long essay tips

Essay Writing Tips: 10 Steps to Writing a Great Essay (And Have Fun Doing It!)

by Joe Bunting | 118 comments

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Do you dread essay writing? Are you looking for some essay tips that will help you write an amazing essay—and have fun doing it?

Lots of students, young and old, dread essay writing. It's a daunting assignment, one that takes research, time, and concentration.

It's also an assignment that you can break up into simple steps that make writing an essay manageable and, yes, even enjoyable.

These ten essay tips completely changed my writing process—and I hope that they can do the same for you.

Essay Writing Can Be Fun

Honestly, throughout most of high school and college, I was a mediocre essay writer.

Every once in a while, I would write a really good essay, but mostly I skated by with B's and A-minuses.

I know personally how boring writing an essay can be, and also, how hard it can be to write a good one.

However, toward the end of my time as a student, I made a breakthrough. I figured out how to not only write a great essay, I learned how to have fun while doing it . 

And since then, I've become a professional writer and have written more than a dozen books. I'm not saying that these essay writing tips are going to magically turn you into a writer, but at least they can help you enjoy the process more.

I'm excited to share these ten essay writing tips with you today! But first, we need to talk about why writing an essay is so hard.

Why Writing an Essay Is So Hard

When it comes to essay writing, a lot of students find a reason to put it off. And when they tackle it, they find it difficult to string sentences together that sound like a decent stance on the assigned subject.

Here are a few reasons why essay writing is hard:

• You'd rather be scrolling through Facebook
• You're trying to write something your teacher or professor will like
• You're trying to get an A instead of writing something that's actually good
• You want to do the least amount of work possible

The biggest reason writing an essay is so hard is because we mostly focus on those external  rewards like getting a passing grade, winning our teacher's approval, or just avoiding accusations of plagiarism.

The problem is that when you focus on external approval it not only makes writing much less fun, it also makes it significantly harder.

Because when you focus on external approval, you shut down your subconscious, and the subconscious is the source of your creativity.

The subconscious is the source of your creativity.

What this means practically is that when you're trying to write that perfect, A-plus-worthy sentence, you're turning off most of your best resources and writing skills.

So stop. Stop trying to write a good essay (or even a “good-enough” essay). Instead, write an interesting  essay, write an essay you think is fascinating. And when you're finished, go back and edit it until it's “good” according to your teacher's standards.

Yes, you need to follow the guidelines in your assignment. If your teacher tells you to write a five-paragraph essay, then write a five-paragraph essay! If your teacher asks for a specific type of essay, like an analysis, argument, or research essay, then make sure you write that type of essay!

However, within those guidelines, find room to express something that is uniquely you .

I can't guarantee you'll get a higher grade (although, you almost certainly will), but I can absolutely promise you'll have a lot more fun writing.

The Step-by-Step Process to Writing a Great Essay: Your 10 Essay Writing Tips

Ready to get writing? You can read my ten best tips for having fun while writing an essay that earns you the top grade, or check out this presentation designed by our friends at Canva Presentations .

1. Remember your essay is just a story.

Every story is about conflict and change, and the truth is that essays are about conflict and change, too! The difference is that in an essay, the conflict is between different ideas , and the change is in the way we should perceive those ideas.

That means that the best essays are about surprise: “You probably think it's one way, but in reality, you should think of it this other way.” See tip #3 for more on this.

How do you know what story you're telling? The prompt should tell you.

Any list of essay prompts includes various topics and tasks associated with them. Within those topics are characters (historical, fictional, or topical) faced with difficult choices. Your job is to work with those choices, usually by analyzing them, arguing about them, researching them, or describing them in detail.

2. Before you start writing, ask yourself, “How can I have the most fun writing this?”

It's normal to feel unmotivated when writing an academic essay. I'm a writer, and honestly, I feel unmotivated to write all the time. But I have a super-ninja, judo-mind trick I like to use to help motivate myself.

Here's the secret trick: One of the interesting things about your subconscious is that it will answer any question you ask yourself. So whenever you feel unmotivated to write your essay, ask yourself the following question:

“How much fun can I have writing this?”

Your subconscious will immediately start thinking of strategies to make the writing process more fun.

The best time to have your fun is the first draft. Since you're just brainstorming within the topic, and exploring the possible ways of approaching it, the first draft is the perfect place to get creative and even a little scandalous. Here are some wild suggestions to make your next essay a load of fun:

• Research the most surprising or outrageous fact about the topic and use it as your hook.
• Use a thesaurus to research the topic's key words. Get crazy with your vocabulary as you write, working in each key word synonym as much as possible.
• Play devil's advocate and take the opposing or immoral side of the issue. See where the discussion takes you as you write.

3. As you research, ask yourself, “What surprises me about this subject?”

The temptation, when you're writing an essay, is to write what you think your teacher or professor wants to read.

Don't do this .

Instead, ask yourself, “What do I find interesting about this subject? What surprises me?”

If you can't think of anything that surprises you, anything you find interesting, then you're not searching well enough, because history, science, and literature are all brimming   over with surprises. When you look at how great ideas actually happen, the story is always, “We used  to think the world was this way. We found out we were completely wrong, and that the world is actually quite different from what we thought.”

These pieces of surprising information often make for the best topic sentences as well. Use them to outline your essay and build your body paragraphs off of each unique fact or idea. These will function as excellent hooks for your reader as you transition from one topic to the next.

(By the way, what sources should you use for research? Check out tip #10 below.)

4. Overwhelmed? Write five original sentences.

The standard three-point essay is really made up of just five original sentences surrounded by supporting paragraphs that back up those five sentences. If you're feeling overwhelmed, just write five sentences covering your most basic main points.

Here's what they might look like for this article:

• Introductory Paragraph:  While most students consider writing an essay a boring task, with the right mindset, it can actually be an enjoyable experience.
• Body #1: Most students think writing an essay is tedious because they focus on external rewards.
• Body #2: Students should instead focus on internal fulfillment when writing an essay.
• Body #3: Not only will focusing on internal fulfillment allow students to have more fun, it will also result in better essays.
• Conclusion: Writing an essay doesn't have to be simply a way to earn a good grade. Instead, it can be a means of finding fulfillment.

After you write your five sentences, it's easy to fill in the paragraphs for each one.

Now, you give it a shot!

5. Be “source heavy.”

In college, I discovered a trick that helped me go from a B-average student to an A-student, but before I explain how it works, let me warn you. This technique is powerful , but it might not work for all teachers or professors. Use with caution.

As I was writing a paper for a literature class, I realized that the articles and books I was reading said what I was trying to say much better than I ever could. So what did I do? I quoted them liberally throughout my paper. When I wasn't quoting, I re-phrased what they said in my own words, giving proper credit, of course. I found that not only did this formula create a well-written essay, it took about half the time to write.

It's good to keep in mind that using anyone else's words, even when morphed into your own phrasing, requires citation. While the definition of plagiarism is shifting with the rise of online collaboration and cooperative learning environments, always  err on the side of excessive citation to be safe.

When I used this technique, my professors sometimes mentioned that my papers were very “source” heavy. However, at the same time, they always gave me A's.

To keep yourself safe, I recommend using a 60/40 approach with your body paragraphs: Make sure 60% of the words are your own analysis and argumentation, while 40% can be quoted (or text you paraphrase) from your sources.

Like the five sentence trick, this technique makes the writing process simpler. Instead of putting the main focus on writing well, it instead forces you to research  well, which some students find easier.

6. Write the body first, the introduction second, and the conclusion last.

Introductions are often the hardest part to write because you're trying to summarize your entire essay before you've even written it yet. Instead, try writing your introduction last, giving yourself the body of the paper to figure out the main point of your essay.

This is especially important with an essay topic you are not personally interested in. I definitely recommend this in classes you either don't excel in or care much for. Take plenty of time to draft and revise your body paragraphs before  attempting to craft a meaningful introductory paragraph.

Otherwise your opening may sound awkward, wooden, and bland.

7. Most essays answer the question, “What?” Good essays answer the “Why?” The best essays answer the “How?”

If you get stuck trying to make your argument, or you're struggling to reach the required word count, try focusing on the question, “How?”

For example:

• How did J.D. Salinger convey the theme of inauthenticity in  The Catcher In the Rye ?
• How did Napoleon restore stability in France after the French Revolution?
• How does the research prove girls really do rule and boys really do drool?

If you focus on how, you'll always have enough to write about.

8. Don't be afraid to jump around.

Essay writing can be a dance. You don't have to stay in one place and write from beginning to end.

For the same reasons listed in point #6, give yourself the freedom to write as if you're circling around your topic rather than making a single, straightforward argument. Then, when you edit and proofread, you can make sure everything lines up correctly.

In fact, now is the perfect time to mention that proofreading your essay isn't just about spelling and commas.

It's about making sure your analysis or argument flows smoothly from one idea to another. (Okay, technically this comprises editing, but most students writing a high school or college essay don't take the time to complete every step of the writing process. Let's be honest.)

So as you clean up your mechanics and sentence structure, make sure your ideas flow smoothly, logically, and naturally from one to the next as you finish proofreading.

9. Here are some words and phrases you don't want to use.

• You  (You'll notice I use a lot of you's, which is great for a blog post. However, in an academic essay, it's better to omit the second-person.)
• To Be verbs (is, are, was, were, am)

Don't have time to edit? Here's a lightning-quick editing technique .

A note about “I”: Some teachers say you shouldn't use “I” statements in your writing, but the truth is that professional, academic papers often use phrases like “I believe” and “in my opinion,” especially in their introductions.

10. It's okay to use Wikipedia, if…

Wikipedia is one of the top five websites in the world for a reason: it can be a great tool for research. However, most teachers and professors don't consider Wikipedia a valid source for use in essays.

Don't totally discount it, though! Here are two ways you can use Wikipedia in your essay writing:

• Background research. If you don't know enough about your topic, Wikipedia can be a great resource to quickly learn everything you need to know to get started.
• Find sources . Check the reference section of Wikipedia's articles on your topic. While you may not be able to cite Wikipedia itself, you can often find those original sources and cite them . You can locate the links to primary and secondary sources at the bottom of any Wikipedia page under the headings “Further Reading” and “References.”

You Can Enjoy Essay Writing

The thing I regret most about high school and college is that I treated it like something I had  to do rather than something I wanted  to do.

The truth is, education is an opportunity many people in the world don't have access to.

It's a gift, not just something that makes your life more difficult. I don't want you to make the mistake of just “getting by” through school, waiting desperately for summer breaks and, eventually, graduation.

How would your life be better if you actively enjoyed writing an essay? What would school look like if you wanted to suck it dry of all the gifts it has to give you?

All I'm saying is, don't miss out!

Looking for More Essay Writing Tips?

Looking for more essay tips to strengthen your essay writing? Try some of these resources:

• 7 Tips on Writing an Effective Essay
• Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

How about you? Do you have any tips for writing an essay?  Let us know in the  comments .

Need more grammar help?  My favorite tool that helps find grammar problems and even generates reports to help improve my writing is ProWritingAid . Works with Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and web browsers. Also, be sure to use my coupon code to get 20 percent off: WritePractice20

Coupon Code:WritePractice20 »

Ready to try out these ten essay tips to make your essay assignment fun? Spend fifteen minutes using tip #4 and write five original sentences that could be turned into an essay.

When you're finished, share your five sentences in the comments section. And don't forget to give feedback to your fellow writers!

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Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

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The Secret(s) to Getting Through Long Papers

By Sophie, a Writing Center Coach

It’s the beginning of the semester—meaning, as a graduate student, it’s time for me to get back into the groove of planning and writing long papers. For me, the hardest part of approaching a paper is coming up with a topic that will stay interesting to me throughout the research and writing process. A good example of this is from the end of last semester, when I found myself dreading the final paper for my archives class. We covered so many interesting topics in the class, it was hard to decide which one to choose.

In my experience, a bad topic can make the writing process feel infinitely longer and more stressful. As I thought about my archives paper, I worried about finding something that I could focus on for 12 pages. So many of the topics in my class felt interwoven, and I was afraid it would be hard to pick out one thread. If I try to start a long paper without planning, I’ll end up staring at the same sentence or paragraph for hours, trying to figure out what I could possibly say next.

So, when I finally had to commit to a topic, I decided to break down the process into a few fun steps. Dividing it up helped take away some of my worries and made the process easier because I only had to do one step at a time. Here’s how I got started:

1) Create a real brainstorming session

First, I decided to meet up with a few of my friends who were also in the class. We went to a coffee shop we all like, and we brought our notes and readings from the class. None of us had a concrete idea about what to write; we just wanted to throw some possibilities out to see how other people would react to them. 

We started by talking about some of the things we found funny or interesting in previous class discussions. As we talked, we found natural points of disagreement and interest. I took notes about points that stuck out to me. At the end of the conversation, I had a document full of questions and arguments that I wanted to explore further.

