• Each university may submit two entries from two different students per writing competition.
• Writing entrants who do not win first place or place twice in the top ten of the writing competitions, are eligible to continue entering other writing competitions.
• A competition entry must be a single article written by a single undergraduate student. Only single bylines are allowed.
• If a story has a credit line, the entrant must attach to each tear sheet a statement describing the writing, reporting or editing work contributed by the person(s) cited in the credit line.
• Sidebars, subordinate in length and content to the article submitted, written by the same entrant on the same topic and published the same day, will be considered part of a single entry.
• Entries must have been printed in a campus or professional publication. If the entry is from a professional publication, it must be verified in an accompanying letter by the publication's editor attesting that the entry is student work with minimal editing and no editor rewriting.
• A printed copy of an on-line entry, indicating name of campus or professional website and original date of posting, constitutes and entry for an article published on-line. If the on-line entry is from a professional publication, it must be verified in an accompanying letter by the publication's editor attesting that the entry is student work with minimal editing and no editor rewriting.
• Articles must be appropriate to the subject for the competition in which they are submitted, and must be produced and published within the time limitations specified.
• Corrections and clarifications: If a correction was published or issued on-line after the original story was presented to the audience, the correction or clarification must be submitted as well. Submit the correction or clarificatioin on a separate sheet of paper (with date and name of publication) with the entry. A brief typed explanation may be submitted on the same sheet of paper.
• An entry submitted once may not be resubmitted in any other competition or in any other competition year.

A complete writing entry consists of the following:

• A completed official Hearst writing entry blank, signed by the department administrator and student entrant.
• 4 tear sheets or 1 original and three copies of the article.
• If the article is from an off campus publication, a statement from the editor is required to verify authorship with minimal editing and no editor rewriting.
• Spot News writing only—4 copies of the spot news disclosure form is required.

The categories are:

Feature Writing Competition - A background , color or mood article as opposed to a conventional news story or personality profile. Articles must be published from October 15, 2008 through November 1, 2009, inclusively.

DEADLINE: Entries must be received in the Hearst Foundation office by Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Editorial Writing Competition - Entries should be signed or unsigned editorials that are well reasoned and well researched and express a clear and cogent point of view. Columns must be opinion pieces the length of national columns by syndicated columnists (approximately 750 words); entries cannot be long, in-depth articles or feature stories. If the entries appear in the paper on other than the opinion page, they should be labeled as an opinion or editorial piece. Articles must be published from November 15, 2008, through November 30, 2009, inclusively.

DEADLINE: Entries must be received in the Hearst Foundation office by Tuesday, December 1, 2009

In-Depth Writing Competition - Entries must illustrate the student's ability to handle a complex subject clearly, precisely and with sufficient background. Entries may include explanatory, investigative and other types of enterprise reporting. Single articles only-published from December 15, 2008, through December 30, 2009, inclusively. One article of a series may be submitted but must be accompanied by not more than one double-spaced, typed page summarizing the remaining articles and describing resultant actions, if any.

DEADLINE: Entries must be received in the Hearst Foundation office by Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Sports Writing Competition - The article must relate to an event or issue, not to a sports personality. All articles must be published from January 15, 2009, through January 30, 2010, inclusively.

DEADLINE: Entries must be received in the Hearst Foundation office by Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Personality/Profile Writing Competition - A personality sketch of someone on or off campus. All articles must be published from February 15, 2009, through February 30, 2010, inclusively.

DEADLINE: Entries must be received in the Hearst Foundation office by Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Spot News Writing Competition - Entries must be published from March 15, 2009, through March 25, 2010, inclusively. Articles must be written about a breaking news event and against a deadline. Articles must be major coverage of the event - not a sidebar, analysis, etc. The deadline will be one day's publishing cycle after the event. While publication is desirable, it is not required. In addition to an entry blank, the entry must be accompanied by a completed spot news disclosure form.

DEADLINE: Entries must be received in the Hearst Foundation office by Tuesday, March 30, 2010