Topic: "I Spy – Espionage During the American Revolution"
"Imagine what it might have been like to be a spy during the American Revolution. Pretend that you are either a loyalist or patriot, and discuss your life as a spy. Relate why you chose to become a spy, some of your experiences during the war, and what consequences were brought about as results of your actions, both to yourself personally and to the war in general."
Participants?
- All 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in a public, private, or parochial school, or those who are home schoolers, are eligible
- This contest is conducted without regard to race, religion, sex, or national origin
- DO NOT submit a student photograph with entries
Length?
- Grades 6, 7, and 8: 600 - 1000 words
- All words count, including "a," "and," and "the."
- DO NOT count the words on your title page or in your bibliography (works cited).
Rules & Form?
- Handwritten, typed or prepared on a word processor
- Use black ink only
- When using a computer, use non-script font no smaller than 12 point or larger than 14 point
- All of the essay must be the student's original work
- Any essay with information copied directly from sources without using quotes will be disqualified
- Each essay must have a title page (for a sample, see your reading teacher), which includes the following information:
1. Title of essay: “I Spy – Espionage During the American Revolution” (A subtitle is permitted if written below the topic.)
2. Contestant’s full name and address (Street, RR, PO Box, City, State, Zip Code)
3. Contestant’s telephone number (with area code) and e-mail address if available
4. Name of contestant’s school with grade level indicated
5. Name of sponsoring DAR chapter Number of words in essay
6. Each essay must have a bibliography (works cited) listing all references utilized; the bibliograpy must adhere to MLA format; internet resources, if used, must also be cited
7. Number of words in the essay
8. Any essay with information copied directly from sources without using quotes will be disqualified
Elements of Judging?
- Historical accuracy
- Adherence to topic
- Organization of material
- Originality
- Interest
- Spelling and punctuation
- Grammar
- Neatness
- Length of essay
- Bibliography (works cited)
Deadline?
- Please check with your language arts teacher to confirm the due date for your essay.
Good Resources to Help Me Write My Paper?
- You should find good, reliable information using the following Web sites
- Free databases that you can access at CMS or from home