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College Essays

Figuring out your college essay can be one of the most difficult parts of applying to college. Even once you've read the prompt and picked a topic, you might wonder: if you write too much or too little, will you blow your chance of admission? How long should a college essay be?

Whether you're a terse writer or a loquacious one, we can advise you on college essay length. In this guide, we'll cover what the standard college essay length is, how much word limits matter, and what to do if you aren't sure how long a specific essay should be.

How Long Is a College Essay? First, Check the Word Limit

You might be used to turning in your writing assignments on a page-limit basis (for example, a 10-page paper). While some colleges provide page limits for their college essays, most use a word limit instead. This makes sure there's a standard length for all the essays that a college receives, regardless of formatting or font.

In the simplest terms, your college essay should be pretty close to, but not exceeding, the word limit in length. Think within 50 words as the lower bound, with the word limit as the upper bound. So for a 500-word limit essay, try to get somewhere between 450-500 words. If they give you a range, stay within that range.

College essay prompts usually provide the word limit right in the prompt or in the instructions.

For example, the University of Illinois says :

"You'll answer two to three prompts as part of your application. The questions you'll answer will depend on whether you're applying to a major or to our undeclared program , and if you've selected a second choice . Each response should be approximately 150 words."

As exemplified by the University of Illinois, 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). College essays are usually pretty short: between 150 and 650 words. Admissions officers have to read a lot of them, after all!

Weigh your words carefully, because they are limited!

How Flexible Is the Word Limit?

But how flexible is the word limit? What if your poignant anecdote is just 10 words too long—or 100 too short?

Can I Go Over the Word Limit?

If you are attaching a document and you need one or two extra words, you can probably get away with exceeding the word limit by such a small amount. Some colleges will actually tell you that exceeding the word limit by 1-2 words is fine. However, I advise against exceeding the word limit unless it's explicitly allowed for a few reasons:

First, you might not be able to. If you have to copy-paste it into a text box, your essay might get cut off and you'll have to trim it down anyway.

If you exceed the word limit in a noticeable way, the admissions counselor may just stop reading your essay past that point. This is not good for you.

Following directions is actually a very important part of the college application process. You need to follow directions to get your letters of recommendation, upload your essays, send supplemental materials, get your test scores sent, and so on and so forth. So it's just a good general rule to follow whatever instructions you've been given by the institution. Better safe than sorry!

Can I Go Under the Word Limit?

If you can truly get your point across well beneath the word limit, it's probably fine. Brevity is not necessarily a bad thing in writing just so long as you are clear, cogent, and communicate what you want to.

However, most college essays have pretty tight word limits anyways. So if you're writing 300 words for an essay with a 500-word limit, ask yourself: is there anything more you could say to elaborate on or support your points? Consult with a parent, friend, or teacher on where you could elaborate with more detail or expand your points.

Also, if the college gives you a word range, you absolutely need to at least hit the bottom end of the range. So if you get a range from the institution, like 400-500 words, you need to write at least 400 words. If you write less, it will come across like you have nothing to say, which is not an impression you want to give.

What If There Is No Word Limit?

Some colleges don't give you a word limit for one or more of your essay prompts. This can be a little stressful, but the prompts generally fall into a few categories:

Writing Sample

Some colleges don't provide a hard-and-fast word limit because they want a writing sample from one of your classes. In this case, a word limit would be very limiting to you in terms of which assignments you could select from.

For an example of this kind of prompt, check out essay Option B at Amherst :

"Submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should NOT submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay."

While there is usually no word limit per se, colleges sometimes provide a general page guideline for writing samples. In the FAQ for Option B , Amherst clarifies, "There is no hard-and-fast rule for official page limit. Typically, we anticipate a paper of 4-5 pages will provide adequate length to demonstrate your analytical abilities. Somewhat longer papers can also be submitted, but in most cases should not exceed 8-10 pages."

So even though there's no word limit, they'd like somewhere in the 4-10 pages range. High school students are not usually writing papers that are longer than 10 pages anyways, so that isn't very limiting.

Implicit Length Guideline

Sometimes, while there's no word (or even page) limit, there's still an implicit length guideline. What do I mean by this?

See, for example, this Western Washington University prompt :

“Describe one or more activities you have been involved in that have been particularly meaningful. What does your involvement say about the communities, identities or causes that are important to you?”

While there’s no page or word limit listed here, further down on page the ‘essay tips’ section explains that “ most essay responses are about 500 words, ” though “this is only a recommendation, not a firm limit.” This gives you an idea of what’s reasonable. A little longer or shorter than 500 words would be appropriate here. That’s what I mean by an “implicit” word limit—there is a reasonable length you could go to within the boundaries of the prompt.

But what's the proper coffee-to-paragraph ratio?

Treasure Hunt

There is also the classic "treasure hunt" prompt. No, it's not a prompt about a treasure hunt. It's a prompt where there are no length guidelines given, but if you hunt around on the rest of the website you can find length guidelines.

For example, the University of Chicago provides seven "Extended Essay" prompts . You must write an essay in response to one prompt of your choosing, but nowhere on the page is there any guidance about word count or page limit.

However, many colleges provide additional details about their expectations for application materials, including essays, on FAQ pages, which is true of the University of Chicago. On the school’s admissions Frequently Asked Questions page , they provide the following length guidelines for the supplemental essays: 

“We suggest that you note any word limits for Coalition or Common Application essays; however, there are no strict word limits on the UChicago Supplement essays. For the extended essay (where you choose one of several prompts), we suggest that you aim for around 650 words. While we won't, as a rule, stop reading after 650 words, we're only human and cannot promise that an overly wordy essay will hold our attention indefinitely. For the “Why UChicago?” essay, we suggest about 250-500 words. The ideas in your writing matter more than the exact number of words you use!”

So there you go! You want to be (loosely) in the realm of 650 for the extended essay, and 250-500 words for the “Why UChicago?” essay.

Help! There Really Is No Guidance on Length

If you really can't find any length guidelines anywhere on the admissions website and you're at a loss, I advise calling the admissions office. They may not be able to give you an exact number (in fact, they probably won't), but they will probably at least be able to tell you how long most of the essays they see are. (And keep you from writing a panicked, 20-page dissertation about your relationship with your dog).

In general, 500 words or so is pretty safe for a college essay. It's a fairly standard word limit length, in fact. (And if you're wondering, that's about a page and a half double-spaced.) 500 words is long enough to develop a basic idea while still getting a point across quickly—important when admissions counselors have thousands of essays to read!

"See? It says 500 words right there in tiny font!"

The Final Word: How Long Should a College Essay Be?

The best college essay length is usually pretty straightforward: you want to be right under or at the provided word limit. If you go substantially past the word limit, you risk having your essay cut off by an online application form or having the admissions officer just not finish it. And if you're too far under the word limit, you may not be elaborating enough.

What if there is no word limit? Then how long should a college essay be? In general, around 500 words is a pretty safe approximate word amount for a college essay—it's one of the most common word limits, after all!

Here's guidance for special cases and hunting down word limits:

If it's a writing sample of your graded academic work, the length either doesn't matter or there should be some loose page guidelines.

There also may be implicit length guidelines. For example, if a prompt says to write three paragraphs, you'll know that writing six sentences is definitely too short, and two single-spaced pages is definitely too long.

You might not be able to find length guidelines in the prompt, but you could still hunt them up elsewhere on the website. Try checking FAQs or googling your chosen school name with "admissions essay word limit."

If there really is no word limit, you can call the school to try to get some guidance.

With this advice, you can be sure you've got the right college essay length on lockdown!

Hey, writing about yourself can even be fun!

What's Next?

Need to ask a teacher or friend for help with your essay? See our do's and dont's to getting college essay advice .

If you're lacking in essay inspiration, see our guide to brainstorming college essay ideas . And here's our guide to starting out your essay perfectly!

Looking for college essay examples? See 11 places to find college essay examples and 145 essay examples with analysis !

Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.

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What is a Short Response Essay?

essaypop short response 0

“Dear God, please grant me patience… P.S. Please hurry up.”  – A Prayer

Oftentimes your teacher will assign a quickie — a short response paper that might be assigned after a classroom discussion or after reading a short story, a poem or an article. Some teachers refer to these as essay paragraphs . In terms of length, a short response can range from a single paragraph composed of anywhere from 150 – 400 words to a couple of paragraphs with 250 – 500 words – even longer if you have a lot to say. These, of course, are estimates, but you get the idea. Sometimes these short essays are assigned in class and may even be timed — “You have 25 minutes to respond to the author’s argument in a 300-word essay. Ready? Go!” —  Sometimes these essays will be assigned as overnight homework.

One example of where short responses are required is on the University of California Freshman Personal Insight Questions. This application requires applicants to write four, short, personal essays, each of which can be no longer than 350 words in length. Applicants are actually penalized if they exceed this word count. The Common Application used by many private universities sets the range for their essay at 250 to 650 words. 

The fact is, you are not always going to be assigned a long-form, multiple-paragraph essay. The short responses are just as common, and, guess what, in terms of your grades, they add up. The problem is, inexperienced writers often believe that because the responses are short, they can just churn them out quickly with little regard for organization and structure. This is a mistake.  It is just as important to have a structured plan when approaching a short essay as it is when tackling a longer one.  

It should also be noted that many of the elements of the short response are also found in the longer, multiple-paragraph essay. Both types of essays have a hook and a thesis statement, for example.  They both present evidence and commentary as well. In fact, if you can master the short response, you will have learned most of the skills needed to produce a longer, multiple-paragraph essay.

The Basic Structure

Even though your response may be a single paragraph, it still needs to begin with some sort of introductory hook .  You need something to set a context for the writing. It also requires a clear statement that precisely asserts what the main idea of the response will be. We call this the thesis statement . It then needs to include some sort of researched information that you are discussing such as a statistic, a quote, a statement, a fact, a personal anecdote, etc… We call this the research detail (also known as concrete detail, evidence, text evidence and proof) .

The response also requires the voice of the essay writer in the form of commentary, explanation and an overall making sense of things . We call this part the interpretation (also known as analysis or explanation) . Finally, the response should have some sort of closing sentence or two at the end to wrap things up and give the reader the sense that the essay is finished. We call this the closer .

So, essentially, the most basic short response will have the following structure:

[ H + TS + RD +   INT + C ]

If any of these aspects are missing, the response will not be sufficient, and this will be reflected in your grade and in a look of confusion on your reader’s face. You need all of these parts. Of course, there are multiple variations to this structure. After the hook, some writers might opt to flip the script and compose their interpretation first, then follow that up with a relevant research detail. Or the essayist might choose to add a second interpretation because they have more to say and wish to elaborate. They may even want to add a second research detail. There is a lot of flexibility within the essaypop system as long as you have a structure that is organized and cohesive. 

The following models are short responses to various response-to-literature, persuasive, expository, and personal response prompts. The color-coding used above will be used to distinguish the various short-response elements.

This model represents the most basic form of short response. It is brief (234 words) and was written fairly quickly (just 20 minutes), but it has all of the elements that a basic response needs: a short hook , a clear thesis statement , some text-evidence ( research detail ), some explanation ( interpretation ) and a closing sentence ( closer ). This response does the job in the most efficient way possible.  

Type of essay: short response / response to literature The prompt: In Denise Levertov’s poem, “Moon Tiger”, what is the moon tiger really? Use textual evidence to justify your answer.

Template Formula: H + TS + RD +   INT + C ] Word count:  234 Time spent: 15-20 minutes

It seems that poets and authors take great delight in camouflaging their real themes and thoughts with strange symbols and figurative trickery. It becomes our task to analyze the sometimes inscrutable clues to get to the bottom of the writer’s real meaning. In her poem, “Moon Tiger”, Denise Levertov provides the reader with some some very subtle clues that, if looked at very carefully, reveal the true and literal identity of the work’s creeping tiger. Consider the following lines from the poem: “Look. Its white stripes/ In the light that slid/ Through the jalousies”. Levertov is inviting us to pay close attention to a very specific clue: the white stripes coming through the room’s blinds. It is a physical fact that moonlight becomes separated into lines that are projected onto the floor when they pass through louvered blinds (jalousies in this case). The speaker in the poem seems to be a child who observes these lines of moonlight slowly traveling across her room; she imagines that they are the stripes of a tiger “prowling sleekly” across the room. Everything else in the poem, the small head, the large feet, the prowling, the sniffing, is all imagined by the child. The moon “tiger” is, very simply, the creation of a child’s overactive imagination and nothing else. It’s amazing how poet’s often hide that which is obvious in plain sight, but few people seem to notice.

• Hook : This hook is just two sentences in length, which is about right for a short response. It adequately introduces the notion that poets and writers are often hiding things right beneath our noses.   
• Thesis statement : The thesis statement is direct and to the point; it echoes the prompt and promises to answer the question being asked.
• Research Detail : Beginning with the transitional-bridge phrase, “Consider the following”, this is a very conventional way to introduce a quote from a poem. This phrase was taken from the sentence starter menu. Notice that each line break is indicated with a forward slash mark.
• Interpretation : This interpretation is a healthy five-sentences long (essayop recommends that they be anywhere from 3-6 sentences each).  The writer defends his interpretation of the lines with reasoned thinking.
• Closer : One simple sentence that expresses the essay writer’s overall reaction to the solving of the mystery, making this short paragraph feel finished. All in all, the paragraph coherently addresses the prompt.

This model is simply an augmentation of Model 1. The essay writer either had a little extra time or just had a little more to say. Or, maybe the teacher just assigned a higher word count. The modification here is the addition of a second interpretation . This simple addition can add depth and length to your response, and is worth trying if your responses tend to be a bit short or your teacher asks you to elaborate.

Type of essay: short response / response to literature The prompt: In Denise Levertov’s poem, “Moon Tiger”, what is the moon tiger really?  Use textual evidence to justify your answer.

Template Formula:   H + TS + RD +   INT + INT2 + C ] Word count:  323 Time spent:  25-30 minutes

It seems that poets and authors take great delight in camouflaging their real themes and thoughts with strange symbols and figurative trickery. It becomes our task to analyze the sometimes inscrutable clues to get to the bottom of the writer’s real meaning. In her poem, “Moon Tiger”, Denise Levertov provides the reader with some some very interesting clues as to the the true and literal identity of the work’s creeping tiger. Consider the following  lines from the poem: “Look. Its white stripes/ In the light that slid/Through the jalousies”. Levertov is inviting us to pay close attention to a very specific clue: the white stripes coming through the room’s blinds. It is a physical fact that moonlight becomes separated into lines that are projected onto the floor when they pass through louvered blinds (jalousies in this case). The speaker in the poem seems to be a child who observes these lines of moonlight slowly traveling across her room; she imagines that they are the stripes of a tiger “prowling sleekly” across the room. Everything else in the poem, the small head, the large feet, the prowling , the sniffing, is all imagined by the child. The moon “tiger” is, very simply, the creation of a child’s overactive imagination and nothing else. When you think back to your own childhood, the experience that Levertov describes is not too far from the the way children experience the world. I remember working myself into a frenzy when I was four or five, imagining that every creak our old house made was a prowler creeping down the hall, or that the wind outside was the sound of winged beasts ready to sweep me away if I dared go outside. It’s amazing how poet’s often hide that which is obvious in plain sight, but few people seem to notice. In Levertov’s case, her little mystery does a pretty good job of portraying the incessantly imaginative minds of children.

