FASS Essay Competition FAQs

What should the letter of recommendation contain?

There is no hard-and-fast formula for the accompanying letter from a member of Faculty, though it should hit on the following points: who you are and how they know you; the name of the competition you have entered (i.e.: Mushkat Memorial); why they believe you are competent to speak on this topic.

Can a PhD/TA student write the letter for me? What about a member of faculty from another university?

Unfortunately, no. The rules, as set out by the donors, are very clear: the letter of recommendation must come from a current Dalhousie faculty member.

Can I enter more than one competition?

You may enter more than one competition. However, you may not enter the same essay into more than one competition. Please indicate on your cover page which prize competition you are entering. Without this information, you run the risk of disqualification, and nobody wants that.

Are King’s students eligible?

The FASS Essay Competition is for students registered as Dalhousie University students only. Students registered as University of King’s College students, or students registered at any university other than Dalhousie, are not eligible.

The criteria for each of the competitions in the FASS Essay Competition state that the recipient will be enrolled as a full time student at Dalhousie University. This means their registration status must be as a student registered at Dalhousie, and not with another institution, in order to be eligible for the competition. The funds for these awards were donated to Dalhousie, and the criteria in the terms of reference state that the prizes from these funds are to be awarded to students registered as Dalhousie students.

Can I submit an essay that was prepared/is being prepared for a class?

This is permissible only if you’ve received permission from your professor. The essays for the FASS Essay Competition will be run through our plagiarism detection software– accordingly, if you do not tell your prof, it may be flagged as a plagiarized piece.