The deadline has passed for this year. The results will be announced shortly.
Essay Competition
Are you an AS level or GCSE (or international equivalent) student hoping to study a science subject at university? If so, enter our essay competition!
How to enter
Participants should choose one of the questions below and write an essay of approximately 2000 words, though please note that this is a guideline, not a limit nor a requirement - we are interested in the quality. They should then send their essay along with their full name and their School/College address by 8pm (UTC) on 15th March 2017 either by post to
322 Murray Edwards College
Huntingdon Road
Cambridge
CB3 0DF
or by email to [email protected].
All participants will receive a certificate of participation and there will be prizes for the best essays, as follows:
How to enter
Participants should choose one of the questions below and write an essay of approximately 2000 words, though please note that this is a guideline, not a limit nor a requirement - we are interested in the quality. They should then send their essay along with their full name and their School/College address by 8pm (UTC) on 15th March 2017 either by post to
322 Murray Edwards College
Huntingdon Road
Cambridge
CB3 0DF
or by email to [email protected].
All participants will receive a certificate of participation and there will be prizes for the best essays, as follows:
- 1st Prize: £50
- 2nd Prize: £30
- 3rd Prize: £20
Essay Titles
1. Our knowledge about gravity from Newton’s apple to General relativity and beyond. Discuss how the models used to understand gravity have changed through the years and which great scientists contributed. How much do you think we have yet to discover about gravity – a force that we constantly experience?
2. Compare the three scientists below and explain which you consider to have been the most pioneering scientist: Elizabeth Blackwell
Caroline Herschel
Mary Anning
3. DNA engineering. Examine current methods for rewriting DNA code and discuss the moral implications of those and future innovations. What, if anything, should we change in our DNA?
4. Science in our everyday life. Examine chemical processes that occur during baking (e.g cakes, bread, biscuits), and how we can optimise conditions for baking.
1. Our knowledge about gravity from Newton’s apple to General relativity and beyond. Discuss how the models used to understand gravity have changed through the years and which great scientists contributed. How much do you think we have yet to discover about gravity – a force that we constantly experience?
2. Compare the three scientists below and explain which you consider to have been the most pioneering scientist: Elizabeth Blackwell
Caroline Herschel
Mary Anning
3. DNA engineering. Examine current methods for rewriting DNA code and discuss the moral implications of those and future innovations. What, if anything, should we change in our DNA?
4. Science in our everyday life. Examine chemical processes that occur during baking (e.g cakes, bread, biscuits), and how we can optimise conditions for baking.
Judging Criteria
The following may be taken into account when judging entries
The following may be taken into account when judging entries
- Scientific accuracy of the essay
- Creativity and originality of entrant’s approach to the question
- Comprehensiveness of response
- Academic level of the essay and use of ideas and knowledge beyond the AS/A level syllabus
- Writing style and ability to explain ideas to a non-specialist audience
- Clear presentation of the topic and focus on answering the question
- Use of real world examples and evidence
- Range, credibility and validity of sources used
- Spelling, punctuation and grammar
Advice to entrants
- There is no need to meet the upper word limit. A shorter essay that more closely answers the question will be considered more highly than a longer one that is less concise.
- Consider several different approaches to the essay title and try to include a range of ideas in your essay.
- Always proofread your work.
- Always check the scientific accuracy of your claims. It is best to do this by finding a reliable scientific source to reference – for example a textbook, scientific paper or journal article.
- Don’t forget to reference the sources you use. A good method of doing this is using the Harvard referencing system or a method similar to that used on Wikipedia. It is important to indicate exactly where your sources were used in the text. Always consider the credibility of your sources and only use those that you consider to be accurate and reliable.
- Planning is essential – make notes of the important ideas you want to include and structure these into coherent paragraphs. Some people find it helpful to create spider-diagrams, while others will bullet point out each paragraph. Whatever method works best for you, ALWAYS start your essay with a plan.
- Although you are definitely encouraged to look beyond the A level syllabus and at degree level sources, try to write your essay for a non-specialist audience, such as other students studying A level science subjects. Explain all ideas clearly with relevant examples and evidence.
- Write your essay in a ‘formal’ voice – colloquial language or a conversational tone are not appropriate. It’s best to write in the third person (i.e. avoiding “I” or “you”).
Terms and Conditions
1. The essay competition is administered and promoted by the Murray Edwards College Franklin Society, Murray Edwards College, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 0DF. It is not associated with or endorsed by Murray Edwards College, the University of Cambridge, or any other organisations.
2. The competition will run from midnight (UTC) on 20th January 2017 until 8pm (UTC) on 15th March 2016. Late entries will not be accepted.
3. The competition is open to AS level and GCSE (or equivalent) students of any gender from any country.
4. Entry is limited to one per person. Only individual entries will be accepted. Team entries will not be accepted.
5. Answers must be between a minimum of 1000 words and a maximum of 3000 words, answering one of the questions stipulated. Entries must be accompanied with the entrant’s full name, an email and their school/college address.
6. Entries must be written in English.
7. Entries should be the original work of the entrant. Any form of plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification. It is the responsibility of the participant to ensure that their essay does not infringe the copyright of any third party or any other laws. Sources should be referenced using a standard referencing system. References should include: author, title of publication, publisher (if available), date (if available) and internet URL/ book ISBN (if appropriate).
