essay word count allowance

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Assignment length requirements are usually given in terms of numbers of words.

Unless the lecturer tells you that these limits are strict, it is normally acceptable to be 10% above or below this word limit (so, for example, a 2000 word assignment should be between 1800 and 2200 words). If the assignment uses the words “up to” (as in “up to 2500 words”) that usually means that you cannot go above the limit.

Use the tool below to calculate the acceptable range for an assignment (based on +/- 10%).

Unless the lecturer tells you otherwise, the word limit does not include ‘administrative’ sections of the assignment: the cover or title page, table of contents, table of figures, reference list, list of works cited, bibliography, or any appendices.

The word limit that you are given reflects the level of detail required . This means that if your assignment is too long, you're either taking too many words to explain your point or giving too many / too detailed examples. If your assignment is too short, either there is more to the answer than you have written or the assignment has not gone into enough detail about the answer.

• Don't try to remove single words from your assignment. It is unlikely to reduce the assignment's length significantly, but it may confuse your argument . Instead, aim to remove or condense whole sections of your assignment.
• You should not include something just because it is a fact, or just because it is included in your course materials. Include something only if it is relevant to your argument.
• Be direct. State your point rather than writing many paragraphs to ‘lead up’ to it.
• Go back to the question . Which sections relate to the point and which are secondary?
• Go back to the plan . Which paragraphs fit in the overall structure? Which paragraphs overlap and can be combined?
• Remove sections where you
• Over-explain your point
• Over-specify your point
• Repeat yourself
• Write off-topic or ramble
• Remove multiple examples where one or two are sufficient.
• Remove hedging language that adds little to the argument (e.g., it would seem that, it is possible that).

If you are often over the word count you should look at your writing style. See writing concisely for more.

Explain your argument fully

• Make sure every argument in your head and in your plan is on the page.
• Would a general (i.e., non-specialist) reader understand your point? Have someone else read over your assignment and ask you questions about it. What do they think is missing?
• Are there gaps in your argument?
• Does each point logically follow the last one, or do you jump over important points?

Look for the ‘hidden’ answer

• What theories do you think the marker expects?
• How does this relate to the materials from lectures and study guides? Use the course information in your answer to the assignment question.
• Are there complications or contradictions in the argument or in your research? Explain them and explore them.

Flesh it out

• Define any special terminology you've used that a general reader would not be familiar with.
• Illustrate with more examples and/or quotations.
• Contextualise and explain the quotations you use. How do they relate to your argument?

Page authorised by Director - Centre for Learner Success Last updated on 12 December, 2018

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Home » Marquette University » Is It Okay To Be Under The Word Count?

Is It Okay To Be Under The Word Count?

Table of Contents

As a rule, never submit anything that is more than 10% below a word limit . The limit is there for a reason, if you’re under it significantly then you’re either going to give the impression that you didn’t make sufficient effort, that you rushed it or that you didn’t understand the topic.

Is it better to be under or over the word count?

Your best bet is to write an essay and forget about the word count , which will probably end up with you being over it. Then when you come to reading it through, delete any repeated points, unnecessary words or irrelevant facts.

Is it okay to write less than the word limit?

No. You should never exceed the word limit for an essay . You should be able to trim your essay, even if it means writing way less than the word limit.

How close to the word count should I be?

Although many colleges give you roughly 10% leeway on the word limit, you should aim for your finished paper to be as close to the suggested word count as possible .

Do you need to meet the word count?

Getting an accurate word count is important for writing college essays and qualifying for scholarship opportunities . But you shouldn’t just add any words to help you meet the required length; instead, make sure you’re adding quality words to balance essay length with essay quality.

Is it bad to be under the word limit for college essays?

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit. If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words. You should aim to stay under the specified limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely.

How important is word count in college essays?

Overall, it’s best to stay within the word count limit or range — it’s provided for a reason! Writing too much will likely result in your essay being cut off, and writing too little may cause readers to think that you aren’t truly interested in their school. If no range is given, remember to stick to 400-600 words.

How many marks do you lose for going over word count?

The falsification of a word count may result in the failure of the paper. There is no penalization for essays which exceed the word limit by up to 5% of the imposed limit. However, if you exceed the word limit by any more than 5%, a fixed penalty of five marks will be deducted from your assessment grade.

What is the shortest An essay can be?

around 150 words Essays can be anywhere from 250 to 650 words total.” The shortest word limits for college essays are usually around 150 words (less than half a single-spaced page). Rarely will you see a word limit higher than around 650 words (over one single-spaced page).

How many words is considered a long essay?

The most common lengths for an extended essay are 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 words , with a word count allowance of plus or minus 10%.

Does a 500 word essay have to be exactly 500 words?

500-word essays do not have to be exactly 500 words , but they should be as close as possible. The essay prompt may say “in under 500 words” or “in at least 500 words,” which would state whether 500 is the minimum or maximum word count.

Why is a word count important?

It is possible to effectively convey your point in 450 words , while other subjects require much more research and information to sufficiently discuss a topic. In addition, find the word count that works best for your reader’s expectations. Keep them captivated in your content and make it useful.

What do you do if your essay is too short?

5 Helpful Tips for Serious Students

• expanding the opposing view.
• adding an additional alternate view (from a neutral or surprising angle)
• adding another case study or example that pushes your own claim TOO far (and then explaining why your argument is not as weak as that extreme case)

How do I increase my word count?

