Introduction to the John Locke Global Essay Competition
Competition Overview
The John Locke Global Essay Competition is an opportunity for young, creative minds with complex ideas, boundless ambitions, and a love of writing. For many, this is a first step into philosophical debate, allowing students to hone their argumentative essay skills with challenging, often open-ended, thought-provoking prompts in several categories.
Categories and Age Groups
There are eight categories with three prompts each (excluding the Junior Prize which has five prompts).
- Philosophy: Here, you can address deep questions about morality, responsibility, and the human condition, challenging what you think you know about right and wrong.
- Politics: Tackle the complexities of governance, democracy, and the nature of political authority, questioning how societies should be organized.
- Economics: Analyze issues around wealth, business, and the optimal conditions for a thriving global population, considering how economic policies impact people's lives.
- History: Look at the driving forces behind major historical changes, the reasons civilizations rise and fall, and how the past informs our present and future.
- Psychology: Examine the mysteries of human behavior, mental health, and the intriguing effects of intelligence on life outcomes, diving into what shapes our minds.
- Theology: Discuss profound questions about belief, the role of religion, and the concept of spirituality, exploring how these influence human lives and cultures.
- Law: Debate modern legal challenges, including rights, justice, and the responsibilities of individuals and corporations in a rapidly changing world.
- Junior Prize (ages 14 and under): Thought-provoking questions that are tailored toward younger students, covering topics like governance, societal issues, and the implications of technological progress.
Each essay must be argumentative and under 2,000 words, excluding bibliography and/or end notes. The word count includes in-text citations, which should be written in APA format.
There are two age groups for consideration: 14-to-18-year-olds and 14-year-olds and younger. The latter applies to the Junior Prize only, with no categories and only five prompts.
Submission Requirements
To ensure that you are equipped and prepared for the competition, here are the specific submission requirements:
File Format
Your essay must be submitted in PDF format, and the filename must follow a particular naming format: First Name-Last Name-Category-Question Number.pdf. So, for example, if John Doe is submitting an essay answering question 2 in the Psychology category, his filename should be: John-Doe-Psychology-2.pdf.
Keeping this format helps the judges easily identify and organize the significant number of submissions that they receive.
Submission Portal
The portal for submitting your essay will be available on the competition's website once the essay prompts are released in January. You will upload your completed PDF file there.
Academic Reference Requirement
As part of the submission process, you’ll need to provide the email address of a reputable academic referee. This person should be a teacher or another responsible adult familiar with your academic work (ideally someone from your school).
The competition organizers will subsequently contact this referee to verify that your essay is original and truly your work.
The Application Process
Application Steps
The application process begins with registration to showcase the intent to enter. Choose a prompt that resonates with your strong opinions and writing abilities, then do your research, writing, revisions, and polishing before submission.
Important Deadline Information and Requirements
Registration typically opens two months before the submission deadline. Applicants must register within the registration timeline to be able to submit an essay. Those who have not registered by the deadline cannot compete. To help you stay on top of things and plan properly, here are the important dates you’ll need to keep in mind:
- Registration Opens: April 1
- Registration Deadline: May 31
- Submission Deadline: June 30
- Late Entry Deadline: July 10
- Shortlist Notification: July 31
- Academic Conference & Awards Dinner: September 20-22
Are There Entry Fees?
The John Locke Global Essay Competition typically has no entry fee, making it more accessible worldwide to many students. However, if students fail to meet the original deadline and need an extension for submission, there is a $20 (USD) late fee. The late fee must be paid via credit card within 24 hours of the original deadline of June 30.
Understanding Essay Prompts and Past Essay Analysis
The John Locke Global Essay Competition is all about tackling some of the most thought-provoking questions around human understanding across a range of subjects.
Past Essay Prompt Examples
Each subject category comes with its own unique set of prompts that demand a different way of thinking to every question being presented. To better familiarize you with what you can expect, let’s take a look at some past prompts from previous competitions:
- Philosophy: “Should I be held responsible for what I believe?” This type of question encourages you to dig deep into ethical theories, challenging your understanding of morality and personal accountability.
- Politics: “Is there such a thing as too much democracy?” This prompt invites you to consider the balance between freedom and control, and how systems can go too far even when rooted in noble ideals.
- Economics: “Do successful business people benefit others when making their money, when spending it, both, or neither?” Questions like this require you to evaluate economic impacts from different angles, involving both theoretical knowledge and real-world examples.
