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.
![how many words is the average middle school essay The picture enumerates the factors influencing essay length.](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/how-long-1-1024x322.jpg)
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!
![](http://nandemo.space/777/templates/cheerup1/res/banner1.gif)
📜 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:
Some themes may require more explanations and supporting ideas to prove a point or convey a message to the reader. | |
For instance, if your topic is related to literature, you might need more words and descriptions to get the point across. Subjects such as science or management typically require shorter papers. | |
Usually, the more advanced the students are, the more complex their papers get. For example, high school essays differ from ones for college and university in terms of length and presentation. | |
Students may be asked to write various types of essays—such as short, extended, narrative, or persuasive—throughout their careers. The essay’s type reflects in both its outline and length. |
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:
3-5 sentences (50-80 words) | |
5-8 sentences (80-200 words) | |
3-5 paragraphs | |
3-5 sentences (50-80 words) |
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.
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.
🤔 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.
Original | Revision |
---|---|
In Indian culture, hair symbolizes self-respect, a sense of belonging, and pride. | In Indian culture, hair symbolized self-respect, a sense of belonging, and pride: ”Our mothers had taught us that only unskilled warriors who were captured had their hair shingled by the enemy.” |
- Give examples. Go through the claims in your paper and provide additional evidence where possible. It will make your essay longer and more informative.
Original | Revision |
---|---|
Directors considered the dark side of speed, driving, mobility, and all the other icons associated with the road. | Directors considered the dark side of speed, driving, mobility, and all the other icons associated with the road. Some well-known examples are movies such as (1969), (1963), and (1963-64). |
- 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.
Original | Revision |
---|---|
The book’s author believes this is just a general misconception. | However, the book’s author believes this is just a general misconception. |
- 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.
Original | Revision |
---|---|
It is believed that writing, reading, or reciting poetry positively affects our psychological well-being. | According to another article published in the in 2014, the practice of writing, reading, or reciting poetry positively affects our psychological well-being. |
- 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.
Original | Revision |
---|---|
They believe that language is more than a communication tool and should be introduced in a playful way for most effectiveness. | They believe that language is more than a simple day-to-day communication tool and that it should be introduced in a pleasurable and playful way for the most effectiveness. |
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.
Original | Revision |
---|---|
The research was conducted by . | conducted the research. |
- Remove needless transitions. Transitions can indeed maintain the flow of the paper. But some transitional phrases can be easily removed.
Original | Revision |
---|---|
Furthermore, it has been discovered that children who play violin have stronger visual and verbal pattern abilities. | Discoveries show that children who play violin have stronger visual and verbal pattern abilities. |
- Get rid of unnecessary adverbs and adjectives. Some students tend to overuse adjectives and adverbs. It adds wordiness to their writing.
Original | Revision |
---|---|
The whole article focuses on the mechanics of easily managing fear itself. | The article focuses on the mechanics of managing fear itself. |
- 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.
Original | Revision |
---|---|
The fact that the dialogue contains some Shakespearean elements emphasizes the protagonist’s longing for his lover. | Shakespearean elements in the dialogue emphasize the protagonist’s longing for his lover. |
- Delete “that.” In most cases, the word “that” can often be easily removed from texts.
Original | Revision |
---|---|
The idea that was expressed in the novel translated well into the live-action movie. | The idea expressed in the book translated well into the live-action movie. |
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.
![how many words is the average middle school essay The picture describes how formatting affects essay length.](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/how-long-2.jpg)
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:
HBS essay length | 900-word limit |
UC essay length | 350-word limit |
Chicago Booth essay length | 300-word limit |
UChicago essay length | 650 suggested word limit |
AMCAS essay length | 5300 characters (spaces included) |
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:
Words | Paragraphs | Example |
---|---|---|
250-word essay length | 4 | |
300-word essay length | 4-5 | |
500-word essay length | 6 | Water Cooling Tower Construction Site’s Problems |
600-word essay length | 7 | |
800-word essay length | 8-9 | |
1000-word essay length | 10 | |
2000-word essay length | 18-19 |
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:
Pages (Double-spaced) | Example | |
---|---|---|
How many pages is a 200-word essay? | 1 | Food Safety: A Policy Issue in Agriculture Today |
How many pages is a 250-word essay? | 1 | |
How many pages is a 300-word essay? | 1 | The Major Causes of the Great Depression |
How many pages is a 400-word essay? | 1,5 | |
How many pages is a 500-word essay? | 2 | |
How many pages is a 600-word essay? | 2 | Single-Parent Families: Source Analysis |
How many pages is a 700-word essay? | 2,5 | CytoGainer Overview: Purpose and Results |
How many pages is a 750-word essay? | 3 | Modeling Sustainable Food Systems |
How many pages is a 800-word essay? | 3 | |
How many pages is a 900-word essay? | 3,5 | |
How many pages is a 1000-word essay? | 4 | |
How many pages is a 1500-word essay? | 6 | |
How many pages is a 2000-word essay? | 8 | Advocacy Campaign: the Problem of Childhood Obesity |
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.
Single-spaced | Double-spaced | Example | |
---|---|---|---|
What does a 200-word essay look like? | 0,5 pages | 1 page | How Hate Took Hold of Him: Parrish Reflection |
What does a 250-word essay look like? | 0,5 pages | 1 page | What Social Factors Prevent Adolescents to Acquire Appropriate Education in Their Later Life |
What does a 300-word essay look like? | 0,5 pages | 1 page | “Racial Inequality, at College and in the Workplace” by Johnson |
What does a 500-word essay look like? | 1 page | 2 pages | |
What does a 600-word essay look like? | 1 page | 2 pages | “8 Million Have Slipped Into Poverty Since May as Federal Aid Has Dried Up” by Jason DeParle |
What does a 750-word essay look like? | 1,5 pages | 3 pages | Methods for Avoiding Relapse |
What does a 1000-word essay look like? | 2 pages | 4 pages | Heroin Distribution and Its Use Within the United States |
What does a 2000-word essay look like? | 4 pages | 8 pages |
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.
How many pages is 150 words handwritten? | 0,5 |
How many pages is 200 words handwritten? | 1 |
How many pages is 250 words handwritten? | 1 |
How many pages is 300 words handwritten? | 1,25 |
How many pages is 350 words handwritten? | 1,5 |
How many pages is 400 words handwritten? | 1,5-2 |
How many pages is 500 words handwritten? | 2 |
How many pages is 600 words handwritten? | 2 |
How many pages is 700 words handwritten? | 2,5 |
How many pages is 800 words handwritten? | 3 |
How many pages is 1000 words handwritten? | 4 |
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 .
