Returned Quiz answers

[poodledoo]

Several of the quizzes I entered in Dec/ Jan have been returned in my SAE with just an answer sheet to the quiz. Am I the only person who gets irked by this? I like to get my answer sheet returned so I can see how many I got correct, without having to photocopy every quiz I send in. Surely its not too much to ask for our answer sheet back, as it has to be marked to decide the winner anyway.We've paid for the sheet in the first place, so why can't we have it back?

[DSJ]

You will always get your marked quiz sheet and an answer sheet for the quizzes organised by St. Guthlac's Ladies' Guild. The answer sheets also give the total amount raised and the winners' names.

[jim45]

i agree with you ,i've had two back without my original sheet ,just answers ,like you, i get annoyed too .

[boxtops]

I keep a photocopy of any quiz sheets I send it, just for this reason.

[factor-fiction]

Maybe they don't bother marking everyone. I don't think I would if I was running a quiz- I'd probably glance through each one and discard it if I could see one or two wrong answers as the winners usually get them all right.
In fact if there is to be only one winner they could just mark a few papers until they find the first one to get 100%- thereafter they don't need to look at any more

[boxtops]

Good point, factor

[jim45]

factor 30 if i thought this was happening i would think twice about wasting money buying them and sending them in ,i don't expect to win very often [although i did win 5 pounds this week ],but i like to be in with a fair chance .

[DSJ]

Every one of our quiz entries submitted are marked & re-checked before being filed ready for return to senders after the closing date. We probably get in excess of 300 returned every time.

If you organise a quiz and receive donations for your charity, you must expect a certain amount of hard & time-consuming work.

[factor-fiction]

But if there is only one winner and the prize is given to "the first correct answer drawn out of the hat" then there's no need to mark them all. I'm certain the Mail on Sunday doesn't study all 200,000 entries every week. It'll just open a few from the 'hat' until it finds an all correct one.
But I agree it is a nice touch to mark them all and return them if you can

[furrypusscat]

I think the fairest way is to mark every sheet and have a draw of all correct ones. I cannot see any fairer way than that. Like you jim45, whilst I am not in it for the winnings (although an occasional win would be nice) I would think twice about sending for them and then the charities would lose out. I mark everyone that returns my quiz for Buxton Mountain Rescue and even put comments on which makes it a bit more personal.
Congratulations jim45 on your win.

[factor-fiction]

You do a great job, furrypusscat.
I disagree though about what is the fairest way to pick one winner.
What is unfair about pulling one from the hat and then marking it and declaring it the winner if it's correct?
It is just as fair- and a lot easier- than marking them all and then putting the correct ones back in a hat again.

[furrypusscat]

Yes, you have a good point factor30. It is another way, but obviously each sheet would still have to be marked for return so the ones that send SAE's know their scores and can see if they have any wrong for future reference.

[Mamyalynne]

My gripe is the non return of my original sheet too, only a couple do it - of course keeping a copy is the best way round this but if you do a lot each month is tedious.

[factor-fiction]

Yes, I agree- if there is an agreement/understanding that sheets will be marked and returned. I was simply trying to address the claim that it was unfair not to mark them all before picking a winner

[Ellipsis]

The envelopes have to be opened to get the SAEs out to put the answer sheet in. It's not too much to ask to put the question sheet back in along with the answer sheet, is it? They don't have to be marked ...

[factor-fiction]

Yes, each quiz organiser will have its own way of dealing with things. If quiz sheets are returned , but haven't been marked, though I can see people complaining that theirs hadn't been marked.
Ideally every paper should be marked and returned. Some quiz organisers may find they can't cope and need to cut corners, but it should also depend on what the customers want..

[DSJ]

It would certainly not be fair, for us at St. Guthlac's, to award the prize to the first all-correct entry submitted. Each of our quizzes is on sale for six months so that some entries are returned whilst we are still selling. All the all-correct entries are numbered with cloakroom tockets, the stubs are put into a bag, and a winner drawn in front of a number of witnesses. A second draw follows with all entries submitted, whether all-correct or not, for consolation prizes.

The answer sheets are prepared & are sent out with the marked entries to all who have sent stamped addressed envelopes. What can be fairer than that?

[factor-fiction]

When I referred to "the first correct entry pulled from the hat" I did of course mean after the closing date.
It really isn't necessary to mark every one to be fair when there is only one winner. Maybe I'm not explaining it very well. The Mail on Sunday certainly won't waste its time marking 200,000 entries and then putting 190,000 correct ones into a hat.

This is a separate point from whether quiz organisers should mark all entries and return marked sheets to customers- that is a decision for them taking account of contributors' expectations and the organisers' resources.

[julia-mag]

If your solution for marking is first one found to be correct (albeit after closing date) that would surely mean Dont Post Early, because you won't stand a chance. It will always be the late entries that get marked first? I like to despatch mine when complete, whether early or last minute, or it could be the contrary, first one checked when received that is all correct wins, so Dont Post Late.! Looks like no winning way to me....

[paddywak]

I do a few quizzes and I've never had any problems as long as I've remembered to send a S.A.E. Some that I get on line such as the Billericay Lions have a selection of "Tick Boxes" asking if you want your quiz back, answers in written form or by e-mail etc.

[hopwood3]

I always keep a note of my answers on a sheet of A4, or if the quiz only costs £1 and its acharity one I usually buy five and give the others to friends or family.
Hopwood3