cambridge university essay

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Discourse, debate, and analysis

Cambridge re:think essay competition 2024.

Competition Opens: 15th January, 2024

Essay Submission Deadline: 10th May, 2024 Result Announcement: 20th June, 2024 Award Ceremony and Dinner at the University of Cambridge: 30th July, 2024

We welcome talented high school students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Entry to the competition is free.

About the Competition

The spirit of the Re:think essay competition is to encourage critical thinking and exploration of a wide range of thought-provoking and often controversial topics. The competition covers a diverse array of subjects, from historical and present issues to speculative future scenarios. Participants are invited to engage deeply with these topics, critically analysing their various facets and implications. It promotes intellectual exploration and encourages participants to challenge established norms and beliefs, presenting opportunities to envision alternative futures, consider the consequences of new technologies, and reevaluate longstanding traditions. 

Ultimately, our aim is to create a platform for students and scholars to share their perspectives on pressing issues of the past and future, with the hope of broadening our collective understanding and generating innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. This year’s competition aims to underscore the importance of discourse, debate, and critical analysis in addressing complex societal issues in nine areas, including:

Religion and Politics

Political science and law, linguistics, environment, sociology and philosophy, business and investment, public health and sustainability, biotechonology.

Artificial Intelligence 

Neuroengineering

2024 essay prompts.

This year, the essay prompts are contributed by distinguished professors from Harvard, Brown, UC Berkeley, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT.

Essay Guidelines and Judging Criteria

Review general guidelines, format guidelines, eligibility, judging criteria.

Awards and Award Ceremony

Award winners will be invited to attend the Award Ceremony and Dinner hosted at the King’s College, University of Cambridge. The Dinner is free of charge for select award recipients.

Registration and Submission

Register a participant account today and submit your essay before the deadline.

Advisory Committee and Judging Panel

The Cambridge Re:think Essay Competition is guided by an esteemed Advisory Committee comprising distinguished academics and experts from elite universities worldwide. These committee members, drawn from prestigious institutions, such as Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, and MIT, bring diverse expertise in various disciplines.

They play a pivotal role in shaping the competition, contributing their insights to curate the themes and framework. Their collective knowledge and scholarly guidance ensure the competition’s relevance, academic rigour, and intellectual depth, setting the stage for aspiring minds to engage with thought-provoking topics and ideas.

We are honoured to invite the following distinguished professors to contribute to this year’s competition.

The judging panel of the competition comprises leading researchers and professors from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Cambridge, and Oxford, engaging in a strictly double blind review process.

Keynote Speeches by 10 Nobel Laureates

We are beyond excited to announce that multiple Nobel laureates have confirmed to attend and speak at this year’s ceremony on 30th July, 2024 .

They will each be delivering a keynote speech to the attendees. Some of them distinguished speakers will speak virtually, while others will attend and present in person and attend the Reception at Cambridge.

Why has religion remained a force in a secular world? 

Professor Commentary:

Arguably, the developed world has become more secular in the last century or so. The influence of Christianity, e.g. has diminished and people’s life worlds are less shaped by faith and allegiance to Churches. Conversely, arguments have persisted that hold that we live in a post-secular world. After all, religion – be it in terms of faith, transcendence, or meaning – may be seen as an alternative to a disenchanted world ruled by entirely profane criteria such as economic rationality, progressivism, or science. Is the revival of religion a pale reminder of a by-gone past or does it provide sources of hope for the future?

‘Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Jürgen Habermas (European Journal of Philosophy, 2006)

In this paper, philosopher Jürgen Habermas discusses the limits of church-state separation, emphasizing the significant contribution of religion to public discourse when translated into publicly accessible reasons.

‘Public Religions in the Modern World’ by José Casanova (University Of Chicago Press, 1994)

Sociologist José Casanova explores the global emergence of public religion, analyzing case studies from Catholicism and Protestantism in Spain, Poland, Brazil, and the USA, challenging traditional theories of secularization.

‘The Power of Religion in the Public Sphere’ by Judith Butler, Jürgen Habermas, Charles Taylor, and Cornel West (Edited by Eduardo Mendieta and Jonathan VanAntwerpen, Columbia University Press, 2011)

This collection features dialogues by prominent intellectuals on the role of religion in the public sphere, examining various approaches and their impacts on cultural, social, and political debates.

‘Rethinking Secularism’ by Craig Calhoun, Mark Juergensmeyer, and Jonathan VanAntwerpen (Oxford University Press, 2011)

An interdisciplinary examination of secularism, this book challenges traditional views, highlighting the complex relationship between religion and secularism in contemporary global politics.

‘God is Back: How the Global Rise of Faith is Changing the World’ by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge (Penguin, 2010)

Micklethwait and Wooldridge argue for the coexistence of religion and modernity, suggesting that religious beliefs can contribute to a more open, tolerant, and peaceful modern world.

‘Multiculturalism’ by Tariq Modood (Polity Press, 2013)

Sociologist Tariq Modood emphasizes the importance of multiculturalism in integrating diverse identities, particularly in post-immigration contexts, and its role in shaping democratic citizenship.

‘God’s Agents: Biblical Publicity in Contemporary England’ by Matthew Engelke (University of California Press, 2013)

In this ethnographic study, Matthew Engelke explores how a group in England seeks to expand the role of religion in the public sphere, challenging perceptions of religion in post-secular England.

Gene therapy is a medical approach that treats or prevents disease by correcting the underlying genetic problem. Is gene therapy better than traditional medicines? What are the pros and cons of using gene therapy as a medicine? Is gene therapy justifiable?

Especially after Covid-19 mRNA vaccines, gene therapy is getting more and more interesting approach to cure. That’s why that could be interesting to think about. I believe that students will enjoy and learn a lot while they are investigating this topic.

The Hall at King’s College, Cambridge

The Hall was designed by William Wilkins in the 1820s and is considered one of the most magnificent halls of its era. The first High Table dinner in the Hall was held in February 1828, and ever since then, the splendid Hall has been where members of the college eat and where formal dinners have been held for centuries.