![how many words is the average middle school essay The picture shows the fact about the average speed of writing.](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/how-long-3-1024x350.jpg)
Below, we’ve gathered the average writing time for average and slower writing speed:
Time (Slow) | Time (Average) | |
---|---|---|
How long does it take to write 250 words? | 50 min | 6.3 min |
How long does it take to write 300 words? | 60 min | 7.5 min |
How long does it take to write 500 words? | 100 min | 12.5 min |
How long does it take to write 750 words? | 150 min | 18.8 min |
How long does it take to write 800 words? | 160 min | 20 min |
How long does it take to write 1000 words? | 200 min | 25 min |
How long does it take to write 1200 words? | 240 min | 30 min |
How long does it take to write 1500 words? | 300 min | 37.5 min |
How long does it take to write a 2000-word essay? | 400 min | 50 min |
And here are the results in pages:
Time (Slow) | Time (Average) | |
---|---|---|
How long does it take to write a 2-page paper? | 200 min | 25 min |
How long does it take to write a 3-page paper? | 300 min | 37.5 min |
How long does it take to write a 4-page paper? | 400 min | 50 min |
How long does it take to write a 5-page paper? | 500 min | 62.5 min |
How long does it take to write a 6-page paper? | 600 min | 75 min |
How long does it take to write a 7-page paper? | 700 min | 87.5 min |
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!
School | College | Bachelor | Master | Ph.D. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
How many references in a 200-word essay | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
How many references for a 500-word essay | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
How many references for a 1000-word essay | 8 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 24 |
How many references for a 1200-word essay | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 |
How many references in a 1500-word essay | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | 36 |
How many references for a 2000-word essay | 16 | 24 | 32 | 40 | 48 |
How many references for a 4000-word essay | 32 | 48 | 64 | 80 | 96 |
How many references for a 5000-word essay | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 | 120 |
📝 Essay Examples: Different Length
Finally, we’ve gathered some excellent sample essays of different lengths. Make sure to check them out!
200-word essay example | |
300-word essay example | Modifications of the Nomi Move |
400-word essay example | |
500-word essay example | |
600-word essay example | |
700-word essay example | Ethics, CSR, and Ignatian Values |
800-word essay example | |
900-word essay example | |
1000-word essay example | |
1500-word essay example | |
2000-word essay example | Research Critique: The Importance of Relationships in Mental Care |
3000-word essay example | |
4000-word essay example |
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
- Share to Facebook
- Share to LinkedIn
- Share to email
![how many words is the average middle school essay How to Get Perfect Letters of Recommendation for College [Guide]](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/NA_SEP._14-284x153.jpg)
Do you dream of being successfully admitted to college? Well, you probably know that admission is a long process that includes many challenging steps. One of them is a recommendation letter: a document written on your behalf that describes your characteristics as a student. If done well, such a letter...
![how many words is the average middle school essay Building a Job-Winning Resume](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/adult-sheet-information-recruitment-candidate-284x153.jpg)
Almost everyone feels insecure when they start working on their first resume. Suddenly there are lots of questions that need to be answered. What should I write? How should I write it? What should I include in my resume to make it more appealing? If you’re looking for answers to...
![how many words is the average middle school essay How to Search the Web Effectively [For Students]](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/hand-touching-with-search-icon-search-engine-optimisation-seo-concept-find-information-by-internet-connection-1-284x153.jpg)
What’s the first thing we do when facing the unknown? We Google it, of course! Google is fundamental to our experience of the Internet. According to the statistics, more than 100 000 people press “search” on Google every second! At first glance, the process is straightforward. You type in what...
![how many words is the average middle school essay Top 25 Gadgets You Need to Study Smarter [from $20]](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/sad-female-workaholic-keeps-hands-chin-busy-making-project-work-studies-papers-wears-elegant-white-shirt-sits-desktop-unknown-people-stretch-hands-with-notes-alarm-clock-smartphone-1-284x153.jpg)
Ever heard of a smart egg tray? Welcome to 2024! Today, there are gadgets for everything, and the variety of intelligent devices available increases every day. Some of them can improve your life. Others seem a bit useless. Will a smart egg tray actually add value to your life, or...
![how many words is the average middle school essay 24 Tips for Dorm Living](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/business-asian-women-records-income-expenses-home-1-284x153.jpg)
Dorms become like a second home to many students during their university experience. And while dorm life can mean making new friends and having exciting adventures, adjusting to new routines is not always easy. Since most students who come to the dorms have no prior experience living outside their parents’...
![how many words is the average middle school essay Fact-Checking Your Writing: Tips & Helpful Websites](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/businessman-checking-documents-table-284x153.jpg)
Imagine you’ve just written a paper. You’re going to proofread it, right? But is proofreading enough to ensure the absence of any factual errors or unfounded conclusions? Can you say with 100% certainty that you cited every reference correctly? If you want to learn how to fact-check like a pro,...
![how many words is the average middle school essay Everything You Need to Know about College Rankings](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/everyone-is-smiling-listens-group-people-business-conference-modern-classroom-daytime-284x153.jpg)
Every year, millions of U.S. students decide which university they want to attend. Around 20% of students rely on college rankings to make their final decision. Over the last two decades, such rankings have significantly grown in popularity. But are these lists reliable? Which criteria can be trusted? And which...
![how many words is the average middle school essay Why Developing a Growth Mindset is Vital to Your Academic Success](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/business-growth-strategy-concept-284x153.jpg)
Have you ever seen someone else’s success and thought to yourself: “Why can’t I do the same?” What was your thought process like? Perhaps you believed you lacked some innate quality. Or did you think you could have achieved the same thing if you had put in enough effort? The difference in these attitudes is defined by two distinct mindsets—growth or fixed. You will read all about them in this article by Custom-Writing.org. You’ll also...
![how many words is the average middle school essay 7 Affordable Hobbies You Can Monetize](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/medium-shot-woman-reading-284x153.jpg)
Are you interested in having a side hustle? If you have a hobby you are passionate about, look no further. A hobby-based side hustle is a great way to spend time doing something you love, a great source of income, and a way to boost your resume! In this article by Custom-Writing.org, you will find: a list of 7 inexpensive hobbies available to anyone; ways to monetize them; their benefits for...
![how many words is the average middle school essay Online Degrees: Ultimate List & Tips for Studying](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/hands-working-with-laptop-title-online-study-screen-284x153.jpg)
In 2024, online education remains one of the most searched terms. Not only can you undertake short courses, but it is now commonplace to get Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees online. Is this the right fit for you? Keep reading to find out! In this article, our custom writing team will:...
![how many words is the average middle school essay Becoming a Volunteer: Diverse Benefits of Volunteering](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/group-different-people-volunteering-foodbank-poor-people-284x153.jpg)
What is the number one reason for becoming a volunteer? You may already know that charitable organizations help people in need and allow everyone to make a difference. However, there are some material benefits as well. Volunteer experience can boost your career prospects: it increases your chances of getting into...
