INSTRUCTIONS
1. Submit an original essay on a topic of the student’s choice that focuses on chiropractic. Topics include history, philosophy, linguistics, practice perspectives, jurisprudence/law, ethics, theory, sociology, comparative religions, politics, and aspects of social sciences that address historical or philosophical approaches, in addition to clinical or public health-related topics.
2. The essay must be an original work by the student contestant. Essays must be authored by only one author; no team authorship is allowed.
3. The essay should not exceed 3500 words (references are not included in the word count).
4. The file must be a Word document. The file name should be no longer than 30 characters. Your last name should be listed first , then your first name, for the file name. Example "Smith_Joe_2025Essay_Contest"
5. The essay should include the following components:
a. Introduction - the introduction should provide a brief overview of the topic, a well-referenced and grounded rationale for the paper, and the purpose (or hypothesis) for the paper.
b. Discussion – the discussion should address the topic in a scholarly manner. Important points should be elaborated upon, and relate to the study's purpose. The discussion should cogently relate the current discussion and findings with other relevant publications.
c. Conclusion – The conclusion should provide insightful statements about the importance and relevance of the study without generalizing beyond the study's findings. The conclusion should not interject author opinions, make unsupported claims, or give statements that go beyond the limits of the study findings. This section should be brief, perhaps 1 paragraph, and provide clear answers and summarize how the purpose/hypothesis presented in the introduction was addressed.
d. References – References are expected and should be included throughout the paper. All statements made as fact should have supporting references. All references should be numbered according to their appearance in the text.
6. Student contestants will submit contact information (e.g., email and phone number).
7. Proof of enrollment. Students will submit a letter from the registrar of proof of enrollment, and good academic standing (not on probation) at the time of essay submission. Only students from CCE-accredited, United States, chiropractic degree-granting programs within the same year may be included in this contest.
8. By submitting to this contest, you consent to have your name, chiropractic program, and essay title/summary shared in social media posts if your essay is selected as one of the award-winning essays. Your private and contact information will not be shared.