“Wonder is the beginning of wisdom.”
-- Socrates
The Competition​
​
The Mindscapes community is delighted to announce the opening of its 2024 essay competition. This competition offers an opportunity for all students who have not yet begun their college studies to demonstrate their ability to craft a compelling and well-structured essay.
Writing the essay
​Your essay must be written in English, demonstrating correct and coherent grammatical structure.
​
Proper referencing is essential. All sources must be cited throughout your essay, and it is recommended to use the APA (Author, Year) citation format in the text. For example, “This constrained the Court's authority by generating significant confusion and instability in the law (Henderson, 2003).”
A bibliography listing all your sources should be provided at the end of your essay. We advise to use the APA format as a guide. Make sure all the information needed to verify your sources is included here.
Before submission, do a word count. The word limit is 1,200 words, excluding the footnotes, bibliography and any data tables. Please assume that the judging panel has a basic understanding of the topic, so extensive definitions or background information are unnecessary.
Additional notes:
- Include page numbers on every page.
- Format your essay in Times New Roman, size 12, with 1.5 line spacing.
Competition Schedule:
- Topic Announcement: The competition topics are announced annually in July.
- Submission Deadline: Submissions are due by August 31st each year.
- Results Announcement: The list of winners will be announced on September 30th each year.
Use of Generative AI
All essays will be subjected to software designed to detect plagiarism and the use of AI. Essays that used AI without proper declaration or clarification will be disqualified.
Submitting
You may submit as many essays as you please in any or all categories, but please only respond to one question for each category.
Email your essay directly to us: mindscapes.submission@gmail.com
If you encounter any issues while submitting your essay through the email above, please email mindscapes.contact@gmail.com at least 24 hours prior to the deadline.
The deadline for submissions is Saturday 31st August 2024, 11:59pm EST. Late submissions will not be considered.
Before submitting, please convert your file to a PDF and change the file name to “[your name]-[category]-[question number].pdf”. (For example, “Michael Wang-Politics and Society-Q4.pdf”).
Judging
​
Essays must focus on a chosen topic within the selected category, with a length of 800-1200 words. They should demonstrate the author's in-depth reflection and unique insights into the chosen topic, with clear logic, rigorous argumentation, and fluent language. Additionally, essays should reflect the following qualities:
- Knowledge and understanding of relevant materials
- Appropriate use of evidence
- Quality of argumentation
- Originality
- Structure
- Writing style
- Persuasiveness
​
Judging panel:
We have invited professors from prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Yale, the University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, and Cambridge to form our judging panel. This ensures the professionalism, impartiality, and authority of our evaluations. All competition questions are meticulously designed by these professors, and the selection process strictly adheres to the highest standards of the academic community.
Prizes
- Honors and Publication Opportunities: The top three participants in each field, along with three Honorable Mentions, will receive a certificate of honor. They will also have the opportunity to publish their work in academic journals, laying a solid foundation for their future academic careers.
- Monetary Incentives: The top three participants in each category will receive a cash prize, recognizing their outstanding academic achievements and research potential.
Winner: $500
Second Prize: $300
Third Prize: $100
- Professional Evaluation and Feedback: Each submitted essay will receive an evaluation and feedback from our judges, helping students understand their strengths and areas for improvement, thereby enhancing their academic proficiency.