My friends also thought of topics, but they arrived at their ideas in different ways. One of my friends kept coming back to a short paper she had already written, and by talking about it, she discovered that she had much more to say. Another friend talked about something that he felt was conspicuously missing from our class discussions, so he decided that this paper would be a good opportunity to learn more.

All three of us came out of the session with inspiration and initial feedback. This step reminded me of the value of talking through my ideas, especially since my peers could push me to think more deeply about particular questions. Plus, connecting with my classmates through discussion helped me get excited about writing. 

Alternatively, I know that, for some people, meeting with friends isn’t always effective; there are also other ways to brainstorm. Sometimes, it helps to talk to someone who doesn’t know about the class or topic—like a Writing Center coach ! For others, the note-taking part could be like having a conversation with yourself, which might be all you need. The Writing and Learning Centers also have some great tools for brainstorming if you prefer to work independently.

2) Conduct some initial research

Once I had the beginnings of an idea, I decided to look for sources that could help me narrow my topic. The first place I go to find scholarly articles is the UNC Libraries’ page with “Resource Tools.” At this phase, I like to do keyword searches with Articles+. When you open the advanced search options, you can limit your results to be really specific by choosing a discipline, language, date the material was published, and whether the source needs to be scholarly/peer reviewed. In this case, I used “AND” to limit my results to articles with all of my desired keywords, like: “Sexual material” AND “Archives.” There’s another great article that explains the logic behind this kind of search, which uses Boolean logic.

After I’ve combed through relevant results for one search, I’ll usually adjust my keywords to see if anything new pops up. I’ll also see if the best articles (the ones that feel most related to my topic) have been cited by anyone else and whether those articles have something to offer me. I also repeat this process with Google Scholar and with the “E-research by Discipline” option, which will lead me to specific databases for my field. 

In this case, I used the Information and Library Science option, which took me to the best databases for journals in my discipline. Searching within a discipline allows me to think more carefully about my keywords; I might not have to include “archives,” or “libraries,” for example, because many of the articles are already about archives.

As I’m going along, I like to save any articles that I find in Zotero, a citation manager that I downloaded from the library’s website. Within Zotero, I make a folder for the assignment (“Final Paper”), and it automatically saves all the information I need to quickly go back to the article if I need it. (Note: I first learned about using Zotero from a helpful university librarian, so if you’re new to citation managers, it might be helpful to have a librarian give you a tutorial. You can also read another blog article on using Zotero .)

At the end of this process, I usually have a file full of “maybe” sources that I could come back to later. This helps give me an idea of what people have already said about this topic and where I might be able to add to the conversation.

3) Meet with your professor

After I came up with an idea and did some preliminary research, I thought it would be a good idea to check in with my professor during office hours. Since my professor is an expert in the field, I knew she would have a better sense of the context surrounding my research question. 

(Note: Sometimes I like to go to office hours before I do any research; getting some expertise at the beginning can make the search process even faster. In this case, my professor encouraged us to find what we could before checking in with her.)

Before the meeting, I read through the abstracts of the sources I had already found in my preliminary research (those were saved in my Zotero library). Based on those, I wrote down some questions that I had about the topic. I met with my professor for about 15 minutes, and in that time, I pitched my question and told her what I had already found. She was able to direct me to some additional books and cases to look at, and I wrote those down to research later. 

My professor also encouraged me to post my topic in our class’ Sakai forum. She created a discussion page specifically for final topic ideas so that my other classmates could provide feedback. Often, she said, students with similar topics will find sources that are helpful to each other, so the forum is a good place to share resources. I left the meeting with a strong sense of direction of what I needed to begin the actual writing.

After going through these steps, I felt like I had a good idea of what I wanted to write about and some evidence that could support my argument. Still, because it was such a long paper, I felt like I needed help to get started on the outline and the actual writing process. So, I decided to make a Writing Center Appointment to get my ideas in order and to make a plan for finishing the paper on time. Again, since I’m a person who likes to talk through my ideas, it was helpful to hear another person’s reaction to my topic so far. It also gave me a self-imposed deadline to complete these initial steps.

Breaking down the first few steps of writing my research paper helped me think of it as a list of small tasks to check off instead of one giant, frustrating project. It felt good to accomplish little things that I knew would add up to finishing the whole thing. This process also led me to a topic that really excited and engaged me, so when it was time to do the final step (the actual writing), I was happy to get started.

This blog showcases the perspectives of UNC Chapel Hill community members learning and writing online. If you want to talk to a Writing and Learning Center coach about implementing strategies described in the blog, make an appointment with a writing coach , a peer tutor , or an academic coach today. Have an idea for a blog post about how you are learning and writing remotely? Contact us here .

Essay and dissertation writing skills

Planning your essay

Writing your introduction

Structuring your essay

• Writing essays in science subjects
• Brief video guides to support essay planning and writing
• Writing extended essays and dissertations
• Planning your dissertation writing time

Structuring your dissertation

• Top tips for writing longer pieces of work

Advice on planning and writing essays and dissertations

University essays differ from school essays in that they are less concerned with what you know and more concerned with how you construct an argument to answer the question. This means that the starting point for writing a strong essay is to first unpick the question and to then use this to plan your essay before you start putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard).

A really good starting point for you are these short, downloadable Tips for Successful Essay Writing and Answering the Question resources. Both resources will help you to plan your essay, as well as giving you guidance on how to distinguish between different sorts of essay questions. 

You may find it helpful to watch this seven-minute video on six tips for essay writing which outlines how to interpret essay questions, as well as giving advice on planning and structuring your writing:

Different disciplines will have different expectations for essay structure and you should always refer to your Faculty or Department student handbook or course Canvas site for more specific guidance.

However, broadly speaking, all essays share the following features:

Essays need an introduction to establish and focus the parameters of the discussion that will follow. You may find it helpful to divide the introduction into areas to demonstrate your breadth and engagement with the essay question. You might define specific terms in the introduction to show your engagement with the essay question; for example, ‘This is a large topic which has been variously discussed by many scientists and commentators. The principle tension is between the views of X and Y who define the main issues as…’ Breadth might be demonstrated by showing the range of viewpoints from which the essay question could be considered; for example, ‘A variety of factors including economic, social and political, influence A and B. This essay will focus on the social and economic aspects, with particular emphasis on…..’

Watch this two-minute video to learn more about how to plan and structure an introduction:

The main body of the essay should elaborate on the issues raised in the introduction and develop an argument(s) that answers the question. It should consist of a number of self-contained paragraphs each of which makes a specific point and provides some form of evidence to support the argument being made. Remember that a clear argument requires that each paragraph explicitly relates back to the essay question or the developing argument.

• Conclusion: An essay should end with a conclusion that reiterates the argument in light of the evidence you have provided; you shouldn’t use the conclusion to introduce new information.
• References: You need to include references to the materials you’ve used to write your essay. These might be in the form of footnotes, in-text citations, or a bibliography at the end. Different systems exist for citing references and different disciplines will use various approaches to citation. Ask your tutor which method(s) you should be using for your essay and also consult your Department or Faculty webpages for specific guidance in your discipline. 

Essay writing in science subjects

If you are writing an essay for a science subject you may need to consider additional areas, such as how to present data or diagrams. This five-minute video gives you some advice on how to approach your reading list, planning which information to include in your answer and how to write for your scientific audience – the video is available here:

A PDF providing further guidance on writing science essays for tutorials is available to download.

Short videos to support your essay writing skills

There are many other resources at Oxford that can help support your essay writing skills and if you are short on time, the Oxford Study Skills Centre has produced a number of short (2-minute) videos covering different aspects of essay writing, including:

• Approaching different types of essay questions  
• Structuring your essay  
• Writing an introduction  
• Making use of evidence in your essay writing  
• Writing your conclusion

Extended essays and dissertations

Longer pieces of writing like extended essays and dissertations may seem like quite a challenge from your regular essay writing. The important point is to start with a plan and to focus on what the question is asking. A PDF providing further guidance on planning Humanities and Social Science dissertations is available to download.

Planning your time effectively

Try not to leave the writing until close to your deadline, instead start as soon as you have some ideas to put down onto paper. Your early drafts may never end up in the final work, but the work of committing your ideas to paper helps to formulate not only your ideas, but the method of structuring your writing to read well and conclude firmly.

Although many students and tutors will say that the introduction is often written last, it is a good idea to begin to think about what will go into it early on. For example, the first draft of your introduction should set out your argument, the information you have, and your methods, and it should give a structure to the chapters and sections you will write. Your introduction will probably change as time goes on but it will stand as a guide to your entire extended essay or dissertation and it will help you to keep focused.

The structure of  extended essays or dissertations will vary depending on the question and discipline, but may include some or all of the following:

• The background information to - and context for - your research. This often takes the form of a literature review.
• Explanation of the focus of your work.
• Explanation of the value of this work to scholarship on the topic.
• List of the aims and objectives of the work and also the issues which will not be covered because they are outside its scope.

The main body of your extended essay or dissertation will probably include your methodology, the results of research, and your argument(s) based on your findings.

The conclusion is to summarise the value your research has added to the topic, and any further lines of research you would undertake given more time or resources. 

Tips on writing longer pieces of work

Approaching each chapter of a dissertation as a shorter essay can make the task of writing a dissertation seem less overwhelming. Each chapter will have an introduction, a main body where the argument is developed and substantiated with evidence, and a conclusion to tie things together. Unlike in a regular essay, chapter conclusions may also introduce the chapter that will follow, indicating how the chapters are connected to one another and how the argument will develop through your dissertation.

For further guidance, watch this two-minute video on writing longer pieces of work . 

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College admissions

Course: college admissions   >   unit 4.

• Writing a strong college admissions essay
• Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes
• Brainstorming tips for your college essay
• How formal should the tone of your college essay be?
• Taking your college essay to the next level
• Sample essay 1 with admissions feedback
• Sample essay 2 with admissions feedback
• Student story: Admissions essay about a formative experience
• Student story: Admissions essay about personal identity
• Student story: Admissions essay about community impact
• Student story: Admissions essay about a past mistake
• Student story: Admissions essay about a meaningful poem

Writing tips and techniques for your college essay

Pose a question the reader wants answered, don't focus exclusively on the past, experiment with the unexpected, don't summarize, want to join the conversation.

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Ultimate Guide to Writing Your College Essay

Tips for writing an effective college essay.

College admissions essays are an important part of your college application and gives you the chance to show colleges and universities your character and experiences. This guide will give you tips to write an effective college essay.

Want free help with your college essay?

UPchieve connects you with knowledgeable and friendly college advisors—online, 24/7, and completely free. Get 1:1 help brainstorming topics, outlining your essay, revising a draft, or editing grammar.

Writing a strong college admissions essay

Learn about the elements of a solid admissions essay.

Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes

Learn some of the most common mistakes made on college essays

Brainstorming tips for your college essay

Stuck on what to write your college essay about? Here are some exercises to help you get started.

How formal should the tone of your college essay be?

Learn how formal your college essay should be and get tips on how to bring out your natural voice.

Taking your college essay to the next level

Hear an admissions expert discuss the appropriate level of depth necessary in your college essay.

Student Stories

Student Story: Admissions essay about a formative experience

Get the perspective of a current college student on how he approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about personal identity

Get the perspective of a current college student on how she approached the admissions essay.

Student Story: Admissions essay about community impact

Student story: admissions essay about a past mistake, how to write a college application essay, tips for writing an effective application essay, sample college essay 1 with feedback, sample college essay 2 with feedback.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 13 best college essay tips to craft a stellar application.

College Essays

In many ways, the most labor-intensive part of your college application process is the essay. It’s not just about forwarding transcripts or entering a list of extracurricular activities—you have to craft something personal and compelling to show the admissions committee who you are beyond your resume.

In this article, we’ll go over our 13 best tips for writing college essays. We’ll give tips for every step of the process including planning, writing, and editing your essay, as well as some quick and easy tips to boost any essays you already have written! With these college essay tips, you’ll be that much closer to the best admissions essay ever!

5 Tips for College Essay Planning

Doing a good job planning makes the college essay process that much easier. These five college essay tips will help you get started and pave the way for a great final product.

#1: Make a Plan of Attack for Your Essays

The first thing you’ll need to do is identify all the essays you’ll need to write and their deadlines. It may help you to make a spreadsheet with the essay guidelines for each school, the word count, the prompts, the due date, and any special instructions. This will help you figure out:

How many essays you’ll need to write, and how long those essays need to be.

Whether you can reuse any essays: In general, you can reuse essays for prompts that are about your life, broadly similar in theme, and have a similar word count. You probably can’t reuse essays that are very specific to the college, like “Why This College” essays .

Which essay you should write first: You’ll probably want to start first on the essay with the earliest application deadline. Alternatively, if you have plenty of time or the deadlines are close together, you could start with the longest essay (which will take the most time) or the essay that will be used for the most schools (like a Common Application essay). Do what you feel most comfortable with.