How to Increase Your Essay Word Count

• Add Examples. Skim through your essay looking for any place you have used an example to make a point.
• Address Different Viewpoints.
• Clarify Statements.
• Find Additional Sources.
• Use Quotations.
• Rework Introduction and Conclusion.
• Page Count.

How do you beef up in an essay?

• Ways to Expand (& Improve) an Essay.
• Expand individual paragraphs.
• Ask how and why questions.
• Add (more) concrete examples and evidence.
• Expand the introduction and/or conclusion.
• Add a sentence or two at the end of each paragraph summarizing (and/or refuting) the.
• Write new paragraphs.

Do colleges check word count?

The admissions counselors are skilled at estimating the length of your essay . If they specify “an essay of no fewer than 250 words,” they expect at least one typewritten, double-spaced page with normal fonts and margins. And if they ask for no more than two typewritten pages, they will be annoyed to receive ten.

Do admissions officers care about word count?

One rule of thumb that is frequently tossed around is 10%, although it’s worth noting that admissions consultants tend to promote this rule more than any admissions officer does . However, if you can stay within 10% of the word limit for an essay, you probably are okay.

Is a 5000 word essay long?

5,000 words is 10 pages single-spaced or 20 pages double-spaced . Typical documents that are 5,000 words include college dissertations, theses, and in-depth blog posts and journal articles. It will take approximately 17 minutes to read 5,000 words.

Is 500 words good for a college essay?

500 to 600 words allows you to give them a proper flying experience and gives you the words necessary to differentiate your world from the world of other applicants . In order to produce a great final draft essay, your rough drafts should be even longer than 650 words.

How do you lower word count in college essay?

10 Tricks to Reduce Your Word Count in Academic Writing

• Delete “The” You can often omit the word “the” from your text without losing any meaning.
• Erase “That”
• Remove Adverbs and Adjectives.
• Use Shorter Words.
• Trim Wordy Phrases.
• Choose Active Voice.
• Revise Needless Transitions.
• Eliminate Conjunctions.

How many words over the limit is acceptable?

Assignment length requirements are usually given in terms of numbers of words. Unless the lecturer tells you that these limits are strict, it is normally acceptable to be 10% above or below this word limit (so, for example, a 2000 word assignment should be between 1800 and 2200 words).

By Travis Thornton

Travis Thornton is an education expert who has dedicated his life to helping students achieve their academic goals. He has worked as a teacher, tutor, and administrator in both public and private schools, and he currently serves as the dean of admissions at a prestigious university.

Travis believes that every student has the potential to succeed, and he tirelessly works to help them reach their full potential. He is a passionate advocate for education, and he believes that every student should have access to a quality education.

Travis is also a father of three young children, and he loves spending time with his family. He enjoys playing sports and watching movies together.

You might also like:

Does marquette give good merit aid, what percent of marquette students are catholic, what are five things you should do when answering an essay question.

Working within word limits: A short guide

• Short on word counts
• Last minute panic scenario!
• Further references on working within word count
• Acknowledgements
• A-Z of Other Guides This link opens in a new window
• Academic Skills Gateway This link opens in a new window
• Book an Academic Skills Team Appointment This link opens in a new window

In adhering to the word limit, it is always a good idea for you to roughly plan first how many sections or paragraphs you will need for the essay. From there, you will be able to estimate how much you have to write for each section or paragraph. 

The general rule of thumb is to allocate 10% of the word limit for the introduction and 10% for the conclusion. This rule will leave 80% for the body paragraphs or sections.

Here is the breakdown:

Introduction - 10%

Paragraph 1 - 20%

Paragraph 2 - 20%

Paragraph 3 - 20%

Paragraph 4 - 20%

Conclusion - 10%

In writing a dissertation, the allocation of word limit might differ slightly. The weightage depends on the depth of each chapter.  For example,

Literature review - 25%

Methodology - 15%

Findings - 20%

Discussion - 20%

Remember that normally the references and appendices are not included in the word count. 

• Next: Short on word counts >>
• Last Updated: Aug 5, 2024 4:13 PM
• URL: https://libguides.bham.ac.uk/asc/wordlimits

Why is Word Count Important (How to Manage Assignment Paper Length)

Word count is a crucial factor in writing projects which affects how much time you are going to need to complete it in time. It is a grading criterion which is entirely within the student’s control and failure to stay within the usual allowance range of 10% can result in penalties to the final grade. To put it another way, word count guidelines are there to help students with their assignments, so it important to always pay attention to this!

Understanding the main purpose for assigning a specific limit on the number of words in an assignment should help you write a better paper that stays on track and help you avoid unnecessary filler content. Given the importance of this factor, we will be covering this in more depth first, before moving on to tips on how to manage the word count and make the paper longer or shorter, as per your requirement.

Table of Contents

What is the purpose of word counts for an assignment?

1.       word count guidelines clarify the level of detail which is being expected.

Word counts are one of the most important clues that teachers give to students to inform them what is expected of them in the assignment. We have covered in our guide on assignment structure that combining the word count with the grading criteria can easily give you a rough outline and draft for your paper, which will then make the actual writing work much easier. You can also use our assignment time calculator to estimate roughly how long you will need.

