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Terms and Conditions

Submission of an entry into your local/national Big Read is/will imply unqualified acceptance of these campaign terms and conditions. In the event of any dispute regarding these terms and conditions or any other matter relating to the campaign, the decision of Oxford University Press (“Oxford”) shall be final, and no correspondence or discussion shall be entered into

1. THE AWARDS

The Oxford Big Read Global 2024/2025 comprises three entry categories, namely Category 1, Category 2 and Category 3. (Criteria for each Category of the entry are outlined in Section 2. Eligibility and Section 3. Judging, below.) The prizes for the winners of each Category are as follows:

1.1 One (1) ‘Grand Prize’ winner from each Category will be awarded an Apple iPad. 

1.2 One (1) ‘Consolation Prize’ winner from each Category will be awarded OUP vouchers equivalent to GBP 100.00 each.

1.3 All winners will be contacted personally via email or telephone by 31st December 2024.

1.4 The judges’ decision is final and no appeal and/or correspondence will be entertained.

1.5 Oxford reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value at any time without notice to the participants. No cash alternatives to prizes will be provided.

1.6 Oxford reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions without notice, where it is deemed necessary to do so or where it is required to do so because of circumstances beyond its control. Any changes to these terms and conditions will be posted on the website for the Campaign (defined below)

2. ELIGIBILITY

2.1. The campaign (“Campaign ”) is open to those students who have participated in the local/national Big Read campaign in one of the following categories.

2.1.1. Category 1. For those aged 5 years old to 8 years old at the time of entry.

2.1.2. Category 2. For those aged 9 years old to 12 years old at the time of entry.

2.1.3. Category 3. For those aged 13 years old to 15 years old at the time of entry.

(Each of the above students an “Entrant” and together the “Entrants”).

2.2. There can only be one story submitted per author and any further submissions will be null and void with only the first story accepted for consideration.

2.3. All entries must be the creation of the Entrant, original and not have been previously published in print or online, including individual websites or blogs or broadcasts, or previously submitted for any other campaigns/awards. The use of artificial intelligence or similar tools or technologies (collectively “AI”) in the creation of an entry shall not be permitted. Oxford reserves the right to check each entry for plagiarism and/or use of AI and Oxford may disqualify any entry which it determines, in its sole discretion, not to be original.  

2.4. All entries must be written in English.

2.5. All entries will be submitted by the relevant Oxford branch on behalf of the Entrants. No other entry submitted directly by or on behalf of an Entrant will be accepted. 

2.6. Oxford will not acknowledge receipt of entries to the Entrants.

3. JUDGING

3.1. The following weighted judging criteria/parameters will be used.

Category Parameter/criteria

Category 1: each parameter carries a maximum of 20 points

  1. Language: spelling, grammatical accuracy, punctuation, structure
  2. Book details on the front cover
  3. 'Why I chose this book' response: originality, depth and cogency of thought and expression
  4. Cover illustration: orginality and soundness of concept, illustration, design and composition

Category 2: each parameter carries a maximum of 20 points

  1. Language: spelling, grammatical accuracy, punctuation, structure
  2. Mention of title, author, time, place, setting, backdrop
  3. Vocabulary range, fluency of expression
  4.  'Something interesting about the book' response: originality, depth and cogency of thought and expression
  5. If the story can be changed' response: originality, depth and cogency of thought and expression

Category 3: each parameter carries a maximum of 20 points

  1. Language: spelling, grammatical accuracy, punctuation, structure
  2. Mention of title, author, time, place, setting, backdrop
  3. Vocabulary range, fluency of expression
  4. Summary of plot, mention of characters, details about the main character
  5. Personal evaluation of the story

3.2. Judging of submissions will take place in the following three stages.

3.2.1. Stage 1: All local schools participating will send us the 10 best entries from their school.

3.2.2. Stage 2: The local/national branch judging panel will read all longlisted stories and will select a shortlist of winning stories which will be the winners for each respective country campaigns, to be submitted as semi-finalists to the Oxford Big Read Global campaign.

3.2.3. Stage 3: The Oxford Big Read Global judge(s) will then select the best story to be awarded the Grand Prize, plus one Runner-Up, in each of the three categories. In reaching final decisions, the judge(s) will adopt a preferential voting system.

3.3. Semi-finalist and winning writers will be contacted personally via email and/or telephone.

4. COPYRIGHT AND TERMS OF USE

4.1. The copyright in all entries submitted will hereby be assigned to The Chancellor, Masters And Scholars Of The University Of Oxford trading as OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS of Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, England, with full title guarantee, perpetually, irrevocably and exclusively free from any encumbrance, and all other intellectual property rights of the entries submitted will hereby belong to Oxford.

4.2. By submitting a story for the Campaign the Entrant hereby acknowledges and accepts that all stories submitted may be reproduced and/or published, in whole or a part, at the discretion of Oxford either in print or online.

4.3. Entrants also acknowledge and accept that stories submitted may be used for publicity purposes in the relation to the Campaign either by Oxford or its affiliates.

4.4. In the event Oxford, at its sole discretion, decides to monetize any of the entries submitted under the terms above, a separate agreement between the Entrant and Oxford will be entered into; payment of royalty, if any, will be in accordance with the standard terms and conditions of Oxford. The Entrant agrees to accept these standard terms and conditions where applicable.

4.5. All entries are accepted free from any copyright infringement and the Entrant warrants to Oxford that his/her original work to which (for the avoidance of any doubt) all moral rights he/she may have in the entries are hitherto waived and no entries submitted can be reproduced either in print form or online by the Entrant or any other third party without first obtaining the express written consent of Oxford.

5. PRIVACY NOTICE

5.1. By participating in the campaign, Entrants (and guardians for Entrants aged below 18), hereby agree that:

5.1.1. Oxford may collect personal data about Entrants including, without limitation: name, phone number, email address, date of birth, identity card number, biographical information, name and state of school/institution;

5.1.2. winners’ full names, representative schools, photos, images, likeness and cities and states of residence may be used for publicity purposes related to the campaign , either in print or online; and

5.1.3. Oxford and its affiliates may use Entrants’ personal data for purposes of this campaign.

5.2. Oxford agrees to comply with all applicable data privacy laws in relation to the collection, processing and use of Entrant’s personal data.

6. GENERAL CONDITIONS

6.1.1.1. The contest is governed by the laws of England and Wales.

6.2.1.2. Oxford reserves the right, in its own discretion, to cancel or modify the contest or disqualify an Entrant, with or without cause, or if fraud or any other factor impairs the spirit or integrity of the contest as determined by Oxford in its sole discretion. If Oxford cancels or modifies the contest, it reserves the right to award or not award prizes in its sole discretion.

6.3.1.3. Entries are to be made by the authorized account holder of an email account and associated email address at the time of submission. The ‘Authorized Account Holder’ is the person who partificaptes via his or her email account and is assigned to an email address by an internet access provider, service provider or other online organization that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the email address. A potential winner may be required to provide proof that he/she is the authorized account holder of the email address associated with the winning entry and that he/she meets the eligibility criteria set our herein. 

6.4.1.4. Oxford may withdraw or cancel the campaign for any reason and at any time, and may change the prizes. 

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