• Thesis statement : The thesis statement is direct and to the point, it echoes the prompt and promises to answer the question being asked.
• Research Detail : The phrase, “Consider the following,” serves as a nice transition into the lines quoted from the poem, and is taken directly from the sentence-starter-pull-down menu located in the lower-center portion of the writing frame.
• Interpretation : This interpretation is a healthy five-sentences long (essaypop recommends that they be anywhere from 3-6 sentences each).  The writer defends his interpretation of the lines with reasoned thinking.
• Interpretation 2 : The response is lengthened with the addition a personal connection made by writer. The second interpretation personalizes the response and adds depth.
• Closer :  Two sentences are more appropriate here due to the addition of the second interpretation.  

This model is a subtle variation of Model 2. The difference is that the writer decided to write the interpretation directly following the thesis statement, and then bring in the research detail in the form of a quote. The rest is essentially the same. The point is, sometimes a writer may want to get directly into the explanation/interpretation part of the discourse. This is easily done by grabbing the writing frame handle and moving the desired frame to another location. No notes are included after this model because the elements are essentially the same as Model 2.

Template Formula:   H + TS + INT + RD + INT2 + C ] Word count: 323 Time spent: 25-30 minutes

It seems that poet’s and authors take great delight in camouflaging their real themes and thoughts with strange symbols and figurative trickery. It becomes our task to analyze the sometimes inscrutable clues to get to the bottom of the writer’s real meaning. In her poem, “Moon Tiger”, Denise Levertov provides the reader with some some very interesting clues as to the the true and literal identity of the work’s creeping tiger. Levertov invites us to pay close attention to a very specific clue: the white stripes coming through the room’s blinds. It is a physical fact that moonlight becomes separated into lines that are projected onto the floor when they pass through louvered blinds (jalousies in this case). When Levertov exclaims, “Look. Its white stripes/ In the light that slid/Through the jalousies” , she is speaking from the point of view of a child who observes these lines of moonlight slowly traveling across her room; she imagines that they are the stripes of a tiger “prowling sleekly” across the room.  Everything else in the poem, the small head, the large feet, the prowling, the sniffing, is all imagined by the child. The moon “tiger” is, very simply, the creation of a child’s overactive imagination and nothing else. When you think back to your own childhood, the experience that Levertov describes is not too far from the way children experience the world. I remember working myself into a frenzy when I was four or five, imagining that every creak our old house made was a prowler creeping down the hall, or that the wind outside was the sound of winged beasts ready to sweep me away if I dared go outside .   It’s amazing how poets often hide that which is obvious in plain sight, but few people seem to notice. In Levertov’s case, her little mystery does a pretty good job of portraying the incessantly imaginative minds of children.

Like model 1, this response uses just the basic template formula. It is a in-class, timed assignment.

Type of essay: Expository / Argument The prompt: We just read the Atlantic Monthly article, “How Two Common Medications Became One $455 Million Specialty Pill” by Marshall Allen. In a 300-500 word short essay, discuss whether you believe the Horizon Pharmaceutical Company is justified in selling the drug Vimovo at the price that they do.

Template Formula:   H + TS + RD +   INT + C ] Word count: 322 Time spent: 20-25 minutes

Isaac Asimov once said wisely, “I don’t prescribe to the thesis, ‘let the buyer beware’, I prefer the disregarded one that goes, ‘let the seller be honest’.” It seems as though every big company these days has discovered state-of-the-art ways to separate people from their hard-earned cash, and the pharmaceutical companies are certainly no exception. Marshall Allen’s Atlantic monthly article, “How Two Common Medications Became One $455 Million Specialty Pill” brings up two fairly balanced perspectives regarding the cost of their drug, Vimovo.  After careful consideration, however, it seems clear that there is no way to justify this company charging such exorbitant prices for this drug. According to this journalist, It seems that Horizon simply takes two very common medications, a pain reliever and a stomach-upset medicine, and combines them into one pill, because pain relievers cause some people stomach discomfort.  Not a bad idea I guess, but at what cost? “Of course I did the math”, says the Allen. “You can walk into your local drugstore and buy a month’s supply of Aleve and Nexium for about $40. For Vimovo, the pharmacy billed my insurance company $3,252.” This is a staggering markup in price. And what’s worse is they seem to be getting away with it. Vimovo, according to Allen, has netted the company $455 million since 2014 and shows no signs of slowing down.  They seem to be able to get away with this with a series of sales tricks and back-room deals with insurance companies that the doctors and patients prescribing and using the drugs are seldom aware of. And despite the company executives claiming that they only are charging what the market will bear, and that they receive few complaints about their pricing, well, that’s only because they’ve done such a good job of concealing their unethical tactics. I’m with Mr. Asimov, it’s too bad a company like Horizon can’t simply make their profits in an honest way.

• Hook : The quote by Isaac Asimov goes right to the heart of the topic of unscrupulous sellers. You’ll notice that the essay writer refers once again to Asimov in the closer. This is the proper way to use a quote as a hook in a short response. The hook then bridges seamlessly into the thesis statement.
• Thesis statement : The thesis statement specifically names the article and its author. It echoes the prompt and promises to answer the question being asked.
• Research Detail : The first part of the research detail is paraphrased information that provides context for a reader who may not know what this medicine is. The second part is a direct quote that provides a startling statistic.
• Interpretation : This interpretation goes into why Horizon’s business practices are unethical and unfair. Another research detail ($455 million since 2014) is embedded in the interpretation which is a common practice and fine. A brief mention of the companies justification is quickly rebutted here.
• Closer : Returning back to Asimov, this closer makes the short response feel like it’s come full circle, which is an impressive thing for a writer to do.

This model is a variation of model 4. In order to make the response lengthier and more substantive, the essay writer added an additional research detail . She also split her original interpretation in two, dropping interpretation 2 down to follow the second research detail. Finally, because the response was starting to feel lengthy, she broke the response into a second paragraph. By simply adding a paragraph break in a place that felt natural. No notes will follow this model.

Type of essay: Expository / Argument The prompt: We just read the Atlantic Monthly article, “How Two Common Medications Became One $455 Million Specialty Pill” by Marshall Allen. In a 300-400 word short essay, discuss whether you believe the Horizon Pharmaceutical Company is justified in selling the drug Vimovo at the price that they do.

Template Formula: H + TS + RD +   INT + RD2 + INT2 + C ] Word count: 377 Time spent: 25-30 minutes

Isaac Asimov once said wisely, “I don’t prescribe to the thesis, ‘let the buyer beware’, I prefer the disregarded one that goes, ‘let the seller be honest’.” It seems as though every big company these days has discovered state-of the-art ways to separate people from their hard-earned cash, and the pharmaceutical companies are certainly no exception. Marshall Allen’s Atlantic monthly article, “How Two Common Medications Became One $455 Million Specialty Pill” brings up two fairly balanced perspectives regarding the cost of their drug, Vimovo. After careful consideration, however, it seems clear that there is no way to justify this company charging such exorbitant prices for this drug. It seems that Horizon simply takes two very common medications, a pain reliever, and a stomach-upset medicine, and combines them into one pill because pain relievers cause some people stomach discomfort. Not a bad idea I guess, but at what cost? “Of course I did the math”, says the Allen. “You can walk into your local drugstore and buy a month’s supply of Aleve and Nexium for about $40. For Vimovo, the pharmacy billed my insurance company $3,252.” This is a staggering markup in price. And what’s worse is they seem to be getting away with it. Vimovo, according to Allen, has netted the company $455 million since 2014 and shows no signs of slowing down. They seem to be able to get away with this with a series of sales tricks and back-room deals with insurance companies that the doctors and patients prescribing and using the drugs are seldom aware of. And they don’t stop there.

Based on Allen’s research, Vimovo isn’t Horizon’s only such drug. It has brought in an additional $465 million in net sales from Duexis , a similar convenience drug that combines ibuprofen and famotidine, aka Advil and Pepcid. So, they’ve taken a successful, albeit questionable practice, and spun it into other profitable drugs.  And despite the company executives claiming that they only are charging what the market will bear, and that they receive few complaints about their pricing, well, that’s only because they’ve done such a good job of concealing their unethical tactics.   I’m with Mr. Asimov. It’s too bad a company like Horizon can’t simply make their profits in a more honest way.

This is response to an actual University of California application question. It extends the basic short response template with the addition of a second research detail. Keep in mind that the research details in this paper are the essay writer’s own experience. Research usually, but does not always, come from other sources. Sometimes it comes from your own life in the form of recollections and personal anecdotes.

Type of essay: University of California Application / Personal Insight Question / personal narrative. The prompt: What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Limit: 350 words.

Template Formula:   H + TS + RD + RD2 +   INT + C ] Word count: 350 Time spent: 25-30 minutes

I have been the recipient of many a helping hand and kind gesture as a young Latino kid growing up in Los Angeles’s Boyle Heights area. My neighborhood was not an easy place to grow up, with poverty, unemployment and gang violence being a ubiquitous presence that affected everyone, especially kids. As I grew up, I took advantage of every club, team, and outreach program in my neighborhood and at my school that I came into contact with. And, believe me when I say, it helped. So, when I entered Eagle Rock High School as a freshman, I knew that joining a service organization would be a priority for me. More than any other endeavor in my life, my role in rejuvenating our school’s Bridges Mentorship Club has has allowed me to give back to my school in ways that have been both meaningful to others and personally satisfying. Eagle Rock serves grades seven through ten, and some of our most at-risk students are our middle-schoolers. Bridges matches these kids with upperclassmen who guide these students through the rigors of the secondary school experience. It was a club that was supported by a federal grant for many years, but that grant expired, and the club began to dwindle. Without a budget and a teacher-mentor, Bridges lost its way. My group searched for and found a mentor, developed a fundraising strategy, recruited upperclassmen mentors, and crafted lesson plans that would engage our at-risk, middle school population. We created a mentoring schedule that had to accommodate the calendars of teachers, administration and the mentees themselves. In time, we got the program up and running again, and even exceeded our own expectations in doing so. In bringing back Bridges, we brought back a support system for our most vulnerable students that was dearly missing from Eagle Rock. We recreated a program that has helped students in need find the support they need during one of their toughest, transitional times. Giving back what I received growing up has always been a priority for me.  Resurrecting Bridges has allowed me to achieve this goal.

• Hook : At five sentences in length, this is a longer hook than short responses usually feature. However, because this student’s backstory is so essential to this narrative, it makes sense to elaborate in this situation. It also transitions smoothly into the thesis statement as a good hook should.
• Thesis statement : The thesis statement is a single sentence and it directly answers the stated prompt.
• Research Detail 1 : The first research detail features pertinent information about the club’s purpose and demise due to lack of funding. The source of this “research” is the essay writer herself who is, as a founding club member, qualified to present factual information.  
• Research Detail 2 : The second research detail gets into the writer and her group’s specific accomplishments. Again, because this is a personal narrative, the research features her own recollections, which is perfectly acceptable for this type of writing.
• Interpretation : This interpretation in this particular response is quite short. It’s simply a commentary on the impact that the program is having on the school’s 7th and 8th graders.
• Closer : This closer wraps up the response by briefly restating the writer’s motivation and the thesis itself. Like any good closer, this element allows the response to feel finished.

Type of essay: expository/ argument The prompt: Based on the documents we reviewed in class today that assign blame for the Titanic tragedy to several different individuals, who, in your opinion, is most responsible for the sinking of the RMS Titanic and the deaths of over 1,500 passengers?

Template Formula: H + TS + RD +   INT + C ] Word Count: 330 Time spent: 25-30 minutes

The sinking of the Titanic was one of the great tragedies in history. In today’s dollars, the loss of the ship cost it’s investors more than half a billion dollars. But what is worse than the economic loss, of course, is the massive loss of life. 1,503 passengers and crew either drowned or froze to death in the icy waters of the North Atlantic ocean on the fateful April night in 1912. But who was responsible for the sinking of the great ship? Certainly, many people played a role in the tragedy, but one person seems more culpable than all the others. Based on the documents we have reviewed, it seems clear that Captain Edward J. Smith is the individual most responsible for the sinking of the Titanic and the deaths of all of those unfortunate passengers. Robert Ballard, who is considered one of the most-renowned Titanic experts, confirms this in his research. Consider the following evidence taken from Ballard’s “Exploring the Titanic”: “In all Captain Smith received seven ice warnings the afternoon and evening of the disaster.  Of those, only three were posted for anyone to see.” (367) Ignoring this many ice warnings just seems like a recipe for disaster. To use a car/driver analogy, this would be like a driver ignoring three stop signs, driving through two red lights and careening over the Metro track when the gate is down — such a driver would surely get into an accident sooner or later. It is surprising that a captain with 38 years of experience would be so reckless, and clearly had he heeded these warnings, the ship would have survived. It also makes one wonder if Captain Smith was caught up in the overconfidence and hubris of the moment. I mean, why worry about iceberg warnings if you’re sailing an “unsinkable” ship? Sure, the blame could be spread around in regards to this tragic event, but if one person must be held most responsible, it is the captain.

• Hook : This hook attempts to reel in the reader with a pair of startling facts. The first pertains to the huge economic toll the loss of the Titanic caused its company and investors. The second reveals the massive loss of human life that occurred during the fateful voyage. The hook ends with a rhetorical question that is sure to answered by the essayist.  
• Thesis statement : The thesis statement is two sentences in length. It adequately echoes the prompt and provides an answer to the rhetorical question that is asked in the hook.
• Research Detail : Some context regarding who Robert Ballard is is provided prior to the quote. The phrase, “Consider the following evidence” was taken from the sentence starter menu and helps to smoothly transition into the quote itself.  The quote is parenthetically cited in accordance with MLA citation requirements.
• Interpretation : This interpretation employs an analogy to help explain the significance of the quote. It brings in some of the essayists own opinion and, frankly, his judgement of the captain’s behavior. The interpretation concludes effectively with a rhetorical question.
• Closer : The response closes a single sentence that reiterates the prompt and the thesis sentence, making the response feel finished.

