In a typical Academic Bowl match, two teams of up to four players face off, both trying to earn more points than the opposing side. The first question is a tossup question, which would be structured something like this:

In 2007 Hilda Solis and John Tierney introducied a "Jobs Act" described by this adjective that also names a "Jobs Initiative" launched by the (*) U.N. Van Jones resigned as "czar" of these jobs in September 2009. Fro 10 points - give this color that implies a job is freindly to the environment.

ANSWER: green or green jobs

Competitors are allowed to answer or "buzz in" at any point in the question; however, they are not allowed to consult with their teammates before giving a response. In some formats, correct responses early in the question - before the "power mark," (the asterisk for the reader) an undisclosed point midway through the tossup (for the team) - yield more points. Point values are as follows:

Correct, before the power mark: +15 points

Correct, after the power mark or if no power mark exists: +10 points

Incorrect, before the end of the question: -5 points

Incorrect, after the end of the question: 0 points

If a player answers a question incorrectly early in the question, his or her teammates do not have an opportunity to buzz in. The other team listens until the end of the question to answer. If neither team gives the correct answer, no bonus question is read, and the moderator proceeds to the next tossup.

Once a player has answered a tossup question correctly, the moderator stops reading and proceeds to a bonus question, a three-part question giving one team opportunity to earn up to thirty points. The topic of the bonus has nothing to do with that of the tossup. Unlike with tossups, players are allowed to collaborate in determining an answer. A sample bonus might look like this:

Given the biblical quotation, identify the book from which it comes for ten points each.

[10] "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

ANSWER: Matthew

[10] "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation"

ANSWER: Isaiah

[10] "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

ANSWER: Leviticus

After the end of a bonus question, the moderator proceeds to the next tossup. Usually a round consists of twenty tossups, and although twenty tossups are written, they are often not all read. Occasionally a round goes into tiebreakers - extra tossups and bonuses - and the team with more points at the end of the round wins.