The Award Ceremony and Dinner will be held in the Hall in the evening of  30th July, 2024.

Stretching out down to the River Cam, the Back Lawn has one of the most iconic backdrop of King’s College Chapel. 

The early evening reception will be hosted on the Back Lawn with the iconic Chapel in the background (weather permitting). 

King’s College Chapel

With construction started in 1446 by Henry VI and took over a century to build, King’s College Chapel is one of the most iconic buildings in the world, and is a splendid example of late Gothic architecture. 

Attendees are also granted complimentary access to the King’s College Chapel before and during the event. 

Confirmed Nobel Laureates

Dr Thomas R. Cech

The nobel prize in chemistry 1989 , for the discovery of catalytic properties of rna.

Thomas Robert Cech is an American chemist who shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Sidney Altman, for their discovery of the catalytic properties of RNA. Cech discovered that RNA could itself cut strands of RNA, suggesting that life might have started as RNA. He found that RNA can not only transmit instructions, but also that it can speed up the necessary reactions.

He also studied telomeres, and his lab discovered an enzyme, TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase), which is part of the process of restoring telomeres after they are shortened during cell division.

As president of Howard Hughes Medical Institute, he promoted science education, and he teaches an undergraduate chemistry course at the University of Colorado

Sir Richard J. Roberts

The nobel prize in medicine 1993 .

F or the discovery of split genes

During 1969–1972, Sir Richard J. Roberts did postdoctoral research at Harvard University before moving to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, where he was hired by James Dewey Watson, a co-discoverer of the structure of DNA and a fellow Nobel laureate. In this period he also visited the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology for the first time, working alongside Fred Sanger. In 1977, he published his discovery of RNA splicing. In 1992, he moved to New England Biolabs. The following year, he shared a Nobel Prize with his former colleague at Cold Spring Harbor Phillip Allen Sharp.

His discovery of the alternative splicing of genes, in particular, has had a profound impact on the study and applications of molecular biology. The realisation that individual genes could exist as separate, disconnected segments within longer strands of DNA first arose in his 1977 study of adenovirus, one of the viruses responsible for causing the common cold. Robert’s research in this field resulted in a fundamental shift in our understanding of genetics, and has led to the discovery of split genes in higher organisms, including human beings.

Dr Aaron Ciechanover

The nobel prize in chemistry 2004 .

F or the discovery of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation

Aaron Ciechanover is one of Israel’s first Nobel Laureates in science, earning his Nobel Prize in 2004 for his work in ubiquitination. He is honored for playing a central role in the history of Israel and in the history of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

Dr Ciechanover is currently a Technion Distinguished Research Professor in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute at the Technion. He is a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the Russian Academy of Sciences and is a foreign associate of the United States National Academy of Sciences. In 2008, he was a visiting Distinguished Chair Professor at NCKU, Taiwan. As part of Shenzhen’s 13th Five-Year Plan funding research in emerging technologies and opening “Nobel laureate research labs”, in 2018 he opened the Ciechanover Institute of Precision and Regenerative Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen campus.

Dr Robert Lefkowitz

The nobel prize in chemistry 2012 .

F or the discovery of G protein-coupled receptors

Robert Joseph Lefkowitz is an American physician (internist and cardiologist) and biochemist. He is best known for his discoveries that reveal the inner workings of an important family G protein-coupled receptors, for which he was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize for Chemistry with Brian Kobilka. He is currently an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute as well as a James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry at Duke University.

Dr Lefkowitz made a remarkable contribution in the mid-1980s when he and his colleagues cloned the gene first for the β-adrenergic receptor, and then rapidly thereafter, for a total of 8 adrenergic receptors (receptors for adrenaline and noradrenaline). This led to the seminal discovery that all GPCRs (which include the β-adrenergic receptor) have a very similar molecular structure. The structure is defined by an amino acid sequence which weaves its way back and forth across the plasma membrane seven times. Today we know that about 1,000 receptors in the human body belong to this same family. The importance of this is that all of these receptors use the same basic mechanisms so that pharmaceutical researchers now understand how to effectively target the largest receptor family in the human body. Today, as many as 30 to 50 percent of all prescription drugs are designed to “fit” like keys into the similarly structured locks of Dr Lefkowitz’ receptors—everything from anti-histamines to ulcer drugs to beta blockers that help relieve hypertension, angina and coronary disease.

Dr Lefkowitz is among the most highly cited researchers in the fields of biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical medicine according to Thomson-ISI.

Dr Joachim Frank

The nobel prize in chemistry 2017 .

F or developing cryo-electron microscopy

Joachim Frank is a German-American biophysicist at Columbia University and a Nobel laureate. He is regarded as the founder of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017 with Jacques Dubochet and Richard Henderson. He also made significant contributions to structure and function of the ribosome from bacteria and eukaryotes.

In 1975, Dr Frank was offered a position of senior research scientist in the Division of Laboratories and Research (now Wadsworth Center), New York State Department of Health,where he started working on single-particle approaches in electron microscopy. In 1985 he was appointed associate and then (1986) full professor at the newly formed Department of Biomedical Sciences of the University at Albany, State University of New York. In 1987 and 1994, he went on sabbaticals in Europe, one to work with Richard Henderson, Laboratory of Molecular Biology Medical Research Council in Cambridge and the other as a Humboldt Research Award winner with Kenneth C. Holmes, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg. In 1998, Dr Frank was appointed investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Since 2003 he was also lecturer at Columbia University, and he joined Columbia University in 2008 as professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and of biological sciences.

Dr Barry C. Barish

The nobel prize in physics 2017 .

For the decisive contributions to the detection of gravitational waves

Dr Barry Clark Barish is an American experimental physicist and Nobel Laureate. He is a Linde Professor of Physics, emeritus at California Institute of Technology and a leading expert on gravitational waves.

In 2017, Barish was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics along with Rainer Weiss and Kip Thorne “for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves”. He said, “I didn’t know if I would succeed. I was afraid I would fail, but because I tried, I had a breakthrough.”