![how many words is the average middle school essay Crossword Puzzles in Learning: Role, History, & 29 Resources](https://custom-writing.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/close-up-couple-making-crossword-puzzle-284x153.jpg)
Are you excited about grammar? Have you ever read the dictionary for fun? Do you become enthralled by your textbooks? Whether you are a language nerd or not, crossword puzzles are here to help. In this article, you will find dozens of exciting puzzle resources to support your learning. You...
How Many Words Should Your Essay Have for Grading High?
How many words are in an essay?
This question bothers all students, whether in middle school or college. Two reasons:
They don’t have word count guidelines to know how long their essay should be to grade high. Or, they struggle with the word limit within a paper and wonder if they can go under the suggested length.
The essay length varies, depending on many factors: subject, purpose, and academic level. Essays are usually shorter than dissertations or research papers. The thesis is the longest one.
In this article, I’ll answer two popular questions: How long is an essay? How many paragraphs are in an essay?
Also, let’s learn how long each essay part is and if it’s okay to go beyond or under the suggested length.
How Long is an Essay, Depending on the Type?
High-school | 350-1,000 | Students learn to write standard 5-paragraph essays with an intro, core, and conclusion. |
College admission | 250-650 | These are concise texts, with a word limit prescribed by admission officers. Applicants write essays expressing their motives to enter a particular college. |
Undergraduate | 1,500-5,000 | The length depends on several factors: subject, paper type, and purpose. |
Graduate admission | 500-1,000 | Like admission essays, these are statements about achievements and motivations to continue learning. |
Graduate | 2,500-6,000 | These are enhanced research papers with more complex structures. You write them to prove your Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees. |
The above rules are average. They may vary at different educational institutions. It stands to reason that elementary-level students write short essays. And their papers get longer in their middle 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th grades, etc.
Often, there’s no exact word number or page count for academic papers. Guidelines usually prescribe a supposed range: 500-850 words, 5-7 pages, and so on. When in doubt, you can ask your instructor.
How Many Paragraphs is an Essay? 6 Main Lengths
You won’t find any rule prescribing a set number of paragraphs for an essay. Five-paragraph essays are a standard, but it doesn’t mean ALL papers should follow it.
Each essay consists of three parts:
- Introduction . Often, it’s one paragraph introducing your topic and thesis to readers. When writing complex papers like dissertations, your intro section can be 2-3 paragraphs.
- Body. It’s a core section discussing the topic in detail. The number of paragraphs here depends on your paper’s type and complexity. This part is 1-4 paragraphs unless you write extended research papers.
- Conclusion. Like intros, this section is often one paragraph summarizing the essay.
Below, I’ll cover the six main lengths to show how to balance a word count in essays.
One-paragraph essays
150-200 | Aimed at practicing the concepts of paragraph writing. It can be a summary or an extended definition. Common for elementary and middle school students. |
Three-paragraph papers
500 | – Intro paragraph = 25% – Body paragraph = 50% – Concluding paragraph = 25% Assigned to practice cohesive and logical writing with introduction, body, and conclusion. The body section is the longest one here. |
Five-paragraph essays
1,000 | – Intro = 100-200 – Body paragraph 1 = 150-250 – Body paragraph 2 = 150-250 – Body paragraph 3 = 150-250 – Conclusion = 100-150 It’s a standard essay structure for high school students learning to build arguments. Most types of fall into this category. |
Extended papers
1,500; 3,000; 5,000 | – Check the guidelines +/- 10% of the prescribed length allowed Assigned in college to undergraduates getting their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Such papers need deep research and may be of a more complex structure. |
Dissertation
10,000; 15,000 | Paragraph length by section, in % of the total length: – Abstract – 5% – Intro – 10% – Literature review – 25% – Methodology – 15% – Result – 20% – Discussion – 15% – Conclusion – 10% It’s a final project for Bachelor’s and Master’s to prove they’re worth their degree. Dissertations have a complex structure and need original research. |
40,000-60,000 | Paragraph length by section, in % of the total length: – Abstract – 5% – Intro – 10% – Literature review – 25% – Methodology – 15% – Result – 20% – Discussion – 15% – Conclusion – 10% Assigned to doctoral students getting PhDs. Its structure is as complex as a dissertation but with more details. The focus is on the research and data analysis. |
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is essay length important.
Yes, it is. Prescribing a length, instructors understand if you can organize thoughts and arguments. An essay of 1,000 words requires more research and effort than a 350-word paper, agree? The specified length also helps you understand how complex your work should be to grade high. Longer essays teach you to write cohesive texts, choose arguments, and think critically.
Don’t write essays for the sake of count. Quality matters, so please focus on arguments, evidence, and analysis. Avoid placing too many transitions, generic words, and lengthy expressions. Make your every word and sentence count.
How many words are in an essay sample?
350 words at least.
It depends on the essay type you write. Thus, a high school essay sample will be 350 words at least. If you need a college application essay, consider personal papers of 250-650 words. Check essay samples of 800-1,000 words if you need a standard college paper. More complex works like graduate school essays or dissertations will be 3,000+ words.
How long is each part of an essay?
Stick to the 80/20 rule when calculating the length of each essay part. An essay body is the core section of academic papers: Make it 80% of the text. The remaining 20% goes to an introduction and a conclusion.
Say you write a 1,000-word essay. It means you will have 800 words in the body; 100 words go to the introduction and 100 words — for a concluding paragraph. You can go 10% below or above the prescribed limit. (Unless your instructor sets specific limitations.)
How many sentences are in an essay?
21-34 sentences for a standard 5-paragraph essay.
It depends on your essay type and the required word count. I’ll take a standard 5-paragraph college paper as an example:
You have one introductory paragraph, which is 3-5 sentences average. Other 3-5 sentences go to your conclusion. The body consists of three sections, 5-8 sentences each (1). So, here we have it: 21-34 sentences in an essay.
How many words are in an essay introduction?
Take 10-15% of the total length required. Thus, if you need to write a 1,000-word essay, your introduction will be 100-150 words.
For advanced research papers, where intros are longer than one paragraph, stick to 100-150 words per paragraph average. Such texts are usually above 3,000 words, so you’ll follow the 80/20 rule anyway.
Can I go under the suggested length?
It’s not advisable. Please do your best to meet the minimum word count given in the assignment. If the guidelines say “350-600 words,” write at least 350 words in an essay. Sometimes, a 10% deviation is acceptable, but don’t take this rule for granted. Most instructors won’t appreciate your 315-word paper if they ask you to write 350 words at least.
How to make your essay longer?
- Add more examples and evidence to the body paragraphs.
- Explain and analyze every argument in detail.
- Mention counterarguments if applicable.
Can I make my essay longer?
Yes, you can exceed the word limit by 10% if allowed by your course instructor. For example, if you get an assignment of 500-700 words, it’s okay to submit a 770-word essay for a review.
Important! Always ask your instructor if the 10% rule is available in their course. And exceed the word count only if you have critical information to add.