If you end up writing a fair bit more or less than the stated guideline, it should be an indication for you that you have either:

• not collected your thoughts properly
• not phrased your points in the right way
• not put everything together into a concise and coherent paper

.. or a combination of these factors.

If you ever face a situation in which you are really struggling to meet the word count, then it is time for some introspection and reflection on what you have written compared to what you have learnt in your coursework. This is because word count guideline and limits are anything but random – you can be sure that they’ve been chosen after careful consideration so try not to make unfounded assumptions that ‘there must be a mistake with the word given’!

To summarize, the main issue that teachers have with shorter papers isn’t actually that they didn’t meet the word count – it’s the fact that a paper with a lower word count is likely to be lower in quality with weaker points which have not been fully substantiated to the extent required.

2.       Word count limits emphasize the need to be precise and concise

Limits on the number of words allowed in a paper also pushes students towards being precise in the points that they choose to include in their assignment and present it in a concise manner. Without word counts, students will have a hard time by determining themselves how much content needs to go into each section or subsection.

So, without word counts, some students may potentially struggle to write a good paper and up with content which is too thin (as they do not know what is being expected of them). Other students may wander all over the place and end up writing too much unnecessarily. Hence, they are important guidelines that help stress the importance of quantity over quality – writing a lot doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ve written good content!

3.       Word count requirements fairness in grading of all students

Another point worth considering is that word counts help make the grading scale uniform and standardized for all students – it levels the playing field by ensuring that all students make the points which they need to within the same number of words. Going one step further, word count guidelines can also be standardized across different courses, modules, universities and even countries, making the odds even for all students everywhere (well, at least in theory).

What is the purpose of word count allowance?

When a teacher specifies the word count for an assignment, they are not going to scrutinize whether you have stopped a few words short or went a few words over. What they’re trying to convey to you is that to answer the assignment requirement properly, you will roughly need the number of words that they have specified to cover all necessary points concisely.

Hence, you will almost always have a word count allowance for your assignments since the actual number specified is only intended to be a ballpark figure to guide you on the level of detail required. The standard allowance is usually 10% plus or minus so if your assignment length has been specified as 2,000 words, it would fine to turn in a paper that ranges from 1,800 words to 2,200 words. If the word count allowance was specified as 5% instead, then would mean that your paper needs to between 1,900 words to 2,100 words in length.

On the other hand, if there is no specific note about such an allowance range in the assignment requirements file, try to check the module outline file since it may be given there instead. Should that not give you any result, then check the university guidelines and see if you can find it mentioned there. If you don’t have any luck with that either, then you should probably just ask your teacher directly. In any case, try not to make an assumption on the word count allowance.

How to boost word count and make an essay paper longer

For some students, word counts are things to be dreaded and they may often find themselves falling short of the minimum word count which has been specified. It doesn’t have to be all that hard! You can follow these tips to make your essay paper longer easily in an organic way that doesn’t make your teacher suspect that you’ve resorted to some cheap tricks to achieve this.

1.       Add critical analysis to paraphrased points

A crucial part of academic assignment writing is to draw on points mentioned in other credible sources like peer-reviewed journal articles or trustworthy news outlets. When doing this, paraphrasing is an extremely important skills that you need to develop to avoid plagiarism. Even if you are providing the source from where you have taken an idea, we generally advise not to quote directly unless unavoidable. We have dedicated guide for how to effectively paraphrase ideas from other sources in your words and this guide includes some helpful tips on how to get better at this skill.

When paraphrasing content from other sources, you should always add a critical analysis of the point which you are referencing. Apart from increasing the word count of you paper, this helps you tick another checkbox. Teachers expect to see you engage with the material taken from a credible source and this approach would be proof of that.

To show you an example of how you could do this, you can see the table below. We follow a few steps to end up with more than twice the number of words that we started out with.

• We start with a source text from Porter’s well-known paper on competitive forces . We have chosen a section of the paper which has 54 words in total.
• Building on this, we can paraphrase this part in our own words , while giving the reference for the source text as per APA format and we end up writing 39 words for this.
• Lastly, we could just add a couple of lines after our paraphrased sentence to explain what we understood from th e source material. This would help the teacher realize that we are not just regurgitating information from other places. It signals to them that we have actually understood the points and concepts being discussed. This adds another 73 words to our total count.

So, by paraphrasing a source text of 54 words, we ended up doubling that (39+73 = 112 words ) with relatively little effort. For more information on this, check out our dedicated guide on how to critically analyze and engage with existing literature.

2.       Add relevant examples to support your points

You can also make use of examples to add more credibility to the points that you are trying to make. This also comes with the benefit of informing your teacher that you were able to grasp the idea or concept better as you were able to match it to a suitable example. So, taking the same scenario as above regarding competitive forces, we can then add another sentence at the end like this:

In this way, we’ve added another 94 words on top of the 112 from earlier, so we have now added around 206 words to the paper. To put this in context, if this were part of a 2,000-word paper, we have effectively written around 10% of the required word count fairly easily. To identify how and where you can add examples organically, you may need to skim over your essay a couple of times and try to get a feel for which parts could use an example or two.

