Judith G. Knight Student Paper Competition

The Judith G. Knight SEAC Student Paper Competition is one of the highlights of the annual meeting. The value of this award lies first and foremost in the recognition that the winner and the runner-up receive from peers and colleagues. These student winners are among our best and brightest and it is always a pleasure to acknowledge their contributions. However, in the words of T.R. Kidder, one cannot eat prestige! Thus, the winner receives a substantial collection of new and recent books on Southeastern Archaeology awarded at the Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Archaeological Conference. The runner-up receives a Lifetime membership in SEAC and all back issues of the journal Southeastern Archaeology.

Who May Apply?

Any person currently enrolled in an academic, degree-granting program or having graduated since the last SEAC meeting may submit a paper to the competition. Only papers having one author are eligible. The paper must be on the program of the upcoming annual meeting. Presenting a paper at the meeting requires membership in SEAC, and requires that a paper proposal be submitted to the Meeting Organizer by the deadline for submissions.

To enter the Competition, papers must be submitted in advance of the meeting to a committee appointed by the Executive Board of the Southeastern Archaeological Conference (see How to Apply, below). It is also the responsibility of the submitter to send to the Program Chairperson of the Annual Meeting an abstract and the necessary registration forms at the proper time. To be eligible for the Competition, your paper must be part of the program at the conference.

How to Apply

You may email a Word or pdf version to the Chair of the Judith G. Knight Student Paper Competition Committee by October 15th, 2024 (see Standing Committees page). The paper reviewed for the Competition must have THE SAME CONTENT as that presented at the Annual Meeting and can include any tables or figures that will be used in the presentation. The paper MUST be limited to 10 PAGES OF DOUBLE-SPACED TEXT, no more than 2900 words. Figures, tables, and references should be submitted on separate pages (not interspersed among the text) and not included in the total page count. Any papers with OVER 10 PAGES/2900 WORDS of text will be not be accepted for consideration. A cover letter should accompany the entry, containing a representation of the submitter's current status in a degree program. Only one submission per applicant will be considered for the award. Papers will be evaluated based on topical relevance, theoretical sophistication, analytical sophistication, data quality, logic and impact of interpretations, and overall quality of writing.

The winners of the Competition will be announced at the Annual Business Meeting of the Southeastern Archaeological Conference. The winners will receive their prizes the following day. The Committee reserves the prerogative to defer the Competition and award in the event of a shortage of entries.