In 2018, he joined the faculty at University of California, Riverside, becoming the university’s second Nobel Prize winner on the faculty.

In the fall of 2023, he joined Stony Brook University as the inaugural President’s Distinguished Endowed Chair in Physics.

In 2023, Dr Barish was awarded the National Medal of Science by President Biden in a White House ceremony.

Dr Harvey J. Alter

The nobel prize in medicine 2020 .

For the discovery of Hepatitis C virus

Dr Harvey J. Alter is an American medical researcher, virologist, physician and Nobel Prize laureate, who is best known for his work that led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Alter is the former chief of the infectious disease section and the associate director for research of the Department of Transfusion Medicine at the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. In the mid-1970s, Alter and his research team demonstrated that most post-transfusion hepatitis cases were not due to hepatitis A or hepatitis B viruses. Working independently, Alter and Edward Tabor, a scientist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, proved through transmission studies in chimpanzees that a new form of hepatitis, initially called “non-A, non-B hepatitis” caused the infections, and that the causative agent was probably a virus. This work eventually led to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus in 1988, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2020 along with Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice.

Dr Alter has received recognition for the research leading to the discovery of the virus that causes hepatitis C. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest award conferred to civilians in United States government public health service, and the 2000 Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research.

Dr Ardem Patapoutian

The nobel prize in medicine 2021 .

For discovering how pressure is translated into nerve impulses

Dr Ardem Patapoutian is an Lebanese-American molecular biologist, neuroscientist, and Nobel Prize laureate of Armenian descent. He is known for his work in characterising the PIEZO1, PIEZO2, and TRPM8 receptors that detect pressure, menthol, and temperature. Dr Patapoutian is a neuroscience professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California. In 2021, he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly with David Julius.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I participate in the Re:think essay competition? 

The Re:think Essay competition is meant to serve as fertile ground for honing writing skills, fostering critical thinking, and refining communication abilities. Winning or participating in reputable contests can lead to recognition, awards, scholarships, or even publication opportunities, elevating your academic profile for college applications and future endeavours. Moreover, these competitions facilitate intellectual growth by encouraging exploration of diverse topics, while also providing networking opportunities and exposure to peers, educators, and professionals. Beyond accolades, they instil confidence, prepare for higher education demands, and often allow you to contribute meaningfully to societal conversations or causes, making an impact with your ideas.

Who is eligible to enter the Re:think essay competition?  

As long as you’re currently attending high school, regardless of your location or background, you’re eligible to participate. We welcome students from diverse educational settings worldwide to contribute their unique perspectives to the competition.

Is there any entry fee for the competition? 

There is no entry fee for the competition. Waiving the entry fee for our essay competition demonstrates CCIR’s dedication to equity. CCIR believes everyone should have an equal chance to participate and showcase their talents, regardless of financial circumstances. Removing this barrier ensures a diverse pool of participants and emphasises merit and creativity over economic capacity, fostering a fair and inclusive environment for all contributors.

Subscribe for Competition Updates

If you are interested to receive latest information and updates of this year’s competition, please sign up here.

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Study Skills

Wolfson college academic skills: academic writing.

• Transition to Wolfson
• Finding Information on Reading List
• Literature Searching
• Keeping up to date
• Critical reading and evaluation
• Speed reading
• Reference management
• Note making
• Research Data Management
• Academic writing
• Finishing a long document in Word
• Publishing your research
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• Responding to and using feedback
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• Exam and Revision Tips

Your writing style will have no doubt changed significantly over the last few years and will still be developing. Your style will also be responsive to the task: an exam answer is very different to an essay. Your department will be able to advise you on specific expectations in your discipline but there are many general principles which be useful to all students, some of which we cover here. 

The writing process is book-ended by two other key skills which we cover elsewhere:

• First, you will need to take effective notes that so that you can refer to them during writing. If they are well-formed, they will act as the basis of your written work. Learn more under the  Note Making  section of this guide.
• Finally, it is essential that you correctly credit the work and ideas of others that you have used in your writing. To learn more about this read our pages on  Referencing  and  Avoiding Plagiarism .

This section focuses on essay writing in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Scientific disciplines will provide guidance on specific writing styles for their subject area.

• Read the assignment carefully and identify key words within the question. 
• Work backwards from the due date of the assignment. After you have the number of days you have available to write your assignment, divide the time into pre-writing activities such as reading, reviewing your notes and free writing, drafting activities such as organising your arguments and editing activities such as checking grammar, punctuation and references. 
• Spend some time planning and organising your essay before writing. Having a clear road map for your work can ensure your writing flows clearly and you do not drift away from addressing the question you set out to write. 
• Don't forget to schedule some down time while you are writing. Creating some distance from your work will help keep you refreshed and allow you time to see new perspectives and process further information.
• If you are experiencing writer's block, try freewriting for 10 minutes. During this time, do not worry about grammar or structure; the goal should be to get your thoughts out on a piece of paper or the screen. Free writing can help unlock some of the factors contributing to the block, and since you will have some words after the 10 minutes, it may kick start a new writing cycle for you.

Below you will find a series of videos that provide a survey of academic writing and a closer look at introductions, paragraphs and conclusions. While there may be a heavier emphasis on the writing done in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the general concepts of strong academic writing presented will also apply to other disciplines.

• Academic Writing- An Overview
• Writing an abstract
• Reducing your work count

None of the below will cut all the words you need in one go. But they may help you spot sytlistic tendancies than mean your style is unnecessarily verbose.

As with all proofreading, reading aloud can help you spot awkward wording and clumsy phrasing. Eliminate problematic words or highlight phrases as you go, so that you can tighten them up later.

Rearranging content

Once you have a rough draft, to reverse outline your document. This way you can make sure that your ideas and arguments develop logically. Write down what each section is about and if you spot anything extraneous, it is a candidate for deletion.

If you are still well above yoru word count, rank the points you use to sunstantiate your argument. That way, you can eliminate ones which aren't as important as others.