This model extends the basic short response template by having the two research details and interpretations alternate within the response. This technique is ideal for expository responses that feature additional evidence. It also creates a rhythm within the writing.

Type of essay: research/expository The prompt: We have reviewed a number of articles about the of the planet’s more interesting and unusual animals. In a text-evidence-based response (300-400 words), explain why you find one of these creatures to be the most intriguing. You have 35 minutes to complete this assignment.

Template Formula:   H + TS + RD +   INT + RD2  + INT2 + C ] Word Count:  327 Time spent: 25-30 minutes

Did you know that turtles are capable of breathing from their butts? Were you aware that penguins can go three months without food? Would it surprise you that rattlesnakes can “see” your heat signature? There certainly are a number of unusual creatures with some very strange abilities on this planet. If pressed to select the single animal that I find the most interesting, however, I would have to contend that jellyfish are quite simply one of the strangest and most unusual  creatures on the planet.   Scientists have discovered a number of examples of this fact.  According to the highly regarded marine biologist, Edwin Kantor, “The largest jellyfish species, the lion’s mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata), can have tentacles that extend longer than a blue whale, the largest mammal on Earth.” (67) It is difficult to fathom how large this really is. If you placed this fellow on the top of a ten-story building, the tips of his tentacles would still touch the sidewalk. Imagine how effectively a creature with such a “wingspan” could hunt. He certainly must be a fearsome predator. And the weirdness doesn’t stop there. Consider the following : “The immortal jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii) ages like Benjamin Button—when a crisis like starvation presents itself, the jellyfish’s cells transform and revert to their earliest form, a polyp, making this type of jellyfish potentially immortal.” (Simmons 254) Again, it is no surprise that folks look at this formless creature like an alien being from another universe. It’s one thing to be able to stretch out to the size of a sequoia redwood, but to possess the ability to live forever?– that’s truly unique, not to mention a skill that we humans would most likely want to emulate if we could ever figure out how. All in all, when you consider some of their unusual abilities and characteristics, jellyfish truly are some of the weirdest organisms on the planet, although that butt-breathing trick that turtles do is pretty unique.

• Hook : This hook, like the example before it, attempts to reel in the reader with several startling facts that are presented in a series of rhetorical questions. All relate to animals that have been read about in the essay writers biology class. The hook ends with a declarative statement that will blend nicely with the thesis statement to come.  
• Thesis statement : The thesis statement adequately and clearly echoes the prompt. It uses the first person “I” which is appropriate given that this a personal response assignment.
• Research Details 1 and 2 : Both quotes are taken from marine scientists and gives the paper an air of  informed trustworthiness. The quotes are both parenthetically cited in accordance with MLA citation requirements.
• Interpretations 1 and 2 : Neither interpretation is overly long (both are just 3 sentences in length), which is appropriate for a timed assignment like this one.  
• Closer : The response reiterates the prompt and the thesis sentence, making the response feel finished. The added humor at the end is skirting the boundaries of what is considered appropriate for academic writing, but sometimes a writer needs to have some fun. The turtle-butt reference also is a reference to the hook which makes the writing feel like has come full-circle.

Like model 1, this response uses just the basic template formula which is appropriate for an in-class, timed assignment.

Type of essay: persuasive/ argument The prompt: Our school’s administration announced recently that they are considering instituting a school dress code at Marshall High School. Based on your understanding of the rights granted U.S. citizens in the Constitution, do you feel such a policy would is advisable, ethical, or even legal? Your response should be 250-350 words in length and contain some researched or factual evidence. You have 30 minutes to complete your response.

Template Formula:   H + TS + RD + INT + C ] Word Count:  259 Time spent:  25 minutes

I don’t know what’s gotten into today’s adults, but lately it seems that teachers and school administrators take more and more pleasure in squelching students’ individual creativity and their natural desire to want to express their own personal senses of style. This oppressive impulse is perfectly illustrated by the educational leaders of Marshall High School who would like its students to conform to certain, restrictive dress codes. I hate to break it to these conservative “crushers-of-young-folks’-spirits”, but a mandated dress code at our school is a flagrant violation of young people’s’ civil rights. Afterall, The First Amendment  of our United States Constitution states that “Congress cannot pass laws abridging the freedom of speech.” Our forefathers did not intend to have any American citizen’s right to reasonably express him or herself taken away by anybody at any time, no matter their age. This constitutional protection allows us to speak out against politicians who we disagree with. It allows us to write articles that might be controversial or even offensive to some. And it certainly extends to students who might want to wear some loose-fitting jeans or a punk-rock tee shirt. Expressing one’s style, politics or ideas with one’s choice of clothing is no different than doing so with words spoken aloud or written down on paper. So, if the adult leadership of our school is serious about forcing a dress code on us, then they might as well admit that they they are a willing party to the a crass violation of the basic constitutional rights of our school’s students.

• Hook : This hook expresses the essay writer’s belief that an injustice is being contemplated by the school’s adult leadership. The words used here are strong. Phrases such as, “squelching students’ individual creativity”, and, “This oppressive impulse”, suggest that a great wrong is happening and that this essayist is none too pleased about it.
• Thesis statement : The thesis statement oozes with the persecuted annoyance that began in the hook. It echoes the prompt and promises to answer the question being asked.
• Research Detail : The phrase “after all” is a nice transitional element that helps move smoothly into the evidence. The research detail itself is short and sweet, citing the first amendment of the Constitution, beginning with the sentence starter* “states that”. The source is not cited because the existent of this document is considered common knowledge.
• Interpretation : At six sentences long, the interpretation is a healthy length. It focuses on other areas where freedom of expression is protected by the 1st amendment, then reasons that choice of clothing at school should be similarly protected. The somewhat animated tone befits a persuasive response.
• Closer : The word “So” to begin the closer is taken from the sentence starter menu. The tone of the closer maintains the indignant tone that permeates this short response.

This model is a variation of model 9. In this model the “script is flipped” and the interpretation directly follows the thesis statement. This is easily done by grabbing the writing frame handle and moving the frame to its new location. Another difference is that a second research detail is added to this model, giving the response a bit more gravity.

Type of essay: persuasive/ argument The prompt: Our school’s administration announced recently that they are considering instituting a school dress code at Marshall High School. Based on your understanding of the rights granted U.S. citizens in the Constitution, do you feel such a policy would is advisable, ethical or even legal? Your response should be 250-350 words in length and contain some researched evidence. It is due at the start of class tomorrow.

Template Formula: H + TS + INT + RD + RD2 + C ] Word Count:  301 Time spent: 30-35 minutes (including research)

I don’t know what’s gotten into today’s adults, but lately, it seems that teachers and school administrators take more and more pleasure in squelching students’ individual creativity and their natural desire to want to express their own personal senses of style. This oppressive impulse is perfectly illustrated by the educational leaders of Marshall High School who would like its students to conform to certain, restrictive dress codes. I hate to break it to these conservative “crushers-of-young-folks’-spirits”, but a mandated dress code at our school is a flagrant violation of young people’s’ civil rights.   Our forefathers did not intend to have any American citizen’s right to reasonably express him or herself taken away by anybody at any time, no matter their age.  This constitutional protection allows us to speak out against politicians who we disagree with. It allows us to write articles that might be controversial or even offensive to some. And it certainly extends to students who might want to wear some loose-fitting jeans or a punk-rock tee shirt. Expressing one’s style, politics, or ideas with one’s choice of clothing is no different than doing so with words spoken aloud or written down on paper. After all, The First Amendment  of our United States Constitution states that “Congress cannot pass laws abridging the freedom of speech.” Additionally, Lee Rowland of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Nevada branch reminds us that “in conflict with the First Amendment, school uniform policies create instead an environment of sterilized uniformity scrubbed of the diversity so prized by our founding fathers. (238) So, if the adult leadership of our school is serious about forcing a dress code on us, then they might as well admit that they they are willing to be a party to a crass violation of the basic constitutional rights of our school’s students.

• Interpretation : At six sentences long, the interpretation is a healthy length. It focuses on other areas where freedom of expression is protected by the 1st amendment, then reasons that choice of clothing at school should be similarly protected. The somewhat animated tone befits a persuasive response by a person who feel her rights are being violated.
• Research Detail 1 : The phrase “after all” is a nice transitional element that helps move smoothly into the evidence. The research detail itself is short and sweet, citing the first amendment of the Constitution beginning with the sentence starter* “states that”. The source is not cited because the existent of this document is considered common knowledge.
• Research Detail 2 : The transitional word, “additionally” helps the writer move directly, but smoothly, into the second research detail.  Rowlands quote is relevant as it not only brings up the first amendment but mentions the “sterilized uniformity” that the essayist is speaking out against.

Type of essay: research/expository The prompt: Are rattlesnakes a bane or a benefit to mankind? Respond in a structured, evidence-based short constructed response that is 300-350 words in length.

Template Formula:   H + TS + + RD + INT + B + RD2 + INT + C ] Word Count: 327 Time spent: 30-35 minutes (including research)

The subject of deadly creatures, and especially those of the serpent variety make many people extremely uncomfortable.  In our area of Southern California, rattlesnakes are particularly reviled. And while these reptiles may seem unpleasant to many people, they actually are extraordinarily beneficial to the  environment in which we must live. In fact, without these snakes, our local environment would tumble out of balance. According to the Queensland Department of Environment, “The feeding habits of rattlesnakes act as a natural form of pest control. Snakes are predators and feed on a variety of creatures. Small snakes feed on many harmful bugs and insects. Larger ones eat mice, rats, and other small mammals that can destroy crops or damage personal property.” (Dept. of Environment) It is clear that if we were to eliminate rattlesnakes from our environment with the objective of making ourselves “safe”, we would inadvertently and ironically create the opposite effect. An increase in insects and rodents would most certainly lead to such adverse effects as bites, feces in food supplies and the diseases that accompany these conditions. So as you can see, these creatures do have some beneficial qualities. Recent research by other scientists supports this idea. In fact, “New research by a team of University of Maryland biologists shows the timber rattlesnake indirectly benefits humankind by keeping Lyme disease in check.”  (Kabay) Lyme disease is a very deadly illness that can incapacitate and even kill humans. Many people are infected by the disease every year, and it is spread by ticks that live on small creatures like rats and squirrels that are staples of the rattlesnake diet. The research clearly indicates that eliminating rattlesnakes from human environments would make the environment in which we live more dangerous not less dangerous. On the whole, rattlesnakes, despite their fearsome appearance, are quite effective allies in our fight against illness and disease. With this in mind, they should most definitely be regarded as friends and not foes.

• Hook : This is simple background hook revealing that rattlesnakes are indeed feared by a lot of people in Southern California.
• Thesis Statement: The thesis stands in opposition to the hook, stating that this response is going to elaborate on the beneficial aspects of rattlesnakes.
• Research Detail 1 :   The first research detail cites a solid scientific source. It is properly quoted and cited parenthetically. It also matches nicely with the research detail to come.
• Interpretation 1 : At two sentences long, the INT is a little shorter than the 3-6 sentences that we normally recommend, but it does focus on the research detail and will be elaborated upon in the second INT. It also leads smoothly into the next research detail.
• Bridge : This really is more of a mini-bridge that was connected to a research detail sentence starter*. This bridge allows the writing to flow smoothly to the next research detail.
• Research Detail 2 : Again, a solid scientific source is properly cited. It flows nicely from the previous writing, and the simple phrase, “In fact” (also taken from the sentence starter menu) adds emphasis to the significance of the evidence being presented.
• Interpretation 2 : At three sentences in length, this INT continues the assertion that rattlesnakes are beneficial to our human society. It maintains the paper’s focus of featuring a misunderstood animal and is in keeping with the original short response prompt.  
• Closer : This closer begins with the sentence starter “On the whole” which acts here as a kind of wrap-up statement. It adequately reinforces the main idea of the short response, reminding us that the prompt is being addressed.

Related Posts

Style Guide

Hooking Things Together With Bridges

Closer – Let’s Land This Thing!

Mastering the Short Response Hook

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Introduction

Goals and Goal Setting

Goals Common to All RST Writers

Other Goals to Consider

Defining My Own Goals

Advice about Assignments

Getting Started: Listing Topics to Write about in the Tutorial

Narrative One: Personal Piece on a Significant Experience

Narrative Two: Academic Piece on a Significant Experience

Summary/Response One

Summary/Response Two

Tutorial Evaluation Postscript

On Using the Resources for Writers

Generating and Developing Ideas

Finding/Expressing Main Ideas

Showing v. Telling Sentences

Focusing Topic Sentences

Thesis Statements

Reading Strategies

Assessing Your Reading Strategies

Summarizing

Writing Effective Summary and Response Essays

Discourse Analysis Worksheet

Trade Magazines

Selecting Readings

A summary is a concise paraphrase of all the main ideas in an essay. It cites the author and the title (usually in the first sentence); it contains the essay's thesis and supporting ideas; it may use direct quotation of forceful or concise statements of the author's ideas; it will NOT usually cite the author's examples or supporting details unless they are central to the main idea. Most summaries present the major points in the order that the author made them and continually refer back to the article being summarized (i.e. "Damon argues that ..." or "Goodman also points out that ... "). The summary should take up no more than one-third the length of the work being summarized.

The Response:

A response is a critique or evaluation of the author's essay. Unlike the summary, it is composed of YOUR opinions in relation to the article being summarized. It examines ideas that you agree or disagree with and identifies the essay's strengths and weaknesses in reasoning and logic, in quality of supporting examples, and in organization and style. A good response is persuasive; therefore, it should cite facts, examples, and personal experience that either refutes or supports the article you're responding to, depending on your stance.

Two Typical Organizational Formats for Summary/Response Essays:

1. Present the summary in a block of paragraphs, followed by the response in a block:

Intro/thesis Summary (two to three paragraphs) Agreement (or disagreement) Disagreement (or agreement) Conclusion

Note: Some essays will incorporate both agreement and disagreement in a response, but this is not mandatory.

2. Introduce the essay with a short paragraph that includes your thesis. Then, each body paragraph summarizes one point and responds to it, and a conclusion wraps the essay up.

Intro/thesis Summary point one; agree/disagree Summary point two; agree/disagree Summary point three; agree/disagree Conclusion

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How Long Should Your College Essay Be? What Is the Ideal Length?

What’s covered: , personal statement length vs. supplemental essay length, are college essay word limits hard, what if a college essay word count isn’t given, what if you need to submit a graded paper, where to get your essays edited.

