Deadline: May 15, 2015
Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) announces it annual contest for students interested in the life and works of Jane Austen. The 2015 Essay Contest topic aligns with the JASNA Annual General Meeting theme, “Living in Jane Austen’s World”:
Eligibility
- This is open to students world-wide at the high school, college/university, and graduate school levels of study. Entrants do not need to be members of JASNA.
- Students must be enrolled full-time or part-time in coursework during one or more semesters/quarters of the contest year.
- Home-schooled students at the high school level are also eligible.
- Part-time is defined for the college/university level as a minimum of six credit hours and for the graduate level as a minimum of three credit hours leading to an advanced degree.
Awards
JASNA awards scholarships to the winners in each of three divisions: High School, College/University, and Graduate.
First Place
- $1000 scholarship
- Free registration and two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Louisville, Kentucky [Note: Transportation to Louisville is not provided.]
- Recognition at the AGM and on the JASNA web site
- Publication of the essay on JASNA’s web site
- One year’s membership in JASNA for both the winner and his or her mentor
- A set of Norton Critical Editions of Jane Austen’s novels
Second Place
- $500 scholarship
- Recognition at the AGM and on the JASNA web site
- Publication of the essay on JASNA’s web site
- One year’s membership in JASNA for both the winner and his or her mentor
- A set of Norton Critical Editions of Jane Austen’s novels
Third Place
- $250 scholarship
- Recognition at the AGM and on the JASNA web site
- Publication of the essay on JASNA’s web site
- One year’s membership in JASNA for both the winner and his or her mentor
- A set of Norton Critical Editions of Jane Austen’s novels
Essay Format
- The essay must be written in English.
- The essay must be 6-8 pages in length, not including the Works Cited page.
- The title of the essay should appear at the top of page one; further pages should be numbered on the top right; the student’s name must not appear on the essay.
- The essay must be in MLA format (double-spaced and in 12 point type throughout, with one-inch margins on all sides of each page).
- The essay must use MLA documentation, including a Works Cited page and parenthetical end notes. Note that source material which is directly quoted as well as that which is paraphrased or summarized must be cited. Note also that quotes from the Jane Austen work under discussion should be cited.
How to Enter
Upload essays along with essay entry form here.
For more information, visit Jane Austen’s Society of North America or contact Eric Nye at[email protected]