Pro-Life Essay Contest | Rules and Guidelines
Download Application Form (includes Rules and Guidelines) [PDF]
General Guidelines for MLA Format
Pro-Life Essay Contest Statement of Purpose
For all students The Archdiocese of Denver strives to promote the ability of middle school students as well as high school students to articulate their pro-life views with their friends, relatives, associates and neighbors.
2012 Contest Rules
- All middle school and high school students are eligible to compete. In the case of advanced students or home education, the school must recognize the student as working in those grade levels.
- Contestants are to research, write, and provide an original prolife essay on the issue of their choice. No copyrighted essays may be used in this contest.
- Contestants should use up-to-date information.
- The essay:
Must be 800-1100 words in length
Should have a cover sheet with the contestant’s name, grade, level, name of school, name of parents or guardians, address and phone number
Should NOT have the student’s name on any pages of the actual essay
Should have all pages numbered and stapled
Should follow MLA format for documenting researched information and facts
Should give attention to organization, ideas, sentences, word choice, and mechanics
Should consist of words only. Pictures, icons, graphs or diagrams may not be included.
Quotes to support a position or statement are appropriate, but they should not dominate the essay and should be appropriately cited.
- Essays will be judged on persuasiveness, accuracy and creativity
- The decision of the contest director concerning the application of these rules will be final. The contest director’s decision concerning the winners will be final. Ties will be handled by the contest director.
- Essays must be received by March 15, 2012. No exceptions. Three (3) paper copies of the essay should be mailed to the Respect Life office of the Archdiocese – address at top of application form. Also: please send an electronic copy to: lynn.grandon@archden.org
- Winners will be announced at the end of Holy Mass on March 25th, at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. 1st place winners in each category will read their essays. All students entering the contest are encouraged to attend this Mass. Winners will be notified in advance.
- Once the contest is completed, the Archdiocese of Denver reserves the right to post essays or portions of submitted essays on the Archdiocesan website for public viewing. Essays will not be used for profit.
General Guidelines for MLA Format
- Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8.5 x 11 inch paper
- Double-space the text, using a legible font such as Times New Roman
- Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks
- Set the margins of the document to 1 inch on all sides. Indent the first line of a paragraph one half inch (five spaces or press tab once) from the left margin
- Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right- hand corner, one half inch from the top and flush with the right margin
- Use either italics or underlining throughout your essay for the titles of longer works, and only when absolutely necessary, providing emphasis
- If you have any endnotes, include them on a separate page before your Works Cited page
- Formatting the First Page of Your Paper
In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, the title, and the date. Again, be sure to use double-spaced text.
Double space again and center the title. Don’t underline your title or put it in quotation marks, write the title in Title Case, not in all capital letters
Use quotation marks and underlining or italics when referring to other works in your title, just as you would in your text.
Double space between the title and the first line of the text.
Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name, followed by a space with a page number; number all pages consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3…) one half inch from the top and flush with the right margin.
Information provided courtesy of http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/
More questions?
Contact Lynn Grandon, director of the Respect Life Office, at 303-715-3205 or by email at lynn.grandon@archden.org or RespectLife.Office@archden.org
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