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2008 Essay Contest for Middle School Students

Follow this link for information on the MISMR Essay Contest for High School Students

CALL FOR ENTRIES
Open to all Michigan Middle School Students
Deadline: December 18, 2007
Download Official Entry Form
Download Essay Contest Brochure
Download BioFocus Newsletter #17 Writing a Critical Analysis Paper

TOPIC: Why Animals Are Used in Biomedical Research

The Michigan Society for Medical Research (MISMR) annually sponsors an essay contest open to all Michigan middle school students. It is part of MISMR's educational outreach program to promote awareness of the benefits and the process of biomedical research, and increase awareness and interest in science. Entries will be judged on originality, creativity (including a creative title), command of the English language, and the demonstration that an extra effort was made to learn about biomedical research and why animals are used. Students are asked to describe one specific example of a situation in which animals help people. You can use an example from your own life or from the lives of your relatives or friends. Give as much detail as possible: for example, what kind of animal (or animals) is involved, why that animal was chosen, and what kind of people benefit the most. Creative answers will be rated the highest. Refer to the MISMR website at www.mismr.org for additional information and resource material.

STUDENT & TEACHER AWARDS

• The STUDENT FINALIST will be awarded a $500 cash prize and plaque.
• The TEACHER of the student finalist will be awarded a cash prize of $100.
• HONORABLE MENTIONS will be awarded a $50 cash prize and merit certificate.
• ALL STUDENTS who enter receive a certificate.

Winning essays will be published in a special booklet and the first place winner will be invited to the Michigan Society for Medical Research annual meeting in 2008. Entries become the property of MISMR and may be reprinted, published, or distributed for educational purposes. WINNERS ONLY will be notified by the end of March 2008.

CONTEST RULES & REGULATIONS

1. All Michigan middle school students grades 6-8 are eligible to enter.
2. The "NEW" Official Entry Form must be filled out completely. Print or type all information except for student and teacher signatures at the bottom of the form.
3. Each essay should be the original work of the student who enters. Essays must be free of plagiarism defined as:
   ALL sources used must be cited in the text of the essay. Do not use footnotes or endnotes. ALL word-for-word information written by someone else must have quotations showing the quoted material, and the source must be cited.
4. Essays should be submitted in Standard English with a bibliography that must cite several different references (not just the internet information) specific to the content or argument detailed in the paper. References may include documented oral sources. Essays should be typed on 8.5" x 11" white paper, be 4-6 double-spaced typewritten pages, and not exceed 500-700 words.
5. Each essay must include a bibliography at the end of the essay. Written sources of information about your topic should be from books, encyclopedias, periodicals, and, if appropriate, the Web. The bibliography must include several different references specific to the content and may include documented oral sources. Use standard formats for documenting sources of information in research papers. The following are standard formats for basic bibliographic information:
   BOOKS
   Author. Title: Subtitle. Place of publication: Publisher, Date.
   MAGAZINE & NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
   Author. "Title of Article." Title of Periodical Volume # (Date): Pages.
   WEBSITE OR WEBPAGE
   Author (if available). "Title of page." Editor, Date, Institution, [cited Access Date]. URL.
   ARTICLE FROM AN ENCYCLOPEDIA
   Author. "Title of Article." Title of Encyclopedia." Date.
   
6. Entries accepted any time prior to the deadline but must be postmarked by December 18, 2007.
7. Send entries to: MISMR Essay Contest, P.O. Box 3237, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-3237