Students often spend hours agonizing over the best topics for their college essays. While it’s natural to wonder whether your personal statement is original or compelling enough, there’s one aspect of the process that shouldn’t cause you undue stress—how many words should a college essay be? Fortunately, with a little research, you can uncover the ideal college essay length for all your applications.

Unlike high school assignments, which typically have a strict page requirement, most colleges provide a word limit or word range for their application essays. This practice helps ensure that essays are the same length regardless of font or formatting. A good guideline is that students should strive to get as close as possible to the upper limit of the word range without exceeding it. Keep reading to learn more about best practices for college essay length.

How many words should a college essay be? Personal statements are generally 500-650 words. For example, the Common Application , which can be used to apply to more than 800 colleges, requires an essay ranging from 250-650 words . Similarly, the Coalition Application , which has 150 member schools, features an essay with a recommended length of 500-650 words.

650 words is the most common limit for your personal statement, but some schools may ask students to write more or less. For example, ApplyTexas , a platform used to apply to Texas public universities and other select colleges, requests essays with requirements that vary by school. For example, students applying to UT Austin will need to submit an essay of 500-700 words, along with three short-answer questions of 250-300 words each.

On the other hand, the University of California (UC) application includes a Personal Insight section with eight prompts . Students are asked to respond to any four of these prompts, with each response topping out at 350 words.

Additionally, some schools request a few supplemental essays, which are typically shorter than a personal statement. These questions are designed to gain more information about a student’s interests and abilities, and may include topics like your reasons for wanting to attend their school, your desired major, or your favorite activity.

Most schools require 1-3 supplemental essays, though some may require more or none at all (see our list of top colleges without supplemental essays ). These essays tend to be around 250 words, but some may be just as long as your main essay. For example, Cornell requires applicants to write a second supplemental essay (of 650 words max) that is specific to the program they’re applying to. The exception to this is the Cornell College of Engineering, for which applicants are required to compose two supplemental essays of 250 words max each.

For best results, keep your essays within the word range provided. While you don’t have to hit the count exactly, you should aim to stay within a 10% difference of the upper limit—without including fluff or filler. For example, if the school requests 500 words, try to ensure that your essay is between 450 and 500 words.

For the Common App, try to stay within 550-650 words, even though the given range is 250-650. Any submission shorter than 500 words will make it look as though you simply didn’t care enough to give your best effort. An essay shorter than 500 words won’t be long enough to truly share who you are and what matters to you.

Exceeding the word count isn’t an option—the application portal cuts off anything over the maximum number of allowed words. This is something you want to be particularly careful of if you’re drafting your essay in a Word or Google document and pasting it into the application.

Although most schools provide applicants with a specific word count, some offer more general guidelines. For example, a college may ask for a particular number of pages or paragraphs.

If you aren’t given a word count, try to adhere to the best practices and conventions of writing. Avoid writing especially short or overly long paragraphs—250 words per paragraph is generally a safe upper limit. If you’re asked to write a certain number of pages, single- or double-spaced, stick to a standard font and font size (like 12-point Times New Roman).

In the event that the college doesn’t offer any guidelines at all, aim for an essay length of around 500 words.

While essays are the most commonly requested writing sample, some colleges ask for additional pieces of content. For example, Princeton University requires students to submit a previously graded paper for evaluation .

Princeton offers guidelines that cover length, but if another school requests an old paper and doesn’t offer length requirements, a paper ranging from 3-5 pages should yield the best results. The goal is to select a paper long enough to showcase your writing skills and unique voice, but short enough that the admissions officer doesn’t get bored reading it.

Is your essay effective while staying within the required word count? It’s hard to evaluate your own writing, especially after rereading it numerous times. CollegeVine’s free Peer Essay Review provides an opportunity to have your essay reviewed by a fellow student, for free. Similarly, you can help other students by reviewing their essays—this is a great way to refine your own writing skills.

Expert advice is also available. CollegeVine’s advisors are prepared to help you perfect your personal statement and submit a successful application to your top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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• Knowledge Base
• How to conclude an essay | Interactive example

How to Conclude an Essay | Interactive Example

Published on January 24, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The conclusion is the final paragraph of your essay . A strong conclusion aims to:

• Tie together the essay’s main points
• Show why your argument matters
• Leave the reader with a strong impression

Your conclusion should give a sense of closure and completion to your argument, but also show what new questions or possibilities it has opened up.

This conclusion is taken from our annotated essay example , which discusses the history of the Braille system. Hover over each part to see why it’s effective.

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

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Table of contents

Step 1: return to your thesis, step 2: review your main points, step 3: show why it matters, what shouldn’t go in the conclusion, more examples of essay conclusions, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about writing an essay conclusion.

To begin your conclusion, signal that the essay is coming to an end by returning to your overall argument.

Don’t just repeat your thesis statement —instead, try to rephrase your argument in a way that shows how it has been developed since the introduction.

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Next, remind the reader of the main points that you used to support your argument.

Avoid simply summarizing each paragraph or repeating each point in order; try to bring your points together in a way that makes the connections between them clear. The conclusion is your final chance to show how all the paragraphs of your essay add up to a coherent whole.

To wrap up your conclusion, zoom out to a broader view of the topic and consider the implications of your argument. For example:

• Does it contribute a new understanding of your topic?
• Does it raise new questions for future study?
• Does it lead to practical suggestions or predictions?
• Can it be applied to different contexts?
• Can it be connected to a broader debate or theme?

Whatever your essay is about, the conclusion should aim to emphasize the significance of your argument, whether that’s within your academic subject or in the wider world.

Try to end with a strong, decisive sentence, leaving the reader with a lingering sense of interest in your topic.

The easiest way to improve your conclusion is to eliminate these common mistakes.

Don’t include new evidence

Any evidence or analysis that is essential to supporting your thesis statement should appear in the main body of the essay.

The conclusion might include minor pieces of new information—for example, a sentence or two discussing broader implications, or a quotation that nicely summarizes your central point. But it shouldn’t introduce any major new sources or ideas that need further explanation to understand.

Don’t use “concluding phrases”

Avoid using obvious stock phrases to tell the reader what you’re doing:

• “In conclusion…”
• “To sum up…”

These phrases aren’t forbidden, but they can make your writing sound weak. By returning to your main argument, it will quickly become clear that you are concluding the essay—you shouldn’t have to spell it out.

Don’t undermine your argument

Avoid using apologetic phrases that sound uncertain or confused:

• “This is just one approach among many.”
• “There are good arguments on both sides of this issue.”
• “There is no clear answer to this problem.”

Even if your essay has explored different points of view, your own position should be clear. There may be many possible approaches to the topic, but you want to leave the reader convinced that yours is the best one!

• Argumentative
• Literary analysis

This conclusion is taken from an argumentative essay about the internet’s impact on education. It acknowledges the opposing arguments while taking a clear, decisive position.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

This conclusion is taken from a short expository essay that explains the invention of the printing press and its effects on European society. It focuses on giving a clear, concise overview of what was covered in the essay.

The invention of the printing press was important not only in terms of its immediate cultural and economic effects, but also in terms of its major impact on politics and religion across Europe. In the century following the invention of the printing press, the relatively stationary intellectual atmosphere of the Middle Ages gave way to the social upheavals of the Reformation and the Renaissance. A single technological innovation had contributed to the total reshaping of the continent.

This conclusion is taken from a literary analysis essay about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein . It summarizes what the essay’s analysis achieved and emphasizes its originality.

By tracing the depiction of Frankenstein through the novel’s three volumes, I have demonstrated how the narrative structure shifts our perception of the character. While the Frankenstein of the first volume is depicted as having innocent intentions, the second and third volumes—first in the creature’s accusatory voice, and then in his own voice—increasingly undermine him, causing him to appear alternately ridiculous and vindictive. Far from the one-dimensional villain he is often taken to be, the character of Frankenstein is compelling because of the dynamic narrative frame in which he is placed. In this frame, Frankenstein’s narrative self-presentation responds to the images of him we see from others’ perspectives. This conclusion sheds new light on the novel, foregrounding Shelley’s unique layering of narrative perspectives and its importance for the depiction of character.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
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Your essay’s conclusion should contain:

• A rephrased version of your overall thesis
• A brief review of the key points you made in the main body
• An indication of why your argument matters

The conclusion may also reflect on the broader implications of your argument, showing how your ideas could applied to other contexts or debates.

For a stronger conclusion paragraph, avoid including:

• Important evidence or analysis that wasn’t mentioned in the main body
• Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion…”)
• Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g. “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.

The conclusion paragraph of an essay is usually shorter than the introduction . As a rule, it shouldn’t take up more than 10–15% of the text.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, July 23). How to Conclude an Essay | Interactive Example. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/conclusion/

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How to Write a Good Answer to Exam Essay Questions

Last Updated: March 17, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Tristen Bonacci . Tristen Bonacci is a Licensed English Teacher with more than 20 years of experience. Tristen has taught in both the United States and overseas. She specializes in teaching in a secondary education environment and sharing wisdom with others, no matter the environment. Tristen holds a BA in English Literature from The University of Colorado and an MEd from The University of Phoenix. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 643,658 times.

Answering essay questions on an exam can be difficult and stressful, which can make it hard to provide a good answer. However, you can improve your ability to answer essay questions by learning how to understand the questions, form an answer, and stay focused. Developing your ability to give excellent answers on essay exams will take time and effort, but you can learn some good essay question practices and start improving your answers.

Understanding the Question

• Analyze: Explain the what, where, who, when, why, and how. Include pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses, etc.
• Compare: Discuss the similarities and differences between two or more things. Don't forget to explain why the comparison is useful.
• Contrast: Discuss how two or more things are different or distinguish between them. Don't forget to explain why the contrast is useful.
• Define: State what something means, does, achieves, etc.
• Describe: List characteristics or traits of something. You may also need to summarize something, such as an essay prompt that asks "Describe the major events that led to the American Revolution."
• Discuss: This is more analytical. You usually begin by describing something and then present arguments for or against it. You may need to analyze the advantages or disadvantages of your subject.
• Evaluate: Offer the pros and cons, positives and negatives for a subject. You may be asked to evaluate a statement for logical support, or evaluate an argument for weaknesses.
• Explain: Explain why or how something happened, or justify your position on something.
• Prove: Usually reserved for more scientific or objective essays. You may be asked to include evidence and research to build a case for a specific position or set of hypotheses.
• Summarize: Usually, this means to list the major ideas or themes of a subject. It could also ask you to present the main ideas in order to then fully discuss them. Most essay questions will not ask for pure summary without anything else.

• Raise your hand and wait for your teacher to come over to you or approach your teacher’s desk to ask your question. This way you will be less likely to disrupt other test takers.

Forming Your Response

• Take a moment to consider your organization before you start writing your answer. What information should come first, second, third, etc.?
• In many cases, the traditional 5-paragraph essay structure works well. Start with an introductory paragraph, use 3 paragraphs in the body of the article to explain different points, and finish with a concluding paragraph.
• It can also be really helpful to draft a quick outline of your essay before you start writing.

• You may want to make a list of facts and figures that you want to include in your essay answer. That way you can refer to this list as you write your answer.
• It's best to write down all the important key topics or ideas before you get started composing your answer. That way, you can check back to make sure you haven't missed anything.

• For example, imagine that your essay question asks: "Should the FIFA World Cup be awarded to countries with human rights violations? Explain and support your answer."
• You might restate this as "Countries with human rights violations should not be awarded the FIFA World Cup because this rewards a nation's poor treatment of its citizens." This will be the thesis that you support with examples and explanation.

• For example, whether you argue that the FIFA World Cup should or should not be awarded to countries with human rights violations, you will want to address the opposing side's argument. However, it needs to be clear where your essay stands about the matter.
• Often, essay questions end up saying things along the lines of "There are many similarities and differences between X and Y." This does not offer a clear position and can result in a bad grade.

• If you are required to write your answer by hand, then take care to make your writing legible and neat. Some professors may deduct points if they cannot read what you have written.

Staying Calm and Focused

• If you get to a point during the exam where you feel too anxious to focus, put down your pencil (or take your hands off of the keyboard), close your eyes, and take a deep breath. Stretch your arms and imagine that you are somewhere pleasant for a few moments. When you have completed this brief exercise, open up your eyes and resume the exam.

• For example, if the exam period is one hour long and you have to answer three questions in that time frame, then you should plan to spend no more than 20 minutes on each question.
• Look at the weight of the questions, if applicable. For example, if there are five 10-point short-answers and a 50-point essay, plan to spend more time on the essay because it is worth significantly more. Don't get stuck spending so much time on the short-answers that you don't have time to develop a complex essay.

• This strategy is even more important if the exam has multiple essay questions. If you take too much time on the first question, then you may not have enough time to answer the other questions on the exam.

• If you feel like you are straying away from the question, reread the question and review any notes that you made to help guide you. After you get refocused, then continue writing your answer.
• Try to allow yourself enough time to go back and tighten up connections between your points. A few well-placed transitions can really bump up your grade.

Community Q&A

• If you are worried about running out of time, put your watch in front of you where you can see it. Just try not to focus on it too much. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you need more practice, make up your own questions or even look at some practice questions online! Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Look up relevant quotes if your exam is open notes. Use references from books or class to back up your answers.
• Make sure your sentences flow together and that you don't repeat the same thing twice!

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• ↑ https://www.linnbenton.edu/student-services/library-tutoring-testing/learning-center/academic-coaching/documents/Strategies%20For%20Answering%20Essay%20Questions.pdf
• ↑ https://www.ius.edu/writing-center/files/answering-essay-questions.pdf
• ↑ https://success.uark.edu/get-help/student-resources/short-answer-essays.php

About This Article

To write a good answer to an exam essay question, read the question carefully to find what it's asking, and follow the instructions for the essay closely. Begin your essay by rephrasing the question into a statement with your answer in the statement. Include supplemental facts and figures if necessary, or do textual analysis from a provided piece to support your argument. Make sure your writing is clear and to the point, and don't include extra information unless it supports your argument. For tips from our academic reviewer on understanding essay questions and dealing with testing nerves, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Response Paper

• Writing Essays
• Writing Research Papers
• English Grammar
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

Most of the time when you are tasked with an essay about a book or article you've read for a class, you will be expected to write in a professional and impersonal voice. But the regular rules change a bit when you write a response paper.

A response (or reaction) paper differs from the formal review primarily in that it is written in the first person . Unlike in more formal writing, the use of phrases like "I thought" and "I believe" is encouraged in a response paper. 

You'll still have a thesis and will need to back up your opinion with evidence from the work, but this type of paper spotlights your individual reaction as a reader or viewer.