Academic writing is all about rules and instructions. Essay length isn’t an exception:
Every college paper has a prescribed, approximate word count to follow. When asking, “How long is an essay?” remember the answer will depend on several factors:
- Academic level. (Middle and high school students write short essays. Undergraduates and graduates craft longer and more complex papers.)
- Type and purpose. (Research-based essays are longer than reflective stories you write for college admission officers.)
- Instructions you get from a teacher. (Check them: The supposed essay length is often there.)
How many words are in an essay? You can answer this question now.
References:
- https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/paragraphs_and_paragraphing/paragraphing.html
- Essay samples
- Essay writing
- Writing tips
Recent Posts
- Writing the “Why Should Abortion Be Made Legal” Essay: Sample and Tips
- 3 Examples of Enduring Issue Essays to Write Yours Like a Pro
- Writing Essay on Friendship: 3 Samples to Get Inspired
- How to Structure a Leadership Essay (Samples to Consider)
- What Is Nursing Essay, and How to Write It Like a Pro
![how many words is the average middle school essay Illustration](https://studycrumb.com/img/icons/user.png)
- Essay Guides
- Basics of Essay Writing
- How Long Should an Essay Be? Essay Length Guide & Tips
- Speech Topics
- Essay Topics
- Other Essays
- Main Academic Essays
- Research Paper Topics
- Basics of Research Paper Writing
- Miscellaneous
- Chicago/ Turabian
- Data & Statistics
- Methodology
- Admission Writing Tips
- Admission Advice
- Other Guides
- Student Life
- Studying Tips
- Understanding Plagiarism
- Academic Writing Tips
- Basics of Dissertation & Thesis Writing
![how many words is the average middle school essay Illustration](https://studycrumb.com/img/icons/magnifying-glass.png)
- Research Paper Guides
- Formatting Guides
- Basics of Research Process
- Admission Guides
- Dissertation & Thesis Guides
How Long Should an Essay Be? Essay Length Guide & Tips
![How long is an essay How long is an essay](https://studycrumb.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3ueqtv14wizl1.cloudfront.net%2FHow_Long_is_an_Essay_87790f4ae9.png&w=1080&q=100)
Table of contents
![how many words is the average middle school essay Illustration](https://studycrumb.com/img/icons/readability-checker.png)
Use our free Readability checker
Have you ever wondered how long is an essay? The simplest answer is that it should be as long as specified in the requirements. However, when it comes to practice, everything isn't so easy. The length of an essay can vary greatly depending on its purpose, level of education, and specific assignment instructions.
How many pages or words do you have to write to achieve the perfect essay length? How to keep your writing clear, structured, and logical staying within the specified word limit? What is the length of different types of essays and how to achieve a perfect match of the paper content and length? Find the answer to these essential questions and discover real-life examples in this ultimate guide. If you need to write your essay and there are no instructions, StudyCrumb essay writers will guide you.
Importance of Essay Length
An essay length and word count are important because they help you achieve your goals. If you're writing a paper to impress an admissions committee, it should be long enough to give the committee the information they need. At the same time, it shouldn't be too long. Otherwise, it may seem boring or uninteresting.
In addition to helping you achieve your goals, the length of an essay and word count can also help make sure your paper is easy to read and flows well. You also have to stay compliant with the specific writing requirements to get full credit for the paper. Staying within the word limit is one of them. You can use our free tool to count how many words your paper is to make sure you stay within limits.
What Impacts Essay Length?
So, how long your essay should be? The trick is that it depends. In general, academic papers are divided into three categories:
- School essay
- College essays
- University papers.
Depending on the educational level, the length requirements will be different. In addition, there are 4 essential factors that determine the volume of an academic essay.
- Essay type Different types of essays have different requirements regarding length and content, which are usually listed in your professor's syllabus or instructions.
- Educational level For example, college students are generally expected to write longer papers compared to middle school essay.
- Essay topic If your professor gives you a topic that requires research (like "How has technology impacted education?"), chances are your paper will go beyond the limits of a 1000 word essay . But if they want you to share your impressions on a movie, you can fit it into 275 words well.
- Specific requirements your professor may have For instance, if they want a piece that's three pages, double-spaced, and includes footnotes, then those are the parameters you'll need to work within.
Essay Length Recommendations
It's important to know the length of your essay before you start writing so that you can decide on the word count for each paragraph and stay compliant with other recommendations of your professor. So, after we have discovered the main factors influencing the essay’s length, let’s find out how long should an essay be depending on the type of paper and educational level.
Average Essay Word Count and Page Count Directions
|
|
|
|
| 550-800 | 2-3.5 | High school essays usually dwell on the topics studied within a specific discipline. They often require you to share your personal opinion and support it with arguments. |
| 550-650 | 2-3 | The requirements for a college admission essay are strict. You have to focus on your academic background, previous achievements, and future plans to persuade a committee you should be enrolled in a college. |
| 550-650 | 2-3 | Undergraduate college essays should be written in a formal, clear, and professional manner. Before you graduate from college, you have to develop perfect essay-writing skills and find your tone of voice. |
| 550-1000 | 2-4.5 | The requirements for a graduate school admission essay go beyond the ones for college admission papers. When writing this paper, you should be as professional as possible. |
| 550-1000 | 2-4.5 | Graduate school essays require making the deepest possible research to support your statements. At this point, you should also be able to make your own conclusions and suggestions. |
Feel free to use our converter to find out how many words fit on a page.
High School Essay
500-800 words are usually enough for a typical 5 paragraph essay in high school. This is the space you can use to fully express yourself and your ideas at a high-school level. The most important thing is that you have a clear thesis statement and a good introduction that draws the reader in. Make sure your conclusion is also solid and makes a strong point while tying everything together. If you're asked to submit a high school essay that is shorter than 500 words, it's likely that the teacher wants you to focus on a very specific part of the prompt.
>> Read more: How to Write an Essay?
College Admission Essay
The length of a college admission essay is often shorter than those written for high school. With this type of task, you have to stay within 650 words on average but it depends on the type of college you’re applying to, so make sure you check with the school directly before writing your essay (they will have recommendations on length). College admission papers can be either analytical or narrative—the length doesn’t change based on what type of essay it is.
Undergraduate College Essay
An undergraduate essay in college should be between 500-650 words, but it still depends on the paper type and topic to cover. The length of an undergraduate college essay varies depending on the type of paper being written as well as what type of school you're attending (public vs private). It also depends on whether you're writing an essay of any specific type – an argumentative piece or a narrative piece. In terms of writing style, this type of essay is more formal than what would typically be expected from a high school essay.
Graduate School Admission Essay
Graduate school admission papers should be between 500-1000 words, depending on what type of graduate program you're applying for. This essay is just the paper that matters most to the admission committee, so it's important to make sure that it's clear, concise, and well-written. The admissions committee will be looking for a strong introduction, a compelling thesis statement, and an effective conclusion. The introduction and conclusion paragraphs can be a little shorter than the body ones. To get an idea of graduate school admission essays length and logic, take a look at successful sample papers.
