Legal
Academic Integrity
Last updated: June 2026
The HIR Academic Writing Contest is a test of a student’s own thinking and writing. We take that seriously. This statement explains the standards we expect of students we work with, and how our guidance stays on the right side of the line.
Original work only
Every essay submitted to the contest must be the student’s own original work. The contest prohibits plagiarism and AI-generated text and screens for both; violations lead to disqualification. We fully support these rules and will not help any student circumvent them.
No AI-generated writing
Using ChatGPT or other AI tools to generate essay text is not allowed. Research tools are no substitute for doing the reading, forming the argument, and writing the sentences yourself—which is the entire point of the exercise.
What our coaching is—and is not
Where we provide coaching, our role is to teach and to give feedback: helping a student understand the prompt, structure an argument, strengthen evidence and analysis, and meet the rubric. We ask questions and point out weaknesses.
We do not write essays, generate text, or rewrite a student’s draft into their submission. The words a student submits must be their own. A coach’s job is to make the writer better, not to be the writer.
The authorship declaration
Contestants confirm that their work is original. Signing that declaration while submitting work that is not entirely your own—whether copied, ghost-written, or AI-generated—is a serious breach of academic integrity with consequences that follow a student well beyond one contest.
Why it matters
Argument-driven writing is valuable precisely because it cannot be faked. The skill of taking a position and defending it—on the page and, on Defense Day, out loud—is what the contest rewards and what universities and employers respect. Integrity is not a constraint on that skill; it is what makes it real.
Questions
If you are unsure whether something crosses a line, ask us before you act. Reach us through our contact page.