- History: “Why was sustained economic growth so rare before the later 18th century, and why did this change?” This prompt asks you to dive into historical forces—political, technological, and cultural—that influenced global development.
- Psychology: “What is the difference between a psychiatric illness and a character flaw?” This question gets to the heart of understanding mental health, requiring you to explore psychological theories and how they intersect with cultural perceptions.
- Theology: “Does God reward those who believe in Him? If so, why?” This prompt encourages you to wrestle with questions of faith, reward, and the purpose of belief within the framework of religious thought.
- Law: “When, if ever, should a company be permitted to refuse to do business with a person because of that person’s public statements?” Here, you’ll need to consider freedom of speech, corporate rights, and societal responsibilities.
Tips for Tackling These Prompts
- Understanding Complexity: Many of these prompts are deceptively simple. To truly engage with them, take the time to explore their multiple dimensions. Break the question down—what assumptions are being made? Are there any hidden complexities or ethical considerations you should address?
- Approaching Abstract Themes: Some prompts require you to deal with abstract themes, like the nature of belief or moral responsibility. To handle these effectively, begin by establishing a clear framework. Define your terms clearly—what does "belief" mean in this context? What counts as "responsibility"? Then, use that framework to structure your essay.
- Incorporate Theoretical Knowledge: No matter if you’re writing on politics or philosophy, including theoretical perspectives in your essay is important. Don’t shy away from mentioning thinkers like Aristotle, Locke, or even contemporary philosophers and scholars, as this will ground your arguments and show that you understand the broader context.
- Develop a Unique Perspective: One of the best ways to make your essay stand out is to bring something fresh to the discussion. Think about what makes your perspective different—do you have a personal experience, an unusual example, or a lesser-known theory that relates to the prompt? In summary, adding an original angle or argument can help your essay catch the judges' attention.
Award Levels
In 2024, The John Locke Global Essay Competition drew over 35,000 registrants across all categories. The majority of those entrants received Merit/Commendation awards, or approximately 16.9%. Approximately 3% of essayists received a High Commendation and only 1% received a Very High Commendation.
The Shortlist
These essays stood out to the judges as being deemed worthy of recognition. Judges will further assess them for specific awards/accolades.
Commendation / Merit
These essays are deemed noteworthy, demonstrating comprehension and clear, well-supported arguments.
High Commendation / Distinction
These essays are exceptional, demonstrating excellent writing skills and innovative perspectives. Distinction places the essay among the top entries of the John Locke Global Essay Competition.
High High Commendation / High Distinction
These essays are among the best, notable for superior comprehension of the subject matter and concise points in a debate format.
Sample Certificate
Here is an example of the certificates that are sent to winners.
Prizes
Grand Prize, First Prize, Second Prize, Third Prize
Category Winners (First Place) receive a scholarship and are recognized as the best in their chosen field, whether it's philosophy, history, economics, or any other. There are also Second and Third Placements awarded for each category, recognizing strong essays that stood out from the rest. The Category Winners receive recognition while also earning $2000 towards any of the John Locke Institute’s programs.
A Grand Prize winner will be selected from among the first prize winners in each category. Grand Prize winners will be awarded an impressive $10,000 scholarship, which can go towards John Locke Institute summer schools or gap year courses.
How to Win the John Locke Essay Competition: Tips for Writing a Winning Essay
Essays should have a strong beginning, through which to hook the reader. To begin, choose a category you feel capable of responding to in a creative and bold manner, with supporting evidence and a flair of persuasion. From there, paragraphs should present a well-formatted argument of your viewpoints about the prompt. Focus on a single main idea for each paragraph, then expand with evidence, quotes, examples, and a flowing perspective related to your debate topic.
Strengthen your paper with a conclusion summarizing your main points and restating your thesis. Consider this your last chance to impress your reader, i.e., the competition judges. Once you’ve completed your first paper, read and re-read it. Ask trusted sources (preferably academicians) to read it and provide feedback. Fix grammar, sentence structure, and word choice, and utilize constructive criticism to polish your paper until it showcases your best possible work. Revise repeatedly.
A mentor, typically a teacher, is required for the John Locke Global Essay Competition. This person must be familiar with your writing in an academic setting, and attest to the originality of your work.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-complicating the essay: Your paper should be well-researched and concise. Someone should be able to skim it from beginning to end and get the gist of your viewpoints before reading the whole essay.
- Failure to answer the prompt effectively: Create an outline that answers the prompt before you begin writing your essay. Ensure you have acknowledged and addressed opposing viewpoints and counter-arguments.