>> Learn more: How to Write an Essay Fast?
Graduate School Essay
The general rule of thumb for all graduate school essays is that you should keep it under 1000 words. This is because the admissions committees are looking for a comprehensive review of your background and experiences that includes information about your academic, professional, and personal life. 500-1000 words for a graduate school essay is the academic average. Use up to four pages to fully explain your reasoning and express your ideas. Also, keep in mind that the length and content requirements are usually set by the school itself.
How Long Is Every Part of an Essay
As you know, every paper consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion. But how many words should you write for each section? Keep in mind a simple yet general rule of 80/20. It means that your essay’s body should contain 80% of all your content. This is also the room for explaining your “why” and “how”, citing relevant studies, and providing argumentation.
Now, let’s find out how to write each of the parts while keeping an average essay length and the required word count in mind.
To ease your essay writing process, we advise preparing a draft. If you have never done it before, take a rough draft example .
Average Length of Essay Parts
|
|
| 1 paragraph or 100-150 words |
| 2-5 paragraphs 150 words each |
| 1 paragraph or around 100 words |
| 1-2 pages long depending on the number of sources used |
How Long Should an Introduction Be for an Essay?
The introduction is the first paragraph of an essay. It serves as the opening for your essay. The introduction should provide a brief summary of the topic, point out the significance of your topic, and give a preview of what you will discuss in your paper. If you are writing a normal essay with up to 550 required words count, your introduction should take approximately 100 words. Most general essays will have one or two paragraphs in their introduction section.
>> Read more: How to Start an Essay
How Long Should an Essay Body Paragraph Be?
An average length of a body paragraph is up to 150 words. It means that each you should take up four to six text lines (Times New Roman 12). Build up your body paragraphs in the next way to achieve the right lengths, keep your flow logical, and follow a word limit within an essay. Around 5-7 sentences are usually enough for a short essay paragraph, so:
- Write a topic sentence to every paragraph.
- Present a research-supported statement.
- Offer your argumentation.
- End with a transition phrase.
>> Learn more: How to Write a Good Body Paragraph
Deciding on the Number of Body Paragraphs in an Essay
So, how many paragraphs should you write to create a full-length essay that’s also compliant with your professor’s requirements? The answer is simple: You should write as many body paragraphs as it takes to get your point across. That means that if you have a lot of information to share, then you might want to add more paragraphs. If you don’t have much information, then you can keep the number low. Below is the average number of paragraphs (including into and outro) depending on the word count:
- 275 words - 3 paragraphs
- 550-words - 4-5 paragraphs
- 1100 words - 6-8 paragraphs.
How Long Is an Essay Conclusion Supposed to Be?
As you know, a conclusion in an essay is its final part and it should never be longer than your paper’s body. Generally, it is necessary to write one paragraph for simpler and typical essays and two paragraphs for longer papers.
But the important thing is not to overdo it. If your conclusion is too long, the professor is likely to lower your grade — just because you failed to follow the academic writing standards (even if there are no complaints about your outro content). That’s why on average, a conclusion of an essay should be up to 100 words long.
Tips to Achieve the Required Length
So, at this point, you know how long general essays should be and how many words in an essay are depending on its type. Now, let’s deal with the most challenging task and find out what you can do to make your essay longer or shorter, improving its quality along the way.
Making Your Essay Longer
Use the next 5 tips to transform a short essay into a longer one.
- Add examples. You can use your own experiences. Use examples from other people or books that relate to the topic.
- Add facts, statistics, and citations. Adding these kinds of details will help prove how well-informed you are on this topic and help back up some of your claims.
- Use transitions but don't overdo them. They're useful for helping readers follow along with your paper. But too many transitions may sound just like an attempt to extend the paper’s volume.
- Double-check your argumentation. Providing a clear argumentation is difficult. That's why you have to double-check your reasoning and make sure you hadn't combined two different arguments in a single paragraph. To fix such a mistake, add one more section to your paper’s body for each of the arguments you have. Such a simple tip will make your writing clearer too.
- Read sample papers on the topic to grab more ideas. Chances are you've missed some important points. The papers of other students will help you fill the gaps and reasonably extend the word count.
Making Your Essay Shorter
Some students tend to write significantly more than an average essay word count. It may sound paradoxical but writing longer essays is easier than short ones. In the latter case, you should be as concise as possible. Here is how to make your essay shorter without losing the main ideas and disrupting the flow.
- Remove irrelevant examples. You don't need to give several detailed examples for every point you make. Look at your thesis and ask yourself if every example supports that thesis. If not, cut it.
- Make your paragraphs 4-sentences long. In this way, you will achieve a shorter essay volume and improve clarity at once.
- Remove repetition. If something has already been said in the paragraph before, but it doesn't fit in the current context, get rid of it.
- Make your introduction and conclusion shorter. An introduction is supposed to be interesting enough that readers want to keep reading. A conclusion is supposed to summarize everything you said. Don't reinvent the wheel in these sections.
- Use a readability check tool. Transforming long and difficult-to-read sentences into shorter and clearer ones. It is one more way to make a long essay fit into the provided requirements.
Mistakes to Avoid When Adjusting the Length of an Essay
When adjusting the length of a paper, there are a few mistakes to avoid.
- Adding unnecessary details. It's easy to think that you need to add more information when trying to make your piece longer. In reality, this is often not the case. Try balancing your explanations and keep them to the point in every sentence.
- Cutting the necessary details. If you have too much information and need to cut it down, do so carefully. For example, if you have several suitable citations to include, use the most relevant or the most recent one instead of adding them all.
- Writing “one more paragraph” for the sake of volume. This is a mistake because you can end up with a poorly-argued and too-watery piece.
- Missing essential research. Missing essential research can be a big mistake because then you won't have enough information to write actually on the topic. In this case, your paper is likely to be too short.
- Adding irrelevant citations. Irrelevant citations make your paper look like it was written by someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. They also make your essay look less credible than it truly is.
How Long Should an Essay Be Depending on Format?
So, how long are essays and how many pages should you write, depending on the formatting style you are required to follow? The trick is that different formatting styles may require you to use different fonts, sizes, and spacing. For example, if you write in MLA, you have to use Times New Roman 12, while APA usually requires you to use Arial 11. Both styles imply using double spacing. Now, let's discover how spacing and font size affect the paper’s length.
- 275 words (Times New Roman 12, double-space) – 1 page
- 550 words (Times New Roman 12, double-space) – 2 pages
- 1100 words (Times New Roman 12, double-space) – 4 pages
- 275 words (Arial 11, double-space) – 1 page
- 550 words (Arial 11, double-space) – 2 pages
- 1100 words (Arial 11, double-space) – 4 pages
If your professor specifically required to use single spacing, it will take two times less space than when using double spacing.