3.       Include a secondary supporting reference for your point

If you feel it is appropriate, you can also include an additional point from a different source which supports the previous statement and adds further weight to the message which you are trying to convey. Having too many references is better than having too few references. However, you should try to find a middle ground and make sure to follow up referenced points with critical analysis so that your entire paper isn’t just a mix of views of others with no originality to the points you are making.

4.       Include facts, figures, or other statistical data

This would be done in a similar way to the previous suggestion in which you can provide some facts and figures from reliable sources to support the information you have just presented. You could potentially also do it the other way around by starting with a stat or figure and explaining it in your own words.

5.       Try to balance your points with alternate viewpoints (and address them)

This is the opposite of the above suggestion. You can also try to increase the words in your assignment in an organic way by presenting some opposing arguments and then trying to take a stance on which seems more appropriate or suitable to the topic of your essay. For nearly every single point that you make, there are likely to be differing viewpoints from others – you have to pick your battles though as inserting conflicting viewpoints for every single statement would make your paper dry and monotonous.

If you do use this option, then you have to make sure that you address the opposing viewpoints with suitable counterarguments and why one view is superior to the other.

6.       Always add labels for figures and tables

Labels for figures and tables are typically included in the word count of assignments unless otherwise specified. There’s no good reason NOT to use labels for each and every figure and table which you include in paper. Apart from being a standard requirement in many academic formats/styles, it is a fairly easy way to increase the word count of your paper, so it’s a win-win to always do this.

7.       Make proper use of transition (connecting) words

You can also make use of transition and connecting words like the following to increase your word count while also creating a coherent flow between your points.

• Words that help build on ideas: ‘Additionally’, ‘Moreover’, ‘Furthermore’, ‘In fact’
• Words that imply sequence or chronology: ‘Thereafter’, ‘Subsequently’
• Words indicating inference: ‘Therefore’, ‘Hence’, ‘Thus’, ‘As a result’ ‘Consequently’
• Words indicating similarity: ‘Similarly’, ‘Likewise’
• Words indicating contrast in ideas: ‘Although’, ‘Even though’, ‘However’, ‘Nevertheless’, ‘In contrast’, ‘On one hand’ (which is paired with ‘while on the other hand’), ‘From another perspective’, ‘Regardless’,
• Words for giving examples: ‘For instance’, ‘For example’, ‘As an example’
• Words for summarizing ideas: ‘In other words’, ‘In conclusion’, ‘Ultimately’
• Words that can help when paraphrasing: ‘According to’, ‘As mentioned/stated/claimed by’, ‘In their paper’

8.       Check the assignment requirements one more time

If you have done all the suggestions above and still find that you are short of the word count and are lacking ideas on how to expand further, then you should take a look at the assignment requirements again. Perhaps there could be some keywords in there for ideas, concepts or information that are expected, which you may have potentially forgotten or overlooked in the heat of writing the assignment.

9.       Avoid tricks like adjusting font and margins

Most students have a natural tendency to ‘under-write’ thinking they have a covered a topic or point adequately in a smaller number of words than are needed. However, if you find yourself trying to increase the word count of your paper using unnecessary phrases then you should realize with your intuition that you have not articulated your thoughts adequately. This means that the quality of your essay isn’t likely to be all that good and so you’re going to end up with a lower grade.

Another reason why you should avoid desperate tricks like using some large typeface fonts or adjusting the margins is because they’re fairly obvious to spot to a trained eye. You might not notice it, given your relative inexperience, but you can bet that your teachers would have seen almost all the plays in the book and spot weird formats in an instant.

As an example, a common trick that some students do is to add in some unnecessary words between some paragraphs and set the font color to white. The algorithm of some plagiarism detection software have been beefed up in recent times to detect this trick and automatically places a markup on such things that are out of the ordinary for teachers to review manually. In other instances, teachers who can spot that the content seems to be lacking compared to the word count specified can download the Word version of your submitted file, change the formatting details to standard style (which includes the font color) and detect this trick easily enough.

10.   Avoid unnecessary filler and fluff

You should be careful not to add in fluff material which would make it very difficult for teachers to get the gist of the points that you are trying to make. Remember, most of your teachers have probably been ‘in the game’ for a long time now and are sure to have come across a wide variety of students and the tactics that they use to pad their paper and reach the word count. As a result, it is usually very easy for them to tell that you have just filled your paper low quality content to meet the required word count.

How to shorten an essay paper?

There are going to be other times when you will want to cut down the length of your paper as you may have already exceeded the word count, which is typically the case for those writing long thesis or dissertations. If you are in a position where you have gone significantly over the word count and beyond the allowance range, then it means that you probably haven’t narrowed down or focused on just the most important and relevant points.

You can reduce your word count by avoiding things like repeating long form of words which are often represented by commonly used abbreviations and acronyms. This includes topics like like Human Resources Management (HRM) or concepts like Resource Based View (RBV). The first time that you use these kinds of words in your paper, you should mention the full form and include the abbreviation or acronym in brackets. Thereafter, you can continue using the shortened form for the rest of your paper.

How many words to write if word count is not specified?

If the necessary word count has not been mentioned for an assignment, then you should try to consider some other cues in the assignment requirements files. We have a guide on the standard word count weights (percentages) – this can help plan how many words to allocate to each section and then add them all up.

What is included in the assignment word count?

1.       in-text references.