If you don't want to eliminate a point, take the topic sentence or main idea of several less important paragraphs and create combined paragraphs with less detail than the more important arguments.

Removing extraneous words

Look through your work and seeif you find any adverbs, especially those that end 'ly'. These are often filler words that don't add anything beneficial. These might include actually, commonly, continually, correctly, finally, fully, greatly, perfectly, rigidly, sadly, totally, urgently. If they're not necessary, remove them!

In much the same way as advebs make their way into writing, multiple adjectives are used when one (or none) would suffice. Only use them if they add to the meaning of the sentence.

Writers sometimes clog up their prose with one or more extra words or phrases that seem to modify the meaning of a noun, but don't add meaning to the sentence e.g. kind of, sort of, basically, for all intents and purposes.

Excessive detail

Watch out for phrases or longer passges that repeat earlier writing. If the words don't buils on the conent, they are rarely necessary.

Many words imply one another: 'finish' implies 'complete' and so 'completely finish' is redundant in most cases. There are many other phrases like this: past memories, future plan, terrible tragedy. each individual, end result, final outcome, unexpected surprise, sudden crisis.

There are also illogical expressions such as 'very unique'. Since unique means one-of-a-kind, it doesn't need a modifier of degree such as: very, so, especially, somewhat, or extremely. There are no gradations; either it is unique or not.

Replacing vague phrases with specific words

Many commonly used phrases can be replaced with a single word. We often feel that they make writing more 'formal' but they can detract, rather than add to, meaning. For example:

• 'the reason for', 'owing to the fact that', 'in light of the fact that' 'given that', considering the fact that' could be replaced with because, since or why
• 'in the event that' or 'under circumstance in which' could be replaced with if
• 'it is necessary that' can be replaced with must or should
• 'on the occasion of' or 'in a situation in which' could be replaced with when
• 'in reference to', 'as regards', 'concerning the matter of' could be replaced with about
• 'in anticipation of', 'at the same time as', 'following on from' could be replaced with before, when or after.

Identify negatives and change them to affirmatives

Expressing ideas in negative means you must use an extra word and and it makes it harder to figure out your meaning.

e.g. If you do not have more than five years of experience, do not call for an interview if you have not already emailed Human Resources.

can be revised as: Applicants with more than five years’ experience can call for an interview. Otherwise, email Human Resources.

• Breaking down the question
• Structuring your writing
• Refining your writing

It is important to understand what you are being asked to do before you begin writing. Regardless of the task, you will be marked more highly for answering the question than simply showing how much you know about a topic. Ask yourself the following three questions when you start a new task:

• What are you being asked about? Identify the topics that you need to focus on and take care to note that there may be multiple topics in any one task. Alternatively, it may be an open-ended task, and you need to define the parameters. If this is the case, make sure that you explain why you have limited your answer in this way. For example, you may choose to limit your answer to a few examples. Why have you selected them? Also, make clear that you understand the context in which these few examples sit.
• What are you being asked to use? Identify sources, materials, theories and examples that you are expected to refer to. You may be told these in the question itself, the reading list, or need to identify them from the work you have already done on this topic.
• What are you being asked to do? Identify the verb or question word in your task such as compare, describe, contrast, evaluation, explain, examine, summarise, or analyse. If you aren't sure what they mean, download this list of instruction words and their definitions. Try breaking the question down into sub-questions. This will focus your reading and help to formulate the structure of your essay.

If you are not sure what the words mean in the question, have a look at this list of instruction words and their definitions.

Use Manchester University's Phrasebank . This aims to provide you with examples of some of the phraseological ‘nuts and bolts’ of writing organised according to the main sections of a research paper or dissertation. The items in the Academic Phrasebank are mostly content neutral and generic in nature; in using them, therefore, you are not stealing other people’s ideas and this does not constitute plagiarism. It gives you alternative ways of saying the same thing.

The top level sections are:

• Being cautious
• Being critical
• Classifying and listing
• Compare and contrast
• Defining terms
• Describing trends
• Describing quantities
• Explaining causality
• Giving examples
• Signalling transition
• Writing about the past

Find out more

Wolfson and cambridge university support for writing.

• If you need support in thinking through the structure of an essay, brainstorming ideas, considering flow and clarity, and other matters related to the mechanics of writing you can book an appointment with one of our Wolfson College Writing Consultants .
• If you are thinking about writing for publication, Wolfson offers workshops as part of the regular  WolfWorks programme  during the Lent Term.
• The college offers a proofreading service for dissertations and theses prior to submission. Please contact the  Academic Skills Librarian  for further information.
• If you looking for some time to get some writing done, Wolfson runs   Write Here, Write Now at Wolfson Sessions .   These provide a space for students to come together to work silently for an hour, then take a collective break and discuss what they are writing on, and then carry on writing for an hour and then take a break and so on. These are very productive sessions, and the peer support works well.
• As part of Academic Writing Month 2023 we asked members of the Wolfson Community to describe their writing process and provide a tip they would give to writers. We have collated the videos on our YouTube channel under  Academic Writing Month 2023 . 
• If you need support with your style, The Royal Literary Fund Fellow provides writing support two days a week.  Contact Vitali Vitaliev, the Royal Literary Fund Fellow  for a 50-minute in-person appointment. He is based at Magdalene College but works with our students too. The Royal Literary Fund also produces an  online essay writing guide .
• There are a number of  online writing resources  provided by the University's Language Centre, but which are useful for all students.
• Cambridge's MMLL has produced a very useful  dissertation toolkit .

External Writing Support 

• Very detailed academic writing support from  Purdue University  from establishing arguments to active and passive voice. Also sections on English as a second language and writing for job applications.
• Manchester's  Academic Phrasebank  gives you a range of alternative ways of expressing your ideas. You can approach it by the part of the  Sections include being critical, giving examples, comparing and contrasting, writing conclusions and signalling transition between topics.
• The Skills Hub at Sussex University  has resources on report writing, as well as essay writing.
• Leeds University  has a series of pages to work through on academic writing.
• Monash University has produced a practical online guide to Excel at Writing   for both undergraduates and postgraduates.