Read and Respond

Grace Fleming

For a response paper, you still need to write a formal assessment of the work you're observing (this could be anything created, such as a film, a work of art, a piece of music, a speech, a marketing campaign, or a written work), but you will also add your own personal reaction and impressions to the report.

The steps for completing a reaction or response paper are:

• Observe or read the piece for an initial understanding.
• Mark interesting pages with a sticky flag or take notes on the piece to capture your first impressions.
• Reread the marked pieces and your notes and stop to reflect often.
• Record your thoughts.
• Develop a thesis.
• Write an outline.
• Construct your essay.

It may be helpful to imagine yourself watching a movie review as you're preparing your outline. You will use the same framework for your response paper: a summary of the work with several of your own thoughts and assessments mixed in.

The First Paragraph

After you have established an outline for your paper, you need to craft the first draft of the essay using all the basic elements found in any strong paper, including a strong introductory sentence .

In the case of a reaction essay, the first sentence should contain both the title of the work to which you are responding and the name of the author.

The last sentence of your introductory paragraph should contain a thesis statement . That statement will make your overall opinion very clear.

Stating Your Opinion

There's no need to feel shy about expressing your own opinion in a position paper, even though it may seem strange to write "I feel" or "I believe" in an essay. 

In the sample here, the writer analyzes and compares the plays but also manages to express personal reactions. There's a balance struck between discussing and critiquing the work (and its successful or unsuccessful execution) and expressing a reaction to it.

Sample Statements

When writing a response essay, you can include statements like the following:

• I felt that
• In my opinion
• The reader can conclude that
• The author seems to
• I did not like
• This aspect didn't work for me because
• The images seemed to
• The author was [was not] successful in making me feel
• I was especially moved by
• I didn't understand the connection between
• It was clear that the artist was trying to
• The soundtrack seemed too
• My favorite part was...because

Tip : A common mistake in personal essays it to resort to insulting comments with no clear explanation or analysis. It's OK to critique the work you are responding to, but you still need to back up your feelings, thoughts, opinions, and reactions with concrete evidence and examples from the work. What prompted the reaction in you, how, and why? What didn't reach you and why?

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TOPICS A. Fill-in-the-Blank Items B. Essay Questions C. Scoring Options

Assignments

Extended Response

Extended responses can be much longer and complex then short responses, but students should be encouraged to remain focused and organized. On the FCAT, students have 14 lines for each answer to an extended response item, and they are advised to allow approximately 10-15 minutes to complete each item. The FCAT extended responses are scored using a 4-point scoring rubric. A complete and correct answer is worth 4 points. A partial answer is worth 1, 2, or 3 points.

Trump says abortion should be left to states, does not endorse national limit

Former president Donald Trump , who has wavered between highlighting and downplaying his role in curtailing abortion rights, suggested Monday that the politically volatile issue should be left to states, after months of mixed signals about his position.

In a video posted on social media, Trump took credit for the overturning of Roe v. Wade but was silent about a national ban of any length, which some antiabortion groups had pressed his campaign to embrace. “Now it’s up to the states to do the right thing,” Trump said.

“My view is now that we have abortion where everybody wanted it from a legal standpoint, the states will determine by vote or legislation or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land. In this case, the law of the state,” Trump said in the video.

Trump campaigned in 2016 on appointing Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade and became a champion of the antiabortion movement. But he has waffled on the issue since Roe fell in 2022 , as Republicans up and down the ballot have paid a political price for unpopular bans. Democrats have made abortion central to their case against Trump, relentlessly reminding voters of his Supreme Court picks who helped end a nationwide right to the procedure.

Last week, Trump promised a “statement” on abortion, as reporters pressed him for his opinion on a six-week ban poised to take effect in Florida . That set off a flurry of last-minute lobbying from abortion opponents who are divided over the best path forward. Some urged Trump to get behind a national ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, while others warned that such restrictions are a nonstarter in Congress and could further galvanize the left.

On Sunday, he teased an imminent announcement on social media, saying that “Republicans, and all others, must follow their hearts and minds,” while emphasizing that he supports exceptions to abortion bans for rape, incest and the life of the mother. Trump added, “We must use common sense in realizing that we have an obligation to the salvation of our Nation … to win elections.”

The president of SBA Pro-Life America, a leading antiabortion group, said Monday that it is “deeply disappointed” in Trump’s position. SBA had led the charge in pushing Trump and other presidential candidates to endorse a ban on abortion after 15 weeks.

“Unborn children and their mothers deserve national protections and national advocacy from the brutality of the abortion industry,” Marjorie Dannenfelser, the group’s president, said in a statement.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close Trump ally who introduced long-shot legislation to ban abortion nationally after 15 weeks, said in a statement Monday that he, too, disagrees with the former president. Graham argued that the “states’ rights only rationale … will age about as well as the Dred Scott decision,” the 1857 Supreme Court ruling that held that enslaved people were not U.S. citizens.

Former vice president Mike Pence , who has declined to endorse Trump’s White House bid, called the statement a “slap in the face to the millions of pro-life Americans who voted for him in 2016 and 2020.”

In a statement, President Biden highlighted that Trump took credit for overturning Roe, and he said Republicans would push for a federal bill if Trump takes back the White House.

“Let there be no illusion. If Donald Trump is elected and the MAGA Republicans in Congress put a national abortion ban on the Resolute Desk, Trump will sign it into law,” Biden said. “Donald Trump and all those responsible for overturning Roe don’t have a clue about the power of women in America. But they are about to find out.”

The Biden campaign also released a 60-second ad featuring the story of a Texas woman who had a miscarriage at 18 weeks.

“Because Donald Trump killed Roe v. Wade in America, Amanda was denied standard medical care to prevent an infection, an abortion,” the ad said. “Three days later, Amanda was in the ICU with sepsis. She almost died twice.”

The ad is part of a $30 million ad buy.

Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, began his video by affirming his support for in vitro fertilization, a process that fertilizes eggs outside the womb to help produce a pregnancy.

Where is abortion legal and illegal?

A nationally watched court ruling in Alabama in February threatened to shut down the fertility treatment by holding that frozen embryos are people. Republican candidates largely scrambled to distance themselves from the ruling, though some in Congress have endorsed legislation that would recognize a fertilized egg as a human being entitled to legal protections under the 14th Amendment.

Trump’s emphasis on IVF support underscored the issue’s potential danger to conservatives at the ballot box. He praised Alabama Republicans for quickly passing a law protecting IVF in the state and said that “we want to make it easier for mothers and families to have babies, not harder.”

In the video, Trump also falsely claimed that “all legal scholars, both sides,” wanted to see Roe overturned. He suggested that Democrats support “execution after birth.” Some states place no limits on when an abortion can be performed, but the procedure is very rare after the point of fetal viability. Democrats in the past have blocked a bill that sought to punish doctors for not providing medical care to an infant who survives a failed abortion; opponents of the bill said infanticide is already illegal.

Trump has repeatedly highlighted the political fallout of abortion for Republicans. He has suggested on social media that GOP losses in the 2022 midterms were due to the “abortion issue,” which he described as “poorly handled by many Republicans, especially those that firmly insisted on No Exceptions.”

Trump spent much of the GOP primaries declining to take a firm stance on federal legislation and even described Florida’s six-week abortion ban — signed by a key rival, Gov. Ron DeSantis — as a “terrible mistake.” During a CNN town hall last year, Trump declined to say whether he would sign a federal abortion ban into law and insisted that overturning Roe put the antiabortion movement in a “very good negotiating position.”

In a September interview on NBC News’s “Meet the Press,” Trump predicted that “both sides will come together.” He said the agreement could be state or federal, adding, “I don’t, frankly, care.”

More recently, he said in a March radio interview that “people are agreeing on 15 [weeks], and I’m thinking in terms of that.” But he also said that “all the legal scholars on both sides agree: It’s a state issue. It shouldn’t be a federal issue.”

Yet as president, he backed a national 20-week ban that could not pass in Congress and at the time ran afoul of Roe. Under Roe, Americans nationwide had a right to abortion until a fetus was viable outside the womb, often pegged at about 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Many antiabortion activists view federal restrictions on abortion as impractical, given the difficulty of securing the 60 Senate votes necessary to overcome a filibuster. A 15-week ban introduced by some Republicans in Congress has gone nowhere. Social conservatives planning for a second Trump term have focused on actions that federal agencies could take without Congress to make abortions harder to obtain.

At the same time, some Republicans have argued that GOP candidates need to talk about abortion more explicitly to avoid ceding the issue to Democrats.

In a statement, the Faith and Freedom Coalition, a conservative advocacy group, praised Trump as “the most pro-life president in American history.”

“We appreciate his statement reaffirming his pro-life convictions,” the group said. “We will continue to work for the passage of legislation at the state and federal level to protect as many unborn children as we can, and 24 states have already enacted laws doing so.”

When a court cleared the way last week for Florida’s six-week abortion ban to take effect, Trump’s campaign gave reporters a statement that made no mention of Trump’s role in ending Roe . “President Trump supports preserving life but has also made clear that he supports states’ rights because he supports the voters’ right to make decisions for themselves,” said the statement from campaign adviser Brian Hughes.

Democrats rushed to remind voters of Trump’s record. On social media, Biden drew attention to Trump’s past statement that “without me, there would be no 6 weeks.”

“You already made your statement, Donald,” Biden wrote last week after Trump promised to address abortion further.

Election 2024

Get the latest news on the 2024 election from our reporters on the campaign trail and in Washington.

Who is running? President Biden and Donald Trump secured their parties’ nominations for the presidency , formalizing a general-election rematch.

Key dates and events: From January to June, voters in all states and U.S. territories will pick their party’s nominee for president ahead of the summer conventions. Here are key dates and events on the 2024 election calendar .

Abortion and the election: Voters in a dozen states in this pivotal election year could decide the fate of abortion rights with constitutional amendments on the ballot. Biden supports legal access to abortion , and he has encouraged Congress to pass a law that would codify abortion rights nationwide. After months of mixed signals about his position, Trump said the issue should be left to states . Here’s how Trump’s abortion stance has shifted over the years.

• Latest 2024 election news: Biden hosts Japanese prime minister, holds news conference 29 minutes ago Latest 2024 election news: Biden hosts Japanese prime minister, holds news conference 29 minutes ago
• Trump says Arizona Supreme Court ruling on abortion went too far 1 hour ago Trump says Arizona Supreme Court ruling on abortion went too far 1 hour ago
• The Arizona Supreme Court just upended Trump’s gambit on abortion April 9, 2024 The Arizona Supreme Court just upended Trump’s gambit on abortion April 9, 2024

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Solar eclipse 2024: Follow the path of totality

Solar eclipse, how to keep pets safe during the solar eclipse, whether at home or on the road.

Rachel Treisman

A dog tries on eclipse sunglasses in London in 2015. Experts say pets don't need eclipse sunglasses — in fact, quite the opposite. Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP hide caption

A dog tries on eclipse sunglasses in London in 2015. Experts say pets don't need eclipse sunglasses — in fact, quite the opposite.

The solar eclipse is a can't-miss event for millions of Americans, whether or not they'll be viewing it from the path of totality . But what does it mean for our many furry friends?

Dr. Rena Carlson, the president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, got a firsthand view of how animals responded to the total eclipse in 2017.

Her veterinary practice, in Pocatello, Idaho, closed down for several minutes so staff members could watch the eclipse outside, along with many of their dogs.

What you need to know to watch Monday's total solar eclipse

"Honestly, the animals were probably more anxious because of our excitement than anything else," she remembers.

Carlson says while certain dogs may exhibit some of the behaviors they normally do when it starts to get dark outside, the eclipse is unlikely to directly affect pets in a significant way.

But things like crowds and traffic can, which is why experts recommend leaving animals at home to be safe.

Carlson says there are steps that their humans should take to look out for them on such a hectic day — especially if anyone involved is traveling .

Thinking of taking a last-minute drive to see the eclipse? Here's what to know

"My bigger worry is there was so much traffic and so many people coming through our area that a drive [that] typically would take us two hours took over eight to 10 hours," Carlson says. "So if you're traveling with your dog, please be prepared for long wait times."

Here are some expert tips for protecting your pet during the eclipse, whether they're right in the thick of it or waiting for you at home.

Consider: Should Fido come or stay?

The first step is to decide whether your pet even needs to come with you for outdoor eclipse viewing, whether it's close to home or out of town.

Most of the time, Carlson says, the answer is no.

"It's quite an amazing phenomenon for us to experience," she explains. "And so that can be pretty stressful when dogs are with large crowds and a lot of noise, they don't quite understand the excitement. They're going to be much more nervous about 'What's going on?' and 'How should I react?' "

She says the same guidance applies to all pets, even though cats and birds are not as likely to be traveling in the first place.

"They're going to be better off at home, in their normal environment," she adds.

Prepare for commotion and contingencies if you're traveling

If you do decide to bring your dog, plan ahead for what to do if things get overwhelming.

That includes bringing extra food and water in case the journey takes longer than expected, and getting them out of the car for walks or bathroom breaks if you're stuck in traffic.

Once you're at your destination, Carlson says, "always be thinking about" how to keep your pet safe and comfortable. Keep them on their leash, make sure they're hydrated and pay attention to their body language.

For April's eclipse, going from 'meh' to 'OMG' might mean just driving across town

"You know your pets' behaviors better than anybody else," she says. "And so watch for any kind of a change in how they're reacting."

Signs of distress may include panting, pacing and whining. If you notice any of these behaviors, Carlson advises removing your pet from the situation as soon as possible, because "the more worked up they become, the harder it is to calm them down."

"I know there's a lot of activity going on and there's a lot of things to see, and excitement," she adds. "But if you have ... a pet with you, make sure you're really paying attention to them and watching their signs of stress so that you can respond appropriately."

How to make the most of next week's solar eclipse

If you're traveling sans pets, make sure there's someone back home you can call to feed and let them out while you're away, especially if there's a chance you may get home later than normal.

The ASPCA recommends keeping pets busy with a food puzzle toy or other form of enrichment while you're away. But Carlson says not to worry more than usual about leaving your pet alone that day.

"They're not going to be worried about the eclipse happening," she says. "They're just going to think it's a normal day where you're gone."

Don't waste your eclipse glasses on your pet

Any human who plans to look directly at the eclipse needs to wear special sunglasses , except for those few brief minutes when the moon is fully blocking the sun. Pets, however, do not.

"They're outside every day and don't look up at the sun, so there's no reason to think they're going to do that at this point," Carlson explains.

In fact, trying to put glasses on your pet — even for a photo opp — could likely do more harm than good, Carlson says. It could stress dogs, leading them to paw them off and even chew them up.