With all this information gathered, you’ll be able to make a plan of attack for your essays and make sure nothing gets lost in the application shuffle. (In fact, I actually advise keeping track of all necessary components of your application in a spreadsheet for the same reason).

#2: Start Early

You want to start writing way before the deadline. If possible, give yourself at least two months, and maybe even more time if you can. This will make sure that you have enough time to adequately plan your essay, draft it, and edit it.  

And, of course, the more essays you have to write, the earlier you should start!

#3: Choose the Right Topic

Choosing the right topic has two facets: first, choosing the right prompt (if there’s a choice) and second, choosing the right topic to write about for that prompt.

The Right Prompt

If there’s a choice of prompts, you may want to actually start by brainstorming the specific topic or thing in your life that you want to write about, and then reverse-engineer back to the most appropriate prompt. Most college essay prompts are pretty vague, so a broad range of topics and issues can be applied.

You can also use prompts to help you brainstorm if you’re having a hard time figuring out what to write about. Think about the prompt that seems most appealing to you at first. What intrigues you about it? What do you think you could communicate about yourself through that question?

Here’s some tailored guidance on some of the most common college essay prompt types . And if you’re writing a Common Application essay, here’s advice on how to choose the right Common App prompt for you .

The Right Topic

When you’re trying to choose something about your life to write about, consider the following:

What are you excited to write about? A good college essay can be about a wide variety of topics, but it should show that you’re passionate about something. This could be anything from a hobby you have to your favorite book or even your most beloved stuffed animal, just so long as you can make it memorable and positive. Also, your writing will be a lot better if you are writing about something you care about and are interested in!

Whatever you write about should be primarily about you. You should be the focal point. Even if you’re writing about someone who has influenced you, for example, you need to relate it back to yourself. What does this tell admission officers about you?

What makes you stand out? This should be something that goes beyond what’s in the rest of your application. Your test scores and GPA are already there. What really shows something unique about you?

Choose a topic you can be honest about . If you’re not being genuine, it will end up coming through in your writing. So don’t write about how much your membership in Youth Group meant to you if you only went to make your mom happy and you actually didn’t care that much.

In general, you should avoid topics that are overly controversial, like things that are politically charged, doing things that are illegal, or anything involving graphic descriptions of any bodily function. So if you’re going to write about recovering from hip surgery, probably leave out the gory details of you being constipated and your oozy scars.

Check out our 35 brainstorming techniques for college essays for even more help coming up with a topic!

If you’re really stumped, consider asking your friends and family what they think could be good topics. They may help you figure out something memorable and interesting. But also, don’t feel like you have to write about a topic just because someone else thinks it would be great. You need to be genuinely interested in what you’re writing about to write an engaging essay!

#4: Decide on Your Approach

In general, there are two main approaches you might take to write your essay. It might primarily take a narrative format, or it might take a thematic format.

In a narrative format, you’ll be relating a particular anecdote or experience and what it means to you. In a thematic format, you’ll present a particular theme—say, your love of parakeets or your secret talent for balancing books on your head—and expound on that theme in a descriptive way to reveal more about you and your personality.

Sometimes your approach will be determined by the prompt or topic that you choose. For example, if a prompt says to relate a particular event or anecdote, you’ll probably use a narrative approach. By contrast, if you want to write about how your favorite book changed your life, that will probably be a thematic essay.

#5: Write an Outline

Doing a little bit of outlining before you put fingertips to keyboard to write your essay is always a good idea. You don’t necessarily need to make a super-detailed plan before you starting writing, but a general idea of where you are going and the points you want to make will be very helpful when you start drafting. Otherwise, you may find yourself spending a lot of time staring at a blank Word document.

Yes, good, very detailed essay plan. 

4 Top College Essay Writing Tips

Here are four tips for writing college essays and making sure your work  stands out in a good way:

#6: Use Specific Details

The more details you use, the more your writing will come alive. Try to use words that are vivid and specific, instead of ones that are vague like “nice,” “good,” and so on. This will really flesh out the scene and help the reader picture what’s going on.

So take something like this:

One of my biggest accomplishments in life was teaching my little brother to ride a bicycle. I encouraged him to keep going when he fell down. Now he’s a great cyclist!

To something more like this:

One of my biggest accomplishments in life was teaching my eight-year-old brother to ride the racy red bicycle he got for his birthday. He wanted to give up when he took a tumble and skidded across the sidewalk. But while I bandaged up his knees with Batman band-aids, I convinced him to give it another try. I told him to think about how he would be able to bike all around the neighborhood exploring. Now I smile whenever I see him zooming down our street—wearing his helmet, of course!

See the difference? Wouldn’t you rather read the second one?

#7: Be Genuine

It’s important to get beyond the superficial in your personal statement. You should be writing about something that’s genuinely important or significant to you, so try to get beyond the surface. Instead of writing vague platitudes about how you really like the violin but it’s hard, really get at the meat: did you ever think about quitting? What’s frustrated you the most? What really keeps you going?

This means you shouldn’t try to write about things where it’s too painful to be honest. So if your parents got a divorce last year, it may be too raw to write about, which is perfectly fine. If, however, they got divorced when you were 5 and you can honestly reflect on how it changed your life, go for it.

Of course, you want to be honest in a reasonable and appropriate way. If you overshare, it will make it seem like you have bad judgment or don’t understand social norms—not good impressions to give the admissions committee. So probably don’t write about how much you despise your mother and think she is evil since she had an affair with your school librarian. It’s fine to feel how you feel, but there are some things that are a little too charged to write in your college essay.

#8: Be Unique, but Not Bizarre

You definitely want your writing to set you apart—but you want it to set you apart in a good way. This means you want high-quality writing about unique experiences and qualities you bring to the table that aren’t covered elsewhere in your application.

This does not mean you should get really avant-garde with your essay formatting. Don’t send in a piece of art instead of an essay, or make a video, or write a poem instead of an essay, unless those things are explicitly allowed.

Similarly, while your essay doesn’t have to be 100% deadly serious in tone, you should be careful with humor. This doesn’t mean absolutely no jokes or tongue-in-cheek moments or that your essay should read like an 18th-century book of sermons. But if your essay relies too much on humor, you’ve got a lot riding on whether or not the person reading your essay “gets” it. They may well be annoyed. So deploy humor carefully and selectively.

#9: Avoid Cliches and Platitudes

The more cliches you use in your writing, the more boring and less insightful your essay will be. Cliches are phrases that are so overused that they are essentially meaningless, and they are likely to make any reader roll their eyes. Phrases like “a dime a dozen,” “outside the box,” “cold as ice,” “dirt cheap,” “flash in the pan,” and so on are frequently deployed in conversation because they convey a common idea quickly. But you don’t want your essay to be common, so avoid cliches. Try to think about how you can communicate the same idea in a more specific and interesting way.

Here’s a list of over 600 cliches . But for the most part, you won’t need a list; you’ll know something is a cliche because you will have heard it a million times already.

You should also avoid platitudes or sweeping generalizations about life. These are statements that are so broad and far-reaching as to be both obvious and completely uninsightful.

So avoid making statements like “And that’s how I learned that hard work pays off,” or “There’s no ‘I’ in team.” You may think you sound sage or wise, but the truth is, platitudes are going to sound immature and poorly-formed to the reader. Similarly, don’t say things that sound like they could come from an inspirational quote account on Instagram. (See, ahem, “You miss 100% of the shots you never take,” “Shoot for the moon,” and so on.)

How do you avoid the platitude problem? Try to keep what you’re saying specific to you. So instead of saying “And that’s how I learned that hard work pays off,” try, “This experience helped me to realize that when I put concentrated effort into something that’s important to me, I can accomplish it even when there are roadblocks.” Keep the focus on what you can and will do in your own life.

Avoid  trite sayings like this one.

2 Tips for Editing Your College Essay

You may think that once you’ve gotten a draft done that you’re good to go. Not so! Editing is one of the most important parts of writing the best college essay possible, and here are two essential college essay tips for editing.

Tip #10: Ask for Help

It’s always wise to get another set of eyes on your college essays. In fact, several sets of eyes is even better! Other people can help you make sure your essay flows, you have enough detail, that everything is relevant, and that you sound as engaging and interesting as you really are! They can also help you catch typos and other minor errors—although you’ll want to double and triple-check for that yourself before submitting.

Here’s advice on how to ask for help with all parts of the college essay process , including editing.

Tip #11: Be Prepared to Cut a Lot

Brace yourself for cutting up your initial draft into tiny little ribbons and rearranging the remaining pieces Frankenstein-style. A first draft is really just a starting place to get your ideas down before you revamp the entire thing into a more streamlined, better organized, highly polished version. So you have to be ready to let go of pieces of your essay, no matter how much you love a particular turn of phrase or analogy. The ultimate goal is to turn the rough stone of your first draft into a polished and clear piece of writing—and that’s going to take a lot of chipping and sanding!

2 Final Tips for College Essay Success

Here are two quick but essential college essay tips you can implement easily.

Tip #12: Have a Standout First Sentence

One thing you can do to give any essay a boost is to make sure that your first sentence is attention-grabbing. If you can pique the interest of the admissions counselor right away, you’ll help keep their attention throughout your essay.

Here’s our guide to getting that perfect first sentence!

Tip #13: Triple-check for Typos and Errors

The most important quick thing you can do for your essay is to make sure there are no typos or grammatical errors. It will make your essay look sloppy and unfinished, and that’s the last thing you want! College admissions officers expect a polished product, and there’s nothing less polished than misspelled words and comma splices.

13 College Essay Tips: Key Takeaways for a Great College Essay

To recap, here’s our 13 tips for the best college essay ever:

College Essay Planning Tips:

• Create a plan of attack for all of your essays so you can keep track of everything.
• Start early—at least two months before the due date, if not more.
• Choose the right prompt and topic for you.
• Decide between a narrative or a thematic approach to the topic.
• Outline before you start writing!

College Essay Writing Tips:

• Use vivid, specific details.
• Be genuine—get beyond the superficial.
• Be unique, but not bizarre.
• Avoid cliches and platitudes; they are boring and unimaginative.

College Essay Editing Tips:

• Get other people to look at your essay.
• Be prepared to change, cut, and rearrange a lot!

Final Tips for College Essays:

• Make sure your first sentence is stellar.
• Triple check for typos and grammatical errors!

What’s Next?

You’ve read our tips for success—now see 10 college essay mistakes to avoid .

Looking for some college essay examples? See 133 essay examples and expert analysis here , along with 11 more places to find great college essay examples .  

Check out our complete guides to ApplyTexas essays , UC Personal Insight questions , and the Common Application essay !

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?  We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

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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How to Write a Long Essay

How to Write a One Page Essay

Writing an essay as part of a school assignment or a project can be a very tedious task, especially if that essay needs to be long. Even the most confident writers may have no trouble writing a few pages for an assignment but may find it challenging to extend that word count as much as possible. If you're assigned a long essay for one of your classes, there's no reason to worry. With some useful tips at your disposal, you can stretch that essay out without making it sound repetitive or boring the reader with an influx of irrelevant information.

What Is a Long Essay?

A long essay is any essay that tends to be longer than three pages or 3,000 words or more. Of course, the definition of a long essay will differ from one classroom to another, depending on the age and level of the students. And even if you're a college student, you may have some professors who consider a five-page essay to be the average, while another teacher considers five pages to be too much. Therefore, it's important to check with your teacher, though they'll usually clarify this when giving the assignment.

Sometimes, the term "long" applies to how many pages, and sometimes it applies to how many paragraphs or words need to be in the essay. Again, this all depends on your teacher, your school's requirements and the nature of the assignment. Either way, hearing your teacher say that you must write a long essay for your next assignment can certainly cause a lot of stress. The good news is that writing a long essay can be much easier than writing a short essay, especially if you're given some meaningful advice.

Why Would You Be Required to Write a Long Essay?

There are many reasons why teachers would assign a long essay to their students. First of all, writing a long essay is an opportunity for a student to really put his or her writing skills to the test. By the time students get to college, they already have an idea as to how to write a decent paper, but perhaps it's within limits. College professors need to make sure that students are able to write well, because eventually, these students may need to write a thesis or dissertation, and there really is no longer essay than that.

So even though you may think of writing a long essay as a torturous assignment, it's actually a great opportunity to practice a very specific skill that will definitely come in handy in other areas of your life. And, if you build up the right mindset for yourself, writing that long essay shouldn't be any more difficult than any other assignment you've been required to complete.

What Is the Standard Essay Format?

There's a standard essay format understood by most English students around the world. This is how essay writing can be taught in a universal way so that students are successful at writing essays no matter where they're studying. A standard essay format typically includes an introduction, three body paragraphs and a conclusion. Of course, the older a student gets and the more experience they have in school, their essays will gradually get longer and will need to require more detail and features (for instance, citing sources) in order to meet the requirements set by the teacher.