In-text references are included in the word count, which is typically why some referencing formats specify the use of the phrase ‘et al.’ (which is derived from the Latin word for ‘and others’) when the source you are citing has multiple authors. In some formats like APA, you should use this phrase if there are more than 2 authors, while in another format like Harvard, you only need to use this when citing works with more than 3 authors.

2.       Labels for tables and figures

What is not included in the assignment word count, 1.       abstract / executive summary, 2.       table of contents, 3.       footnotes, 4.       references / bibliography, 5.       appendix, suggested word counts.

Around 200-300 words should be sufficient for Abstract / Executive Summary.

2.       Introduction and conclusions

Typically, you do not want to exceed 10% of the overall word count for introduction and conclusions. If the paper that you are writing is a thesis or a dissertation of 10,000 words or more, then you can even go as low as 5% of the overall word count but use your own judgement for the optimal length of these section. Most importantly, try to check the weights assigned to these sections in the scoring rubric and make sure to match that.

3.       Personal Statement

Other misconceptions about word count.

The counter for words in an MS Word document as well as most plagiarism detection software like Turnitin to which you submit your assignment does not include the spacing between words in the overall word count. These are counted under the separate counter for ‘Characters (with spaces)’.

The impact of different referencing styles on word count

This was much more important in the past, when assignment papers were almost always submitted as hard copies and, in these cases, the referencing format and style had a big impact on whether you had met the word count of your essay or not.

This is because each of the standard styles had their specific guidelines for page margins, the spacing between text, the specific font to be used and its size and other similar factors. If you had followed these correctly, teachers would be able to roughly gauge the total number of words that you have written just by looking at the number of pages.

Now, you’re probably thinking that counting the exact number of words on a hard copy assignment, especially if it is long, is impractical as it would take a long time. We can set you straight on that – teachers have an easy trick to get a rough estimation of the number of words in your paper.

• They would start by picking a few random lines in your page and counting the number of words in each of them to get an average estimation of the words per line
• They would then count the number of lines on a single page
• Finally, they can just multiply that by the total number of pages excluding the standard parts which are not included such as table of contents, references section etc.

So, do not try to be a wise ass – your teachers have been doing this for so long that it is almost second nature for them to tell if a student has met the word count, and whether they have used any obvious tricks to make it seem like their paper is long than it is.

The key differences in different formatting styles are summarized below to help you get a better understanding of this point.

Hu B,. Hu, M., Yang. Y. (2016). Open or closed? Technology sharing, supplier investment, and competition.  Manufacturing Service Operations Management .

Porter, M. E. (1979). How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review [Online]. Available from: https://hbr.org/1979/03/how-competitive-forces-shape-strategy [Accessed 14 November 2021]

Reuters (2019). De Beers curbs diamond supply as earnings drop. Reuters [Online]. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-anglo-results-debeers/de-beers-curbs-diamond-supply-as-earnings-drop-idUSKCN1UK1WB [Accessed 13 November 2021]

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• How Long Should An Essay Be? 6 Different Essay Lengths

• Justin McGill
• May 23, 2024

The length of an essay can vary greatly depending on the type of essay being written and the purpose for which it is being written. While there is no strict rule on how long an essay should be, some general guidelines can help you determine the appropriate length for your essay.

In this article, we will discuss 6 different essay lengths and provide tips on how to write a strong essay at each length.

Quick Glance

What is an academic essay.

Before we dive into the different lengths of essays, it’s important to understand what an academic essay is. An academic essay is a piece of writing that presents and defends an argument or point of view on a specific topic. It is commonly used in higher education as a way for students to demonstrate their understanding and critical thinking skills.

An academic essay should be well-researched, well-structured, and well-written. It should also follow a specific formatting style, such as MLA or APA, and include citations and a bibliography.

The length of an academic essay can vary depending on the type and purpose of the essay.

6 Different Essay Lengths

1. the one-paragraph essay.

The one-paragraph essay, typically ranging from 150 to 250 words, serves as a valuable learning exercise for students to master the fundamental principles of paragraph writing. This concise format allows students to develop their writing skills, including organization, clarity, and coherence, within a manageable and focused scope.

Assignments and Objectives

Academic tutors often assign one-paragraph essays to achieve specific objectives. For instance, students may be tasked with summarizing an article, distilling complex information into a concise and accurate summary.

Alternatively, they may be required to provide an extended definition of a concept, demonstrating their understanding of the subject matter.

By completing these assignments, students can develop their critical thinking, analytical, and writing skills.

Evaluating Writing Proficiency

One-paragraph essays can also function as a diagnostic tool, helping instructors assess a student’s writing proficiency. By examining the student’s ability to craft a clear, well-structured, and coherent paragraph, instructors can identify areas of strength and weakness, providing valuable insights for future instruction and guidance.

Structural Elements

Notably, a one-paragraph essay incorporates the essential elements of a traditional essay, including an introduction, body, and conclusion, within a single paragraph. This unique structure requires students to condense their ideas, prioritize information, and present their arguments in a clear and concise manner, making it an effective tool for developing their writing skills.

2. The Three-Paragraph Essay

The three-paragraph essay is a fundamental tool used to introduce students to the basic structure of essay writing. Typically consisting of around 500 words, this format provides a concise and manageable framework for students to develop their writing skills.