Why watching the 2024 total solar eclipse might change your life

"Keep the glasses for yourself, because we're the ones that are going to be looking up at the sun and need that protection for our eyes," she says. "They're just going to be looking around like they normally do every day and feeding off of your emotions and your excitement."

Dr. Lori Bierbrier, the senior medical director of ASPCA Community Medicine, told NPR over email that while it's unlikely that animals will look right at the sun, their eyes could be damaged if they do so long enough.

Symptoms of eye damage include squinting, closing one eye or pawing at their eyes, redness, inflammation or cloudiness and watery eyes or discharge. She recommends contacting your vet as soon as you notice them.

Everything you need to know about solar eclipse glasses before April 8

But what about vet offices that are closed for the eclipse — as Carlson's briefly was — or hard to get to on the day of the eclipse?

Carlson says you should be aware of heavy traffic and figure out back roads you can take.

Ideally, worried pet owners could call their vet to explain the situation and get advice first. Carlson says that's just one example of why strong client-patient relationships are so important.

"Whether there's an eclipse or not," she says, "emergencies happen."

More resources to enjoy the eclipse

• Sharing the eclipse with tiny humans?  Check out these  kid-friendly total solar eclipse learning guides  from Vermont Public's  But Why,  and this great explainer from KERA Kids on  the difference between a solar and a lunar eclipse .
• Feeling whimsical?  Here are three ways to  sprinkle a little magic into your eclipse experience .
• Plan to wander into the wild for the best view?   Here are some tips from outdoor experts.
• Tips from Bill Nye  on the best ways to enjoy the eclipse.

NPR will be sharing highlights here from across the NPR Network throughout the day Monday if you're unable to get out and see it in real time.

• total solar eclipse
• 2024 eclipse
• animal safety

Why Taiwan Was So Prepared for a Powerful Earthquake

Decades of learning from disasters, tightening building codes and increasing public awareness may have helped its people better weather strong quakes.

Search-and-rescue teams recover a body from a leaning building in Hualien, Taiwan. Thanks to improvements in building codes after past earthquakes, many structures withstood Wednesday’s quake. Credit...

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By Chris Buckley ,  Meaghan Tobin and Siyi Zhao

Photographs by Lam Yik Fei

Chris Buckley reported from the city of Hualien, Meaghan Tobin from Taipei, in Taiwan.

• April 4, 2024

When the largest earthquake in Taiwan in half a century struck off its east coast, the buildings in the closest city, Hualien, swayed and rocked. As more than 300 aftershocks rocked the island over the next 24 hours to Thursday morning, the buildings shook again and again.

But for the most part, they stood.

Even the two buildings that suffered the most damage remained largely intact, allowing residents to climb to safety out the windows of upper stories. One of them, the rounded, red brick Uranus Building, which leaned precariously after its first floors collapsed, was mostly drawing curious onlookers.

The building is a reminder of how much Taiwan has prepared for disasters like the magnitude-7.4 earthquake that jolted the island on Wednesday. Perhaps because of improvements in building codes, greater public awareness and highly trained search-and-rescue operations — and, likely, a dose of good luck — the casualty figures were relatively low. By Thursday, 10 people had died and more than 1,000 others were injured. Several dozen were missing.

“Similar level earthquakes in other societies have killed far more people,” said Daniel Aldrich , a director of the Global Resilience Institute at Northeastern University. Of Taiwan, he added: “And most of these deaths, it seems, have come from rock slides and boulders, rather than building collapses.”

Across the island, rail traffic had resumed by Thursday, including trains to Hualien. Workers who had been stuck in a rock quarry were lifted out by helicopter. Roads were slowly being repaired. Hundreds of people were stranded at a hotel near a national park because of a blocked road, but they were visited by rescuers and medics.

On Thursday in Hualien city, the area around the Uranus Building was sealed off, while construction workers tried to prevent the leaning structure from toppling completely. First they placed three-legged concrete blocks that resembled giant Lego pieces in front of the building, and then they piled dirt and rocks on top of those blocks with excavators.

“We came to see for ourselves how serious it was, why it has tilted,” said Chang Mei-chu, 66, a retiree who rode a scooter with her husband Lai Yung-chi, 72, to the building on Thursday. Mr. Lai said he was a retired builder who used to install power and water pipes in buildings, and so he knew about building standards. The couple’s apartment, near Hualien’s train station, had not been badly damaged, he said.

“I wasn’t worried about our building, because I know they paid attention to earthquake resistance when building it. I watched them pour the cement to make sure,” Mr. Lai said. “There have been improvements. After each earthquake, they raise the standards some more.”

It was possible to walk for city blocks without seeing clear signs of the powerful earthquake. Many buildings remained intact, some of them old and weather-worn; others modern, multistory concrete-and-glass structures. Shops were open, selling coffee, ice cream and betel nuts. Next to the Uranus Building, a popular night market with food stalls offering fried seafood, dumplings and sweets was up and running by Thursday evening.

Earthquakes are unavoidable in Taiwan, which sits on multiple active faults. Decades of work learning from other disasters, implementing strict building codes and increasing public awareness have gone into helping its people weather frequent strong quakes.

Not far from the Uranus Building, for example, officials had inspected a building with cracked pillars and concluded that it was dangerous to stay in. Residents were given 15 minutes to dash inside and retrieve as many belongings as they could. Some ran out with computers, while others threw bags of clothes out of windows onto the street, which was also still littered with broken glass and cement fragments from the quake.

One of its residents, Chen Ching-ming, a preacher at a church next door, said he thought the building might be torn down. He was able to salvage a TV and some bedding, which now sat on the sidewalk, and was preparing to go back in for more. “I’ll lose a lot of valuable things — a fridge, a microwave, a washing machine,” he said. “All gone.”

Requirements for earthquake resistance have been built into Taiwan’s building codes since 1974. In the decades since, the writers of Taiwan’s building code also applied lessons learned from other major earthquakes around the world, including in Mexico and Los Angeles, to strengthen Taiwan’s code.

After more than 2,400 people were killed and at least 10,000 others injured during the Chi-Chi quake of 1999, thousands of buildings built before the quake were reviewed and reinforced. After another strong quake in 2018 in Hualien, the government ordered a new round of building inspections. Since then, multiple updates to the building code have been released.

“We have retrofitted more than 10,000 school buildings in the last 20 years,” said Chung-Che Chou, the director general of the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering in Taipei.

The government had also helped reinforce private apartment buildings over the past six years by adding new steel braces and increasing column and beam sizes, Dr. Chou said. Not far from the buildings that partially collapsed in Hualien, some of the older buildings that had been retrofitted in this way survived Wednesday’s quake, he said.

The result of all this is that even Taiwan’s tallest skyscrapers can withstand regular seismic jolts. The capital city’s most iconic building, Taipei 101, once the tallest building in the world, was engineered to stand through typhoon winds and frequent quakes. Still, some experts say that more needs to be done to either strengthen or demolish structures that don’t meet standards, and such calls have grown louder in the wake of the latest earthquake.

Taiwan has another major reason to protect its infrastructure: It is home to the majority of production for the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world’s largest maker of advanced computer chips. The supply chain for electronics from smartphones to cars to fighter jets rests on the output of TSMC’s factories, which make these chips in facilities that cost billions of dollars to build.

The 1999 quake also prompted TSMC to take extra steps to insulate its factories from earthquake damage. The company made major structural adjustments and adopted new technologies like early warning systems. When another large quake struck the southern city of Kaohsiung in February 2016, TSMC’s two nearby factories survived without structural damage.

Taiwan has made strides in its response to disasters, experts say. In the first 24 hours after the quake, rescuers freed hundreds of people who were trapped in cars in between rockfalls on the highway and stranded on mountain ledges in rock quarries.

“After years of hard work on capacity building, the overall performance of the island has improved significantly,” said Bruce Wong, an emergency management consultant in Hong Kong. Taiwan’s rescue teams have come to specialize in complex efforts, he said, and it has also been able to tap the skills of trained volunteers.

Taiwan’s resilience also stems from a strong civil society that is involved in public preparedness for disasters.

Ou Chi-hu, a member of a group of Taiwanese military veterans, was helping distribute water and other supplies at a school that was serving as a shelter for displaced residents in Hualien. He said that people had learned from the 1999 earthquake how to be more prepared.

“They know to shelter in a corner of the room or somewhere else safer,” he said. Many residents also keep a bag of essentials next to their beds, and own fire extinguishers, he added.

Around him, a dozen or so other charities and groups were offering residents food, money, counseling and childcare. The Tzu Chi Foundation, a large Taiwanese Buddhist charity, provided tents for families to use inside the school hall so they could have more privacy. Huang Yu-chi, a disaster relief manager with the foundation, said nonprofits had learned from earlier disasters.

“Now we’re more systematic and have a better idea of disaster prevention,” Mr. Huang said.

Mike Ives contributed reporting from Seoul.

Chris Buckley , the chief China correspondent for The Times, reports on China and Taiwan from Taipei, focused on politics, social change and security and military issues. More about Chris Buckley

Meaghan Tobin is a technology correspondent for The Times based in Taipei, covering business and tech stories in Asia with a focus on China. More about Meaghan Tobin

Siyi Zhao is a reporter and researcher who covers news in mainland China for The Times in Seoul. More about Siyi Zhao

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Why an intention to conserve an area for only 25 years should not count for Australia’s target of protecting 30% of land

Adjunct Professor in Environmental Sciences, Deakin University

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James Fitzsimons is Senior Advisor, Global Protection Strategies with The Nature Conservancy, is a Councillor of the Biodiversity Council and a member of the Australian Land Conservation Alliance's policy and government relations committee.

Deakin University provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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Protected areas have been the cornerstone of efforts to conserve nature for more than a century. Most countries have some form of protected areas, national parks being the best-known examples. A key element of protected areas is that they are dedicated, through legal or other effective means, to long-term conservation of nature.

Australia has taken an innovative and diverse approach to growing its protected area estate. It includes Indigenous Protected Areas and privately protected areas in the form of conservation covenants and land bought by land trusts . As a result, the country’s protected area estate has grown from 7% in the mid-1990s to 22% of the continent today.

Despite this progress, the Australian government has released new draft guidelines for other forms of area-based conservation, with potentially troubling implications. It suggests 25 years of “intention” to deliver biodiversity outcomes is enough for that land to count for the 30% protected area target.

Our newly published research has looked at what types of land use might qualify in line with international guidelines. We found two problems with the proposal to include 25-year plans for biodiversity outcomes.

First, such plans are non-binding, so protection can lapse at any time. Second, they do not satisfy international and Australian principles of long-term protection. Proceeding with this proposal would undermine the goal of long-term conservation in this country.

The new kid in town

In 2010, parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity added a new, slightly unwieldy term, “other effective area-based conservation measures”. These conservation areas (OECMs for short) complement protected areas in achieving global conservation targets. An OECM is a geographically defined area that is not already a protected area, “which is governed and managed in ways that achieve positive and sustained long-term outcomes for the in situ conservation of biodiversity”.

In 2022, the world lifted ambitions for protection and conservation to 30% of land and water areas by 2030 as part of the convention’s Global Biodiversity Framework . There’s been a surge of interest in OECMs to help meet that target.

International guidance on OECMs has been developed only relatively recently. This creates an urgent need for country-specific analysis.

In our peer-reviewed paper in the journal Conservation, we explore policy issues related to OECMs in Australia. We looked at what types of land use might qualify, with a focus on longevity.

What’s the Australian response?

The Australian government has released a draft set of principles to guide OECM development in Australia. The consultation period closes on April 17.

These principles are largely in line with global guidance. However, a couple of significant deviations could compromise Australia’s leadership in area-based conservation.

The most notable deviation relates to the definition of “long-term”. It’s fundamental to whether a site meets the criteria for contributing to global targets. The proposed principles suggest 25 years of “intention” to deliver biodiversity outcomes is enough.

This is a problem for two reasons. First, “intention” does little for biodiversity if the landholder chooses to sell their property a few years after being recognised as an OECM and the new owner has no such conservation interest.

In contrast, conservation covenants are a tool that all states already use to counter against this very scenario. The covenants are attached to the land title and bind future landholders forever. For this reason, these are considered privately protected areas.

Second, a 25-year timeframe is at odds with long-established Australian policy for defining “long-term” for protected areas. A minimum timeframe of 99 years is required if permanent protection is not possible.

The proposal is also inconsistent with the 2023 Nature Repair Act . This law added provision for a 100-year agreement (in addition to its original 25-year agreement) during consultations. This change was based on feedback that 25-year agreements did not equate to long-term.

So where did the 25-year proposal come from? It seems to misinterpret global guidance for privately protected areas . Regardless, adoption of a 25-year “intention” would be a significant backslide for conservation policy in Australia.

So what other areas might count?

Defence land and protected water catchments on public land are often suggested as good candidates in Australia and overseas. Many contain large and significant ecosystem values. The primary use is often compatible with those values.

These areas are also usually permanent fixtures of the landscape, meeting a long-term public need. Thus they would likely qualify as OECMs.

Many local government reserves protect important areas of bushland and manage it for that purpose. Typically, they have not been classified as protected areas. Many are likely to qualify as OECMs.

On private land, it’s a little more challenging. Long-term carbon agreements and biodiversity offset agreements are likely to qualify – despite controversy at times over their primary use.

Land for Wildlife is a successful, high-profile program for engaging landholders with wildlife habitat on their property. Their distinctive blue-diamond-shaped signs adorn over 14,000 properties around the country.

However, these agreements are non-binding. A landholder could remove them at any time. This means they cannot be considered long-term or qualify as an OECM.

Regardless of the assessments above, each site would need to undergo an individual assessment to ensure it meets the criteria.

The importance of longevity

Ultimately, more land managed for conservation is good and all forms of area-based conservation should be encouraged. However, not all forms of area-based conservation qualify for inclusion in global biodiversity targets. Long-term outcomes are fundamental.

Australia has a proud history of innovative protected area policy and approaches. The development of OECM policy in Australia needs to complement and advance that, not erode the standards for long-agreed definitions of long-term.

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• nature conservation
• Convention on biological diversity
• Indigenous Protected Areas
• Biodiversity targets
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Why is Taiwan so exposed to earthquakes and so well prepared to withstand them?

Emergency services on Wednesday continued rescue operations at the scene of a partially collapsed building at the epicentre of Taiwan’s earthquake zone in Hualien City. Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in nearly 25 years has so far caused the deaths of at least nine people. The quake, which also injured hundreds, was centred off the coast of rural, mountainous Hualien County, where some buildings leaned at severe angles, their ground floors crushed.