When you need to write a long essay, you can and should still base your writing off of this standard essay format. The only difference is that instead of having three body paragraphs, you're going to have a lot more in order to reach the word count or page requirement that you need to meet. This isn't as hard as it sounds. Instead of squeezing your main idea into one paragraph, try to add more examples and details to make it longer. Also, try to think of other key points that support your essay's theme that might not be so obvious at first.

Start Ahead of Time

The best way to relieve the stress that comes with having to write a long essay is to start ahead of time. Too many college students (and high school students) wait until the last possible minute to write an essay. Though some students may certainly be able to get away with this, it'll be a lot harder when it comes to writing a longer essay. Therefore, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to complete the assignment. It may work better for some people to do a little bit each day until they reach their goal. For instance, if you're required to write 3,000 words for your long essay, then you may feel better writing just 500 words a day over a couple of days instead of trying to bang it all out at once.

How to Write a 3,000 Word Essay in a Day

Some students rather get the hard work out of the way, instead of letting it drag out over a week. Writing a long essay of 3,000 words can be done in a day if you just put your mind to it. Do the following:

• Don't schedule any other appointments or assignments for the day.
• Put away any potential distractions, like your phone or the TV.
• Stay off of social media.
• Work somewhere quiet, like the library or a calm cafe.
• Take breaks every few paragraphs.
• Set a timer for ten minutes and try to work the entire time without stopping.

Create Your Essay Structure

Once you've decided whether or not you're going to write the essay over a couple of days or in just one day, it's time to start writing the actual essay. Like with any writing assignment, the first thing you should do is create an outline and organize your overall essay structure. If you need to write around five pages, which makes sense for a long essay, then you should make an outline that will support that. Take a look at an essay format example to get an idea of how yours should be:

• Introduction (more than two paragraphs)
• A starter question (something for the reader to consider)
• Body "paragraph/idea" one (four paragraphs on average)
• Body "paragraph/idea" two (four paragraphs on average]
• Body "paragraph/idea" three (four paragraphs on average)
• A conclusion

If you're wondering how on earth you're going to create a body section that's four paragraphs long, try to think of one main idea and three examples that tie together with it. For instance, if your long essay is an argumentative piece about "The Importance of Waiting Until You're Financially Stable to Have Children" you can think of at least four key reasons why:

• You won't have to struggle to pay for their needs.
• You can give them more opportunities.
• You can travel as a family.
• You can put away money for their college tuition.

For the first idea, you can talk about this point in very general terms. Then, you can write three more paragraphs underneath that, with each paragraph discussing a specific example. The second paragraph, for example, can be about paying for things like diapers, clothes, formula, etc., and how much each item costs. The second example can be about paying for things when the child gets a little older, like their food, their school supplies, etc. Lastly, the third example (and the fourth paragraph in this section) can discuss paying for things that the child will need as a teenager, such as more clothes, sports uniforms, dental work, etc.

Did You Answer All the Questions?

After you feel like you've exhausted all examples, but you're still under word count or page count, go back and make sure you've answered all the questions. These questions may have been questions in the rubric or the writing prompt that your teacher provided, or they may be questions that you've thought of on your own. In fact, when you start thinking of what to write about, you should brainstorm some questions that a reader may want to find the answer to about the topic, and you should try to answer these throughout your essay. Creating more potential questions can help you reach your word count faster.

Can You Change Words?

If you're close to reaching your word count but you're still not quite there, then go back and see if you can change any of the language in your essay to make it longer. For example, if you have a lot of contractions in your paper (can't, won't, isn't, they're) go back and make them two words instead of contractions, and do this throughout the entire essay. This is a great solution because it won't take away from the readership of your essay, and while this won't extend the word count too much, it will definitely help a bit.

Think of Additional Details You Can Add

In addition to changing contractions, you can also think of other details you can add to elongate your essay. There are always more examples you can add or more information you can research that will not only resonate with the reader but increase your overall word count or page count.

For example, if you're talking about how parents who decide to have children once they're financially stable will have the opportunity to put more money toward their child's tuition, then you can go back and add plenty of detail supporting this argument. Did you give an example of how much tuition costs? Did you add details about what parents can do with the money if their children decide not to go to college? What about the different types of college funds that exist? These are all details you can add that will increase the length of your essay, while also adding value.

However, when you do this, keep in mind that you want to be very careful not to add too much "fluff." Fluff is when you add information or details that simply aren't valuable to the writing itself. It makes the reader (who in most cases is your teacher and the one grading the assignment) want to skim over your piece, and this can lead to him or her giving you a lower grade.

Edit, Edit, Edit

Last but not least, in order to write a long essay, you must have the capacity to edit your work. Editing not only helps to ensure your paper is long enough, reads well, and is free from grammatical errors, but it will also give you an opportunity to add in more information here and there. To edit, you should always read out loud to yourself, and take a break from your work, so you can revisit it with a fresh pair of eyes. You can easily check if you've reached the length requirements by clicking on "word count" or counting the number of pages yourself, though your document will reveal this as you scroll down.

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• You may want to have a friend read through your essay. He may catch mistakes that you have missed.

Hana LaRock is a freelance content writer from New York, currently living in Mexico. Before becoming a writer, Hana worked as a teacher for several years in the U.S. and around the world. She has her teaching certification in Elementary Education and Special Education, as well as a TESOL certification. Please visit her website, www.hanalarockwriting.com, to learn more.

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How to Write a Long Essay, Term Paper or Research Paper

How To Format a Long Essay

A long essay is an essay longer than 3 pages. This varies with the level of education. Some college instructors will view a five-page essay as short and others as average.

The phrase ‘long essay’ can be used to refer to the number of words, the number of pages, and sometimes the number of paragraphs. Most instructors usually clarify how long essays should be before issuing them.

What Is A Long Essay In Research?

A long essay in research is a ten-page or more essay that analyses, interprets, and compares researched ideas to the ideas of the writer.

Research papers are usually longer than academic essays. They are usually more detailed and test writing and scholarly research skills.

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How to Write Long Essays

Most students complain that it is overwhelming to write long essays. The stress that comes with writing long essays contributes to many students wanting to put them off. Tackling long essays can become easy by following the following steps:

1. Pick a Topic

When granted the freedom to choose a topic, pick a broad and specific one. It is easy to find and write about a broad topic.

Topics with scarce research material generate little content and are not suitable for long essays.

One may likely end up getting stranded halfway into the essay with nothing more to write about on a topic. For example, the effects of Racism in America in the 2000s is a broader topic than the effects of racism in America in 2004.

2. Start your Research

Researching on a long essay can take hours and days. Thorough research is important in the formulation of a thesis. It makes it easy to determine the sources that are more important and valuable to your topic. The more sources you get the better and longer your essay will be.

3. Write a Thesis

The thesis statement is crucial because its shapes your entire essay. The thesis statement you formulate should be specific.

It should outline the main argument that you will try making in the essay. Use the thesis to explain why the question you want to answer is important.

In long essays, thesis statements should appear at the end of the first paragraph or on the second paragraph.

4. Finish your Research

With the thesis statement already established, continue doing research. The research should focus on the points that support the thesis statement you have come up with.

Any point that does not align with the thesis statement is not meant for your essay. All the sources you use for research should help develop your thesis statement. The sources should be credible and authentic to strongly support the thesis.

5. Make an Outline

An outline helps you organize thoughts and plan how you will write your essay. Without outlines, you are likely to get lost in the middle of your essay.

With an outline, writing is easy and fast with an organized flow of ideas. The more detailed your outline is the more ease you will have when writing the essay.

6. Write the Essay

Start writing your essay. Keep your head down and avoid distraction. Read through your writing to make sure that your ideas flow and paragraphs connect.

7. Proofread and Edit

You should read your paper out loud when proofreading.

This helps you notice any grammatical, punctuation, or paraphrasing errors in your essay.

You can choose to edit the errors as you read or write them down and correct them once you are done proofreading.

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How to Balance your Points in a Long Essay

Formulate a thesis.

To balance your points in an essay you first need a thesis statement. A thesis statement will set the tone of how your points will be balanced.

With the thesis, you will be able to understand your essay better. This in turn helps you balance your points.

Write the introduction paragraph

Introduce your essay in the best way possible. Make it clear what you will talk about in your essay. Do not use fancy language that the reader will find hard to understand. At the end of the introduction paragraph write the thesis statement.

Supportive paragraphs

These are paragraphs that make up the body of your essay. They explain all points in your essay. Each point should be represented in its paragraph.

The first sentence of each paragraph is the topic sentence that states the point you will talk about. Explain the points exhaustively as the paragraph progresses.

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The conclusion summarizes everything you have talked about in the essay. If readers happen to read the conclusion only they should grasp everything about your essay.

If writing a conclusion is hard, you can use your thesis statement as the conclusion because it also presents what your essay is all about.

Tips on How to Format a Long Essay

Instructors give long essays to their students to test their writing skills. An example of such a long task is writing a 4000-word essay that can take someone quite some time. The standard essay format is introduction, body, and conclusion.

The format for long essays includes two introduction paragraphs, 3 ideas in the body with each idea presented in four paragraphs, and a conclusion. This gives the writer the chance to achieve the given length.

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How to Make an Essay Long the Smart Way

Essays can be made long in the following way:

1. Expanding descriptions

Descriptions are very important, especially in descriptive essays.

Even if you have defined them you can add more information to make them more detailed.

2. Enhancing transitions

Transitions not only enable the reader to smoothly navigate through your points but also add length to your essay.

Additionally, great transitions make your essay better and are signs of a great writer.

This is different for short essays. Read more on how to write short essays to know why long transitions may not be included.

3. Expanding paragraphs

Go through your essay and find points that are not explained clearly and explain them clearly.

You can’t know everything about a topic. There will be always relevant information to add to the points of your essay. You can explain the basics if you did not do so and define important terms as well.

4. Adding the Introduction

No rule states that introductions should be short. They should be detailed because they tell the reader what to expect and set the tone for your essay. If you rushed over the introduction revise it and add more ideas to make it detailed and catchier.

5. Make sure that you have Included Everything

Revisit your outline and check whether you have included all the points you wanted to in the essay. If not, add them. Sometimes you may rush when writing the essay and forget to include all the points you intended to.

6. Checking the Assignment Again

Reading the assignment again can help you think of new ideas to include in your essay. This is because you may not have exhausted everything on the topic and reading the assignment again can open up your mind to a new thinking dimension. Also, you may have missed something in the instructions that you should add to the essay.

7. Add Quotations

Quotations help show the reader that you understand what you are writing about. You can bring in two quotes from famous writers to support your arguments. Always remember to cite and reference them to avoid plagiarism.

8. Asking a Friend what is Missing

After doing all of the above and still not achieving the length you want, ask a friend to read your essay. They will help you identify what is missing and unclear in your work. It is not easy receiving constructive criticism in your work but that is one way to make it better.

When not handling complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.

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Expert Tips on How To Write A Long Essay

Apr 9, 2024 | 0 comments

Apr 9, 2024 | Blog | 0 comments

 Writing a long essay can be daunting for many students, especially when faced with a complex question requiring in-depth analysis and evaluation. However, tackling a lengthy essay can be more manageable and enjoyable with the right strategies and tips. When writing a long essay, it is important first to understand the essay question thoroughly. Deconstruct the question, identify key terms, and determine what is being asked of you. This will help you structure your essay effectively and ensure that you are addressing the topic comprehensively. In this article, we will explore some valuable tips on how to write a long essay, from conducting thorough research and outlining your arguments to crafting a compelling introduction and conclusion. These tips can enhance your writing skills and produce a high-quality essay that evaluates the topic effectively. 

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Understanding “A Long Essay”

Ah, the long essay—a formidable task for many students and writers alike. But fear not, my friends! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps to writing an essay that is not only well-crafted but also engaging and impactful.

Let’s start with the basics. A long essay is typically 2,000 to 5,000 words, though the exact length can vary depending on the assignment or the institution’s requirements. These lengthier essays allow you to delve deeper into a topic, explore complex ideas, and showcase your critical thinking and writing skills.

But why is it so important to master the art of the long essay? For starters, many academic and professional settings demand the ability to communicate complex information clearly and concisely. Whether you’re a student tackling a research paper or a professional drafting a detailed report, the ability to write a good essay can make all the difference in conveying your message effectively.

If you need guidance on crafting a compelling Social Media essay , be sure to check out our article on Social Media Essay Writing.

I. The Pre-Writing Process

Now that we’ve established the importance of the long essay let’s dive into the first step: the pre-writing process.

Choosing a Topic— The foundation of a strong essay starts with selecting a topic that piques your interest. Take some time to brainstorm and explore potential subjects that align with your academic or professional goals. Remember, the more passionate you are about the topic, the easier it will be to write an engaging and well-researched essay.

Once you’ve identified a broad topic, it’s time to narrow it down. Craft a thesis statement that clearly defines the focus of your essay and serves as a guiding light throughout the writing process.

