The Marshall Society Essay Competition
Established in 1927, the Marshall Society is the Economics Society of the University of Cambridge. The competition invites pre-university students to write a convincing and well-structured essay related to economic theories. Past topics have included "The role of the state in the economy," "The future of work," and "Inequality and its consequences."
Interested in the competition?
Competition Overview
Preuniversity students around the world
Eligibility
Free
Entry fee
Sunday 11th August 2024, 11:59pm BST
Submission deadline
Competition Details
1. Competition Format
Participants are to submit an essay response to one of the following questions:
- In the face of disinflation, policymakers are hesitant to reduce interest rates. Is this in line with economic theory?
- What are the causes and consequences of low fertility rates in advanced economies? How can we combat them?
- Is the attention economy necessarily harmful?
- To what extent is a merger between two big firms beneficial to consumers?
- “In an efficient market, at any point in time, the actual price of a security will be a good estimate of its intrinsic value.” – Eugene Fama. To what extent does this apply today?
- Why did Britain choose to return to the $4.86 gold standard rate in 1925? Was this the right decision?
- Has the field of Economics become too mathematical? Is this a problem?
2. Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation criteria include:
- Logic and persuasiveness of the arguments.
- Quality of evidence used to support points.
- Originality of ideas.
3. Prizes
Prizes are as follows:
- First place: £100
- Finalists: £50
- Commendation: No monetary prize, awarded to excellent submissions shortlisted for finalist.
Selected winning essays will be featured in the Marshall Society’s annual publication, The Dismal Scientist.
Submission Details
Submission Deadline: August 11, 2024 11:59pm BST
1. Rules
Below is the submission guide:
- On the first page, include the question, question number, your name, and your school.
- Submissions should be written in English with good grammar and structure.
- Properly reference all sources, and use APA style for in-text citations and bibliography (not required)
- Provide a bibliography listing all sources at the end of the essay
- Format the essay in Times New Roman, size 12, with 1.5 line spacing.
- The use of Generative AI is not prohibited, but it must be declared on the form used to submit your essay.
Essay guide:
- Focus on the important aspects of the question due to the word limit.
- Provide key insights with supporting facts rather than a complete topic overview.
- Assume the judging panel has a basic understanding of the topic, so avoid lengthy definitions or background information.
2. Word Limit
The word limit for the essay is 1,250 words.
3. Submission Requirements
- Convert your file to PDF format.
- Name your file “[your name] Q[question number].pdf” (e.g., “John Doe Q1.pdf”).
- Ensure the file size is no larger than 10 MB.
- Use the Google Form provided for submission.
- Double-check all details before submitting.
- If there are any issues, contact jg2107@cam.ac.uk at least 48 hours before the deadline.