The strongest earthquake in a quarter-century has rocked Taiwan during the morning rush hour. Wednesday’s quake killed at least nine people, stranded dozens of workers at quarries and sent some residents scrambling out the windows of damaged buildings. The quake also injured more than 1,000.

Taiwan’s Vice-President viewed the damage caused by the earthquake in Hualien City on Wednesday. The quake, which killed at least nine people and injured hundreds, was centered off the coast of rural, mountainous Hualien County, where some buildings leaned at severe angles, their ground floors crushed.

A man looks at the cordoned off site of a leaning building in the aftermath of an earthquake in Hualien, eastern Taiwan on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century rocked the island during the morning rush hour Wednesday, damaging buildings and highways (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

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A rescue worker stands near the cordoned off site of a leaning building in the aftermath of an earthquake in Hualien, eastern Taiwan on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century rocked the island during the morning rush hour Wednesday, damaging buildings and highways. (AP Photo/Johnson Lai)

People evacuated from their homes sit outside the shelter after the main earthquake in Hualien City, eastern Taiwan, Thursday earlier morning, April 4, 2024. The strongest earthquake in a quarter-century has rocked Taiwan during the morning rush hour. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

People evacuated from their homes are accommodated in the tent area of the shelter after the main earthquake in Hualien City, eastern Taiwan, Thursday earlier morning, April 4, 2024. The strongest earthquake in a quarter-century has rocked Taiwan during the morning rush hour. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Firefighters complete their mission and evacuate from the collapsed building during a rescue operation following an earthquake in Hualien City, eastern Taiwan, Wednesday, April 3, 2024. The strongest earthquake in a quarter-century has rocked Taiwan during the morning rush hour. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

Rescue workers stand near the site of a leaning building in the aftermath of an earthquake in Hualien, Taiwan, on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century rocked the island during the morning rush hour Wednesday. (AP Photo/Johnson Lai)

Rescue workers stand near the site of a leaning building in the aftermath of an earthquake in Hualien, eastern Taiwan on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century rocked the island during the morning rush hour Wednesday, damaging buildings and highways (AP Photo/Johnson Lai)

In this photo released by the Taiwan Air Force Command, members of a search and rescue team prepare to deploy on a Taiwan Air Force C-130 from southern Taiwan’s Pingtung military air base en route for Hualien on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century rocked the island during the morning rush hour Wednesday, damaging buildings and highways. (Taiwan Air Force Command via AP)

In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, Taiwan’s President Elect and Vice President Lai Ching-te, center left in red, visits the site of a building partially collapsed after an earthquake in Hualien in eastern Taiwan on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century rocked the island during the morning rush hour Wednesday, damaging buildings and highways. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)

In this photo released by the National Fire Agency, members of a search and rescue team prepare outside a leaning building in the aftermath of an earthquake in Hualien, eastern Taiwan on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century rocked the island during the morning rush Wednesday, damaging buildings and creating a tsunami that washed ashore on southern Japanese islands. (National Fire Agency via AP)

In this image taken from a video footage run by TVBS, residents rescue a child from a partially collapsed building in Hualien, eastern Taiwan on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. A powerful earthquake rocked the entire island of Taiwan early Wednesday, collapsing buildings in a southern city and creating a tsunami that washed ashore on southern Japanese islands. (TVBS via AP)

People evacuate to higher ground after a tsunami warning following a powerful earthquake in Naha, Okinawa prefecture, Japan, Wednesday, April 3, 2024. A powerful earthquake rocked the entire island of Taiwan early Wednesday, collapsing buildings in a southern city and creating a tsunami that washed ashore on southern Japanese islands.(Kyodo News via AP)

In this image taken from a video footage run by TVBS, a man checks a partially collapsed building in Hualien, eastern Taiwan on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. A powerful earthquake rocked the entire island of Taiwan early Wednesday, collapsing buildings in a southern city and creating a tsunami that washed ashore on southern Japanese islands.(TVBS via AP)

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan was struck Wednesday by its most powerful earthquake in a quarter of a century . At least nine people were killed and hundreds injured, buildings and highways damaged and dozens of workers at quarries stranded.

Taiwan is no stranger to powerful earthquakes yet their toll on the high-tech island’s 23 million residents has been relatively contained thanks to its excellent earthquake preparedness, experts say.

Here is a closer look at Taiwan’s history of earthquakes:

WHY SO MANY TEMBLORS?

Taiwan lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” the line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.

The area is particularly vulnerable to temblors due to the tension accumulated from the interactions of two tectonic plates, the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate, which may lead to sudden releases in the form of earthquakes.

The region’s mountainous landscape can magnify the ground shaking, leading to landslides. Several such landslides occurred on Taiwan’s eastern coast near the epicenter of Wednesday’s quake near eastern Hualien County, when falling debris hit tunnels and highways, crushing vehicles and causing several deaths.

HOW WELL-EQUIPPED IS TAIWAN TO HANDLE QUAKES?

Wednesday’s earthquake measured 7.2, according to Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency, while the U.S. Geological Survey put it at 7.4. It damaged several buildings in Hualien but caused only minor losses in the capital Taipei despite being strongly felt there.

The earthquake hit in the middle of the morning rush hour yet only slightly derailed the regular commute. Just minutes later, parents were again walking their children to school and workers driving to offices.

“Taiwan’s earthquake preparedness is among the most advanced in the world,” said Stephen Gao, a seismologist and professor at Missouri University of Science and Technology. “The island has implemented strict building codes, a world-class seismological network, and widespread public education campaigns on earthquake safety.”

In this image taken from a video footage run by TVBS, a partially collapsed building is seen in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, April 3, 2024. (TVBS via AP)

The government continually revises the level of quake resistance required of new and existing buildings — which may increase construction costs — and offers subsidies to residents willing to check their buildings’ quake resistance.

Following a 2016 quake in Tainan, on the island’s southwestern coast, five people involved in the construction of a 17-story high-rise apartment building that was the only major structure to have collapsed, killing dozens, were found guilty of negligence and given prison sentences.

Taiwan also is pushing quake drills at schools and workplaces while public media and cellphones regularly carry notices about earthquakes and safety.

“These measures have significantly enhanced Taiwan’s resilience to earthquakes, helping to mitigate the potential for catastrophic damage and loss of life,” Gao said.

THE 1999 QUAKE WAS A WAKE-UP CALL

Taiwan and its surrounding waters have registered about 2,000 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.0 or greater since 1980, and more than 100 earthquakes with a magnitude above 5.5, according to the USGS.

The island’s worst quake in recent years struck on Sept. 21, 1999, with a magnitude of 7.7. It caused 2,400 deaths, injured around 100,000 and destroyed thousands of buildings.

In this photo released by the National Fire Agency, members of a search and rescue team prepare outside a leaning building in the aftermath of an earthquake in Hualien, eastern Taiwan on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. (National Fire Agency via AP)

It was also a major wake-up call that led to key administrative reforms to improve emergency response and disaster reduction, according to Daniel Aldrich, professor of political science and public policy at Northeastern University.

“Observers strongly criticized Taiwan’s response to the 21 September 1999 earthquake, arguing that it took hours for emergency medical response teams to arrive, that rescuers lacked training, and that the operations between government agencies were not well coordinated,” he wrote in an email. As a result, the government passed the Disaster Prevention and Protection Act and set up two national centers to handle coordination and training for earthquakes.

“I think we’re seeing the results in this most recent shock,” he said.

25 Questions (and Answers!) About the Great North American Eclipse

The McDonald Observatory’s guide to one of nature’s most beautiful and astounding events: What you might see, how to view it safely, how astronomers will study it, how animals might react, and some of the mythology and superstitions about the Sun’s great disappearing act.

1. What’s happening?

The Moon will cross directly between Earth and the Sun, temporarily blocking the Sun from view along a narrow path across Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Viewers across the rest of the United States will see a partial eclipse, with the Moon covering only part of the Sun’s disk.

2. When will it happen?

The eclipse takes place on April 8. It will get underway at 10:42 a.m. CDT, when the Moon’s shadow first touches Earth’s surface, creating a partial eclipse. The Big Show—totality—begins at about 11:39 a.m., over the south-central Pacific Ocean. The shadow will first touch North America an hour and a half later, on the Pacific coast of Mexico. Moving at more than 1,600 miles (2,575 km) per hour, the path of totality will enter the United States at Eagle Pass, Texas, at 1:27 p.m. CDT. The lunar shadow will exit the United States and enter the Canadian province of New Brunswick near Houlton, Maine, at 2:35 p.m. (3:35 p.m. EDT).

3. How long will totality last?

The exact timing depends on your location. The maximum length is 4 minutes, 27 seconds near Torreon, Mexico. In the United States, several towns in southwestern Texas will see 4 minutes, 24 seconds of totality. The closer a location is to the centerline of the path of totality, the longer the eclipse will last.

4. What will it look like?

Eclipse veterans say there’s nothing quite like a total solar eclipse. In the last moments before the Sun disappears behind the Moon, bits of sunlight filter through the lunar mountains and canyons, forming bright points of light known as Baily’s beads. The last of the beads provides a brief blaze known as a diamond ring effect. When it fades away, the sky turns dark and the corona comes into view— million-degree plasma expelled from the Sun’s surface. It forms silvery filaments that radiate away from the Sun. Solar prominences, which are fountains of gas from the surface, form smaller, redder streamers on the rim of the Sun’s disk.

5. What safety precautions do I need to take?

It’s perfectly safe to look at the total phase of the eclipse with your eyes alone. In fact, experts say it’s the best way to enjoy the spectacle. The corona, which surrounds the intervening Moon with silvery tendrils of light, is only about as bright as a full Moon.

During the partial phases of the eclipse, however, including the final moments before and first moments after totality, your eyes need protection from the Sun’s blinding light. Even a 99-percent-eclipsed Sun is thousands of times brighter than a full Moon, so even a tiny sliver of direct sunlight can be dangerous!

To stay safe, use commercially available eclipse viewers, which can look like eyeglasses or can be embedded in a flat sheet that you hold in front of your face. Make sure your viewer meets the proper safety standards, and inspect it before you use it to make sure there are no scratches to let in unfiltered sunlight.

You also can view the eclipse through a piece of welder’s glass (No. 14 or darker), or stand under a leafy tree and look at the ground; the gaps between leaves act as lenses, projecting a view of the eclipse on the ground. With an especially leafy tree you can see hundreds of images of the eclipse at once. (You can also use a colander or similar piece of gear to create the same effect.)

One final mode of eclipse watching is with a pinhole camera. You can make one by poking a small hole in an index card, file folder, or piece of stiff cardboard. Let the Sun shine through the hole onto the ground or a piece of paper, but don’t look at the Sun through the hole! The hole projects an image of the eclipsed Sun, allowing you to follow the entire sequence, from the moment of first contact through the Moon’s disappearance hours later.

6. Where can I see the eclipse?

In the United States, the path of totality will extend from Eagle Pass, Texas, to Houlton, Maine. It will cross 15 states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Tennessee, and Michigan (although it barely nicks the last two).

In Texas, the eclipse will darken the sky over Austin, Waco, and Dallas—the most populous city in the path, where totality (the period when the Sun is totally eclipsed) will last 3 minutes, 51 seconds.

Other large cities along the path include Little Rock; Indianapolis; Dayton, Toledo, and Cleveland, Ohio; Erie, Pennsylvania; Buffalo and Rochester, New York; and Burlington, Vermont.

Outside the path of totality, American skywatchers will see a partial eclipse, in which the Sun covers only part of the Sun’s disk. The sky will grow dusky and the air will get cooler, but the partially eclipsed Sun is still too bright to look at without proper eye protection. The closer to the path of totality, the greater the extent of the eclipse. From Memphis and Nashville, for example, the Moon will cover more than 95 percent of the Sun’s disk. From Denver and Phoenix, it’s about 65 percent. And for the unlucky skywatchers in Seattle, far to the northwest of the eclipse centerline, it’s a meager 20 percent.

The total eclipse path also crosses Mexico, from the Pacific coast, at Mazatlán, to the Texas border. It also crosses a small portion of Canada, barely including Hamilton, Ontario. Eclipse Details for Locations Around the United States • aa.usno.navy.mil/data/Eclipse2024 • eclipse.aas.org • GreatAmericanEclipse.com

7. What causes solar eclipses?

These awe-inspiring spectacles are the result of a pleasant celestial coincidence: The Sun and Moon appear almost exactly the same size in Earth’s sky. The Sun is actually about 400 times wider than the Moon but it’s also about 400 times farther, so when the new Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun—an alignment known as syzygy—it can cover the Sun’s disk, blocking it from view.

8. Why don’t we see an eclipse at every new Moon?

The Moon’s orbit around Earth is tilted a bit with respect to the Sun’s path across the sky, known as the ecliptic. Because of that angle, the Moon passes north or south of the Sun most months, so there’s no eclipse. When the geometry is just right, however, the Moon casts its shadow on Earth’s surface, creating a solar eclipse. Not all eclipses are total. The Moon’s distance from Earth varies a bit, as does Earth’s distance from the Sun. If the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun when the Moon is at its farthest, we see an annular eclipse, in which a ring of sunlight encircles the Moon. Regardless of the distance, if the SunMoon-Earth alignment is off by a small amount, the Moon can cover only a portion of the Sun’s disk, creating a partial eclipse.

9. How often do solar eclipses happen?

Earth sees as least two solar eclipses per year, and, rarely, as many as five. Only three eclipses per two years are total. In addition, total eclipses are visible only along narrow paths. According to Belgian astronomer Jean Meuss, who specializes in calculating such things, any given place on Earth will see a total solar eclipse, on average, once every 375 years. That number is averaged over many centuries, so the exact gap varies. It might be centuries between succeeding eclipses, or it might be only a few years. A small region of Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky, close to the southeast of St. Louis, for example, saw the total eclipse of 2017 and will experience this year’s eclipse as well. Overall, though, you don’t want to wait for a total eclipse to come to you. If you have a chance to travel to an eclipse path, take it!

10. What is the limit for the length of totality?

Astronomers have calculated the length of totality for eclipses thousands of years into the future. Their calculations show that the greatest extent of totality will come during the eclipse of July 16, 2186, at 7 minutes, 29 seconds, in the Atlantic Ocean, near the coast of South America. The eclipse will occur when the Moon is near its closest point to Earth, so it appears largest in the sky, and Earth is near its farthest point from the Sun, so the Sun appears smaller than average. That eclipse, by the way, belongs to the same Saros cycle as this year’s.