By mastering the three-paragraph essay, students can establish a solid foundation for more complex and lengthy essays.

Components of a Three-Paragraph Essay

The primary purpose of the three-paragraph essay is to teach students how to write cohesively and logically. To achieve this, the essay is divided into three essential components: an introduction, a body section, and a conclusion.

These components work together to create a clear and well-structured essay that effectively communicates the student’s ideas and arguments.

Introduction and Conclusion

The introduction and conclusion, which are usually shorter than the body paragraph, serve as the first and last paragraphs of the essay.

The introduction sets the tone and provides background information, while the conclusion summarizes the main points and reiterates the thesis statement.

These paragraphs bookend the essay, providing a clear beginning and end that frames the central argument or content.

Central Body

The central body paragraph contains the meat of the essay, presenting the content or argument that supports the thesis statement. This paragraph is typically the longest and most detailed, providing evidence, examples, and analysis to develop the student’s ideas.

By crafting a well-structured and well-supported body paragraph, students can demonstrate their understanding of the topic and their ability to think critically and logically.

3. The Five-Paragraph Essay

Tutors often assign a five-paragraph essay to assess students’ grasp of essay structure, a crucial aspect of academic writing. This format provides a comprehensive framework for students to demonstrate their understanding of essay writing, from introduction to conclusion.

The length of a five-paragraph essay allows essay types like cause-and-effect or compare-and-contrast essays to be effectively utilized. These essay types require a more detailed and nuanced exploration of the topic, and the five-paragraph essay provides the necessary space to do so.

This type of essay dedicates one paragraph each to the introduction and conclusion while allotting three paragraphs to explore the essay’s theme.

The body section of a five-paragraph essay benefits from the added flexibility to expand ideas, typically spanning approximately 1,000 words. This increased length allows students to delve deeper into their topic, providing more detailed analysis, evidence, and examples to support their arguments.

The three paragraphs allocated to the body section provide ample space for students to explore different aspects of the theme, develop their ideas, and demonstrate their critical thinking skills.

A simple diagram can illustrate the allocation of paragraph lengths in a five-paragraph essay. This visual representation can help students understand the structure of the essay, with each paragraph building on the previous one to create a cohesive and logical whole.

By visualizing the essay structure, students can better plan and organize their writing, ensuring that their essay flows smoothly and effectively communicate their ideas.

4. The Extended Essay

The extended essay is a common assignment in undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs, designed to assess students’ advanced research and writing skills. This type of essay is characterized by its length, which can vary but typically does not exceed 5,000 words.

Common word lengths for an extended essay are 1,500, 3,000, and 5,000 words, with a 10% allowance. This means that students are allowed to deviate from the specified word count by 10% without penalty.

For example, an essay with a 3,000-word limit may range from 2,700 to 3,300 words. This flexibility allows students to fully develop their ideas and arguments without being constrained by a rigid word count.

Research and Referencing Skills

Extended essays require students to demonstrate advanced research and referencing skills. They must conduct in-depth research on their chosen topic, gathering and analyzing complex information from a variety of sources.

Students must also properly cite and reference their sources, using a recognized citation style such as APA, MLA, or Chicago. This emphasis on research and referencing skills prepares students for more advanced academic writing, such as dissertations and theses.

Complex Structures and Formats

Unlike shorter essays, extended essays are not limited to the traditional introduction-body-conclusion structure. They may follow more complex structures, similar to those used in dissertations and theses. This allows students to explore their topic in a more nuanced and detailed manner, using a variety of formats and structures to present their arguments and ideas.

For example, an extended essay may include abstracts, literature reviews, methodology sections, and appendices, depending on the requirements of the assignment.

Academic Freedom and Flexibility

The extended essay provides students with the academic freedom and flexibility to explore their topic. By allowing students to deviate from traditional essay structures, the extended essay encourages critical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving skills. This type of assignment prepares students for more advanced academic writing and research, as well as for careers that require complex writing and analytical skills.

5. The Dissertation

Dissertations are typically assigned as the final project for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, marking the culmination of a student’s academic journey. This comprehensive and rigorous project requires students to demonstrate their mastery of research skills, critical thinking, and academic writing.

The typical length of an academic dissertation is around 10,000 to 15,000 words, although this can vary depending on the institution, department, and field of study. This extended length allows students to delve deeper into their research topic, exploring multiple facets and nuances that shorter essays cannot accommodate.

The dissertation’s scope is broad, encompassing a comprehensive literature review, methodology, data analysis, results, and conclusions, all of which require meticulous attention to detail and rigorous academic standards.

Complex Structures

Unlike shorter essay types, dissertations have more complex structures that reflect the scope and depth of the research. A typical dissertation structure may include an abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion, and references.

Each section serves a specific purpose, building upon the previous one to create a cohesive and logical narrative. This complexity demands that students possess advanced organizational and writing skills, as well as the ability to synthesize and integrate vast amounts of information.

Primary Research

Dissertations are almost always based on primary research, which means conducting original research that contributes to the existing body of knowledge. This involves collecting and analyzing data, conducting experiments, or gathering information through surveys, interviews, or other methods.

Original Contribution

Dissertations require the author to conduct research rather than rely solely on existing sources. This means that students must generate new knowledge, insights, or perspectives that contribute to their field of study. By doing so, they demonstrate their ability to think critically, creatively, and independently, as well as to identify gaps in current research and address them through their own investigation.

