Criteria used in judging EDC essays in essay contest (2009 - 2010)

Judges for the annual EDC essay writing contest

use the following criteria to make their decisions:

  • Clear purpose and organization
  • Smart, effective synthesis of what students learned in EDC, supplemented with outside research or experimentation
  • Clear, correct, concise, even graceful writing style
  • Excellence in any one or more of the following:
  • Persuasive argumentation and use of evidence
  • Analysis demonstrating mastery of technical work
  • Creativity
  • Use of graphics
  • Insights about a technical, societal, or ethical issue

All essays are read by faculty member from the Writing Program and a tutor from Northwestern's Writing Place. Selected essays for final judging are also read by a faculty member from the McCormick School.