The DuPont Essay Contest Page

DuPont Science Essay Contest

Assignment and Essay Rules
Hints and Tips to Remember
Grading Rubric
Due Dates
DuPont Challenge Official Website-- Check here for official information on the contest, updates, specific rules and regulations, and samples of winning papers.

"As soon as a man does not take his existence for granted, but beholds it as something unfathomably mysterious, thought begins." Albert Schweitzer

I. Assignment and Essay Contest Rules

You are required to write a research paper (essay) on any science related topic. The following are requirements and guidelines.

A. The paper must be printed on regular 81/2" x 11" white paper with black ink.

B. Do not use boldface type at all. Everything should be printed at 12 characters per inch.

C. The paper must be 750- 1000 words.

D. You must cite all of your sources in the correct manner as stated in the MLA style sheet. (See your English teacher or librarian for specific details). I require you to have 10 good sources-- Encyclopedias are not allowed! Sources older that 10 years should be avoided, if possible. I would hope that most of your sources would be from scientific journals or science data banks on the internet. Original sources are the best: i.e. original research papers. Sometimes you can correspond, either by mail or e-mail with a particular scientist to get information. Writing for information (snail mail)-- especially government agencies-- can be very helpful, but you must do this right away, because sometimes it takes 5-8 weeks to get the information.

E. The paper should consist of a good introductory paragraph, where you introduce your topic and your point of view; followed by the body of your paper, where you support your point of view; and finally, a concluding paragraph, where you briefly summarize your major points and draw a conclusion.

F. You are expected to take a broad topic and narrow it down quite a bit. It is better to have an in-depth paper on a very limited topic, rather than a broad topic which is treated superficially.

G. Remember-- this is a science paper. There should be lots of science in your paper.

H. This contest is highly competitive-- there are usually 8000-10,000 applicants. Therefore, it is in your best interest to find an unusual topic which you can explain precisely and which will spark the interest of one of the judges. Or, you could do a not-so-unusual topic, but give it an unusual twist by your treatment/premise/point of view.

I. You should not have any grammatical or spelling mistakes in your paper. Proof-read, proof-read, proof-read! Then have someone else proof-read it for you. GO TO THE WRITING CENTER AND HAVE THE ENGLISH TEACHERS GO OVER YOUR PAPER WITH YOU!-- they will advise you regarding your grammar and punctuation. This can really make a difference in your paper. I strongly advise that you avail yourself of this service. However, in order to be able to accommodate everyone in the class, the English teachers recommend that you get your paper done ahead of time then go to the Writing Center early. If you wait until the last minute, I'm afraid the English teachers will be too busy with those who went earlier to be able to fit you in. Often it takes more than one class period for a teacher to review your paper, so give yourself plenty of time.

    J. Use index cards.
            As you do your research, remember to take notes on index cards; put the source on the back of the card. You can save online information in a folder on your desktop-- but be sure to make backup copies!
            When you go to write your paper, you can shuffle the cards in the order that you want to use them, and you can discard those that you don't plan to use. Also, when writing the bibliography, you can alphabetize the index cards in the order they are to be typed.

    K. Use the computer to type your paper. Be sure to make a back up copy on a disk or save it to the H drive. I may have you make corrections after the paper is graded, so you will need to keep these copies after you turn in the paper.

II. Hints and Tips
A. Avoid personal pronouns such as I, me, you, etc.

B. Make sure your paper is white and the type is black.

C. The font should be 12 characters per inch for the body of your paper and for the title.

D. The margins must be at least 1 inch on all 4 sides. The margins may be slightly bigger,
but not smaller.

E. Do not write in "chapters" of any sort. Your paper is not long enough to do so.

F. Make sure you have good transitions from one paragraph to another, so your ideas
flow smoothly.

G. Avoid abbreviations, contractions, and, of course, slang.

H. Try not to wait to the last minute!

III. Grading rubric

Format: 50%

Margins 1" 5 pts ____

Double space 5 pts ____

Spelling 10 pts ____

Grammar/Sentence Structure 10 pts ____

Transitions 5 pts ____

Bibliography alphabetical 5 pts ____

Bibliography form 5 pts ____

Sources – 10 5 pts ____

Content 50%

Introduction 10 pts ____

Science Content 10 pts ____

Comprehensive 10 pts ____

Clear explanations 10 pts ____

Conclusion 10 pts ____

__________

TOTAL: 100

IV. Due Dates
The following dates are guidelines to keep you moving along on your paper. Only the topic and the essay will actually be collected.

                    October 15-- Essay topic due (hand in)
                    November 15--    All research should be completed
                    November 18-     Outline due (hand in)
                    December 2--      First draft should be completed.
                    December 10--    Final draft should be completed.
                    December 13--    Bibliography should be completed.
                    December 15--    Essay is due.

RETURN TO MRS. PELLEGRINI'S BIOLOGY HOMEPAGE