How Do You Study

[FWREF]

Hey guys, I'm always looking for ideas and I am curious as to how everyone goes about their rules study. I have been doing things the same way for 20 years and would like to shake things up. To get things started i will give you my method. I read a rule, then read all of the approved rulings that pertains to that rule. Then I write out by hand (yes I am very old)  what I believe the rule means and the spirit of the rule. I only write out the more complex rules. To be clear, I'm not looking for validation but ideas and I don't think that there is a right or wrong way to study. I look forward to everyone's replies.

[JDM]

The Redding Study Guide has been an invaluable tool for me. I've purchased a copy each year since 1997.

[ElvisLives]

Hey guys, I'm always looking for ideas and I am curious as to how everyone goes about their rules study. I have been doing things the same way for 20 years and would like to shake things up. To get things started i will give you my method. I read a rule, then read all of the approved rulings that pertains to that rule. Then I write out by hand (yes I am very old)  what I believe the rule means and the spirit of the rule. I only write out the more complex rules. To be clear, I'm not looking for validation but ideas and I don't think that there is a right or wrong way to study. I look forward to everyone's replies.

I have no specific methodology, but, as geeky as it sounds, for most of my 47 seasons on the field, I have always had my rule book (hard copy) with me, in my briefcase, wherever I go, wherever I am. You just never know when you might have the opportunity - or need - to check a rule(s). But, you are still on track by checking related ARs. I am also constantly checking definitions related to rules. Your practice of writing the rules is good, especially if you can get somebody else to bounce what you wrote off of, to see if they concur. That is another method of collaboration, and that is what we had for so, so many years, but is rapidly eroding. Nowadays, the collaboration thing is taking a back seat to solitary learning and working, which simply does not have the ability to look at things in different ways. Often, it takes another view of something to show you what you haven't seen, completing your full understanding of a rule or concept.
One thing I do, however, is whenever I answer a rule quiz, I try to provide ALL information surrounding each question, i.e., down, distance, location (yard line and hash mark), time/clock status (including 10-second subtraction info, when needed), play clock status, UNS status (when appropriate), and announcement information (foul name, player number, penalty distance, next down number). Doing all of that often causes me to double check certain things, which gets me back into the rule book. And we simply cannot get enough of that.
Study groups are probably the best thing you can do. 20 years ago - not a problem. I could get guys to meet regularly, no problem. But nobody wants to commit and spend that kind of time these days. But, if you can get 4 or 5 like-minded souls to get together once per month in the off-season, and weekly during the season, you will be amazed at how much better you will get, and how much closer you will get with those guys. And friendship is one of the best rewards of this avocation.

Best of luck!
Robert Cameron
Lubbock, Texas

[Snapper]

I like the idea of writing out a rule in your own words.  In fact, I think that the Reddings Guide suggests doing that.  I usually don't do that myself, but again, I like the idea.

I never carry a physical rulebook with me anymore.  I prefer to load it onto my iPad.  I can still mark it up with notes and highlights, just like a physical book.  I can search it faster.  And it's one less thing to carry as I always have my gadgets with me.

It's really easy now to set up an offseason study group of a few people using technology like Zoom.  Then work through 15-20 questions of a practice test every week.  For in-season meetings, with more people, Zoom works, but in-person works better for those in my opinion.  Zoom seems to me to be good for 1-3 people to present and everybody else mostly listen.  Or for 3-4 people to actually interact.

I also am required to do a weekly online test for several months in the spring that is graded.  If nothing else, it makes you stay in the book.  Like conditioning, it is easier to maintain, than to let things go and then try to get ready for the season.

[dammitbobby]

I'll freely admit that I don't study the rule book as much as I should, especially this offseason (was laid off, got hired somewhere else, etc.) but here's what works for me.  I've accumulated a bunch (I mean, a LOT) of NCAA quizzes, probably half have answers, from different sources, and I'll take 10 or so and work through those, and as part of the answer, identify the specific rule(s) that are involved.  So, that gets me into the rule book, but with purpose. 

Personally, I've never been able to learn by 'just reading' the rule book; that's just not how I learn.  I learn best in a hands-on or visual way, so that's what works for me.  I cringe whenever I hear new officials be told 'Just go read the rule book, it's all there.'  I don't think any successful educator, ever, has said 'Here's a geometry or algebra book, just read it, and there's a test at the end of the semester, good luck' and have the student be successful. 

It annoys me to no end that the rule book ARs are not immediately following each associated rule.  I'm going to try to fix that when the new book comes out and see if I can edit the PDF to move them around.  It's a huge PITA to have to constantly flip (real book and PDF) from one rule to AR back to another rule etc. 

The other thing that I have found super helpful, is taking rules, and trying to create study materials that others could use.  That 1) gets me in the rule book, 2) helps me find a way to communicate/explain the rule effectively, and has practicality.  Sometimes it's PowerPoint, sometimes a Word doc, sometimes an Excel sheet, sometimes just a 'cheat sheet' type summary, but doing that really helps me.  It also is very useful for learning correct mechanics.  I have no idea of the exact number but there's a fair amount of officials who work 4 and 5-man 11-man as well as 4 and 5-man 6-man games, and sometimes 7-man crews, and often multiple positions within each of those, and it can be just as challenging to remember correct mechanics, as it is for rules.  And in my experience, correct mechanics lag far, far behind correct rule interpretations, in what officials know.

As an example, this is something I created last year to serve as a cheat sheet of sorts to review for crew responsibilities for new officials.  As always, if I got something incorrect (which is likely) please let me know.  And if it's useful for you, great, and please share it with others.