Thread created automatically to discuss a document in CD-Media.
In state vs. out of state awards by: ZebraThrowaway
Data on awards going to in state vs. out of state teams.
After overhearing questions about the possibility of in state bias at competitions, we decided to compile data on where awards have been going at different events for the past five years. The info was collected by students manually off the blue alliance. It could be organized better (for example, the MI districts should probably be removed from analysis), but it’s still interesting to look at.
A really interesting read especially considering how popular the 2 Florida regionals are with out of state teams. I have one suggestion and one question that may lead to a suggestion:
On the summary page label what those numbers mean or at least make them percents, I was really confused till I checked each individual year then I got it
And my question is do you include highest rookie seed in your final tally of percentage of awards won? Your sheet suggests it and if so you may want to remove it since it is not a “judged” award so there is no bias to it, it’s robot performance ala winner and finalist.
But seriously interesting to look at my state’s apparent bias against itself in Orlando/the skill of out of state teams to win awards there
I only brought it up because they already do not count winner and finalist awards which are not “judged” but based strictly on “robot performance”, same as highest rookie seed but could fall under the same scrutiny as you described.
As a bit of a back story, it was remarked to me in St Louis by a mentor from another team (that will go unnamed) that the NC Regional was not fair to out-of-state teams and biased towards in-state teams. I can’t speak for their particular award or their particular circumstance but it did make me think about regional events and if this was a problem. I mentioned this to some students and set them about collecting the data.
We’re definitely not pointing fingers or accusing anyone of anything. We just wanted to make the data available to teams and to start the conversation. No matter where you stand, the district model definitely removes any notion of bias (at least as it currently stands with teams not being able to move between districts).
Most importantly, I’m grateful to the students who spent a long time pulling this data together (especially during their final exams and summer free time). You guys are awesome, you know who you are.
