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Guidelines and Rules

The International Anthropology Olympiad consists of two rounds: Regional and International. Top-scoring students in each region will qualify for the final round.

Regional Olympiad

Regions are broken up into the following: 

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  1. East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania

  2. Europe, Russia, and Central Asia

  3. Middle East, North Africa, Central and South Africa

  4. South America, Central America, Mexico, and the islands of the Caribbean

  5. North America

Submission Format

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  • The Olympiad begins when participants are sent 3 questions of which they will choose one to answer.

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  • After the participant chooses which question(s) to answer, the response cannot exceed 1000 words, and must be in PDF form. 

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  • An MLA style bibliography citing their sources must be at the the bottom of the participants response to the question.

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  • Submissions will be submitted via a Typeform link we will send.

Evaluation Criteria:


1. Depth of understanding
Show us how well you understand the subject matter​ by illuminating something in your research that you didn’t know before. 
 
2. Clarity in Articulation
Be clear and concise in your explanation​. Choose a perspective and stand by it, you will not lose points for the position you take, but weakly substantiated arguments will detract from your score. 

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3. Purposeness of text
Ensure every sentence contributes meaningfully to your argument​. Meaningful articulation comes with a solid grasp of what you are writing about. 
 
4. Creativity and personal touch
Make sure that your response is your own and something you stand by. 
 

International Olympiad

The international olympiad will be a debate. Seven days before the debate you will be sent 3 questions that you are to prepare for. On the day of the debate you will be asked a debated anthropology question and assigned a “for” or “against” position. You will then present and defend your position in the format outlined below.

Debate Format:
Modified Parliamentary Style (individual-based, not team-based)

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Sides: 
Finalists will be randomly assigned to either the Affirmative (for) or Negative (against) position on a motion.

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Preparation Guidelines:
Topics and questions will be released 7 days before the debate.

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Each finalist must prepare both sides (for and against), as assignments will be revealed just prior to the session.

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Participants may consult research materials during preparation but no assistance is allowed during the debate itself.

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Structure:


Opening Statement (3 minutes) – Participants will present their argument.

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Opponent Rebuttal (4 minutes) – The opposing participant will respond and critique the opposing position.

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Cross-Examination (4 minutes total) – There will be a moderated Q&A between participants.

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Closing Statement (2 minutes) – Final arguments will be made by both participants.

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Each debate will last approximately 15–20 minutes, including transitions and brief moderator remarks.

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Rules & Conduct


All arguments must be the competitor’s own. Plagiarism or scripted responses will result in disqualification.

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Respect & Civility: Personal attacks, disrespectful language, or interruptions will not be tolerated. Maintain professionalism at all times.

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Factual Integrity: All evidence used must be truthful, verifiable, and clearly presented. Fabrication of data will lead to immediate disqualification.

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Time Limits: Strict adherence to time limits will be enforced. A timekeeper will signal 1-minute and final 10-second warnings.
 

Judging Criteria:

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  1. Clarity of Argument (25%)
    When presenting your argument make sure you answer the question and use clear language to defend your position.
     

  2. Depth of Insight & Analysis (25%)
    Defend your position with examples and proof from the research you have done.
     

  3. Evidence & Research Quality (25%)
    Make it clear you know what you are talking about. Mention quotes, prominent examples, and evidence based theories.
     

  4. Rhetorical Persuasiveness (25%)
    How you formulate your argument and use rhetorical devices and avoid logical fallacies.

Each finalist will be evaluated by our panel of scholars, professors, and social science professionals.

 

There will be first, second, and third place finalists.

Anti-Plagiarism Policy

 

DO NOT CHEAT

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The Anthropology Olympiad has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism or academic dishonesty.


All essays must be the student’s original work. We use industry-standard plagiarism detection software, and any flagged submissions will be disqualified immediately. If you didn’t write it don’t submit it.

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