Conducting Research- It’s time to dive into the research phase. This is where you’ll uncover the facts, data, and expert insights that will lend credibility and depth to your essay. To gather a well-rounded understanding of your topic, utilize various sources, including academic journals, books, reputable websites, and primary sources.

As you conduct your research, take detailed notes and organize your information to align with your essay’s structure. This will make the actual writing process much smoother.

Our article on Coming Up With Essay Topic Ideas offers tips and strategies for finding the perfect essay topic.

II. Planning and Outlining

With your research in hand, it’s time to move on to the planning and outlining stage. This is where you’ll transform your ideas and information into a cohesive and logical structure.

Developing a Thesis Statement- Your thesis statement is the beating heart of your essay. It should be a clear, concise, and specific statement that outlines the central argument or focus of your writing. Crafting a strong thesis statement will help you stay on track and guide your readers through the main points of your essay.

Creating an Outline- Next, it’s time to outline and write your essay. Start by organizing your ideas logically, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Identify the key points you want to address within each section and the evidence you’ll use to support your argument.

III. Writing the Essay

It’s time to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and start writing your long essay. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through this process:

The Introduction- Your introduction is your chance to grab the reader’s attention and set the stage for the rest of your essay. Start with a hook – a sentence or two that piques the reader’s interest and introduces the topic. Then, provide some background information and transition into your thesis statement, which will serve as the central focus of your essay.

Body Paragraphs— The body of your essay is where you’ll explore your topic in-depth and present your arguments and evidence. Each body paragraph should focus on one main idea and be supported by relevant evidence, such as quotations, statistics, or examples.

Remember to use transitions between paragraphs to ensure a smooth flow and logical progression of your essay.

The Conclusion -Your conclusion is your chance to summarize your essay with a bang. Summarize the key points you’ve made throughout the essay and restate your thesis in a new and impactful way. You can also use the conclusion to offer a call to action or leave the reader with a thought-provoking statement.

IV. Revise, Proofread and Edit

Congratulations! You’ve written your long essay. But the work isn’t done yet. It’s time to dive into the editing and revising process.

Checking for Coherence and Flow -Start by reading through your essay with a critical eye. Does the essay flow logically from one idea to the next? Are there any sentences or paragraphs that feel out of place or disjointed? Make any necessary adjustments to ensure a cohesive and smooth-flowing piece of writing.

Reviewing Grammar and Punctuation- Next, it’s time to focus on the mechanics of your essay. Carefully review your writing for any grammatical, spelling, or punctuation issues. Remember, even the most well-crafted essay can be undermined by sloppy writing.

Seeking Feedback- Once you’ve addressed any glaring issues, it’s time to seek feedback from others. Ask your peers, professors, or even a professional writing tutor to review your essay and provide their honest feedback. This outside perspective can be invaluable in helping you identify areas for improvement.

Making Revisions- Make any necessary revisions to your essay based on the feedback you receive. This may involve restructuring sections, clarifying arguments, or strengthening the evidence you’ve used to support your argument. Remember, editing and revising are essential for producing a high-quality essay.

V. The Final Draft

Alright, you’ve written, edited, and revised your long essay. Now, it’s time to put the finishing touches on your writing.

Proofreading- One last time, thoroughly proofread your essay. Check for any remaining typos, grammatical errors, or inconsistencies. This final step will help ensure that your essay is polished and professional.

Formatting and Citations— Depending on the citation style your essay requires, format your paper and cite your sources correctly. This attention to detail will demonstrate your commitment to academic integrity and strengthen the credibility of your essay.

Submitting Your Essay- Finally, it’s time to submit your essay. Double-check that you’ve followed all the instructions and requirements, then hit send (or hand in your essay) confidently. You’ve put in the hard work, and it’s time to let your essay shine.

Whew, that was a lot of information! But fear not, my fellow writers. You’ve got this. By following these steps and tips to help you write a long essay, you’ll be well on crafting an impactful piece that reflects your writing skills.

Remember, writing a long essay can be arduous, but with the right mindset and a solid plan, you can easily write many high-quality essays. So, take a deep breath, start writing, and let your essay shine!

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FAQs on How To Write A Long Essay

How do you start a long essay.

When starting a long essay, it is essential to understand the topic and its purpose thoroughly. Conduct proper research on the subject matter to gather enough information and evidence to support your arguments. An outline can help you organize your thoughts and structure the essay effectively.

How do you write a large essay?

Writing a large essay involves a systematic approach that includes academic writing principles. Start by crafting a strong thesis statement that encapsulates the main idea of your essay. Follow it up with well-structured paragraphs that present cohesive arguments supported by relevant evidence. Ensure a logical flow between sections to maintain the reader’s interest throughout the essay.

What is the structure of a long essay?

The structure of a long essay typically consists of an introduction, body paragraphs containing arguments and evidence, and a conclusion. The introduction should provide background information and a thesis statement. Each body paragraph should focus on a single argumentative point supported by evidence and analysis. The conclusion summarizes the key points and restates the thesis.

How can I make my essay longer?

If you need to stretch out your essay, consider using additional evidence to support your arguments or delve deeper into your analysis. You can also expand on your ideas by exploring different perspectives or providing more examples. Be cautious not to include redundant information or fluff to meet the word count requirement. A well-developed essay with substantial content is more valuable than a lengthy but shallow piece.

With a deep understanding of the student experience, I craft blog content that resonates with young learners. My articles offer practical advice and actionable strategies to help students achieve a healthy and successful academic life.

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Last Minute Cheap Essay Blog

Last-Minute Techniques for Long Essay Brilliance

• by trudy J. Meyers
• February 22, 2024

A long essay, similar to an informational essay, is a type of writing that covers a topic in great detail. When it comes to tertiary education, a long essay usually refers to a project, dissertation, or thesis. It is a requirement for graduation in many cases. Despite its length, writing a long essay can be manageable if you approach it correctly. By following a few useful tips, you can confidently tackle even the most extensive assignments. In this guide, we will go over all the essential aspects of crafting a successful long essay, including outlining, editing, and making your content engaging.

A complete guide by the number #1 Cheap Essay Writing Service US . This write-up contains our top picks for essay writing tips!

Tips to Proofread Long Essays

Proofreading is a crucial step in the essay writing process. It ensures that your work is polished and error-free. Here are some tips to help you effectively proofread your long essays:

• Take Breaks: After completing your comprehensive essay , step away from it for a while before proofreading. This allows you to come back with fresh eyes and catch errors more easily.
• Reading your essay aloud can help you identify awkward phrasing, grammatical errors, and typos. This can help you catch things that might have slipped through unnoticed.
• Use Tools: Take advantage of spelling and grammar checkers, but don’t rely solely on them. Manual proofreading is essential to catch nuances that automated tools may miss.
• Focus on one aspect at a time. Instead of trying to catch all errors at once, focus on specific aspects. These include spelling, grammar, punctuation, and clarity. Do this in each round of proofreading.
• Get Feedback: Have a friend, family member, or peer review your essay. Fresh perspectives can uncover issues you might have overlooked.
• Check the formatting of your essay to ensure it follows the required guidelines. This includes the font size, spacing, margins, and citation style. Remember, thorough proofreading enhances the quality of your essay. It demonstrates your attention to detail.

Tips to Draft Long Essays

Drafting a long essay requires careful planning and organization. This helps effectively convey your ideas. Here are some tips to help you draft your essay efficiently:

• Before you start writing, outline the main points and structure of your essay. This provides a roadmap for your writing and helps maintain coherence throughout the piece.
• Start early. Begin drafting your essay well in advance of the deadline. This will allow ample time for research, writing, and revision. Procrastination often leads to rushed and lower-quality work.
• Break it Down: Divide your essay into manageable sections or paragraphs. Focus on completing one section at a time, which makes the task feel less overwhelming. Make an easily followable essay structure .
• Research Thoroughly: Gather reliable sources and evidence to support your arguments. Take detailed notes and organize them according to your outline.
• Write Freely: Don’t worry too much about perfection in the first draft. Focus on getting your ideas down on paper and refine them during the revision process.
• Stay Organized: Keep track of your sources, citations, and any additional materials you plan to include in your essay. This helps maintain coherence and credibility.
• Revise and Refine: Once you’ve completed the first draft, take time to revise and refine your essay. Pay attention to the clarity, coherence, and overall effectiveness of your arguments.

Follow these drafting tips. You can produce a well-structured and compelling long essay that effectively communicates your ideas.

Tips to Make Your Long Essay Engaging

Keeping your reader engaged throughout a long essay is essential. It maintains interest and effectively conveys your message. Here are some tips to make your long essay more engaging:

• Start with a strong introduction. Grab your reader’s attention from the outset with an interesting hook or compelling anecdote. Clearly state your thesis and provide a preview of what the essay will cover.
• Use Clear and Concise Language: Avoid overly complex sentences and jargon that might confuse your reader. Opt for straightforward language that is easy to understand.
• Use narrative elements or examples to illustrate your points. This will make your arguments more relatable. Stories have a powerful impact on engaging readers. They also make abstract concepts more concrete.
• Include visuals to supplement your written content . Use relevant images, graphs, charts, or infographics. This will break up the text and provide visual interest. Visuals can help convey information better and keep readers engaged.
• Provide variety in your writing style . Mix up your sentence structures, transitions, and rhetorical devices. This prevents your essay from becoming monotonous and keeps readers interested.
• Address counterarguments . Acknowledge opposing viewpoints and counterarguments. Refute them with evidence and reasoning. Engaging with alternative perspectives demonstrates critical thinking and adds depth to your essay.
• End with a strong conclusion . Summarize the main points of your essay and compellingly restate your thesis. Leave your reader with a thought-provoking final thought or call to action.

By implementing these strategies, you can create a long essay that captivates your audience and effectively communicates your ideas.

Tips to Extend Word Count for Long Essays

Sometimes, reaching the required word count for a long essay can be challenging. Here are some strategies to help you extend your word count without sacrificing quality:

• Provide Detailed Explanations: Expand on your ideas by providing thorough explanations and examples. This adds depth to your essay and helps fill out the word count.
• Include Relevant Quotes: Incorporate quotes from experts, scholars, or primary sources to support your arguments. Be sure to properly cite and analyze the quotes to demonstrate their relevance to your topic.
• Explore alternative perspectives: Consider different viewpoints or interpretations of your topic. Discuss them in your essay. Analyzing contrasting perspectives adds complexity and can significantly increase word count.
• Add Transitional Phrases: Introduce transitional phrases and sentences to connect ideas and paragraphs smoothly. This not only improves the flow of your essay but also adds words to your overall count.
• Include Subheadings: If appropriate, use subheadings to organize your essay into sections. This not only enhances readability but also adds structure and can contribute to word count.
• Expand on Counterarguments: Address potential counterarguments in more detail and thoroughly refute them with evidence and reasoning. This demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the topic and adds substance to your essay.
• Use multiple examples to illustrate key points and reinforce your arguments . This not only strengthens your essay but also adds valuable content to increase word count.
• Elaborate on Supporting Evidence: Take the time to elaborate on supporting evidence and explain its significance to your argument. This adds depth to your analysis and helps meet word count requirements.

You can effectively extend your long essay’s word count by using these strategies. This way, you can maintain quality and relevance.

Time Management for Long Essays

Effective time management is crucial when tackling a long essay to ensure that you complete it on time and to a high standard. Here are some tips to help you manage your time effectively:

• Set clear deadlines: Break down the essay writing process into smaller tasks. Assign deadlines for each task, including research, drafting, editing, and proofreading. This helps you stay organized and on track.
• Prioritize tasks: Identify the most critical tasks. Prioritize them based on deadlines and importance. Focus on completing high-priority tasks first to ensure that essential aspects of the essay are addressed early on.
• Create a Schedule: Allocate specific time slots for essay writing and stick to your schedule. Avoid procrastination by committing to regular writing sessions. Treat them as non-negotiable appointments.
• Break it Down: Divide the essay writing process into manageable chunks and focus on completing one section or aspect at a time. This prevents overwhelm and allows you to make steady progress towards completion.
• Use time blocks: Employ the Pomodoro technique or similar time-blocking methods to structure your writing sessions. Work in focused intervals of 25-30 minutes, followed by short breaks, to maintain productivity and avoid burnout.
• Create a conducive writing environment: Minimize distractions like social media, email, and other non-essential tasks. Consider using productivity tools or apps to block distracting websites during writing sessions.
• Take Regular Breaks: Incorporate short breaks into your writing schedule to rest and recharge. Taking breaks from work can prevent mental fatigue. It also helps maintain focus and productivity.
• Stay flexible: Be prepared to adapt your schedule and priorities as needed. This could be based on unforeseen circumstances or changes in your workload. Flexibility is essential for effective time management in writing.

Implement these time management strategies. Maximize your productivity and complete your long essay efficiently. Also, maintain quality and meet deadlines.

