowing the rules correctly and thoroughly can not be over-stated or over-emphasized.
Good luck!
« Last Edit: January 26, 2020, 07:47:56 AM by ElvisLives »

Offline Derek Teigen

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Re: How do you study?
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2020, 12:50:33 PM »
this is a great question and I think Elvis Live's response includes all the right answers and to that I would add study game films.  I find film helps me the most as I understand something better when I see it.

Offline ajones10

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Re: How do you study?
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2020, 08:55:13 PM »
I use Redding's Study Guide with the rules close at hand. Redding's is good starting point IMO because it is not as "Greek" as the Rules and accompanies it with play situations. It was really helpful for me in my first year.

I understand exactly where you are coming from. The rule book was and is really tough for me to dive in and get a lot out of it. It has to be used in conjunction with rule questions, video and mechanics manual.

I'm a youngin and may be proven wrong as I move through college football officiating, but I barely cracked the rules book in my first year (last year) and received over 90% on all my clinic tests. Now, I put in a LOT of work with Reddings, video and quiz questions, but not much time in the rule book.

Offline centexsports

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Re: How do you study?
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2020, 09:48:19 AM »
Besides reading through the rules, I take the Taso test multiple times before the season starts.  Then I print them and use them for review.  They helped me out several times last season.

Offline bossman72

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Re: How do you study?
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2020, 02:51:09 PM »
If you're doing cover to cover.

1) Read the rule.
2) Visualize an example of the rule happening in your mind's eye.
3) Highlight things that weren't super clear.
4) Casebook style: If you read the question and answer it in your head 100% easy, move on.
If you answer it and took your best guess and got it right, but you weren't 100% dead on, put a star beside the question.
If you got it wrong, circle it.
So, when you come back, you can look and study those AR's more intently.

If you still work high school:
1) Read the rule.
2) If the rule is different than high school, highlight it.  This makes things stick out that are different than high school.

Also, every time you go to the bathroom, bring the rulebook with you.  2 pages per day, you got the rulebook almost done in a month.

Offline ElvisLives

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Re: How do you study?
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2020, 03:12:00 PM »
Also, every time you go to the bathroom, bring the rulebook with you.  2 pages per day, you got the rulebook almost done in a month.

At my age and prostate, I’d be done in a weekend! 🙂

Offline Cowtown Ref

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Re: How do you study?
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2020, 04:09:44 PM »
Elvis, agree with everything you stated.

Was just kinda looking to see how others tackle the book.

But thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Offline dammitbobby

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Re: How do you study?
« Reply #8 on: January 29, 2020, 01:51:13 PM »
I'm going to hit the Redding book pretty good starting next month.  Like the OP, I struggle with using just the rulebook as a study guide.  What I would really like, is something IOS-based, like a casebook where you have to choose the correct answer, and it scores it, like a test.  Or flash cards for rule 2.  Or quizzes about a handout, like what are the 5 categories of holds.   Any kind of electronic, portable training reference would be great.  I eventually might take a crack at making one, but would need to crowdsource the scenarios.

My only complaint about the Redding book, is that when I read, I instinctively partially read the correct answer, before I can stop myself, since it's literally right below the scenario.  Then I question myself - did I get it right because I knew the rule, or because I inadvertently skimmed the answer?  I'd love it if they put the answers in an answer key or something, where it's not visible at all.

Offline ajones10

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Re: How do you study?
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2020, 02:04:55 PM »
dammitbobby,

Found this out on the world wide web, may be what you're looking for.
https://quizlet.com/87544347/ncaa-football-rule-2-flash-cards/

I do the same thing with the Redding guide. My only aid is that I'll take a piece of white computer paper and cover the scenarios while I'm reading.

Offline dammitbobby

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Re: How do you study?
« Reply #10 on: January 30, 2020, 09:36:17 AM »
That's probably the best I could do, but the way I read, it's still hard for me to not see if before covering it up.