THE PAUL AND KATE FARMER ENGLISH JOURNAL WRITING AWARD
RULES AND GUIDELINES
(Approved 08/06)

1. The name of the award shall be the Paul and Kate Farmer English Journal Writing Award, named after Paul and Kate Farmer, founders and donors.

2. The award shall be given annually to the authors of two articles written by teachers and published in English Journal. Book reviewers will not be eligible for consideration, but articles written for specific English Journal columns may be considered. Teachers currently on leave may be considered, as may former teachers presently not employed. In the case of co-authored articles, if one author teaches at a college or university and is therefore eligible for the Edwin M. Hopkins Award, the article will be considered for that award and not the Farmer Award.

3. The editor of English Journal shall draw up the annual list of eligible authors and shall be the arbiter of eligibility.

4. The award shall be given once each year, covering issues published between September and July of any given school year. Up to two honorable mentions (runners-up) may be also named.

5. The editorial panel shall consist of a chair, nominated by the editor of the English Journal, and three to five readers, nominated by the members of the Secondary Section Steering Committee. The panel shall be nominated for a one-year term.  Panel members will be expected to excuse themselves from the judging if an article on which they are an author is eligible for the award.  If necessary, the Chair of the Secondary Section will name a replacement.

6. In February of each year, or as soon as the editor determines which articles will be published in the final issue of the volume year, the chair shall send each reader a list of authors eligible for the award.

7. After reviewing the articles, each reader shall nominate and rank five articles and send these nominations to the chair.

8. The chair shall tabulate the nominations and consider, but not be mathematically bound to, the rank ordering of articles. That is, the chair should carefully consider the recommendations and rankings of the readers, but is to use his or her own judgment in determining award winners.

9. The chair shall choose the authors of two articles as winners, and, at his or her discretion, may name the authors of up to two additional articles as recipients of honorable mention. 

10. The award winners shall receive, based on interest of account, a monetary award (mailed to recipient and not brought to convention), a plaque, free convention registration, and a ticket to the Secondary Section Luncheon. Those receiving honorable mention shall be given certificates of accomplishment, complimentary registration for the convention, and a ticket to the Secondary Section Luncheon. NCTE shall send invitation letters to winners and announcement letters to the winners’ principals, school superintendents, chairs of boards of education, and appropriate newspapers.

11. The awards shall be announced by the awards chair and presented by the English Journal editor at the Secondary Section Luncheon at the fall convention, or be presented at another time agreeable to the various parties involved.