Department of Philosophy
Annual Essay Contests
The Philosophy Department sponsors two essay contests each year for students:
The Perry Weddle Annual Essay Contest is held in the fall. The winner is the student majoring or minoring in philosophy who submits the best philosophical essay of any length on any topic. The winner receives $250.00.
- Judging Criteria: For the topic chosen, it is expected that the essay will demonstrate clarity, creativity, accuracy and elegance. Department judges will give preference to essays that were not already winners in previous department essay contests.
- Format: Submit your typed essay double spaced to the secretary of the Philosophy Department. Place your name only on a cover page that is attached by paper clip to the main essay, so that the faculty judges can read the essay without knowing the author's name. The Department secretary will make a record of which author's name goes with which essay. No particular citation style is required, and either footnotes or endnotes are acceptable. Don't place your essay within a binder or folder.
The Jamil Nammour Essay Contest is held each spring, and the winners present their papers during the Department's annual Nammour Philosophy Symposium. The Nammour Essay is often required to be on a specific topic and changes from year to year. The paper must be your own work (of course) but it need not be an original paper written just for this event. Students often use a modified version of a paper they wrote for a previous philosophy course. Department judges will give preference to essays that were not already winners in previous department essay contests. Unlike for the Weddle Essay Contest, you may win the Nammour Essay Contest without being a major or minor in philosophy.
WHO CAN SUBMIT A PAPER? Any registered undergraduate student; you needn’t be a philosophy major.
WHAT SUBJECT? See the list to the left of topics presented in previous years.
FORMAT: Five to ten pages, double-spaced. Put your name on a separate cover page only, since the papers will be read anonymously.
PRIZE: Up to three winners will be chosen, each to receive $150. The winners will be expected to read their papers and respond to questions from the audience at the annual Nammour Symposium, to be held in April.
The Nammour Philosophy Symposium is an annual student paper contest sponsored by the CSUS Philosophy Dept. The Symposium is named in honor of Philosophy Professor Jamil Nammour who taught at CSUS from 1969-1986. The first Symposium was held in the spring of 1979.
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