Unless otherwise stated, this work is licenced under a  CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0  licence by Wolfson College Cambridge.

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The Department recommends that students write a total of four to six essays per paper over the course of Michalemas and Lent terms.

This equates to two or three essays per paper, per term. Since students take four papers, and terms are eight weeks long, two essays per paper would work out at one essay per week (if distributed evenly). Regardless of how many essays students choose to write, they will still receive six supervisions per paper over the course of both terms. This means three supervisions per paper, per term.

For two of these supervisions, the Sociology Department has a policy that allows students to prepare in another way besides an essay for the supervision, such as with a blog post , or a presentation on a reading or related current event. This should be agreed ahead of time with the supervisor in question.

Essays are expected to be around 1,500 to 2,000 words, which may sound like a lot to new students, but it is crucial practice for honing the skill of making a detailed, coherent and concise argument. The upper word limit is also important, as writing to wordcount (and deadline) are key academic skills, and this takes into consideration the marking workload of your supervisors.

Essay writing is one of the main means of study as well as a form of preparation for the exams , in which students are expected to draw on lecture material, supervision work, and independent reading. Over the course of the HSPS programme, students will be increasingly encouraged to supplement supervisors’ suggested readings with the sources they have encountered using their growing research skills.

Essay Writing FAQs

The sections below provide some answers to help students approach their essays. Students are encouraged to reach out to their peers, supervisors and/or Directors of Studies if they are having trouble with essay writing.

When you write an essay, you’ll need to find the suggested reading list provided in the paper guide. A reading list will usually contain a mixture of online resources like journal articles and Ebooks, and physical books which can be requested from the libraries; in 2020-21, however, given the coronavirus pandemic, we have adjusted our reading lists so that all texts are available electronically. Most of the readings you need for sociology are available via the Seeley library (Sociology, Land Economy), and you can find out how to access them on our Study Resources [link] page.

There are multiple copies of most of the books in the Seeley library so you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting hold of a text. Often you can request a book even if it has been taken out, in which case the student who has the book on loan will be expected to return the book in three days. If they’re not available at the Seeley library, the iDiscover website can show you all the locations where a book can be found in other university libraries.

Many College libraries also have undergraduate reading list collections, and it’s always worth emailing either the SPS or your college library if you’re struggling to access a text. Finally, if you can’t access a book or find an Ebook version online, Google Books often has parts of books - such as selected chapters - available to read for free. Your lecturer may also give tips for finding certain texts.

You will find you get much faster at reading and condensing arguments as you progress through your degree. Rather than trying to read everything, focus on the readings that the lecturer has marked as particularly important, and then use the additional recommended readings to gain a broader understanding and add more nuance to your essays.

What matters is that you’ve got a grasp of the key concepts and theories as portrayed in the available literature on a topic. When you’re first starting out, it may be better to focus on a few readings and give yourself more time to think and write. Another way of tackling reading lists is to split the workload with other people doing the same topic. Sharing notes and ideas not only helps consolidate your learning, it also makes life much, much easier.

If you’re assigned an entire book without chapter or page number suggestions, don’t feel you’re expected to read them cover to cover. Start with the introductory and concluding chapters to get a feel for the arguments. You can also check the contents page for sections or chapters that are especially relevant. Sometimes useful summaries, reviews, or commentaries on books are available online; for example, you can search for book reviews via Google Scholar.

Key to writing a good Sociology essay is a clear argument based on a careful and critical reading of the material relevant to the question. In the first instance, this will be the books and articles the paper organiser has indicated you should read in the paper guide. Pay careful attention to the language a particular author uses and attempt to situate the work in the social and intellectual context of the period in which it was written.

A good essay will provide an introduction that explains your interpretation of the question and how you intend to answer it, namely your essay’s structure and argument. As part of the process of building the argument, the body of the essay will outline, and critically evaluate, the different positions you’ve considered on the topic of the question (e.g. a question on class may discuss Marx, Weber and Durkheim’s differing understanding of the structural organisation of class and/or the subjective experience of class). This critical evaluation may include how well arguments are supported with empirical examples of events (including contemporary events not yet analysed in the literature), studies or statistical data.  Specifically, you can use the theory to help us understand an empirical case of your choice, and then use that empirical case to shed light on the strengths and weaknesses of that theory.

Here you can show further knowledge by referring to material beyond the reading list, as long as you demonstrate its relevance. The essay should conclude by summarising your argument and the justifications you have offered for it, as well as indicating the relevance of your argument in the broader theoretical and/or empirical context. Always try to justify your arguments by reference to concrete examples, studies, research or new work. Reference all your sources consistently and systematically. Finally give yourself time to re-read, edit and re-edit your essay. Often the process of re-reading and editing will improve an essay immensely. This process will, of course, be aided through discussions in supervisions and the further reflections they inspire for you.

When supervisors mark your essays (and indeed, your exams), they will be guided by the marking criteria, so it is best to familiarise yourself with these criteria. You can ask your supervisor for advice on how to interpret these criteria, which can be downloaded via WHERE [link].

The university and the faculty libraries have lots of guidance on essay-writing, which you can ask them about or find on their websites. Some colleges run workshops or have academics who provide support for essay-writing; your Director of Studies (DoS) should be able to point you in the right direction. This is especially useful for students who want to develop their academic writing skills, and can help build confidence for those who might feel a little out-of-practice.

Finally, it’s always good to share essays with friends taking the course to get a sense of their approaches. You can learn from your fellow students just as you can learn from university academics. Chatting through an issue that you’re finding confusing with a friend can have great results, because just by talking through your difficulties or thought processes, the path to the answers you need can become clearer.

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The Homerton College Essay Programme

Challenge your thinking by participating in Homerton College's essay programme

Applications for The Homerton College Essay Programme are now closed. Thank you to all who have submitted an application. 

The outcome of applications for 2024 have now been emailed to all who submitted an application. if you have not received an email please check your spam email box..