- Lack of originality: The John Locke Global Essay Competition receives thousands of entries annually, many of which are similar in terms of content and argument. Make your entry stand out with a unique perspective. Be original in your approach to a question.
- Poor time management: Some essays fail not because of the quality of argument, but because they were not properly polished to completion. Give yourself enough time to brainstorm, create multiple drafts, get feedback, and produce a well-thought-out paper that feels as strong as it can be. Poor time management leads to mistakes that could cost you recognition or a win.
What the Judges Look for at Each Level
The John Locke Global Essay Competition judges care about your ideas and how well you present them through interdisciplinary research and creative prowess. Points should be easy to follow, and you should include counter-arguments to showcase your ability to anticipate and address dissenting viewpoints. Judges look for fresh insights and innovative perspectives, so avoid common or cliche viewpoints.
John Locke Past Sample Essays
The John Locke Institute publishes winning essays/examples of winning essays from each category on their website. We are also including essays from AtomicMind students who have entered the contest and received an award or recognition. Of AtomicMind students who took our 2024 Master Class, 83% received an award or recognition of some kind. Below, you can see some past winning essays across categories:
2023 Economics Category - First Prize: "A government funds its own expenditure by taxing its population. Suppose, instead, it relied solely on money newly created by the central bank? What would be the advantages and/or disadvantages?"
2021 History Category - First Prize: "Should we judge those from the past by the standards of today? How will historians in the future judge us?"
2023 Theology Category - Second Prize: "If you cannot persuade your intelligent, sympathetic friends to embrace your religious belief system, do you have enough reason to believe what you believe?"
2021 Law Category- Second Prize: "Should ‘innocent until proven guilty’ apply not only to courts of law, but also to public censure?"
2023 Psychology Category- Third Prize: "Are beliefs voluntary?"
2021 Junior Category - First Prize: "Should the law ever prevent people from freely making self-harming decisions? If so, what should and shouldn’t be forbidden––and according to which principles?"
FAQS
How much time should I spend preparing for the John Locke Global Essay Competition?
What is your writing process? How fast can you compile an award-winning essay with well-thought-out points on a debate topic? How familiar are you with the content? Preparedness varies depending on an individual’s writing and research capabilities. Think of how long it takes to write a 2,000-word research paper with citations and resources. Then, double the time for brainstorming, drafting, and revising. Your aim should be crafting a well-researched essay worthy of a competitive edge.
Your thoughts should be clear and focused with a flow from beginning to end that engages a reader. You should feel confident about your writing when everything is submitted, so take the time to make it shine. At AtomicMind, we find that students who are shortlisted and win prizes have typically spent between 15 and 40 hours working on their submission.
Can I use quotes from philosophers or scholars?
Yes—you are encouraged to incorporate philosophical and scholarly quotes into your competition essay. Give credit with proper citations, ensure the quotes are relevant to your topic, and only use quotes as supporters for your ideas. How you interpret and analyze the topic with originality and creativity is more critical than the quotes of past philosophers or scholars.
What happens after submitting the essay?
After submission, your essay is reviewed by a panel of readers most of whom have accolades or publications. The best papers are reviewed again, then discarded or forwarded to judges for accolades. Overall, the process takes three months from submission to final evaluation. Shortlisted candidates are notified on or around August 1 and accolades are announced at the awards ceremony that is held at the end of September. Shortlisted candidates who cannot attend the awards ceremony will receive their awards and e-certificates via email.
Can I submit in more than one category?
Yes, you can submit in as many categories as you would like. You only need to register once regardless of how many entries you submit.
Will I receive feedback on my essay?
You will not receive feedback from judges for the John Locke Global Essay Competition. The competition receives thousands of submissions annually, making individual feedback impossible.
How can AtomicMind help you write a Prize or Award-winning essay for the John Locke Global Essay Competition?
You’ve taken the first step with your desire to participate in the John Locke Global Essay Competition! If you are interested in learning more about our John Locke Global Essay Competition Master Class, contact us to be added to our waitlist. You'll be alerted when we schedule our 2025 Master Class, Everything You Need to Know about The John Locke Global Essay Competition.
Through this Master Class, students will benefit from a presentation that analyzes winning essays across various levels of distinction and offers customized guidance to students on creating a winning essay. Our knowledgeable specialists can help you outline, research and craft a well-thought-out, informative, paper with a strong perspective that captures judges’ attention. Bounce ideas off of us, utilize our specialists for feedback and constructive criticism, and let us support your process from participation to success!