Student Scholarship Writing Guidelines
Thank you for your interest in the Veracity Insurance Solutions Scholarship. The essay portion of the application process is extremely important because it is the only factor we will use to decide who will receive the scholarship. The following are some guidelines for you to consider as you write your essay:
- Your essay should be between 400 and 500 words.
- You should include at least one source (but not more than three) in your essay with the accompanying Works Cited or Bibliography page.
- You do not need to include a cover page, but your essay should have a creative or interesting title.
Also, please keep the following in mind when you are writing your essay:
Show some personality
We’re going to let you in on a little secret – we already know a lot about product liability. So why are we having you write about it? Because we want to learn a little more about you from your writing. We want to see what kind of research skills you have, or how you can turn a – let’s face it – kind of boring topic into something that people will be interested in reading.
Be creative
We are an insurance company so we know all about boring writing. We read it everyday in the contracts and policies we deal with. What we are looking for is an exciting new angle on product liability or incorporating an interesting quote or graph you found in your research. Your essay can be funny, informative, argumentative, or you can even create a short story that incorporates aspects of product liability. Have fun! Just remember …
Grammar and formatting matter
Even though you are (we hope) going to have fun with this essay, you still need to follow proper grammar and usage rules. The person who will be reviewing the essays is a professional writer and editor and even though he is probably easily replaceable, we kind of like him and would rather not have him gouge his eyes out after reading the essays that come in. He is familiar with all kinds of writing formats (MLA, APA, Chicago Manual of Style, AP, etc.) so feel free to use whichever format or style you are most comfortable with – just be consistent. In other words, the essay does not necessarily need to be a formal paper with a thesis and topic sentences, but it should follow accepted grammar and formatting guidelines.
Make sure what you write is accurate
As we said before, we know a lot about product liability, so we will be able to tell pretty quickly if you do not have accurate information. Any quotes or other information you use in your essay must be documented in a Works Cited or Bibliography page. Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will automatically forfeit you from the scholarship.
That’s about it. Have fun and good luck.
Guidelines last updated on August 5th, 2015.