Mastering the art of crafting long essays requires effective writing strategies. It also requires diligent proofreading and efficient time management. By following the tips outlined in this guide, you can tackle even the most comprehensive essays with confidence and success.

Creating a solid outline, extending word count, and managing your time effectively, each step in the writing process plays a crucial role in producing high-quality work. Remember to start early, stay organized, and prioritize clarity and coherence in your writing.

These tips can help you get through the challenges of long-form writing. Whether you’re writing an informational essay, a last-minute assignment, or a comprehensive research paper. They can help you produce engaging, well-crafted essays that meet your goals and exceed expectations.

So, roll up your sleeves, sharpen your pencils (or flex those typing fingers), and begin your writing journey with confidence. With practice and perseverance, you’ll hone your skills as a writer and conquer even the longest essays with ease.

Writing a compelling and interesting informational essay may seem like a daunting task. The intricacies of the information, tone, structuring, and citations are indeed a pain in the neck. However, with our writing service, it’s no longer a problem. Last minute essay provides you with a range of services. Creating the perfect masterpiece for you. Browse our cheap essay writing services here. If you need to write an essay fast , we are here for you.

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How Long Is an Essay? The Ultimate Essay Length Guide

It’s safe to say that most students struggle with the word limit within an essay. Sometimes, it’s hard to find ideas for a text and meet the word requirement for every part of the paper. With so many factors influencing essay length, it’s easy to get confused.

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Luckily, our custom-writing team has your back. In this article, our custom-writing experts will answer all your questions regarding essay length. We will also help you write papers with an ideal number of words!

📜 Is Essay Length Important?

📏 essay parts: recommended length.

• 🤔 How to Make Essays Shorter or Longer
• 📑 Essay Length & Formatting
• ❓ Different Academic Levels FAQ
• 📚 Essay Length: Different Types
• ⭐ Other Aspects
• 📝 Essay Examples

🔍 References

Often, the phrase “word limit” causes panic among students. After all, if an essay is too long or too short, your grade will be lowered. However, in reality, there’s nothing to worry about. When it comes to words, limitations are beneficial for both the students and the professors.

Let’s see what exactly it means.

Many people believe that the longer an essay is, the better. However, according to Frontiers, research shows that it’s a bias that couldn’t be further from the truth. A perfect-length paper is one that allows students to express their ideas and showcase their knowledge fully while keeping it clean and simple.

What Influences Essay Length

Various factors determine the length of an essay. Here are the most important ones:

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Let’s start with the essentials. Usually, assignment length is given as a number of words rather than pages. Unless your supervisor or instructor mentions any specific limitations, it’s acceptable to be 10% below or above the word limit.

It’s also worth knowing the 80/20 rule . According to it, the body should constitute 80% of the text, while the intro and the conclusion take up the remaining 20%.

Keep reading to learn more about the recommended length of each essay part. The main numbers are shown in the table below:

How Long Should an Introduction Be?

An introduction is the first section and the face of your essay. For that reason, it needs to be compelling and well-thought-out. Usually, it consists of 3 to 5 sentences or 50 to 80 words .

An introduction must have a hook, some background information, and a thesis statement. While the attention grabber and the thesis are usually brief, you may need 2 to 3 sentences for the background. To avoid going overboard, try to stay on topic and don’t add any filler.

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How Long Is a Body Paragraph in an Essay?

The length of a body paragraph may vary. Sometimes, it can be limited to a single sentence. In other cases, it may take up a whole page. Usually, it’s recommended to have between 80 and 200 words (5-8 sentences) per body paragraph.

Since the paper’s body contains the most information, it’s necessary to explain and support your ideas properly. That’s why it’s no big deal if your body paragraphs go slightly over the word limit.

How Many Body Paragraphs Should Be in an Essay?

Like the word count, the number of paragraphs is determined by the type of paper and its topic. The minimum is 1. Generally, however, the body consists of 3-5 paragraphs , 1 for each argument.

To improve your paper’s structure, ensure that there are as many paragraphs as there are points in your thesis statement. Each one should have a purpose and support your arguments. If there’s any fluff, it’s better to get rid of it.

How Long Should a Conclusion Be?

Like the introduction, the conclusion consists of 50-80 words . It’s essential to keep it simple and only mention the central ideas. A weak concluding sentence may affect the reader’s understanding of the topic and spoil the overall impression of your paper.

Get an originally-written paper according to your instructions!

🤔 How to Make Essays Shorter or Longer: Best Tips

Undoubtedly the essay’s content is more important than the number of words you use. But there are times when students go more than 10-15% below or over the limit. Is there a solution to this problem?

Yes, there is! In this section, we will share the most useful tips to help you stay on point with your paper’s word count.

How to Make Essays Longer

Since having enough words is essential for a good grade, we’ve collected the best tips that can help you lengthen your essay without teachers noticing:

• Use relevant quotations.  You don’t need to litter your essay with citations, but using them whenever appropriate is a great idea. For instance, if you’re working on a book analysis, referencing a couple of direct quotes from the source text will make your essay more credible and increase the word count.
• Give examples.  Go through the claims in your paper and provide additional evidence where possible. It will make your essay longer and more informative.
• Use transitional expressions.  Adding transition words and phrases is a natural way of increasing the number of words. It will also improve your essay’s readability. 
• Add more references.  Providing references is always a good idea when writing a formal essay. That way, you will increase the number of words and make your paper more credible.
• Work on your descriptions.  If you struggle to develop new ideas, go over what you’ve already written and consider adding some descriptive words. It’s a great idea for creative essays to include more imagery. 

How to Shorten an Essay

Another struggle of academic writing is cutting down the number of words in your essay to meet a set limit. We are here to tell you that it’s not that hard. Writing straightforwardly and keeping your sentences short is a key to concise content. Here are several strategies you may use to tighten a lengthy essay:

• Choose the active voice.  It takes up less space than passive voice. Using it also makes your writing more professional and compelling.
• Remove needless transitions.  Transitions can indeed maintain the flow of the paper. But some transitional phrases can be easily removed.
• Get rid of unnecessary adverbs and adjectives.  Some students tend to overuse adjectives and adverbs. It adds wordiness to their writing.
• Avoid running starts.  Some students like to start their sentences with long phrases like: “there are,” “it is believed,” or “the fact that.” Getting rid of them makes texts much more concise.
• Delete “that.”  In most cases, the word “that” can often be easily removed from texts.

Another cool trick is to use our summarizing tool as essay shortener. Try it out!

📑 How Long Is an Essay Depending on Formatting?

As we mentioned earlier, the essay’s length is usually limited by the number of words. But sometimes, a teacher may ask you to write a specific number of pages. This is trickier because the amount of text you can place on the page depends on the formatting. By using the font size and spacing properly, it’s possible to make the paper visually longer or shorter. Let’s discuss it in more detail.

Essay Spacing: How Does It Affect the Length?

• Adjusting the spacing between lines.  Try to make the changes as slight as possible. For instance, if you were asked to double-space the paper, use 2.1 or 2.2 spacing instead. Another option is to slightly extend spaces between paragraphs.
• Extending the margin size.  You can increase the right and bottom margins by a quarter to make very subtle changes in length. For example, if the margins are 1 inch , you can set them at 1.25 inches instead. 
• Increasing the spacing between characters.  It is less noticeable than the line spacing. Still, try not to overdo it and keep the numbers between 1.2 and 1.5 . 
• Adjusting the footer.  Add a footer with page numbers to stretch the bottom margin even further.
• Lengthening the header.  You can extend your header by adding your name, e-mail address, or other relevant information. Another option is double-spacing it.

Length of an Essay: Font and Size

• Using the right type of font.  If your instructor didn’t specify which font you should use, go for the bigger ones. We suggest Arial, Bangla Sangam MN, Cambria, or Quicksand. They will make your text look longer without being too on the nose.  
• Using a bigger font size.  This is another technique that can come in handy. However, be careful and don’t increase your font by more than 0.1-0.5 pt.  
• Increasing the size of periods and commas.   This is one of the less noticeable tricks you can use. For instance, if your paper’s font is 12 pt. , increase it to 14 pt. only for punctuation marks. Italicizing periods and commas will also add several lines of length to your essay. 

What to Do if There Are No Length Guidelines

Sometimes a teacher sets no word limit for a written work. What to do in that case? Well, first, you can ask your professor to confirm if they have simply forgotten to mention it. But if that’s not the case, here are a couple of helpful solutions:

• Think of the paragraph number.  Sometimes, you may be given the number of paragraphs instead of words. In that case, you can decide on the number of words depending on how many paragraphs you have. 
• Think about the topic’s complexity.  The length of your paper is also directly dependent on the theme. If the topic is simple, 4-5 paragraphs will be enough. A more complex issue may require an in-depth explanation, so your essay can be 6-8 paragraphs long.

❓ Essay Length for Different Academic Levels FAQ

The length of the elementary school essay is usually short. Usually, a paper needs to have around 3-5 paragraphs, with 4-5 sentences per paragraph. Primary school essays can be 1-2 paragraphs long.

The word limit for a middle school essay is usually between 300 to 1000 words. The most common essay length is 500 words, which is about 5 paragraphs. However, it may differ from school to school.

The length of the high school essay may differ depending on the school and the complexity of the task itself. Usually, however, a paper can be between 300 to 1000 words long.

The length of the undergraduate college essay often falls within the range of 1500 to 2100 words. It translates into roughly 5-7 pages. 5 pages is the most common essay length at this level.

When it comes to the graduate school admission essay, the word limit is usually between 500 and 1000 words. It’s possible to go slightly over or below the set limit; however, it’s best to stick to the requirements as close as possible.

📚 How Long Should an Essay Be: Different Types

Now, let’s talk about different types of essays. How long should they be? Keep reading to learn about the length of college essays, short and extended ones, scholarship essays, and research papers.

How Long Is a College Essay?

When it comes to a college essay, it’s more important to stick to the word limit than with any other paper. Some teachers may refuse to read it unless it meets all the requirements.

The shortest limit for a college essay is about 250 words which is the shortest length of a Common App personal statement. It’s also rare to see a good college essay with over 650 words . So, an average piece usually has between 150 and 650 words ; you can go over or below the limit by 50.

How Long Is a Paragraph in College Essays?

A college essay usually consists of 4-5 paragraphs . One paragraph takes about 1/3 of the page, which is roughly 5 sentences . Each sentence corresponds with one of the following components:

• Topic sentence.
• Explanation.
• Transitions.

College Essay Length Requirements: Top 5 Schools

To understand the requirements for a college application essay even better, take a look at the table below. It showcases the top 5 schools and their length criteria for personal statements. Keep it in mind when writing your college essay:

How Long Is a Short Essay?

A short essay is usually 500 words long. Using 12pt Times New Roman font with standard margins and double spacing should result in about 2 pages of text.

Extended Essay Length

An extended essay is different from a short or a standard one. It requires extensive research and thorough explanation. That’s why the upper limit for this kind of essay is 4000 words . In this case, a typical essay length is 3500 words or 18 paragraphs .

Scholarship Essay Length

Generally, scholarship papers have a limit of 500 words , which is 1 page in length. Most scholarship programs provide additional requirements that indicate the minimum number of words or pages. If there are no set limitations, you can stick to the limit.

How Long Is a Research Paper?

Typically, a research paper is between 4000 and 6000 words long. Sometimes, there are shorter papers, which have around 2000 words, or in-depth ones with over 10000 words.

⭐ Other Aspects of Essay Length

When it comes to essay length, many different aspects come into play. Here, we’ve gathered all the essential information regarding an essay’s number of pages, paragraphs, words, and references.

How Many Paragraphs Are in an Essay?

Sometimes, it is more convenient to count paragraphs rather than words. Let’s now figure out how many paragraphs are in essays of different lengths. You may also check out the examples to see what such an essay looks like:

How to Count Paragraphs in an Essay Based on Word Count

You can also count the number of body paragraphs for your essay using the formula below:

Number of body paragraphs (average) = (TWC – TWC*0.16)/100

• TWC – total word count
• 0.16 – an average percentage of total word count for introduction and conclusion
• 100 – an average number of words per paragraph

How Many Pages Are in an Essay?

The number of pages in your essay may vary from subject to subject. But it’s still possible to determine the number of pages based on word count. Check out the numbers below to see the conversions with bonus examples:

You can also use a specialized calculator such as Word Counter to determine a number of pages in your essay.

What Does an Essay Look Like when Typed?

You might be wondering: what do essays of different lengths look like when typed? Well, here’s the table where you can find out the metrics for single- and double-spaced papers.

How Many Pages Are in a Handwritten Essay?

In case you need to turn in a handwritten paper, you should check out the table below.