Font and Size
Using the right font and size is important for getting the full grade for your paper and staying compliant with the professor's requirements. Agree, it will be disappointing to get a lower grade just because you've used another font that your professor asked you to use. Fortunately, the requirements for font and size aren't too diverse or complicated. So, here is a list of commonly used fonts and sizes for MLA, APA, and Chicago formatting styles.
APA style format :
- Font: Times New Roman or Arial
MLA format essay :
- Font: Times New Roman
Chicago format :
What to Do if There Are No Essay Length Requirements?
If you're writing an essay and there are no essay length requirements, don't panic! There are still some guidelines you can follow to make sure your essay has the right length.
- Be guided by general academic writing rules. Generally speaking, it's a good idea to keep your papers between 500 and 1,000 words. If you're writing an essay for school or university, it should also be double-spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides of the page.
- Consider paper type. Get back to the chart with essay types and recommended length we've provided above. Use this volume as a starting point.
- Suggest the right volume depending on the topic. Some topics require several pages to be fully researched and explained. Others require stating your personal opinion that may fit well in two-three paragraphs.
- Ask your professor. As for the simplest but still right solution, ask your professor for help determining what length would be best for your essay. If they give you some guidelines but don't specify exactly how long an essay paragraph or sentence should be, then follow those guidelines instead of worrying about word counts or page numbers.
- Take a look at sample papers on similar topics. See how those students organized their thoughts into paragraphs and sections. You might even consider using their format as a starting point for your own piece.
Using Length to Determine an Essay Scope
It may seem that the length of your paper is just a formal requirement. In practice, it is a framework that helps you organize your essay sections. If you're writing a short essay, it's likely that you have a narrow focus and are only looking at part of the issue in question.
For example, if you are required to write a 550-words paper, you can immediately understand that you have to write an intro and conclusion (100 words each). Then, share the remained 450 words between three-four body paragraphs (100-150 words each).
Next, everything becomes even easier. Outline the core ideas for each of the paragraphs. Support them with studies and citations and add your vision.
Bottom Line on How Long Is an Essay
So, now we have covered everything that matters for determining the right essay length and writing a full-credit paper following the requirements. In most cases, your professor will kindly provide you with a precise number of words you have to write. Otherwise, be guided by general academic writing rules for an essay type you are about to create. And keep the rule of thumb in mind.
Regardless of your paper volume, it should be well-researched, clear, logical, structured, and reasoned.
![how many words is the average middle school essay Illustration](https://studycrumb.com/_next/image?url=%2Fimg%2Ficons%2F60%2Fhand-pointing.png&w=128&q=100)
If you don't feel like sticking to instructions, we will always help you. Our professional college essay writers will write excellent work of any length. Just fill out an order on our website and get your essay done quickly.
FAQ About Essay Length
1. how long is an essay in middle school.
A middle-school essay is usually up to 550 words. An essay in middle school is typically short because the students are learning how to write, and they're not yet comfortable with long-form writing. These papers are typically short because they're meant to answer one question or dwell on a single subject being studied.
2. How long is an essay in sentences?
The length of an essay in sentences depends on the type of essay and the amount of information you have to cover. A 550-word typical essay usually consists of 15 sentences, given that the length of each sentence is approximately the same. However, if you are used to writing longer or shorter sentences, their total number may vary. So, the best tactic is to write sentences without clauses to keep them clear and understandable.
3. How long should a short essay be?
A short essay should be no longer than 550 words. The point of a short essay is to convey an idea in a precise and focused way, so it's important that you don't waste any words on unnecessary details. The best way to match the necessary word count is to write an outline before writing a final draft. In this way, you will know how much space each section will take up, at least approximately.
4. How many pages are in an essay?
The answer to this question depends on the topic, scope, and depth of your essay. In general, an essay of 2-3 pages is considered short; 4-6 pages is average; 7-10 pages is long. The amount of pages also depends on the spacing you are required to use. Using double-space between paragraph extends the page count twice.
5. How many words are in an essay?
There's no one answer to the question of how many words are in an essay. It depends on the type of essay you're writing and the formatting style you use, as well as your professor’s requirements. A standard word count for college essays is between 550-1100 words. However, some professors may request that you write more or less than this amount.
6. Can I go over the expected essay length?
The more compliant you are with the professor’s requirements, the more chances of getting full credit you have. So, don’t go over the expected length. Still, you can write up to 50-100 words more if the point you would like to add really matters for your reasoning.
![how many words is the average middle school essay Daniel_Howard_1_1_2da08f03b5.jpg](https://studycrumb.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3ueqtv14wizl1.cloudfront.net%2FDaniel_Howard_1_1_2da08f03b5_cacdfc5890.jpg&w=128&q=75)
Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.
You may also like
![how many words is the average middle school essay 5-Paragraph Essay](https://studycrumb.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3ueqtv14wizl1.cloudfront.net%2F5_Paragraph_Essay_cf0f1951eb.png&w=640&q=100)
How Long is an Essay?
10 August, 2021
12 minutes read
Author: Donna Moores
Making sure that you stick to the recommended amount of words is important for your academic performance. Even the slightest deviation from requirements might reduce your grade. But why let such a nuisance spoil your mark when you can just know what word count for each specific essay type is? So, how long is an essay? This question seems to be the talk of the town among students. As all students know from experience, the higher the academic level and the more specific the study area is, the stricter the course requirements are and the longer the essay should be. In the following guide, we will discuss how essay length varies depending on the academic level and what to do to find out what a proper essay length should be.
![how many words is the average middle school essay How Long is an Essay?](https://handmadewriting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/How-Long-is-an-Essay-min.png)
Essay Length Tips
Try to stick to the 80/20 rule.
The 80/20 rule indicates that an essay should have the following structure: 80% of the text should be covered in the main body, and only 20% – in the introduction and conclusion. If you want to make sure that your text is easy to comprehend – make use of this rule. Structuring the paper in such a way makes sure that the reader does not lose the key idea of your essay.
Cover a single topic sentence in one body paragraph
Another valuable tip covers the composition of body paragraphs. Namely, keep in mind that each paragraph should reveal only one topic sentence, one point, and one argument. It is inappropriate to discuss two points in the same body paragraph since the whole essay loses its coherence this way. If you feel like you have some extra points to add, it is always better to create a new paragraph for this purpose.
Take spacing into account
Spacing plays an important role in assuring you follow the word count. For instance, a single-spaced page contains 550 words, while a double-spaced page contains 275 words respectively. So, according to the spacing you choose, you can always keep track of your word count. But to make sure you are as accurate as possible, you can always check the number of words right in Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
Five – this is the minimum required number of paragraphs
A basic paper structure requires five paragraphs, where three paragraphs belong to the main body part, and the other two cover introduction and conclusion. Keeping the outlined structure in mind always proves helpful, especially when it comes to sticking to a suggested word count.