Some feedback from our participants… “This was the first ever essay competition I enjoyed and actually completed. I believe this was because of how student orientated the programme was as this made it less intimidating.” “The programme was set up perfectly, with the ideal amount of help without being spoon fed as to be allowed enough room to explore the topics in depth.” “I found it incredibly helpful in building my essay planning and writing skills.”

Aimed at students in Year 12 England/ Wales, Year 13 Northern Ireland, S5 Scotland (or equivalent), the Homerton College Essay Programme is intended to equip participants with key skills that are considered highly desirable by university admissions tutors such as critical reading, research design and essay writing. Cross-curricular and multidisciplinary, we welcome applications from interested students studying any combination of subjects who are keen to engage with the annual theme of the programme 'Building a Sustainable and Healthy World'.

This programme is delivered as a collaborative project between current Homerton students and the Homerton College Admissions Team.

On the programme you will have access to a selection of subject-specific and skills-based webinars from May to July. We have designed the programme to be flexible to fit around school and examination commitments. Our webinars will provide you with the grounding to devise and produce your own essay in response to a choice of questions related to the programme's theme.

Participants will be able to select a question to answer from an extensive range with topics that stretch between and across disciplines. Examples of previous essay questions include ‘There is no Planet B. Discuss’, ‘Is Sustainable Development an Oxymoron?’ and ‘Is the only way to build a sustainable future through scientific innovation?’.

All programme participants who submit an essay on one of the set questions by the deadline and: a) achieve Highly Commended for their entry and/or  b) have always attended a UK state school will be invited to attend Homerton College's free Sustainability Student Conference on Friday 23rd August 2024. This event is hybrid, enabling participants to attend sessions online if they cannot attend in-person. 

Prizes and Awards will be given to the most impressive entries to the Essay Programme. Travel bursaries will be available for those in need who would be travelling to the Sustainability Student Conference via public transport.

Programme participants who have always attended a UK state school and achieve ‘Highly Commended’ for their essay will be invited to attend a free residential visit at Homerton from Thursday 22nd- Saturday 24th August 2024, as well as being invited to Homerton College’s Sustainability Student Conference on Friday 23rd August 2024.

To apply for this programme you must be:

• In Year 12 (England/Wales)/ S5 (Scotland)/ Year 13 (Northern Ireland), or equivalent
• On track to achieve at least AAA at A Level (or equivalent)
• Interested in planning and writing your own essay themed on Sustainability and/or Health

Please note that we have a capacity limit for the Essay programme; if we receive a high volume of applications we will prioritise applications from students who meet our widening participation criteria outlined below. Students who meet one or more of these criteria may also be eligible for extra support and guidance through the programme:

• Currently and/or have always attended a UK state school student

• No parental history of higher education

• Currently or previously living under local authority care and estranged students

• Eligible for Free School Meals (currently, or in the previous six years)

• IMD deciles 1-2

• Low school/college progression rates to higher education and/or Cambridge

• Disability/extenuating circumstances which have affected study

• Ethnicity: students who identify as Black British, British Bangladeshi, and British Pakistani

• Caring responsibilities

• POLAR4 classification 1 or 2

If you have any questions about the programme please email us: [email protected] .

Students - keep an eye on this page, or follow our Admissions and Outreach Twitter account and Outreach Instagram page to be notified of updates to the Essay Programme.

Teachers and HE Advisors – subscribe to our teacher newsletter to be notified of updates to the Essay Programme, as well as other Access and Outreach activities being run by Homerton College.

Please direct any queries to: Schools Liaison Officer Homerton College Cambridge CB2 8PH

T: +44 1223 747 293 E:  [email protected] Twitter: HomertonSLO

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• Take a look at undergraduate courses at Cambridge . We have 31 exciting degrees and a Foundation Year for you to choose from.
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Peterhouse Kelvin Biological Sciences Essay Competition

We are pleased to announce the 2024 Peterhouse Kelvin Biological Sciences Essay Competition! This competition aims to give students the opportunity to explore scientific concepts and topics beyond the classroom, and to engage with scientific research.  

Who can take part?

The Kelvin Biological Sciences Essay Competition is open to students in their penultimate year of study (Year 12 in England and Wales, S5 in Scotland, Year 13 in Northern Ireland, or equivalent) who are educated in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Please make sure that you have read the submission guidelines and FAQs sections carefully before entering.

You can read a selection of the winning entries from last year’s competition here ( https://www.pet.cam.ac.uk/essay-competition-winners-2023 )

Submission Guidelines

Your essay should be no more than 2,000 words including footnotes and appendices on one of the four questions listed below. You should include a bibliography and ensure that all sources are referenced. The bibliography is excluded from the word limit. We know that not all students will be familiar with referencing, so you might find the following page from the University which includes a Guide to Harvard Referencing helpful ( https://libguides.cam.ac.uk/Official-Publications/referencing ) . Any other standard system of referencing style is also acceptable. Please note that all work should be your own, should not be produced by Artificial Intelligence, and should not include any work that has been or will be submitted to an exam board as part of your studies. The main focus of your essay should not be material previously or currently being studied as part of your school courses.

There is a maximum of four entries per school, preferably across the range of questions. Please note that this limit does not apply to Sixth Form Colleges where year groups are over 1000 students in size. All entries must be approved by a teacher, so please make sure a teacher at your school knows that you are entering. On the submission form you will be asked to provide a name and contact information for the teacher who will be supporting your application. If more than four entries are submitted by one school, we will contact the referees at this school to let us know which submissions are to be considered. Schools with lots of potential entrants may wish to run their own internal competition before the chosen answers are submitted to us for consideration.

Submissions will close on Monday 29th April at 23:59 pm GMT . We are unable to consider essays which have not been submitted by this deadline.

Your essay must be submitted as a PDF via the following form: https://cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_080XQThHYlhMuPk Please ensure that all pages in your essay are numbered, and that your name and school appears clearly on the first page. You should name your PDF file in the following format: Question number-Surname-First Initial e.g. Q2-Smith-T. Your teacher will then receive an email from Peterhouse asking them to confirm that you are eligible and that your essay complies with our guidelines. They will need to complete this by Tuesday 7th of May – please do make sure that they are aware of this.

