Updates and Changes to MBs

[kc9901mom]

I believe that some changes need to be made to some merit badges due to technological advancement and some changes need to be made because some information is not well-written or well-drawn. I will be writing my letter to BSA to the address on the inside cover of the MB Pamphlet. My major in college was Geology then Environmental Management. The maps in the Geology Pamphlet do not have a scale so they can't be used.
I think that some corrections need to be made to the Geology Merit Badge requirements and also to the Geology Merit Badge Pamphlet. Other Merit Badges that need updating are Dog Care, Mammal Study, and Environmental Science.
Dog Care - #4 a weekly body weight record (I think this should be eliminated because it is not practical to weigh medium to large sized breed dogs on a digital scale and it is not practical to take your dog to the vet each week to get weighed). Body weight should be an optional requirement.
Mammal Study #4b ".... Record light conditions, film used, exposure...", - this should be re-written because film cameras are becoming extinct. It should say something like if using a film camera record type of film.
Environmental Science - Explain what is acid rain - grammatically incorrect - should say Define and explain acid rain or Explain what acid rain is.

[smtroop168]

Welcome to the forum. Your question is timely as the latest edition of Advancement News speaks to the MB Task Force. You can provide your specific feedback to merit.badge@scouting.org

Merit Badges—What’s New?
New Merit Badge Maintenance Task Force
Reviews 40 Merit Badge Pamphlets
In just a few short months, the Merit Badge
Maintenance Task Force has reviewed approximately
one-third of the entire merit badge library. All merit
badges are divided into six groups, each lead by a
volunteer member of the task force. The review process
can be quite extensive. In the long run, it will result in a
more comprehensive, interesting, and fun merit badge
experience for our Scouts.
Each badge is examined by experts in that field, most
of whom are Scouting volunteers, and their comments
and suggestions are discussed with their group leader.
Often expertise from other national teams or task forces
is sought. This is especially important where risk-related
safety issues must be resolved, or where we have
internal subject matter experts, such as those on the
BSA Aquatics Task Force. The process helps assure both
requirements and content remain consistent with all of
the programs and ideals of Scouting.
When group leaders are satisfied with the updates,
they prepare summaries for each pamphlet and report
on them during the monthly Merit Badge Maintenance
Task Force teleconferences. The task force leadership
team takes one final look at each pamphlet before
updates are submitted to the national Advancement
Committee for approval. In some cases, where changes
to essential content or to the original purpose or intent
of the merit badge becomes necessary, the task force or
the Advancement Committee may call upon the
Research and Program Innovation Department at the
national office or the national Program Content
Committee to process the revision. In either case, once
approved, updated pamphlets are forwarded to the
BSA Media Studio publishers for final editing before
going into production.
The Merit Badge Maintenance Task Force is committed
to keeping the information in the merit badge pamphlet
library current, relevant, and helpful to Scouts so they
can earn more merit badges. All this, while having a
great time.

[RWSmith]

kc9901mom,

Welcome to the forums. Sounds like you have a pretty good bit of experience w/ the "technical writing" style, which, IMHO, is absolutely critical when writing requirements. While "plain language" (readability) is just as important, the fact remains that requirements are requirements.

Send your suggestions (justify them w/ explanations) to: merit.badge@scouting.org.

[kc9901mom]

Thanks and I will send an email to merit.badge@scouting.org. I will probably send separate e-mails because I feel there are big issues with the Geology Merit Badge (specifically requirements #5a2, and #5d3)

Also, thanks for the complement on the technical writing. I do not have any "professional" experience with technical writing so I must have had good College Professors.

I am a Geology Merit Badge Counselor for my boys' Troop as well as Pets, Dog Care, Environmental Science, Soil and Water Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Management, Bird Study, Mammal Study, Insect Study, Reptile and Amphibian Study, Oceanography (the only one for our District), Weather, Nature, Forestry, Backpacking, Hiking, Camping, Skating, and I don't remember what else I wrote down.

Requirements are requirements and no one can add or subtract from BSA requirements. However, for some merit badges there are loop holes. I found one for Geology requirement #5a2. If there is a counselor out there that has a problem with this requirement. Contact me and I will share my loop hole with you.

Happy Scouting

[cdwscout]

Honestly, when don't various merit badges need to be updated for technical aspects? Graphic Arts MB and (sad excuse for a) Computers MB come to mind...

[kc9901mom]

Change = Action.