2026 Rules

Students and recent graduates are invited to submit single-authored papers and posters on any topic relating to archaeology in the mid-Atlantic United States. There are two separate contests: one for undergraduates and one for graduate students. Students are placed within the flow of the conference in appropriately themed sessions or may be part of an organized session if they have been invited to do so. Papers will be evaluated by a panel of judges, drawn from the MAAC membership, with diverse backgrounds in the field of archaeology.

Who can enter?

Students currently enrolled in an academic program and recent graduates (those within three years of receiving a Bachelor's degree or one year of completing a thesis/dissertation) are eligible.
Only single author papers and posters will be considered.
Students must be a member of the MAAC, registered for the conference, and must present the paper or poster. All contestants are eligible to receive reimbursement for their membership and registration fees.

Guidelines

Judges are asked to base their decisions on the following criteria:

Content - Is the work well organized? Is a problem or research question presented and answered by the student? Does the student use archaeological data and/or relevant theory to support the argument? Is the research question placed within a larger social, cultural, or economic context? Are appropriate sources used to support the argument?
Presentation - Judges will consider the oral presentation (the presenter's ability to communicate to an audience) as well as the student's overall presentation of their research. They should also evaluate the use of audio-visual aids.
Contribution to the field - Judges will consider the originality of the research, as well as overall the contribution or usefulness to the field of archaeology.

Awards

The winning students are encouraged to submit their papers to the editor of the Journal of Middle Atlantic Archaeology. They will receive $100 when their articles are accepted in final format for publication. Winners will also receive a one-year membership in MAAC. All participants in the student paper competition are strongly encouraged to submit their papers for consideration.