Kelvin Biological Sciences Essay Competition Questions – 2024

• Why do duckbill platypuses fluoresce under UV light?
• Mitochondria are always shown as ovals; in reality they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Why?
• Why are there so few venomous mammals and no birds, whereas there are so many venomous reptiles?
• Reintroduction of ecosystem engineers (e.g. beavers) can have major impacts on the environment. What species would you reintroduce (or introduce) to the British Isles and why has this not been done already?

Summary of Key Dates

Deadline for submissions – Monday 29th April 23:59 pm GMT

Deadline for teacher confirmation – Tuesday 7th May 23:59 pm GMT

Can I answer more than one of the four questions for the 2024 Kelvin Essay Competition?

We ask that students only submit one essay per person.

Can I make any changes once I have submitted my essay using the above form?

Please note that once you have submitted your entry it is not possible to make any changes – please ensure you are happy with your work before pressing ‘submit’.

Will I receive feedback on my essay?

Unfortunately, due to the high volume of submissions, it is not possible to provide feedback on individual essays.

Why do I need to include contact information for a teacher at my school, and who should this be?

After you submit your essay we get in touch with a contact at your school so that they can confirm you are eligible for the competition, and that the essay is your own work. This can be any teacher at your school who knows you, for example, the Head of Biology, one of your subject teachers, your form tutor, or your Head of Year.

The competition has a prize pool of £750, which will be shared between the winners. Winners will be contacted by email - please make sure your contact details are entered correctly! A prizegiving ceremony will be held in Cambridge in summer 2024.

If you have any further questions relating to the competition, please email us at [email protected] .  

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Armstrong Arts and Humanities Essay Competition

2024 competition applications are closed.

The competition is open to students attending state-maintained schools in the UK, and who are in their penultimate year of education (Year 12 in England and Wales, S5 in Scotland, or Year 13 in Northern Ireland).

Essay Questions

The essay questions cover the breadth of arts and humanities subjects offered at undergraduate level at the University of Cambridge.

Questions are often multi-disciplinary, designed to encourage entries to consider the connections between various subjects, and to allow entries to approach the question from varying angles. Effective essays will present a clear argument supported by specific, relevant examples.

1. Are there some fundamental rights which legislation cannot remove?

If you are interested in this question, you may wish to explore Cambridge undergraduate courses in Human, Social, and Political Sciences , and Law .

2. Is translation more like an art or more like a science?

If you are interested in this question, you may wish to explore Cambridge undergraduate courses in Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic ; Asian and Middle Eastern Studies ; Classics ; Modern and Medieval Languages ; and Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion .

3. “It's all about feeling. If you can play 1,000 notes a minute, and it just goes straight across the board and there’s no feeling, it doesn't mean anything.” – B. B. King (blues guitarist), The Life of Riley (2012 documentary film). Discuss the role of feeling in music-making, and answer the question ‘could a robot be a good guitarist?’

If you are interested in this question, you may wish to explore Cambridge undergraduate courses in Music , and Philosophy .

4. ‘Crime does not exist. Only acts exist, acts are often given different meanings within various social frameworks.’ (Christie, 2004). Do you agree?

5. For studying literature, the selection of a canon should not only be based on quality of the texts but also on equal representation, in terms of age, gender and ethnicity, of its intended readers. Do you agree?

If you are interested in this question, you may wish to explore Cambridge undergraduate courses in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies ; Classics ; Education ; English ; and Modern and Medieval Languages .

6. If aliens existed, would they have a concept of God?

If you are interested in this question, you may wish to explore Cambridge undergraduate courses in Philosophy , and Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion .

7. ‘As one reads history . . . one is absolutely sickened not by the crimes the wicked have committed, but by the punishments the good have inflicted’ (Oscar Wilde, 1891). How should punishments be determined?

If you are interested in this question, you may wish to explore Cambridge undergraduate courses in Education ; History, and Human, Social, and Political Sciences .

8. Does the power of multi-national corporations now exceed that of the nation state?

If you are interested in this question, you may wish to explore Cambridge undergraduate courses in History; Human, Social, and Political Sciences ; and Law .

9. Why do languages change?

If you are interested in this question, you may wish to explore Cambridge undergraduate courses in Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic ; Asian and Middle Eastern Studies ; Classics ; Linguistics ; Modern and Medieval Languages ; and Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion .

10. "We are bored when we don't know what we are waiting for. That we do know, or think we know, is nearly always the expression of our superficiality or inattention. Boredom is the threshold to great deeds." (Walter Benjamin, The Arcades Project, 105). Write an essay in defence of boredom using this quotation as a starting point.

If you are interested in this question, you may wish to explore Cambridge undergraduate courses in English ; Human, Social, and Political Sciences ; Philosophy ; and Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion .

11. What can the study of sexuality in the ancient world teach us about the formation of the modern self?

If you are interested in this question, you may wish to explore Cambridge undergraduate courses in Archaeology ; Classics ; English ; History ; and Human, Social, and Political Sciences .

12. "A picture is worth a thousand words". What is the place of studying texts in a world that is increasingly dependent on visual communication?

If you are interested in this question, you may wish to explore Cambridge undergraduate courses in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies ; Classics ; English ; History of Art ; Linguistics ; and Modern and Medieval Languages .

The essay questions are available to view in PDF format here:

Submissions should adhere to the word limit of 2,000 words, which does not include footnotes or bibliographies. The word count should be stated at the end of the essay.

All sources should be cited and listed in a bibliography. We understand that entrants may not have prior experience of referencing and would recommend  Harvard referencing system website  for an explanation of the Harvard referencing system. Entrants are welcome to use alternative reference styles if they prefer.

Entrants should submit one essay only. The submission must be entirely the entrant’s own work, and should not contain any work generated by ChatGPT or other forms of artificial intelligence. The competition judges are mindful of the advancements in generative AI and will disqualify any submissions which demonstrate similarities to responses produced by AI tools. Entries must not be submitted or have been submitted to an exam board as part of any coursework, extended essay, or Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), either in part or in full.

