Competition Preparation

In this John Locke Essay Competition Prep course, students will learn the ins and outs of essay writing, in preparation for entering the competition. We offer prep classes in all categories: philosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law. Students will choose one topic, compose an original thesis and argument, and write an essay for submission. Students will engage in a guided analysis of primary and secondary sources, develop critical thinking skills, and discover interesting insights. In addition to the group lecture classes, students will receive guidance on their individual projects from the instructor, in one-on-one sessions.

In the HIR Academic Writing Contest Preparation, students will explore college-level topics in international affairs to craft a compelling, well-researched essay.

In this eight-week Drama Writing Competition, students will learn how to create a stage script and create a ten-minute/ten-page script. While developing the narrative and theme, they also consider the needs of the audience and the actors/performers’ needs. By learning a series of visual narrative examples, students will learn how to scriptwriting. We will also review scenes from performance plays and TV shows to understand dialogue, character close-ups, and rhythm (interval and intonation).