8. Entries which do not match all the above criteria will not be read.
9. Entries will not be returned to entrants and feedback will not be given.
10. The competition will be judged by the members of the Murray Edwards College Franklin Society committee and any others they invite to assist with judging. The judges’ decision is final and not subject to appeal. No correspondence will be entered into.
11. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society reserves the right to replace these prizes with those of equal or greater value or to award fewer prizes if insufficient deserving entries are received.
12. Entrants retain all rights to their entries. However, entering the competition implies accepting that the Murray Edwards College Franklin Society retains unlimited, non-exclusive rights to reproduction without further compensation. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society may publish the winning entries in newsletters, magazines or internet websites, or elsewhere at their discretion. There is no guarantee that essays will be published.
13. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society reserves the right, at their sole and absolute discretion, to publish the names and other information about participants without obtaining further consent from the participant or providing any payment whatsoever to the participant for any commercial or non-commercial endeavors, publicity, advertising, trade or promotion in perpetuity.
14. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society reserves the right to modify the format and content of essays for publication purposes.
15. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society will not be responsible or liable for any problem, loss or damage of whatsoever nature suffered by any party due to any delay and/or failure in submitting entries to the competition.
16. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society will not be responsible or liable for any costs, problems, damage or loss of whatsoever nature to the participants resulting from their participation in the competition.
17. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society reserve the right to disqualify any participant that they determine are submitting material that is deemed to be offensive or may infringe copyright legislation.
18. By entering, the entrants, including the winner, agree to allow the free use of their names, photographs, school and general locations for publicity and news purposes during and after this competition.
19. Uses of personal data received by the Murray Edwards College Franklin Society in the course of the competition are subject to current UK data protection legislation. The winners' names may be published on the website or elsewhere at the Murray Edwards College Franklin Society's discretion.
20. Entry into the competition is deemed an acceptance of these terms and conditions.
21. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society reserves the right at any time to cancel, modify or supersede the competition (including altering the prize) if, in their sole discretion, the competition is not capable of being conducted as specified. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society reserves in their absolute discretion the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value in the event that circumstances beyond their control make this unavoidable.
22. The competition is not open to employees or members of the Murray Edwards College Franklin Society or its sponsors, their families, agents or anyone else professionally associated with this competition.
1. The essay competition is administered and promoted by the Murray Edwards College Franklin Society, Murray Edwards College, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 0DF. It is not associated with or endorsed by Murray Edwards College, the University of Cambridge, or any other organisations.
2. The competition will run from midnight (UTC) on 20th January 2017 until 8pm (UTC) on 15th March 2016. Late entries will not be accepted.
3. The competition is open to AS level and GCSE (or equivalent) students of any gender from any country.
4. Entry is limited to one per person. Only individual entries will be accepted. Team entries will not be accepted.
5. Answers must be between a minimum of 1000 words and a maximum of 3000 words, answering one of the questions stipulated. Entries must be accompanied with the entrant’s full name, an email and their school/college address.
6. Entries must be written in English.
7. Entries should be the original work of the entrant. Any form of plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification. It is the responsibility of the participant to ensure that their essay does not infringe the copyright of any third party or any other laws. Sources should be referenced using a standard referencing system. References should include: author, title of publication, publisher (if available), date (if available) and internet URL/ book ISBN (if appropriate).
8. Entries which do not match all the above criteria will not be read.
9. Entries will not be returned to entrants and feedback will not be given.
10. The competition will be judged by the members of the Murray Edwards College Franklin Society committee and any others they invite to assist with judging. The judges’ decision is final and not subject to appeal. No correspondence will be entered into.
11. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society reserves the right to replace these prizes with those of equal or greater value or to award fewer prizes if insufficient deserving entries are received.
12. Entrants retain all rights to their entries. However, entering the competition implies accepting that the Murray Edwards College Franklin Society retains unlimited, non-exclusive rights to reproduction without further compensation. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society may publish the winning entries in newsletters, magazines or internet websites, or elsewhere at their discretion. There is no guarantee that essays will be published.
13. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society reserves the right, at their sole and absolute discretion, to publish the names and other information about participants without obtaining further consent from the participant or providing any payment whatsoever to the participant for any commercial or non-commercial endeavors, publicity, advertising, trade or promotion in perpetuity.
14. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society reserves the right to modify the format and content of essays for publication purposes.
15. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society will not be responsible or liable for any problem, loss or damage of whatsoever nature suffered by any party due to any delay and/or failure in submitting entries to the competition.
16. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society will not be responsible or liable for any costs, problems, damage or loss of whatsoever nature to the participants resulting from their participation in the competition.
17. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society reserve the right to disqualify any participant that they determine are submitting material that is deemed to be offensive or may infringe copyright legislation.
18. By entering, the entrants, including the winner, agree to allow the free use of their names, photographs, school and general locations for publicity and news purposes during and after this competition.
19. Uses of personal data received by the Murray Edwards College Franklin Society in the course of the competition are subject to current UK data protection legislation. The winners' names may be published on the website or elsewhere at the Murray Edwards College Franklin Society's discretion.
20. Entry into the competition is deemed an acceptance of these terms and conditions.
21. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society reserves the right at any time to cancel, modify or supersede the competition (including altering the prize) if, in their sole discretion, the competition is not capable of being conducted as specified. The Murray Edwards College Franklin Society reserves in their absolute discretion the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value in the event that circumstances beyond their control make this unavoidable.
22. The competition is not open to employees or members of the Murray Edwards College Franklin Society or its sponsors, their families, agents or anyone else professionally associated with this competition.