Counting Words in a Handwritten Essay

If you don’t have enough time to count the words in your handwritten essay one by one, here’s what you can do:

• Count how many words there are in one line. Take the first and last lines and a line in the middle of a page. Let’s say there are 15, 14, and 15 words in them. Then, the average number of words per line is 15.
• Next, count how many lines there are on one page. Let’s say there are 17 lines on a page.
• Take the number of words per line and multiply it by the number of lines per page. In our case, we multiply 15 by 17. So, there are 255 words per page on average.
• Finally, multiply the number of words per page by the number of pages. If your essay has 3 pages, it is approximately 765 words long.

How Long Does it Take to Write an Essay?

It is crucial to know how long writing will take you, especially if you are working on an exam essay or just short on time. Note that you need to consider the time for typing and researching necessary to complete a piece. Research time may vary. Usually, it’s 1-2 hours for 200-250 words .

Below, we’ve gathered the average writing time for average and slower writing speed:

And here are the results in pages:

How Many References Does an Essay Need?

Another essential part of any composition is the reference list. Different academic levels require different references. You’ll find out how many of them should be in your paper in the table below!

📝 Essay Examples: Different Length

Finally, we’ve gathered some excellent sample essays of different lengths. Make sure to check them out!

We also recommend you check out our free essay samples sorted by pages:

• 1-Page Essay Examples
• 2-Page Essay Examples
• 3-Page Essay Examples
• 4-Page Essay Examples
• 5-Page Essay Examples
• 10-Page Essay Examples
• 20-Page Essay Examples
• 30-Page Essay Examples
• 40-Page Essay Examples
• 50-Page Essay Examples

Now you know all about essay length, word limits, and ways to lengthen or shorten your text. If you know other interesting tricks, make sure to share them in a comment! Good luck with your writing assignments!

You may also like:

• How to Write a Process Analysis Essay: Examples & Outline
• How to Write a Precis: Definition, Guide, & Examples 
• How to Write a Critical Analysis Essay: Examples & Guide
• How to Write a Narrative Essay Outline: Template & Examples
• How to Write a Formal Essay: Format, Rules, & Example
• Word Limits and Assignment Length: Massey University
• The Paragraph in the College Essay: California State University, Long Beach
• Introductions & Conclusions: The University of Arizona Global Campus
• How Long Should a Paragraph Be?: Daily Writing Tips
• Paragraphing (Length Consistency): Purdue University
• Hitting the Target Word Count in Your College Admission Essay: Dummies.com
• How Long Should Your College Essay Be? What is the Ideal Length?: College Vine
• Writing Personal Statements Online: Issues of Length and Form: Penn State University
• Pen Admissions: Essays: University of Pennsylvania
• Essay Questions: University of Michigan
• Essay Structure: Harvard University
• Components of a Good Essay: University of Evansville
• Write Your Essay: UNSW Sydney
• College Writing: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• 21 Helpful and Easy Tips to Make an Essay Longer: Seventeen
• How to Make a College Paper Longer: ThoughtCo
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Sophia bush reflects on her “journey” following revealing essay: “it took a long time and a lot of work to get here”.

The 'One Tree Hill' alum shares she "couldn't believe" that she's reached self-acceptance after writing about her divorce and coming out as queer in a recent 'Glamour' cover story.

By Tatiana Tenreyro

Tatiana Tenreyro

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Following her personal essay in Glamour , Sophia Bush reflected on her decision to share insight into her private life.

In her essay, Bush revealed what led to her split from Grant Hughes and confirmed her relationship with Ashlyn Harris . The One Tree Hill alum shared that by changing the course of her life and making the difficult decision to divorce Hughes and come out as queer, she found true happiness.

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Days after her essay was published, Bush explained what she meant with her birthday realization in an Instagram post shared on Sunday . “I feel like last summer I had my very first birthday. My own. And last summer Maggie Smith’s words helped me begin to understand why. From afar, she helped me put myself back together,” she wrote.

Bush included a poem from the You Could Make This Place Beautiful author, which explained Bush’s own emotions: “How I picture it: We are all nesting dolls, carrying the earlier iterations of ourselves inside. We carry the past inside us. We take ourselves — all of our selves — wherever we go. Inside forty-something me is the woman I was in my thirties, the woman I was in my twenties, the teenager I was, the child I was … I still carry these versions of myself. It’s a kind of reincarnation without death: all these different lives we get to live in this one body, as ourselves.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sophia Bush (@sophiabush)

Looking back at why it was important to shed light on her personal life on her own terms, the actress wrote, “This week I got to share my own words, that I wrote down from the bottom of my ever-evolving heart.”

She recognized her joy at self-acceptance, writing, “When I uttered ‘I really love who I am, at this age, and in this moment’ I sort of couldn’t believe it. It just fell out of me. Simple. But profound. I’ve always wanted to feel that in my bones. Suddenly I do. It took a long time and a lot of work to get here.”

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Greg Norman’s 3 simple tips to drive the ball long and straight

Greg Norman was a heck of a ball striker during his playing career.

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Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today, we look back at our October 1995 issue where Greg Norman shared three tips for driving the ball long and straight. For unlimited access to the full GOLF Magazine digital archive,  join  InsideGOLF  today ; you’ll enjoy $140 of value for only $39.99/year.

With Greg Norman being such a polarizing figure in the modern golf landscape it can be easy to forget that he was a heck of a player during his career. With 20 PGA Tour titles and two major championships, he was among the game’s best players during his playing prime.

Much of that success can be attributed to his incredible ball-striking skills — particularly off the tee. With a driver in his hands, Norman was long and straight, a lethal combo that allowed him to pick apart courses like few others could.

If you are curious about what drove Norman’s success, you’re in luck. Back in 1995, the Shark penned a feature for GOLF Magazine outlining three tips for hitting the ball long and straight, which we’ve reproduced below. Check it out.

Norman’s 3 driving tips

As a youngster I loved sports, playing everything from rugby to cricket. But it wasn’t until I was 15 that I borrowed my Mum’s clubs and had my first go at golf at the Virginia Golf Club near our home in Queensland, Australia. 

I hit many more bad shots than good that day and I don’t remember my score. But I do remember that my few solid drives hooked me on the game. Immediately after the round, I picked up a copy of Jack Nicklaus ’ Golf My Way and began my education. 

Three years later, with my handicap down to scratch, I won my first tournament, the Queensland Junior Championship. Three years after that, at age 21, I won my first Australian pro event — the 1976 West Lakes Classic. 

In 1983, having won in numerous countries, I decided to join the PGA Tour and meet the challenge of America head on. After just eight years, I had eight titles and earnings of more than $4,250,000. My banner year was 1990, when I won Doral and The Memorial, and captured the Arnold Palmer award for leading money-winner. I felt on top of the world. 

This simple tee-box hack can help improve your driving accuracy

A year later, my game hit rock bottom! I finished 53rd on the money list. More importantly, I’d fallen way down in some key statistical categories, notably driving accuracy and greens in regulation. 

When I looked back at that year, it didn’t take long to realize I needed help. For 20 years I’d been relying on good genes, Jack’s book, and some tips from Australian teacher Charlie Erp, who, in the early years, had smoothed out some of the rough edges in my game. But it was time to move forward, to build a swing less dependent on perfect timing and rigorous practice, and more likely to stand up under pressure. 

I needed a new teacher, someone I could trust. After a long search I chose Claude “Butch” Harmon. 

Butch was honest. His first words after watching me hit a bag of balls at the TPC The Woodlands in Houston, Texas, were, “Greg, your stance is too narrow; your footwork is poor; the swing is too long and too steep; and your hips sway on the backswing then slide on the downswing.” 

At that moment, I knew what Nick Faldo and Nick Price must have felt years earlier when they made the commitment to revamp their swings. I knew that if I wanted to play world-class golf, not only would I have to sacrifice some playing time for practice, but in many ways I would have to start from scratch. 

I practiced diligently in 1992, and it was worth it: I climbed back to 18th in money on Tour and my stats improved. In 1993, I finished third in money and won the British Open at Royal St. George’s. Last year, I was second on the money list and proved a lot to the golf world — and myself — by winning The Players Championship with a 24-under-par 264 over the TPC at Sawgrass. 

This year, quite simply, I’m playing the best golf of my life. 

I still work with Butch, going in for a swing check whenever and wherever I can. We return to the same keys, the ones that now let me swing more powerfully and hit a controlled draw rather than my old fade (and sometimes block). The keys are a slightly strong grip; wide stance; and fluid hip turn. 

You don’t have to be a Tour player or even a low-handicapper to find success with my keys. You don’t have to follow every instruction tip to the letter to develop a better understanding of your swing and where it can be improved. But you do have to go back to the fundamentals, as I did, study them, and adapt them to your needs. 

I think these keys can help you. I know they really helped me. 

1. Semi-strong, “Intermesh” grip

Your hands are the only part of your body touching the club, so they must be comfortable and work together when forming a grip. 

When I first started playing golf, none of the grip options — overlap, interlock, or 10-finger — felt comfortable or secure. I felt as if my hands were fighting each other when I wanted them functioning as a team. I experimented and invented a grip that wedded my hands comfortably to the club. 

Call it the “intermesh” because its key feature is the position of the right pinkie—meshed snugly between the index and middle fingers of the left hand. My hands are not very large, and this hold works best for me.

Also unusual about my grip is club placement. Traditional teaching calls for holding the club in the palm and fingers of the left hand and in the fingers of the right hand. I don’t follow those rules, nor do I assume a neutral grip. 

Since this year’s Masters I hold the club almost entirely in the fingers of my left hand: This lets me rotate that hand a notch more to the right (away from the target), into a slightly stronger position. My left thumb presses lightly on the right side of the grip. 

Butch showed me how a semistrong left hand sets the left forearm slightly to the right at address, encouraging it to rotate on the backswing and place the club on the correct inside path. Coming down, the stronger grip enhances the releasing action of your arms, hands, and the club, closing the clubface through impact and promoting a draw. 

In the right hand, resting the club along the base of the fingers increases my sense of security and confidence. Gripping up in the fingers can weaken control of the club at the top or through impact, when the club is moving as fast as 120 miles per hour. 

I have two further checkpoints for the grip: 1) My left thumb fits into the crease under the pad of my right hand. 2) Rather than squeezing more tightly with the right hand, I maintain the same degree of pressure in both hands — about 7 on a 1-to-10 scale. 

Even if you’re not comfortable with the intermesh, try a stronger left hand. And however you grip the club, be sure your hands form a single unit and work together, which you ensure by setting the palms parallel. 

2. Extra-wide stance

Just as the hands are the only link to the club, your feet are the only connection to the ground. Therefore, -you must start with a solid foundation. On the tee, this means setting up with your feet spread shoulder-width apart, measuring — and this is important — at the inside of the heels. 

I knew that Ben Hogan played from an extra-wide stance, but I was always so busy thinking about positions and swing angles that I never thought to look down at my feet. Butch educated me on the value of a wide stance. 

A wide stance leads to several improvements: 

—A longer takeaway and wider swing arc.

—A shorter, more compact swing.

—A turn, rather than slide, of your hips.

At 6-foot-1, it felt natural to take a narrow stance. And I’d played pretty well that way. What I didn’t know was that compensatory moves and brute strength were allowing me to get away with it. But not all the time. 

Every now and again, and often when it counted most, the narrow stance would fail me. I’d swing on such a narrow arc that my right wrist would hinge too much at the top, causing the club to drop well below parallel. I’d be at what Butch calls “the point of no return,” unable to bail out and save the swing. So I’d cast the club, slide into impact with my hips too high, reach impact with the clubface open, and block the shot to the right of target. 

No more. On every swing I check my stance. I see many amateurs who could improve by setting their feet farther apart. It isn’t easy to do at first. I suggest you picture a baseball shortstop in the ready position. Where are his feet? Spread shoulder-width apart so his entire body is ready for action. 

3. Shift and rotate the hips

I never thought there was a problem with my foot-action until I saw my swing on videotape, sliding my right foot backward through impact. As Butch explained, that was another reason I tended to fall back and block shots to the right, particularly under pressure. 

A wider stance helped control many parts of my game: I stopped coming out of my knee flex, and stopped swaying my hips back and through. As a result, my footwork improved, but not enough. 

I needed to keep my left foot fully on the ground and my right foot from sliding. To do that I had to stop thinking about driving the legs on the downswing and start rotating my hips. Butch said the results would be better balance, a consistently square impact position, and keeping the clubface on the ball a split-second longer for long, accurate shots. 

Hip rotation was also the only way to stop finishing in a severe ReverseC position, which was taking a toll on my back and hips. 

Butch worried that if I consciously thought about rotation, I would start spinning the hips too violently, causing more problems. He consulted with my physical trainer, Pete Draovitch, who taught me a simple drill to ingrain proper hip action and increase my flexibility: Stand in the address position holding a medicine ball. From the set-up, turn away from a target, then turn back, releasing the ball toward the target. 

The drill works. Even if you substitute a basketball for a medicine ball, you quickly learn proper hip rotation and the feeling of releasing the right arm over the left through impact, necessary for hitting a draw. 