Different Essay Length for Different Academic Levels
As a rule, a middle schooler is expected to write way less than a university student. Although the essay length often depends on the assignment type rather than academic level, the difference still exists. Below we will discuss what a recommended essay length for school and university essays is.
How Long is a Middle School Essay?
Middle school is where essay writing skills are being tested professionally. How long should a college essay be? Normally, essays length for middle school students varies between 500 and 1000 words. A typical middle school essay follows a well-known essay structure: introduction, body paragraphs, and summary (five paragraphs). Main body is usually the most informative part of a school essay and takes 80% of the word count. So if your teacher asks you to deliver a 1000-word essay, keep in mind that they expect you to write 800 words of main body text. But how long is a 500 word essay, for example? Well, this wordcount equals a page and a half. Based on this length, you can count the number of pages required for your essay.
How Long is a High School Essay?
There are several things that you, as a high schooler, might want to keep in mind. First of all, the essay structure remains exactly how it was in middle school. The only difference is that your tutor will expect a more profound analysis as well as a bigger essay length. Students need to show a more professional attitude to the topic and write approximately 2000 words for each essay.
How Long is a University (Undergraduate level) Essay
Apparently, the essay length will gradually extend as soon as you enter higher academic levels. At the university stage, students are challenged with complex subjects and are asked to reflect on the knowledge they gained during the course. Usually, Bachelor students write 5-10 page papers.
University essays imply demonstrating not only the knowledge and skills obtained during the course but also showing your writing skills. Students usually get long time frames to write such papers as they require research and extensive analysis.
If you are an undergraduate student, you may expect your professor to assign a couple of 1500 -word essays that explore a particular topic.
How Long is a University (Graduate level) Essay
A graduate level essay is similar to an undergraduate one. Although it often depends on the topic, university, and course, there are a lot of similarities between university essays for students of all academic levels. For a graduate-level student, the word count is somewhere between 3000 and 6000 words. However, courses that also imply other kinds of assignments, such as lab reports or practical exercises, might have looser essay length requirements.
Other requirements apply for those who are about to write their final dissertation or a master thesis. These are assignments that ask you to write 100,000 words or even more. For this type of assignment, you will be given a couple of months to research and write a paper.
How long is each part of an essay?
The length of each essay part usually depends on the general word count for the entire paper. How long is a 1000 word essay then? If the suggested essay length equals 1000 words, then you need to devote roughly 80% of the word count to the main body part, 10% for introduction, and 10% for a conclusion. However, if you are about to prepare a 10-page paper, this does not mean that final remarks and introduction should be proportionally big. Instead, it is always a plus when you keep your introduction short and up to the point. The same concerns the conclusion part. Always make sure you use only the most relevant information and avoid pouring water just to make the text look massive.
How to Manage Essay Word Count
Trying to achieve the suggested essay length might sometimes turn out to be quite a challenge. Here are some tips to make it easier for you:
Create an outline
Creating an outline before starting to write a final draft can do you good. First of all, having a clear plan indicates how many words you should write for each essay part. This approach will prevent you from extra editing work as well as give your text a transparent structure and message. You will get an idea of how to use the space that you have and avoid adding unnecessary information throughout the text.
Review the extant literature
To write better papers, it is always recommended to acknowledge the topic you’re working on. The reason why a lot of essays get poor grades is hidden in the insufficient topic understanding, so make sure you do solid research.
Make use of examples
Using examples in the text always proves to be a good idea. First, this approach enriches the text and gives it a lively tone. Additionally, referring to examples helps a lot when it comes to extending the word count. If you need to write 100 more words but have no idea of what to add – add examples! Also, you may include some facts, data, or basically any evidence.
Revise your paper
Revising proves helpful when it comes to reducing the essay length. If you wrote 1500 words instead of 1000 – simply review the text and search for the information which sounds extra. Once you take a fresh look at your essay, you will certainly find entire sentences that do not fit in or just don’t make a lot of sense.
Can I go under the suggested length?
Going under a suggested length isn’t a crime as long as you’re close to the suggested word count. In other words, it is fine to write 900 words if the suggested length is 1000, but writing less than 900 words might affect your grade. Nonetheless, we suggest that you try to get as close to the required word count as possible – your tutor will appreciate it. If you are struggling to extend your text, here is what you can do:
- Take a look at your essay points and try to provide more clarifications on their regard.
- Use new paragraphs to shed light on the problem but from a different perspective.
- Search for evidence and add it to body paragraphs.
Can I go over the suggested length?
As a rule, no one expects you to fit into exactly 500, 1000, or 2000 words. The standard acceptable deviation usually equals 10% of the text. This means that if the paper’s instructions ask you to write 2000 words, it will be fine if you go up to 2200 words.
However, this rule might not hold true in some cases, which is why we advise you to consult your professor on this matter.
We also recommend all students make the word count as close to the required one as possible. Exceeding the standard length always equals more time spent on evaluating the assignment, so try to compress your essay by using the following techniques:
- Check whether your arguments are in line with the thesis statement and don’t. hesitate to get rid of extra information.
- Make sure each body paragraph reveals one point only.
- Reduce sentence length so that each sentence fits in a single line.
What if there are no length guidelines?
It might be the case that your paper does not provide any writing instructions at all. In this case, you can manage the situation in several ways:
Simply search for the requirements online
If no strategy seems to work – just google it. You will easily find social media posts and forum answers on how to write a specific kind of essay. Besides, you can visit your chair’s website and look for essay length requirements there. It sometimes happens that professors don’t indicate any word count because the information about it is available on the website.
Make conclusions based on the paper description
Take a look at your essay instructions. If they say that you should write a paper with three brief body paragraphs, it means that each paragraph should equal 150-200 words. If the paper asks you to develop your ideas in well-developed paragraphs, you will certainly need to write at least 400 words for each.
If you aren’t sure – contact the administration
If you couldn’t find the information regarding world limits but still feel like it is important to stick to rules, get in touch with the admissions office. They might not tell you exactly how long your paper should be; but they will tell you what an average, acceptable word count is.
How Can Handmadewriting Help You?
If you’re having a hard time coming up with an optimal word count or just don’t know how to fit all your ideas into a single essay, we are glad to help! At Handmadewriting essay writer service, we care about your grades as much as we care about the quality of our service. If you need to write a small 500-word essay or a 10-page report, we can help you achieve your academic goals. Place your first order and explore all the benefits of college essay writing!
![how many words is the average middle school essay A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death](https://handmadewriting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/6751725-570x570.jpg)
A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death
Due to human nature, we draw conclusions only when life gives us a lesson since the experience of others is not so effective and powerful. Therefore, when analyzing and sorting out common problems we face, we may trace a parallel with well-known book characters or real historical figures. Moreover, we often compare our situations with […]
![how many words is the average middle school essay Ethical Research Paper Topics](https://handmadewriting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/still-life-illustrating-ethics-concept-1-570x380.jpg)
Ethical Research Paper Topics
Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]
![how many words is the average middle school essay Art Research Paper Topics](https://handmadewriting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Art-Research-Paper-Topics-570x380.jpg)
Art Research Paper Topics
Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]
How Many Words In An Essay? [A Word Count Guide]
/ By Alan Reiner
/ September 21, 2022
Whether you are writing an essay for school or for a course, you may wonder how many words you can include in your written essay.