The original contribution of a dissertation sets it apart from other academic writing, making it a unique and valuable addition to the academic community.

6. The Thesis

Not all students will come across this essay type during their academic journey. The thesis is typically reserved for doctoral students who are pursuing advanced research degrees. For those who do undertake this challenge, the rewards are significant, as a well-crafted thesis can open doors to academic and professional opportunities.

The thesis is considerably longer than other types of essays, ranging from 40,000 to 60,000 words. This extended length allows students to delve deeper into their research topic, exploring multiple facets and nuances that shorter essays cannot accommodate.

While similar to a dissertation, a thesis delves into greater detail and involves more extensive research. This requires students to demonstrate a higher level of expertise and specialization in their field of study.

The thesis is a more comprehensive and in-depth exploration of a research topic, often involving original contributions to the field and innovative methodologies.

Primary Research and Methodology

These are typically based on primary research, emphasizing the accuracy of the literature review, data collection, and data analysis. Students must demonstrate a thorough understanding of research methodologies and statistical analysis, as well as the ability to design and implement a research project that yields meaningful results.

The emphasis on primary research ensures that the thesis contributes original knowledge to the field, rather than simply synthesizing existing information.

Time and Dedication

A thesis requires an immense amount of time and dedication to complete. Students must be willing to invest years of study, research, and writing to produce a thesis that meets the highest academic standards. The process can be grueling, but the sense of accomplishment and pride that comes with completing a thesis is unparalleled.

In addition to these types, essays are classified into 5 other types:

• High School Essays
• College Admission Essays
• Undergraduate College Essays
• Graduate School Admission Essays
• Graduate School Essays

The table below shows you the suggested lengths for each of these essays:

1. How long should an essay be?

The length of an essay can vary depending on the type and level of education, ranging from 250 words for a short essay to 60,000 words for a thesis.

2. Can I exceed the recommended length for an essay?

It is generally not recommended to significantly exceed the recommended length for an essay as it may indicate a lack of conciseness and focus. However, ensuring that all necessary points and arguments are adequately addressed within the essay is important.

3. How long should each paragraph be in an essay?

The length of each paragraph can vary depending on the content and purpose of the essay. Generally, paragraphs should be at least three sentences long and focus on one main point or idea. It’s important to balance too short and too long paragraphs for cohesion and clarity in the essay.

4. How do you increase or decrease the length of an essay?

To increase the length of an essay, students can expand on their arguments and provide more evidence to support their points. They can also include additional examples, quotes, or analysis to add depth to their ideas. Students can eliminate unnecessary details or repetitions to decrease the length and ensure concise writing by avoiding filler words and phrases. However, it’s important not to compromise the quality and coherence of the essay in the process.

The length of an essay can vary depending on the type and level of education. Knowing the lengths of essays can help students effectively plan and manage their assignments. However, it’s important to remember that the length should not be the sole focus when writing an essay.

It’s equally important to focus on the quality of content and meeting the assignment’s requirements. A well-crafted essay with cohesive arguments and supported evidence is more valuable than simply meeting a specific word count.

Students should prioritize developing their writing skills to effectively convey their ideas and arguments rather than solely focusing on meeting a certain length requirement.

What are the six different essay lengths?

This is the second of three chapters about Essays . To complete this reader, read each chapter carefully and then unlock and complete our materials to check your understanding.   

– Discuss why essays might vary in length

– Outline the six major lengths of academic essay

– Provide defining features for each essay length

Chapter 1: What is an academic essay?

Chapter 2: What are the six different essay lengths?

Chapter 3: What are the seven different types of academic essay?

Before you begin reading...

• video and audio texts
• knowledge checks and quizzes
• skills practices, tasks and assignments

The length of essay you’re assigned will likely depend on where you are exactly in your academic course. Generally, assignments at the start of a bachelor’s degree will be shorter than those required in a student’s final years, just like master’s  and doctoral-level essays will continue to increase in both length and difficulty.

1. The One-Paragraph Essay

Generally about 150 to 250 words in length, the one-paragraph essay may be assigned by academic tutors simply in order to practise the basic concepts of paragraph writing, or it may also be used for specific purposes such as to practise summarising an article that’s been read in class or to write an extended definition of a concept. Additionally, one-paragraph essays may also be used as a diagnostic to quickly determine the level of a student’s writing. Unlike other essay lengths, for the one-paragraph essay, you’ll need to include at least some introductory, body and conclusive elements within the same paragraph.    

2. The Three-Paragraph Essay

Usually around 500 words in length, the three-paragraph essay is generally used to introduce students to the concept that all essays should maintain an introduction , body section and conclusion if the writer wishes to produce cohesive and a logical writing. The introduction and conclusion will be the first and last paragraphs and tend to be a little shorter in length, while the central body paragraph will contain the essay’s content or argument. A simple table explaining the balance of content in a three-paragraph essay has been provided below:

3. The Five-Paragraph Essay

Around 1,000 words in length, the five-paragraph essay is generally set by tutors who are content that their students understand the introduction-body-conclusion essay  structure and wish to allow more freedom to expand the ideas and arguments presented by the writer in the body section of the essay. This length of essay still only dedicates one paragraph to the introduction and conclusion , but allows three paragraphs to be dedicated to the exploration of the theme in the essay’s body. At this length, certain essay types such as cause and effect essays or compare and contrast essays may now be utilised. The following is a simple diagram of the balance of paragraph lengths in a five-paragraph essay.

