This project is designed to give you a chance to express your interest in Polish culture and history in a scholarly fashion and to provide the scholarship committee of the Polish University Club with a way to measure your academic potential and writing skills.

Description:

You may write about any aspect of Polish history or culture. If you chose an eminent Pole for your subject be careful not to submit a compilation of copies from various sources. Thus, you may write about "Maria Curie-Sklodowska's" connection to Poland, but not summarize a biography of Maria Curie-Sklodowska. The paper has to have a thesis. The format of the paper resembles a university-level term-paper (edited copies of actual term papers are acceptable), with a clearly stated thesis and arguments to support it, references providing information about all citations, and a bibliography. Papers taken off the Internet, or copied from books or other print material will be rejected. Plagiarism is a punishable offence at universities and colleges; punishments include failing courses and other disciplinary measures, up to being expelled from the university. Do not try to receive funds to further your education by committing the very offence that would end your education prematurely. Papers consisting of casual descriptions of childhood memories and rhapsodizing about Polish food and folk customs are not acceptable.

Length and Style:

1. The paper will be of sufficient length to present your thesis and arguments: 5 to 10 pages plus a complete bibliography, including biographies, surveys, and subject-specific studies.
2. The paper will be typewritten (or printed out), on one side of paper, with standard font size (12), margins (1'), and spacing (1.5). The first page will include the paper's title, your name, date, and contact information.
3. You will use one format of annotations consistently: parenthetical references or footnotes.
4. In matters of style, you will consult standard reference works, i.e. The Chicago Manual of Style, 14th ed.
5. Non-scholarly papers describing personal impressions about Polish culture ("I like Polish food .... we went to Church on Easter .... etc.") are not acceptable and will be rejected.
6. Short versions of term papers written for university-level courses are acceptable if the original purpose is stated clearly and the papers do not exceed 20 pages.