The deadline for submissions is 3 May 2024 at 18:00.

Essays should be submitted by the form at the link below.

First prize: £300 Second prize: £200 Third Prize £100.

Honourable mentions may also be awarded. Prize winners will be invited to visit Magdalene College in Summer 2024.

The webinars below, recorded in 2023, may provide some advice and inspiration for researching, writing, and refining your essay.

If you have any questions regarding the competition, please contact Natalie Thompson, Schools Liaison Officer, by emailing [email protected] .

Essay-writing Webinars

Magdalene College Schools Liaison Officer is delivering a series of webinars to provide advice on the stages of the essay-writing process.

Planning and Researching

The Writing Process

Refining and Referencing

More From Forbes

5 strategies to unlock your winning college essay.

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CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 29: People walk through the gate on Harvard Yard at the Harvard ... [+] University campus on June 29, 2023 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that race-conscious admission policies used by Harvard and the University of North Carolina violate the Constitution, bringing an end to affirmative action in higher education. (Photo by Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

The college application season is upon us, and high school students everywhere are staring down at one of the most daunting tasks: the college essay. As someone who has guided countless applicants through the admissions process and reviewed admissions essays on an undergraduate admissions committee, I've pinpointed the essential ingredient to a differentiated candidacy—the core of your college admissions X-factor .

The essential ingredient to your college admissions X-factor is your intellectual vitality. Intellectual vitality is your passion for learning and curiosity. By demonstrating and conveying this passion, you can transform an average essay into a compelling narrative that boosts your chances of getting accepted to your top schools. Here are five dynamic strategies to achieve that goal.

Unleash Your Authentic Voice

Admissions officers sift through thousands of essays every year. What stops them in their tracks? An authentic voice that leaps off the page. Forget trying to guess what the admissions committee wants to hear. Focus on being true to yourself. Share your unique perspective, your passions, and your values. Authenticity resonates deeply with application reviewers, making your essay memorable and impactful. You need not have experienced trauma or tragedy to create a strong narrative. You can write about what you know—intellectually or personally—to convey your enthusiasm, creativity, and leadership. Intellectual vitality shines through when you write with personalized reflection about what lights you up.

Weave A Captivating Story

Everyone loves a good story, and your essay is the perfect place to tell yours. The Common Application personal statement has seven choices of prompts to ground the structure for your narrative. The most compelling stories are often about the smallest moments in life, whether it’s shopping at Costco or about why you wear socks that have holes. Think of the Common Application personal statement as a window into your soul rather than a dry list of your achievements or your overly broad event-based life story. Use vivid anecdotes to bring your experiences to life. A well-told story can showcase your growth, highlight your character, and illustrate how you've overcome challenges. Intellectual vitality often emerges in these narratives, revealing how your curiosity and proactive approach to learning have driven you to explore and innovate.

Reflect And Reveal Insights

It's not just about what you've done—it's about what you've learned along the way. When you are writing about a specific event, you can use the STAR framework—situation, task, action, and result (your learning). Focus most of your writing space on the “R” part of this framework to dive deeply into your experiences and reflect on how they've shaped your aspirations and identity.

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The most insightful college-specific supplement essays demonstrate depth of thought, and the ability to connect past experiences with your future life in college and beyond. Reflecting on your intellectual journey signals maturity and a readiness to embrace the college experience. It shows admissions officers that you engage deeply with your studies and are eager to contribute to the academic community.

Highlight Your Contributions—But Don’t Brag

Whether it's a special talent, an unusual hobby, or a unique perspective, showcasing what you can bring to the college environment can make a significant impact. Recognize that the hard work behind the accomplishment is what colleges are interested in learning more about—not retelling about the accomplishment itself. (Honors and activities can be conveyed in another section of the application.) Walk us through the journey to your summit; don’t just take us to the peak and expect us know how you earned it.

Intellectual vitality can be demonstrated through your proactive approach to solving problems, starting new projects, or leading initiatives that reflect your passion for learning and growth. These experiences often have a place in the college-specific supplement essays. They ground the reasons why you want to study in your major and at the particular college.

Perfect Your Prose

Great writing is essential. Anyone can use AI or a thesaurus to assist with an essay, but AI cannot write your story in the way that you tell it. Admissions officers don’t give out extra credit for choosing the longest words with the most amount of syllables.

The best essays have clear, coherent language and are free of errors. The story is clearly and specifically told. After drafting, take the time to revise and polish your writing. Seek feedback from teachers, mentors, or trusted friends, but ensure the final piece is unmistakably yours. A well-crafted essay showcases your diligence and attention to detail—qualities that admissions officers highly value. Intellectual vitality is also reflected in your writing process, showing your commitment to excellence and your enthusiasm for presenting your best self.

Crafting a standout college essay is about presenting your true self in an engaging, reflective, and polished manner while showcasing your intellectual vitality. Happy writing.

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Chadwick essay prizes for University members 2024-2025

This is an annual essay competition on the Philosophy of Religion and is open to members of the University.

Jesus College is offering one or more prizes of £500 in 2025 for essays concerning Theology, the Philosophy of Religion, the History of Religious Thought or Scriptural Interpretation by members of the University who, at the time when the essays are submitted, have not previously been awarded a Chadwick Prize and are either:

(a) in statu pupillari within the University having previously graduated with Honours from any university;  or

(b) graduates of the University, having graduated within the preceding three years.

The essay should be of approximately 4,000 words and should not have been previously submitted for a degree or prize.

Hard copy essays must be sent to the Tutorial Office , Jesus College on or before the first day of the Easter Full Term 2025. Each essay must bear a pseudonym, but not the candidate’s name, and must be accompanied by a sealed envelope marked outside with the same pseudonym, and the name of the Prize, and containing the candidate’s full name and College written clearly.

Alternatively, essays may be submitted via e-mail to the Tutorial Office , Jesus College in PDF format (identified by pseudonym only).  The covering message should include the candidate's full name, pseudonym, e-mail address and college.

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