ASHG is proud to guide National DNA Day through the DNA Day Essay that is annual Contest.

DNA Day commemorates the conclusion for the Human Genome venture in April 2003 in addition to development for the dual helix of DNA in 1953.

This competition is available to students in grades 9-12 all over the world and asks pupils to examine, concern, and think about crucial principles in genetics. Essays are required to be well-reasoned arguments that indicate an understanding that is deep of principles associated with the essay concern. They’ve been examined by ASHG users through three rounds of scoring.

Ancestry assessment is a kind of direct-to-consumer testing that is genetic to see clients about their genetic ancestry. You can find generally speaking three kinds of ancestry assessment: Y chromosome evaluating, mitochondrial DNA screening, and autosomal DNA assessment. If somebody did all three ancestry tests, what kinds of information could they find out about their hereditary ancestry and exactly how performs this ancestry that is genetic compare and contrast making use of their cultural heritage (household traditions, etc. )?

Essential Dates

• Early 2020: Submission site opens january
• Wednesday, March 4, 2020: Submission web web site closes
• Friday, April 24, 2020: champions and Honorable Mentions announced
• Saturday, April 25, 2020: DNA Day

First Put Winner: $1,000 for pupil $1,000 genetics materials grant

2nd destination Winner: $600 for student $600 genetics materials grant

Third Put Winner: $400 for student $400 genetics materials grant

Honorable Mentions: 10 pupil awards of $100 each

The rubric below is used by judges to judge every essay within the third and second rounds of judging.

Total points feasible:

Rules & Needs

• Essays should be submitted by instructor or administrator and published by twelfth grade pupils (grades 9-12) when you look at the U.S. And internationally. Moms and dads may submit essays in the event that learning pupil is house schooled.
• Essays should be published by one individual student; team submissions aren’t allowed.
• Essays must certanly be in English with no significantly more than 750 terms. Term count includes citations that are in-text yet not guide listings.
• Submissions must not through the student’s title within the essay text. It will help with unbiased judging.
• Essays must consist of one or more guide. Sources must be plainly documented with both citations that are in-text in the recommendations list. The guide list must be individually entered into the “References” portion of the distribution web web web page.
• APA or MLA style may be used for citations. There’s no limitation on what references that are many can use, nevertheless they should avoid a lot of recommendations, as judges need to know the student’s viewpoint from the concern and never the viewpoint regarding the resources.
• Quality of recommendations is supposed to be considered by judges when scoring.
• Only class instructors meet the criteria for the equipment grant.

Please be aware Text from essays might be useful for research purposes to recognize misconceptions, misunderstandings, and aspects of student fascination with genetics. Pupil text could be posted regarding the ASHG web site, publication, or in other ASHG publications.

Plagiarism shall never be tolerated. The written text regarding the student’s essay needs to be his / her words that are own quotations are clearly noted. If plagiarism is suspected during any point associated with the competition, the essay at issue may be analyzed. Essays discovered to support the uncited work of other people may be disqualified plus the student’s teacher will likely be notified. Plagiarism.org provides a helpful description of just what plagiarism is. Instructors of first-place champions from 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 aren’t qualified to receive equipment grants in 2019.

Exactly just How essays that are many one pupil submit? Just one entry per student.

Just exactly How essays that are many one instructor submit on the behalf of pupils? Each instructor may submit as much as six student essays per class, for approximately three classes.

What exactly are low-quality a sources that are high-quality? A low-quality supply is one which does not guarantee information that is accurate such as for instance Wikipedia. Top-notch sources include research journals, like those available through PubMed.

What exactly is within the 750-word count, and what exactly is maybe perhaps maybe not?

• All text into the essay, in-line citations/references, headings and games, and image captions are contained in the term count
• The guide list could be the only text perhaps not contained in the term count.

Should references have page that is separate? The guide list will be submitted separately into the “references” element of the submission web web web site. Every thing will be included on a single web page after the essay is submitted.

Will there be a standard font or margin size chosen? No. When the essay is copied and pasted to the distribution web web site, it will likely be formatted to match our standard margins and fonts.

Just how do I submit my essay if my instructor cannot do so for me personally? Try to look for just about any teacher or guidance therapist at your college who is able to submit for you personally. If that isn’t a choice, please e-mail us at dnaday@ashg.org.

Can my guidance therapist or another educational college administrator submit my essay for me personally? Yes.

Can I submit for my pupil that is presently learning abroad? Pupils must certanly be their studies at the exact same college as the teacher whom submits their essays.

Am I able to alter information when I have actually submitted? No, please make certain all info is proper before publishing given that it is supposed to be final.

How exactly does the trained instructor attest to the originality associated with student’s work? Your distribution represents your verification that the essays would be the initial work of the pupils.

We submitted later. Will my essay be judged? Late submissions will never be judged www.ultius.com.

Where’s the confirmation e-mail? It might take some right time for the e-mail to make it to you. When you haven’t gotten it by the end associated with time, either check your junk mailbox or check that the e-mail address you supplied is proper. If neither of these options work, email dnaday@ashg.org.

Summarized listed here are a few of the most common problems judges note in reading submitted essays.

1. Too focus that is much details. A concentrate on details towards the detriment of showing a definite knowledge of the big photo. Judges are a lot more forgiving of errors in details than errors in fundamental ideas and larger a few ideas.
2. Overstating. Sweeping and grandiose overstatements regarding the current/future state and/or energy of biotechnology or biomedical technology.
3. Inaccuracy in technical language. Judges understand you don’t know all of the “science jargon, ” therefore don’t feel obligated to make use of it.
4. Not enough in-text citations in, or not enough citations for information which is not considered knowledge that is common. In the event that you got the given information from somewhere else, cite the foundation.
5. Making use of references that are out-of-date. Scientific understanding changes really quickly, and recommendations which can be a lot more than 5 years old are going to have ideas that are outdated.
6. Making use of quotes that are too many. Although periodic usage is warranted, a lot of quotes lead judges to believe the writer does not grasp this issue.