Vice-Chancellor's Office
Conditions of Entry
Please read these conditions before entering the competition
The Macquarie University Vice-Chancellor’s Writing Competition
The competition is designed to encourage and stimulate debate across campus on issues of public and personal importance. It aims to promote excellence in the written communication of ideas, concepts, studied reflection and opinion. It will reward those whose work is original and communicated in a clear and elegant fashion.
Who can compete?
The competition is open to all Macquarie University staff, academic and professional, full-time, part-time, fixed-term, contractors, and casual.
It is open to all undergraduates and postgraduates of the University, full-time or part-time.
Where an undergraduate or postgraduate is also a member of the full-time, part-time or casual staff at Macquarie, they must enter in the Staff category.
There is a special category for students, undergraduate and postgraduate, whose first language is not English.
What/how much to write?
The topic for the essay is ‘What mattered then, what matters now’.
The essay must be an original piece of work written specifically for the competition.
The essay must be all your own work and any references properly cited. Plagiarism will automatically disqualify an entry.
Please keep all quotations and other references to a minimum. We want you to express your ideas and opinions, not those of other people.
Within the context of the topic, entrants may write about anything they wish, across any discipline or subject.
The essay should be no longer than 2000 words, excluding footnotes.
Footnotes should be in the Chicago referencing style - http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/tutorials/citing/chicago.html
The essay must be presented in 12pt Times Roman with a minimum 3.5cm margin on the left.
The essay and accompanying completed entry form must be submitted electronically to the designated address – write@vc.mq.edu.au
Entries must be submitted on or before the deadline – 5pm, July 21 2008
Please do not submit hard copy or hand-written essays – these will not be entered into the competition.
Do not write your name, or otherwise identify yourself, on the essay itself. Your name must go on the appropriate entry form accompanying the essay. This is because the essays must be anonymous when presented to the judges.
The entry form accompanying your entry must be from the correct category – ie, staff, postgraduate, undergraduate, writers whose first language is not English.
Entrants are allowed to submit only one essay into the competition
Entries must be submitted on or before the deadline – 5pm July 21, 2008
What happens after the essay is submitted?
The essays will be evaluated by the competition judges, Professor Stephen Thurgate, Emeritus Professor Pam Peters and Dr Willa McDonald. They will be looking for work that is original and communicated in a clear, concise, persuasive and elegant fashion.
Entrants must not communicate with the judges about their entry, or that of any other party.
The judges’ decision is final. No communication will be entered into with entrants.
By entering the competition, entrants are consenting that their essay may be published on the web or any other medium decided by the University. The winning entries and those deemed to be of a high standard may be published on the competition's home page. However, publication is subject to the University obtaining the necessary permissions from relevant third parties to publish or communicate the essay on the website. Appropriate acknowledgment will be made of the authorship of the essay;
The winning entrants will be notified as soon as possible after judging.
A function hosted by the Vice-Chancellor will be held on October 21 at which the prizes will be presented by the sponsors to the successful entrants. If a prize-winner cannot attend the function, the cheque will be posted to him/her.
What categories of writer can compete?
- Undergraduate student writer (full-time or part-time)
- Postgraduate student writer (full-time or part-time)
- Staff writer, academic or professionall (full-time, part-time, casual or contractor)
- Student writer, undergraduate or postgraduate, whose first language is not English. This category is for students only. Macquarie staff cannot enter in this category.
NB: By entering the competition I acknowledge and agree:
- To abide by these Conditions of Entry;
- The prizes cannot be transferred or exchanged for cash or other substitutes. In the event that a winner chooses not to accept the prize, they forfeit any and all claims to that prize, which will be dealt with according to the absolute discretion of Macquarie University subject to any legislative requirements;
- Macquarie University accepts no responsibility for any accident, loss, injury or damage to any individual or property arising out of or in connection with the competition or the prize, either during or after the competition;
- Macquarie University reserves the right to limit entry or amend rules or substitute prizes if considered necessary without notice;
- All rights to payment for copyright, royalty or other purpose are waived;
- Winners will be notified by email or telephone;
- Cash prizes will be awarded by cheque;
- The competition opens on May 1 2008 and closes on 21 July 2008 at 5pm. All entries must be received by this time. Entries received after this time are not eligible for inclusion in the competition;
- All awards will be made at the absolute discretion of the judges;
- Personal information collected by Macquarie University as a result of this competition is collected for the purpose of administering this competition. The intended recipients of this information will be staff of Macquarie University and any additional judges. You are not required by law to provide this information however, if you do not, your entry will not be accepted. The information is held by the University and you may apply to the Privacy Contact Officer to access the information and/or correct any incorrect information. The University’s address is Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109.