More flexibility and good hip rotation let me swing through aggressively and safely— there’s no more foot-slide or severe Reverse-C. I make more solid contact and draw the ball, giving Mme. extra. distance through added roll. You can see the differences in my downswing and shot shape by comparing my new swing sequence photographs to the old ones. Look how far right the ball starts in the old swing; you can see it drawing (and the clubhead closing) in the new. 

Work on hip rotation, rather than sliding, and see if a number of your lower-body mistakes don’t disappear. 

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Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at [email protected].

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Trying to start a new habit? Here’s how to make it stick

Here are some tips and tricks for adopting a new habit.

By Natalie Issa

January is long gone, but you still might be trying to get some new healthy habits to stick.

Dreaming up a healthy habit is easy. Actually starting it — and sticking to it — is the hard part. And it won’t just happen overnight.

Sustaining habits requires a little bit of planning. Here are some tips and tricks on how to make a habit permanent.

How do you make a habit permanent?

These five steps will help you make a habit permanent, according to CNN .

1. Be specific

The more specific your habit is, the easier it is to keep it.

For example, just saying that you want to start exercising is too vague. But setting the goal of walking for 15 minutes daily or strength training for 30 minutes three days a week is specific and achievable.

Per CNN, “Having a bite-size objective makes it less daunting to get started and easier to see your progress.”

2. Create a plan

According to CNN , you need to create a detailed plan based on cues.

“Scientists have proven that you’ll make more progress toward your goal if you decide not just what you’ll do, but when you’ll be cued to do it, as well as where you’ll do it and how you’ll get there,” CNN reported.

Let’s say that you’d like to start reading for 15 minutes each day. You can create a cue-based plan to meet this goal, like choosing to read for 15 minutes every night in bed before you go to sleep.

Following a cue-based plan will make it less likely that “you’ll forget to follow through” on your habits, per CNN.

3. Make it fun

The key to making your habits stick is making them fun.

How you make it fun depends on you. You could try treating yourself — or “temptation building,” according to CNN .

For example, only listen to your favorite podcast when you go for a walk. Or only let yourself enjoy a sweet treat while reading for 30 minutes.

4. Be flexible

It’s important to stick to your plan, but you want to create some breathing room — just in case. That’s because, according to CNN, “if your routine becomes too brittle, you’ll follow through less often.”

For example: If you’re trying to read for 15 minutes before bed, you might find that you have to skip it after a late night. So on the days you know that you’re going to be out late, you could try reading right after work instead.

Another strategy to try is granting yourself “emergency reserves.” Per CNN , “Emergency reserves are a limited number of get-out-of-jail-free cards for those days when you really can’t squeeze in your 10 minutes of meditation, regular jog or Spanish practice.”

5. Get support

When you’re trying to build a healthy habit, tell your friends and family so they can hold you accountable. They might even want to join in.

Habit-building is also a great way to socialize and meet new people. Are you trying to read more? Join a book club. Getting into running? Join a running club.

What are two ways to build a habit?

According to Nike , there are two tactics you can use to kickstart a habit.

1. Start with small changes

Sohee Lee, certified strength and conditioning specialist, told Nike that starting with “the smallest possible iteration” of your desired habit and then getting bigger from there is an easy and non-intimidating way to jumpstart your habit.

Lee said, “Make your behavior so small, so easy, that even on your worst days, you’re still able to do it.”

For example: Let’s say that you’d like to start meditating. Maybe you can start by meditating for a minute every morning before you get out of bed. When you keep it up each morning, it “should start to feel second nature,” according to Nike.

After you’ve kept up this habit for a while, you can move up to five minutes of meditation. Once you do that successfully, you can “gradually increase from there.”

2. ‘Habit stacking’

Both Nike and Lee highlighted a practice they call “habit stacking.” It involves attaching the new behavior you want to adopt to something you already do regularly.

This approach is effective because, by adding a habit on to something you do already, “you use an existing trigger, which makes it easier to smoothly pull the new behavior into your routine,” according to Lee.

Lee suggests taking 20 minutes to write down everything you do each day. That way you can asses the things you’re already doing and determine which habits you can easily stack on your behaviors.

For example: You might want to start using sunscreen everyday. After writing down your daily behaviors, you might realize that you splash water on your face each morning. Therefore, you can easily stack applying sunscreen after splashing your face with water.

How long does it take to form a habit?

There’s been a long-held belief that it takes 21 days to form a habit. But, according to CNN , that just isn’t true. In all actuality, “no magic number exists.”

According to Scientific American , a “hallmark 2009 study” found that habits can form anywhere within 18 to 245 days.

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Guest Essay

When It Comes to TikTok, the World’s Democracies Have Played the Sucker for Far Too Long

Mr. Wu is a law professor at Columbia, a contributing Opinion writer and the author of “The Curse of Bigness: Antitrust in the New Gilded Age.”

China’s violations of human rights and the basic norms of internet freedom are blatant and obvious. This month, with little fanfare, the country ordered Apple to block downloads of WhatsApp, Threads and Signal within its borders. It already prevents citizens from connecting to dozens of other providers of information, including this newspaper and Wikipedia, and for years, it has aggressively surveilled journalists and dissidents.

That abysmal track record gives the United States every right to demand that TikTok find a different owner — one not subject to the control of the Chinese state.

Last week, President Biden signed a law that did just that. TikTok’s current owner, ByteDance, has long emphasized that global institutional investors — such as the Carlyle Group, General Atlantic and Susquehanna International Group — have a 60 percent stake in the company, but it is still, at its core, a Chinese company, with headquarters in Beijing and subject in multiple ways to the direction of Chinese officials. This new law, which gives TikTok roughly 270 days to find a new owner, is designed to change that. But more fundamentally, it sends a message to the world: You cannot disregard basic internet norms and expect to be treated just like any other country.

Infrastructure is destiny, and on some level, the continuing struggle to control the internet is a struggle for the future of civilization. We are already very far from the vision of the internet, laid out in the 1970s and 1990s, of a network that would bring the nations and peoples of the world together in harmony. That may have been too idealistic, even then — but today we can still draw a line at mass surveillance and censorship and make it clear that nations that break norms are not entitled to full access to American markets.

Some have argued that TikTok should be left alone to preserve a free and open internet. They argue that to treat China differently would fragment the network. That gets things backward. China, Russia, Iran and other nations have long since broken from any one-internet vision with their blocking, shutdowns and censorship. This month, American policymakers demonstrated that doing so has consequences.

That China violates established norms is not in question. In 2022 more than 60 nations signed a Declaration for the Future of the Internet enumerating basic online principles that all nations should respect (China, Russia and other nations declined to sign): no shutdowns around elections, no surveillance of political opponents, no bans on lawful content. While no country is perfect, only nations like Russia, Iran and Cuba can rival China in their flagrant violations of these principles. Freedom House, which measures internet freedoms, rates Iceland at 94 out of 100, Russia at 21 and China at 9. That alone is grounds to disqualify it from controlling what is now one of the world’s most important social media networks.

If the United States refuses to enforce the principles of internet freedom and openness, it makes a mockery of them. I will be the first to admit that even the United States has at times failed to respect these principles, particularly when it comes to state surveillance. But the answer is not to throw up our hands and declare that there is nothing to be done.

ByteDance, for its part, maintains that it is not subject to control by the Chinese government. The weight of the evidence suggests otherwise: The Chinese state owns a golden share in the company, the firm is based in China, and studies suggest that the government shapes TikTok content in accordance with party preferences. ByteDance has said it has no plans to sell TikTok, but that may be merely a means of driving up the price. What the company now has is a prime opportunity to prove its independence once and for all: by selling TikTok and taking the money.

It is true that only a few American companies — such as Oracle, Microsoft and Meta — have the money to buy TikTok, and I’ll admit that should Meta or Google acquire it, that company would have a dangerous amount of control over one of its greatest competitors. But that need not be the future of TikTok. Its current investors could partner with individuals, such as the Canadian investor and businessman Kevin O’Leary, to turn it “into an American company,” as he has said he wants to do. TikTok could even be run as a nonprofit and perhaps begin a move toward a less toxic business model.

These are radical steps, to be sure. But they are not without precedent. The new TikTok law is similar to the longstanding law that originally barred foreign citizens and corporations from owning U.S. radio and television stations. That law, enacted in the 1930s, might seem quaint today, but during the propaganda wars of the 20th century, control over radio stations was nothing to joke about. No one doubts that control over radio broadcasting was essential during World War II; there is no reason to pretend that social media has any less political salience in our times.

TikTok is already banned in a handful of other countries, including India, and on government phones in Australia, Canada and most of Europe. But it is important that other democratic nations — particularly in Europe — take seriously the dangers of Chinese control over their vital communications platforms. While justifiably concerned about the privacy practices of American tech platforms, they can’t ignore the question of who owns TikTok. The democracies of the world have played the sucker for far too long.

Tim Wu, a law professor at Columbia, is the author of “The Curse of Bigness: Antitrust in the New Gilded Age.”

Source photographs by KaanC and Hand-robot, via Getty Images.

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Navel Gazing

John dickerson’s notebooks: the power of four numbers.

Noticing longer, gray lockboxes, a soul-crushing teacher, Georgia O’Keeffe and more are explored in this week’s audio essay from John Dickerson.

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Episode Notes

In this week’s essay, John discusses the art of attention and how to develop the skill of slow-looking.

Notebook Entries:

Notebook 75, page 8. September 2021

Notebook 1, page 54. June 1990

-        Magna carta 1215 at Salisbury

-        Girls skipping

-        The Haunch of Venison

-        Chris

References:

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

A Little History of the World  by E.H Gombrich

Artist Jeff Koons

“ The Art of Divination: D.H. Lawrence on the Power of Pure Attention ” by Maria Popova for  The Marginalian

“ Gabfest Reads: A Woman’s Life in Museum Wall Labels ” for Political Gabfest

One Woman Show  by Christine Coulson

“ Grammy-winning artist Jason Isbell talks about the craft of songwriting and his latest music ” for CBS News

A Journey Around My Room  by Xavier De Maistre

“ Just think: The Challenges of the Disengaged Mind ” by Timothy Wilson, et.al for  Science

“ Our Rodent Selfies, Ourselves ” by Emily Anthes for the  New York Times

One Man’s Meat  by E.B. White

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.

Email us at  [email protected]

Want to listen to Navel Gazing uninterrupted? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock ad-free listening to Navel Gazing and all your other favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit  slate.com/navelgazingplus  to get access wherever you listen.

About the Show

Political Gabfest host John Dickerson has been a journalist for more than three decades, reporting about presidential campaigns, political scandals, and the evolving state of our democracy. Along the way, he’s also been recording his observations in notebooks he has carried in his back pocket. He has captured his thoughts about life, parenthood, death, friendship, writing, God, to-do lists, and more. On the Navel Gazing podcast, John Dickerson invites you to join him in figuring out what these 30 years of notebooks mean: sorting out what makes a life—or a day in a life—noteworthy.

John Dickerson is host of CBS News Prime Time With John Dickerson , co-host of the Slate Political Gabfest, host of the Whistlestop podcast, and author of The Hardest Job in the World .

Watch CBS News

Uri Berliner, NPR editor who criticized the network of liberal bias, says he's resigning

By Aimee Picchi

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

April 17, 2024 / 12:21 PM EDT / CBS News

Uri Berliner, a senior editor at National Public Radio who had been suspended from his job after claiming the network had "lost America's trust" by pushing progressive views while suppressing dissenting opinions, said he is resigning from the broadcaster.

"I am resigning from NPR, a great American institution where I have worked for 25 years," Berliner wrote in his resignation letter to NPR CEO Katherine Maher, and which he posted in part on X, the former Twitter. "I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay."

My resignation letter to NPR CEO @krmaher pic.twitter.com/0hafVbcZAK — Uri Berliner (@uberliner) April 17, 2024

Berliner's resignation comes eight days after he published an  essay  in the Free Press that caused a firestorm of debate with his allegations that NPR was suppressing dissenting voices. In response to his critique, some conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, called on the government to "defund" the organization. 

Maher, who became NPR's CEO in March, wrote a staff memo a few days after publication of Berliner's essay addressing his criticisms of the organization's editorial process. Among Berliner's claims are that NPR is failing to consider other viewpoints and that it is fixated on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

"Questioning whether our people are serving our mission with integrity, based on little more than the recognition of their identity, is profoundly disrespectful, hurtful and demeaning," Maher wrote. 

Some of Berliner's NPR colleagues also took issue with the essay, with "Morning Edition" host Steve Inskeep  writing on his Substack  that the article was "filled with errors and omissions."

"The errors do make NPR look bad, because it's embarrassing that an NPR journalist would make so many," Inskeep wrote.

Berliner's suspension, which occurred Friday, was  reported  by NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik. NPR declined to comment to CBS News about Berliner's resignation. "NPR does not comment on individual personnel matters," a spokesperson said.

Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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