in March 2024, the Polonia Institute announced its annual competition for the best essay on a selected topic from the modern history of Poland. This year’s theme was the comparison between two important events that took place in 1944: the battle of Monte Cassino and the battle for Warsaw. Essays were to include the background, conduct, and outcomes of both battles, their impact on the fate of the Polish state after the war, analysis of the broader geo-political context, and thoughts about alternative strategies for the liberation of Poland. The jury received a total of 56 essays, written by authors from all over the world. They ranged in length from the maximum allowable 20 pages to as few as 2 pages. All the submissions were evaluated based on the four primary criteria:
- writing style – correctness, flow, ease of reading, clarity of statements,
- originality – individual approach, avoidance of stereotypical phrases, creative use of references, and like,
- analytical depth – ability to understand and assess events and their implications on multiple levels, not only superficial surface analysis and
- contextual awareness – knowledge of broader strategies and developments, ability to place specific events in an appropriate context, etc.
This year, we noticed frequent usage of AI technology in submitted essays. We advise against writing your essays with AI help. The jury recognizes the use of AI technology because it prevents you from writing in your own voice and negatively impacts the originality of your essay.
After careful examination and comparative analysis of all submitted entries, the jury decided to award the main prize to Mr. Brian Flores-Cuvedo, the second prize to Mr. Christopher Repak, and the third prize to Mr. Wayne Smith. Moreover, honorable mentions went to Ms. Sophie Eglinton, Mr. Hamza Amin Kargbo, and Ms. Dominika Olejarnik. The official announcement of the awards is published below.
Congratulations to the award recipients and big thanks to all who submitted their essays!
1 comment
[…] https://poloniainstitute.net/polands-history/2024-winners-of-pi-competition-on-the-history-of-poland… […]