4. The Extended Essay

The extended essay is the most common type of essay that’s assigned during a bachelor’s or master’s degree , and it may be of any length – although it’s unusual for such essays to be above 5,000 words. The most common lengths for an extended essay are 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 words, with a word count allowance of plus or minus 10%. Such essay types will most certainly require research and referencing skills , and may also begin to follow more complex structures such as are found in dissertations and theses rather than simply following the introduction-body-conclusion structure of shorter essays.

5. The Dissertation

Generally assigned as the final project for both bachelor’s   and master’s degree , the typical length of an academic dissertation is 10,000 or 15,000 words. Unlike shorter essay types , dissertations have more complex structures and are almost always based around primary research (original research that the writer has conducted themselves). The following table demonstrates some of the key parts of a dissertation as well as the rough word count  percentages for each section:

6. The Thesis

Finally, the thesis is the longest academic essay type and the one that’s reserved for doctorate students studying PhDs. Generally between 40,000 and 60,000 words in length, the doctorate thesis may contain all the elements of a dissertation but in much more detail and with more careful investigation. Such essays  are almost certainly original and are based on primary research , with a larger focus on the accuracy of the literature review , data collection and data analysis . Many students will never encounter this essay type. 

Once you can recognise which essay length you’ve been assigned, the next question covered in Chapter 3 is about determining the type of essay you have to write. This is because each essay type will require particular styles, structures, foci and language.

To reference this reader:

Academic Marker (2022) Essays . Available at: https://academicmarker.com/academic-guidance/assignments/essays/ (Accessed: Date Month Year).

• Harvard Writing Center
• Leeds University Library
• Purdue Online Writing Lab

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Once you’ve completed all three chapters about essays , you might also wish to download our beginner, intermediate and advanced worksheets to test your progress or print for your students. These professional PDF worksheets can be easily accessed for only a few Academic Marks .

Our essays academic reader (including all four chapters about this topic) can be accessed here at the click of a button.

Gain unlimited access to our essays  beginner worksheet, with activities and answer keys designed to check a basic understanding of this reader’s chapters.

To check a confident understanding of this reader’s chapters, click on the button below to download our  essays   intermediate worksheet with activities and answer keys.

Our essays  advanced worksheet with activities and answer keys has been created to check a sophisticated understanding of this reader’s chapters. 

To save yourself 5 Marks , click on the button below to gain unlimited access to all of our essays chapters and worksheets. The All-in-1 Pack includes every chapter in this reader, as well as our beginner, intermediate and advanced worksheets in one handy PDF.

Click on the button below to gain unlimited access to our essays  teacher’s PowerPoint, which should include everything you’d need to successfully introduce this topic.

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• Writing Tips

The Word Limit in Academic Writing (and How to Stick to It)

• 3-minute read
• 24th September 2016

Even the phrase “word limit” can cause panic among students . For some it’s the challenge of writing enough, while others find it hard to stick within the limit given. In either case, it can lead to spending more time worrying about the length of your paper than the content!

But why do college papers come with set word limits? And what should you do to ensure you don’t write too much or too little?

Why Have a Word Limit?

There are two main reasons that academic papers usually come with a word limit:

• Fairness It’s impossible to grade two papers of vastly different lengths (e.g., 20,000 compared to 2,000 words) on the same scale. The word limit makes sure that everyone taking the same class knows what is expected of them.
• Communication Skills As well as testing your knowledge, college papers are about communicating clearly and concisely. Setting a word limit forces you to consider what you’re saying more carefully, helping you to develop your writing skills.

Sticking to the word limit is, therefore, part of being a good academic, since being a long way over or under could suggest you’ve misjudged the scope of the essay topic or that you’re having trouble communicating your ideas.

How to Stick to the Word Limit

Although many colleges give you roughly 10% leeway on the word limit, you should aim for your finished paper to be as close to the suggested word count as possible. If you find yourself writing too much, you can reduce the word count by:

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• Editing out repetition, redundant words and padding phrases
• Cutting down long or unnecessary quotations
• Reducing the number of examples or case studies used (if you’ve included several)
• Using the active voice instead of the passive voice

More generally, you should re-read your work and eliminate anything that isn’t directly related to the question you’re answering. As well as helping you stick to the word limit, this will make your work more focused, which could boost your grades.

How to Increase Your Word Count

If you’re struggling to write enough, the temptation might be to add padding phrases like “in my opinion” or long block quotations until you hit the minimum word count. But this will simply detract from the clarity of your writing.

Instead, the answer is usually to go back over your work and look for things that could be improved with a little additional attention. This might involve:

• Addressing anything from your essay question that you’ve overlooked
• Adding illustrative examples to support a point
• Considering different sources and views on the same issue
• Using short quotations as evidence for your arguments

Moreover, whether you’ve written too much or too little, getting someone else to read your work and offer feedback is a fantastic idea (especially if you ask a professional for help). This will help you to identify areas that could be expanded or cut in the next draft, so eventually you should be able to get your essay to the required length.

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