11. When will the next total eclipse be seen from the United States?

The next total eclipse visible from anywhere in the United States will take place on March 30, 2033, across Alaska. On August 22, 2044, a total eclipse will be visible across parts of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The next eclipse to cross the entire country will take place on August 12, 2045, streaking from northern California to southern Florida. Here are the other total solar eclipses visible from the contiguous U.S. this century:

March 30, 2052 Florida, Georgia, tip of South Carolina May 11, 2078 From Louisiana to North Carolina May 1, 2079 From Philadelphia up the Atlantic coast to Maine September 14, 2099 From North Dakota to the Virginia-North Carolina border

12. What is the origin of the word ‘eclipse?’

The word first appeared in English writings in the late 13th century. It traces its roots, however, to the Greek words “ecleipsis” or “ekleipein.” According to various sources, the meaning was “to leave out, fail to appear,” “a failing, forsaking,” or “abandon, cease, die.”

13. Do solar eclipses follow any kind of pattern?

The Moon goes through several cycles. The best known is its 29.5-day cycle of phases, from new through full and back again. Other cycles include its distance from Earth (which varies by about 30,000 miles (50,000 km) over 27.5 days) and its relationship to the Sun’s path across the sky, known as the ecliptic (27.2 days), among others. These three cycles overlap every 6,585.3 days, which is 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours.

This cycle of cycles is known as a Saros (a word created by Babylonians). The circumstances for each succeeding eclipse in a Saros are similar—the Moon is about the same distance from Earth, for example, and they occur at the same time of year. Each eclipse occurs one-third of the way around Earth from the previous one, however; the next eclipse in this Saros, for example, will be visible from parts of the Pacific Ocean.

Each Saros begins with a partial eclipse. A portion of the Moon just nips the northern edge of the Sun, for example, blocking only a fraction of the Sun’s light. With each succeeding eclipse in the cycle, the Moon covers a larger fraction of the solar disk, eventually creating dozens of total eclipses. The Moon then slides out of alignment again, this time in the opposite direction, creating more partial eclipses. The series ends with a grazing partial eclipse on the opposite hemisphere (the southern tip, for example).

Several Saros cycles churn along simultaneously (40 are active now), so Earth doesn’t have to wait 18 years between eclipses. They can occur at intervals of one, five, six, or seven months.

The April 8 eclipse is the 30th of Saros 139, a series of 71 events that began with a partial eclipse, in the far north, and will end with another partial eclipse, this time in the far southern hemisphere. The next eclipse in this Saros, also total, will take place on April 20, 2042.

First eclipse May 17, 1501

First total eclipse December 21, 1843

Final total eclipse March 26, 2601

Longest total eclipse July 16, 2186,  7 minutes, 29 seconds

Final partial eclipse July 3, 2763

All eclipses 71 (43 total, 16 partial, 12 hybrid)

Source: NASA Catalog of Solar Eclipses: eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsaros/SEsaros139.html

14. What about eclipse seasons?

Eclipses occur in “seasons,” with two or three eclipses (lunar and solar) in a period of about five weeks. Individual eclipses are separated by two weeks: a lunar eclipse at full Moon, a solar eclipse at new Moon (the sequence can occur in either order). If the first eclipse in a season occurs during the first few days of the window, then the season will have three eclipses. When one eclipse in the season is poor, the other usually is much better.

That’s certainly the case with the season that includes the April 8 eclipse. It begins with a penumbral lunar eclipse on the night of March 24, in which the Moon will pass through Earth’s outer shadow. The eclipse will cover the Americas, although the shadow is so faint that most skywatchers won’t notice it.

This article was previously published in the March/April 2024 issue of StarDate  magazine, a publication of The University of Texas at Austin’s McDonald Observatory. Catch StarDate’s daily radio program on more than 300 stations nationwide or subscribe online at  stardate.org .

15. How can astronomers forecast eclipses so accurately?

They’ve been recording eclipses and the motions of the Moon for millennia. And over the past half century they’ve been bouncing laser beams off of special reflectors carried to the Moon by Apollo astronauts and Soviet rovers. Those observations reveal the Moon’s position to within a fraction of an inch. Using a combination of the Earth-Moon distance, the Moon’s precise shape, Earth’s rotation and its distance from the Sun, and other factors, astronomers can predict the timing of an eclipse to within a fraction of a second many centuries into the future.

Edmond Halley made the first confirmed solar eclipse prediction, using the laws of gravity devised only a few decades earlier by Isaac Newton. Halley forecast that an eclipse would cross England on May 3, 1715. He missed the timing by just four minutes and the path by 20 miles, so the eclipse is known as Halley’s Eclipse.

16. What are the types of solar eclipses?

Total : the Moon completely covers the Sun.

Annular : the Moon is too far away to completely cover the Sun, leaving a bright ring of sunlight around it.

Partial : the Moon covers only part of the Sun’s disk.

Hybrid : an eclipse that is annular at its beginning and end, but total at its peak.

17. What are Baily’s beads?

During the minute or two before or after totality, bits of the Sun shine through canyons and other features on the limb of the Moon, producing “beads” of sunlight. They were first recorded and explained by Edmond Halley, in 1715. During a presentation to the Royal Academy of Sciences more than a century later, however, astronomer Frances Baily first described them as “a string of beads,” so they’ve been known as Baily’s beads ever since. Please note that Baily’s beads are too bright to look at without eye protection!

18. Will Earth always see total solar eclipses?

No, it will not. The Moon is moving away from Earth at about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) per year. Based on that rate of recession, in about 600 million years the Moon would have moved so far from Earth that it would no longer appear large enough to cover the Sun. The speed at which the Moon separates from Earth changes over the eons, however, so scientists aren’t sure just when Earth will see its final total solar eclipse.

19. How will the eclipse affect solar power?

If your solar-powered house is in or near the path of totality, the lights truly will go out, as they do at night. For large power grids, the eclipse will temporarily reduce the total amount of electricity contributed by solar generation. During the October 14, 2023, annular eclipse, available solar power plummeted in California and Texas. At the same time, demand increased as individual Sun-powered homes and other buildings began drawing electricity from the power grid. Both networks were able to compensate with stations powered by natural gas and other sources.

The power drop during this year’s eclipse could be more dramatic because there will be less sunlight at the peak of the eclipse.

20. What are some of the myths and superstitions associated with solar eclipses?

Most ancient cultures created stories to explain the Sun’s mysterious and terrifying disappearances.

In China and elsewhere, it was thought the Sun was being devoured by a dragon. Other cultures blamed a hungry frog (Vietnam), a giant wolf loosed by the god Loki (Scandinavia), or the severed head of a monster (India). Still others saw an eclipse as a quarrel (or a reunion) between Sun and Moon. Some peoples shot flaming arrows into the sky to scare away the monster or to rekindle the solar fire. One especially intriguing story, from Transylvania, said that an eclipse occurred when the Sun covered her face in disgust at bad human behavior.

Eclipses have been seen as omens of evil deeds to come. In August 1133, King Henry I left England for Normandy one day before a lengthy solar eclipse, bringing prophesies of doom. The country later was plunged into civil war, and Henry died before he could return home, strengthening the impression that solar eclipses were bad mojo.

Ancient superstitions claimed that eclipses could cause plague and other maladies. Modern superstitions say that food prepared during an eclipse is poison and that an eclipse will damage the babies of pregnant women who look at it. None of that is true, of course. There’s nothing at all to fear from this beautiful natural event.

21. How do animals react to solar eclipses?

Scientists haven’t studied the topic very thoroughly, but they do have some general conclusions. Many daytime animals start their evening rituals, while many nighttime animals wake up when the eclipse is over, perhaps cursing their alarm clocks for letting them sleep so late!

During the 2017 total eclipse, scientists observed 17 species at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina. About three-quarters of the species showed some response as the sky darkened. Some animals acted nervous, while others simply headed for bed. A species of gibbon had the most unusual reaction, moving excitedly and chattering in ways the zookeepers hadn’t seen before.

Other studies have reported that bats and owls sometimes come out during totality, hippos move toward their nighttime feeding grounds, and spiders tear down their webs, only to rebuild them when the Sun returns. Bees have been seen to return to their hives during totality and not budge until the next day, crickets begin their evening chorus, and, unfortunately, mosquitoes emerge, ready to dine on unsuspecting eclipse watchers.

A NASA project, Eclipse Soundscapes, is using volunteers around the country to learn more about how animals react to the changes. The project collected audio recordings and observations by participants during the annular eclipse last year, and will repeat the observations this year. Volunteers can sign up at eclipsesoundscapes.org

22. How will scientists study this year’s eclipse?

Astronomers don’t pay quite as much professional attention to solar eclipses as they did in decades and centuries past. However, they still schedule special observations to add to their knowledge of the Sun and especially the inner edge of the corona.

Sun-watching satellites create artificial eclipses by placing a small disk across the face of the Sun, blocking the Sun’s disk and revealing the corona, solar prominences, and big explosions of charged particles known as coronal mass ejections.

Because of the way light travels around the edges of an eclipsing disk, however, it’s difficult to observe the region just above the Sun’s visible surface, which is where much of the action takes place. The corona is heated to millions of degrees there, and the constant flow of particles known as the solar wind is accelerated to a million miles per hour or faster, so solar astronomers really want to see that region in detail. The eclipsing Moon doesn’t create the same effects around the limb of the Sun, so a solar eclipse still provides the best way to look close to the Sun’s surface.

For this year’s eclipse, some scientists will repeat a series of experiments they conducted in 2017 using a pair of highaltitude WB-57 aircraft to “tag team” through the lunar shadow, providing several extra minutes of observations.

Other scientists will use the eclipse to study Earth’s ionosphere, an electrically charged layer of the atmosphere that “bends” radio waves, allowing them to travel thousands of miles around the planet. Sunlight rips apart atoms and molecules during the day, intensifying the charge. At night, the atoms and molecules recombine, reducing the charge.

Physicists want to understand how the ionosphere reacts to the temporary loss of sunlight during an eclipse. They will do so with the help of thousands of volunteer ham radio operators, who will exchange messages with others around the planet. During last October’s annular eclipse, when the Moon covered most but not all of the Sun, the experiment showed a large and immediate change in the ionosphere as the sunlight dimmed.

NASA also will launch three small “sounding” rockets, which loft instruments into space for a few minutes, to probe the ionosphere shortly before, during, and shortly after the eclipse.

Another project will use radar to study changes in the interactions between the solar wind and Earth’s atmosphere, while yet another will use a radio telescope to map sunspots and surrounding regions as the Moon passes across them.

One project will piece together images of the eclipse snapped through more than 40 identical telescopes spaced along the path of totality to create a one-hour movie of the eclipse. The telescopes will be equipped with instruments that see the three-dimensional structure of the corona, allowing solar scientists to plot how the corona changes.

23. What have astronomers learned from eclipses?

Solar eclipses have been powerful tools for studying the Sun, the layout of the solar system, and the physics of the universe.

Until the Space Age, astronomers could see the Sun’s corona only during eclipses, so they traveled around the world to catch these brief glimpses of it.

Eclipses also offered a chance to refine the scale of the solar system. Watching an eclipse from different spots on Earth and comparing the angles of the Moon and Sun helped reveal the relative sizes and distances of both bodies, which were important steps in understanding their true distances.

During an eclipse in 1868, two astronomers discovered a new element in the corona. It was named helium, after Helios, a Greek name for the Sun. The element wasn’t discovered on Earth until a quarter of a century later.

An eclipse in 1919 helped confirm General Relativity, which was Albert Einstein’s theory of gravity. The theory predicted that the gravity of a massive body should deflect the path of light rays flying near its surface. During the eclipse, astronomers found that the positions of background stars that appeared near the Sun were shifted by a tiny amount, which was in perfect agreement with Einstein’s equations.

Today, astronomers are using records of eclipses dating back thousands of years to measure changes in Earth’s rotation rate and the distance to the Moon.

24. How did astronomers study eclipses in the past?

With great effort! From the time they could accurately predict when and where solar eclipses would be visible, they organized expeditions that took them to every continent except Antarctica, on trips that lasted months and that sometimes were spoiled by clouds or problems both technical and human.

During the American Revolution, for example, a group of Harvard scientists led by Samuel Williams received safe passage from the British army to view an eclipse from Penobscot Bay, Maine, on October 21, 1780. Williams slightly miscalculated the eclipse path, though, so the group missed totality by a few miles. (The expedition did make some useful observations, however.)

In 1860, an expedition headed by Simon Newcomb, one of America’s top astronomers, journeyed up the Saskatchewan River, hundreds of miles from the nearest city, braving rapids, mosquitoes, and bad weather. After five grueling weeks, they had to stop short of their planned viewing site, although at a location still inside the eclipse path. Clouds covered the Sun until almost the end of totality, however, so the expedition came up empty.

King Mongkut of Siam invited a French expedition and hundreds of other dignitaries to view an eclipse from present-day Thailand in 1868. He built an observatory and a large compound to house his guests at a site Mongkut himself had selected as the best viewing spot. The eclipse came off perfectly, but many visitors contracted malaria. So did Mongkut, who died a few weeks later.

An expedition in 1914, to Russia, was plagued by both clouds and the start of World War I. The team abandoned its instruments at a Russian observatory and escaped through Scandinavia.

The eclipse of July 29, 1878, offered fewer impediments. In fact, it was a scientific and social extravaganza. The eclipse path stretched from Montana Territory to Texas. Teams of astronomers from the United States and Europe spread out along the path. Thomas Edison stationed his group in Wyoming, where he used a tasimeter, a device of his own creation, to try to measure the temperature of the corona. Samuel Pierpoint Langley, a future secretary of the Smithsonian, was atop Pikes Peak in Colorado. Maria Mitchell, perhaps America’s leading female scientist, decamped to Denver. And Asaph Hall, who had discovered the moons of Mars just the year before, journeyed to the flatlands of eastern Colorado.

Thousands of average Americans joined the festivities, paying outrageous prices for some of the best viewing spots. Some things, it seems, never change.

25. What about lunar eclipses?

While solar eclipses happen during new Moon, lunar eclipses occur when the Moon is full, so it aligns opposite the Sun in our sky. The Moon passes through Earth’s shadow. In a total eclipse, the entire lunar disk turns orange or red. In a partial eclipse, Earth’s inner shadow covers only a portion of the Moon. And during a penumbral eclipse, the Moon passes through the outer portion of Earth’s shadow, darkening the Moon so little that most people don’t even notice it.

Lunar eclipses happen as often as solar eclipses—at least twice per year. This is a poor year for lunar eclipses, however. There is a penumbral eclipse on the night of March 24, with the Moon slipping through Earth’s faint outer shadow, and a partial eclipse on the night of September 17, in which the Moon barely dips into the darker inner shadow. Both eclipses will be visible from most of the United States.

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