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The John M. Rezendes Annual Ethics Essay Competition
Theme: Ethics in the Public Domain
Undergraduate students are invited to submit an eight to ten page analytical essay addressing a topic of ethical importance to the public. In order to be considered for the award, the essay should:- identify and clearly describe a problem and the ethical issues at stake;
- present a carefully reasoned and informed argument about how the problem should be approached and resolved, including a clear description of the ethical framework used to reach such a resolution;
- respond to serious objections that might be offered to the author’s point of view;
- maintain ethical discourse as its primary focus;
- draw from factual information, properly referenced.
Eligibility
All undergraduate students at the University of Maine registered during the Spring Semester in which the competition is held are eligible.
Submission Guidelines
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Students must submit five copies of their essay to the Honors College office in Colvin Hall by Monday 26 February at 4:00 p.m. The prize winner will be announced at an April recognition reception. No late submissions will be accepted.
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Submissions must be typewritten, double spaced with one-inch margins and stapled. Each author should submit a cover page stating the author’s name, title of the essay, local address and phone number, email address, year in school and major. Only the title of the essay, and not the author’s name, should appear on the first page of the essay itself.
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Submissions will not be returned.
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No student may win the prize more than once.
Evaluation Procedure
A committee of faculty members from the University of Maine will judge the essays. The decision of this committee is final. The committee will interview the authors of the top three essays before the winning essay is selected. The judges will make their evaluations based on the following criteria:
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The quality of the writing;
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The clarity with which the problem to be addressed has been defined and presented;
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The cogency of the arguments used to defend the author’s position on the problem;
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The strength and relevance of the objections considered;
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The care with which the author responds to these objections;
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The accuracy of any factual information in the essay, including proper documentation of source materials.
Award
First Prize: $2500 plus an original engraved sculpture
Second and Third Prizes: $250