Best Essay Award

Each year one undergraduate and one graduate paper will be designated “best essays” in this departmental competition. The authors of the winning papers will each be awarded $250 and have their names engraved on a plaque in the department office.

Eligibility

To be eligible, a person must have been enrolled at Missouri State for at least one semester in the last two years. The paper does not have to be written for a specific history class, but each entry must be accompanied by a letter of nomination written by a history department faculty member. All papers must be double-spaced and typed, with reference notes and bibliography. There are no restrictions regarding length or subject matter.

Submission guidelines

The deadline for submitting papers for the department’s Best Essay contest for graduate and undergraduate papers is the first Friday in April. The winners will be announced in early May, and the awards will be presented at the Phi Alpha Theta spring picnic (usually the last Saturday before study day).

Papers should be submitted to the Chair of the Development Committee. Please contact the History Department at 417-836-5511 for more information regarding paper submission.