Before the Contest
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During the Contest
IMPORTANT: Students should NOT be given the topic before the time that has been scheduled to write the essay
Instructions for Synchronous Contests
If you are holding the contest synchronously over video conferencing software, read the following instructions to all students:
"You will have one hour to write your essay once I have read the topic. Your essay will be evaluated on the quality of your expression and the depth and breadth of what you are trying to communicate, not solely on the grammar (although grammar is considered in the category of ‘quality of expression’). You may not ask any questions of me or anyone else about the essay and you may not consult dictionaries, textbooks, notes, or any online resources."
If students are writing by hand, continue with the following instructions
"If you write your essay by hand, you must use DARK ink and write on lined paper, using only one side.
Skip lines to make your essay more legible. If you are not using the provided template, make sure that on EACH page you include your category and level and 4-digit identifying code, as well as page numbers in the format 1 of 4. Do NOT write your name or any information identifying your college/university to ensure personal and institutional anonymity. Does anyone have any questions?
"I will monitor the time and every 10 minutes will inform you how much time is remaining.
“Okay, then we are ready to begin. Here is the topic in both English and Russian: [provide the topic and, if possible write it in the chat for students to see].
If students are typing, continue with the following instructions
"If you type your essay, you must create a header for each page that includes your category and level, your 4-digit identification code, and page numbers (in the format page 1 of 3).Use standard margins, 12-point font, and double-spacing. Do NOT write your name or any information identifying your college/university to ensure personal and institutional anonymity. Does anyone have any questions?
"When finished, please [provide instructions for submitting the essay based on your preferences].
"I will monitor the time and every 10 minutes will inform you how much time is remaining.
“Okay, then we are ready to begin. Here is the topic in both English and Russian: [provide the topic and write it in the chat for students to see.
Instructions for Asynchronous Contests
If using proctoring software to administer the contest, select your proctoring settings, create an essay question, set the time limit to 60 minutes, and include the following instructions:
"You have one hour to write this essay. Your essay will be evaluated on the quality of your expression and the depth and breadth of what you are trying to communicate, not solely on the grammar (although grammar is considered in the category of ‘quality of expression’).
"Include your category and level (A1, A2, A3) and your 4-digit identification code at the top of your essay.
"Do NOT write your name or any information identifying your college/university to ensure personal and institutional anonymity.
"Write a story or essay on the topic [provide the topic in English and in Russian]."
IMPORTANT NOTE
If you use proctoring software, you will need to either download student essays or copy and paste them into documents that can be converted to PDF files.
Make sure that the final PDF is double-spaced and that EACH page includes
Any essays improperly formatted will be disqualified.
Make sure that the final PDF is double-spaced and that EACH page includes
- the student's category and level
- 4-digit identification code
- page number in the format of (page 1 of 3)
Any essays improperly formatted will be disqualified.
After the Contest
- Collect essays.
- Make sure that each page of each essay contains the category/level, the 4-digits code, and page numbers.
- Make sure that all files are saved as PDFs.
- You can upload a single file for each essay, or combine multiple essays from one category/level into a single file.
- Follow the naming conventions specified below:
- If submitting a single PDF file for each level, please follow the specified naming convention: Category level_university, e.g. A1_Columbia University*
- If submitting individual PDF files, please follow the specified naming convention: Category Level_4-digit code_university, e.g., A1_8234_BYU*
- Upload essays using the button below.
Failure to use the correct file naming convention or incorrect essay formatting will result in automatic disqualification of the essay(s) in question.