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| General Points |
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Above all else, your article should be suitable for publication in The Daily Telegraph's weekly science page and be around 700 words in length. Articles over 800 words will be disqualified, as will entries received after the closing date, midnight Monday, March 31, 2008. |
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Your article should discuss topical science in an entertaining, informative and original way while being clear, concise and accessible to the non-specialist newspaper reader. |
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Journalistic methods will be favoured, such as seeking an interview with a scientist, (in person, or by email or phone) rather than simply rewriting his or her published research. Evaluate each source of information in terms of its relevance, worth and veracity. Take particular care when it comes to information available on the Internet. |
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If you feel diagrams or illustrations would be helpful, include them or a description in your entry. It doesn't matter how sketchy they are. Scientific jargon should either be avoided or explained so that the ideas are crystal clear to a general reader. Make sure you keep a copy of your entry for yourself. |
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Feel free to draw on other published articles for inspiration but don't copy them wholesale. When there is a glut of information on your subject, you should do more to provide the context of the development you are describing, for instance the ethical debate surrounding a new development in genetics. Include your list of key sources, from web pages to magazines, in a bibliography. |
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There is no limit to the number of entries per person. However, it is much better to focus all your efforts on one. |
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The Internet is an important tool but should be used with care. The temptation to plagiarise material is great. Resist it! Moreover, much of the information should not be accepted at face value. It is best to use the web for preliminary research for your article, then mop up outstanding questions by approaching an authority in the field. Thanks to the Internet it is easier than ever to contact scientists around the planet by email. |
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You are asked to write about any scientific discovery that appeals to you. For example, you could find out about a project being pursued in a local research laboratory or hospital, or draw on recent issues of scientific publications such as New Scientist and Nature. |
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Whatever you choose, you must provide some insight into how you researched the article, listing the people you interviewed or the sources (web page, journal, newspaper, and so on). |
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The 15-19 age group is also permitted to submit their entries into an additional prize category, the School's Prize, which sees the school with the highest volume of finalist entries awarded a cash prize of £500.
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| Do |
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Select a subject that will appeal to your audience - readers of The Daily Telegraph. |
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Explain the science the same way you would to a friend, not a Nobel prize-winner. |
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Use quotations to brighten up your article.
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Make sure the intro is arresting so that your audience will want to read more. |
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Try to explain the science and, trickiest of all, the scientific method.
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Deal with specifics, whether people, anecdotes or examples.
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| Don't |
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Dust off an old science essay. |
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Use jargon for the sake of it. |
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Rely on secondary source of information - they are often out of date or even wrong.
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Create a 'Frankenstein feature' by bolting together several developments in one field.
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Waffle about abstract generalities.
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Get bogged down in details.
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