Generally, the exact word count in an essay depends on the subject, the course and the essay requirements.
In this article, we take a closer look at the word count for different types of essays, and how you can avoid exceeding the word limit.
How Many Words Should An Essay Have?
Different types of essays have different word limits. Generally, essays can vary from a few hundred words to 6,000 words.
An essay is typically defined as a short piece of writing with a certain structure. An essay should present an idea as concise as possible, and it shouldn’t be too lengthy.
Essays aren’t as comprehensive as research papers or a thesis. They should be much shorter.
Typically, essays are assignments given to students in higher education. They come with guidelines on how many words and pages are expected to be written.
Many standard essays range from 2,500 to 4,000 words, although this can vary depending on the course and assignment restrictions.
High school essays are usually a little shorter and they tend to be 300 to 1,000 words. These are often simple 5-pagragraph essays that include an introduction, a few paragraphs and a conclusion.
Undergraduate college essays are a little more extensive and they range from 1,500 to 5,000 words.
The exact length of undergraduate essays depends on the department, syllabus, course level and the institution.
Other graduate essays, including postgraduate essays, tend to be much longer with 2,500 to 6,000 words.
They also vary depending on the course level and department but they are typically the beginning of a research paper.
There are also a number of different admissions essays, such as undergraduate school admission essays, that you may need to write to be admitted to a college or university.
These can range from anywhere between 200 and 1,000 words.
Whatever essay you are tasked with to write, it’s essential that you check the guidelines on word count and the expected pages.
Often these guidelines also advise the style of writing as well as the font and font size. All this can make a difference to the length of your essay.
How Long Is Each Part Of An Essay?
All pieces of writing are typically split into introduction, main body and conclusion. This also applies to academic writing and essays.
The main body of the text should take up the most space of your essay. This is where you present all your arguments, develop your ideas around the topic and provide evidence.
An introduction is usually just a couple of paragraphs to introduce the topic. It should be proportional to the overall length of your essay.
The longer your essay, the longer your introduction needs to be. After all, you will need to put down some background information and introduce your argument.
An essay conclusion should be kept brief and concise. The conclusion is usually just a single paragraph, although this can also vary depending on the overall essay length.
As a rule of thumb, many basic academic papers are five-paragraph essays. This means that there is one paragraph for the introduction, three paragraphs for the main body and one paragraph for the conclusion.
When you are writing your body text, then each body paragraph should cover a central argument and idea.
How Long Should A Paragraph Be In An Essay?
The length of a paragraph in your essay will vary depending on the overall word count of your essay and the arguments that you present in your written work.
Essays are typically divided into five paragraphs, although this depends on the essay guidelines.
In academic essays, the majority of space is taken up by the main body text which is typically three paragraphs long.
The main body text allows you to present your main arguments, ideas and offer evidence for your thoughts.
It’s important to structure your essay in the right way. While there’s no exact paragraph length or paragraph word limit, you need to make sure that your presented arguments are clear and concise.
Can You Go Under The Suggested Essay Word Count?
Yes, you can also write fewer words for your essay as long you fulfilled the assignment requirements and you have structured your work well.
However, bear in mind that you should not sacrifice any good arguments just to stay under the word limit.
If you are struggling to get even close to the word count, then there are quite a few things you can do.
It’s a good idea to add as many examples and evidence pieces to your paragraph as you can. This will support your arguments.
Also make sure that you fully analyze and explain each example in detail to fully develop your point.
Each paragraph in the main body text of the essay should pick up a new argument and aspect of the topic.
It’s essential that you do not use any filler words or text that doesn’t add to the meaning of your essay.
Artificially bumping up the word count with complicated sentences or unnecessary words will just weaken your arguments in your paper.
Lastly, don’t overfixate on your word count . While word limits are set to guide you, many markers do not always worry too much about 100 words over.
The important thing is that you bring your argument across and that you have a good essay structure.
Can You Go Over The Suggested Essay Length?
Sometimes you are allowed to go over the suggested word limit by roughly 10%. However, how strict the word count is handled depends on your institution and the course.
That’s why it’s important that you check with your course instructor.
As a rule of thumb, it’s only a good idea to exceed the word limit when it supports your argument.
Luckily, there are a few things you can do to keep the number of words in your essay as low as possible.
It’s important that each paragraph is clearly structured to support your argument and idea. You should deviate from the main point and don’t include any irrelevant information.
Check the words that you use and remove any filler words that don’t add to the clarity of your sentences.
When you remove a paragraph or sentence, then you need to make sure that you revise any links or transitions from your previous paragraph.
As the introduction and conclusion are both relatively short anyway, there is usually not much space to cut out words.
No matter how many words you need to cut, your essay should be on topic and packed with powerful arguments.
Final Thoughts
The length and word count of an academic essay can vary, from a few hundred words up to 6,000 words.
Whether you are writing an essay for an academic assignment or college admission, make sure that you read the instructions and guidelines carefully.
They will give you an idea of what to write about and how many pages as well as words you should write.
Alan Reiner
Hi, my name is Alan Reiner and I have been in the writing industry for almost seven years. I write articles that can span from 200 words all the way to 20,000 words every single day. How do I do it? With a lot of determination. All my way through school and college, I hated long-form assignments. I could never get into the groove of working on one piece for an extended period of time. My pieces were always late because I didn’t have the motivation to type them, let alone edit them.
How Long Is 2000 Words?
How many words in a dissertation [a word count guide], do short stories have chapters, how to write a novel, is it bear with me or bare with me differences explained, how to write a thesis, how to become a freelance writer, when to start a new paragraph.
![how many words is the average middle school essay Literacy Ideas](https://literacyideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/LITERACYIDEAS-1.png)
Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers
![how many words is the average middle school essay ' data-src=](https://literacyideas.com/wp-content/litespeed/avatar/b3906628472402c35532cb44ea01a7c5.jpg?ver=1723502763)
P LANNING, PARAGRAPHING AND POLISHING: FINE-TUNING THE PERFECT ESSAY
Essay writing is an essential skill for every student. Whether writing a particular academic essay (such as persuasive, narrative, descriptive, or expository) or a timed exam essay, the key to getting good at writing is to write. Creating opportunities for our students to engage in extended writing activities will go a long way to helping them improve their skills as scribes.
But, putting the hours in alone will not be enough to attain the highest levels in essay writing. Practice must be meaningful. Once students have a broad overview of how to structure the various types of essays, they are ready to narrow in on the minor details that will enable them to fine-tune their work as a lean vehicle of their thoughts and ideas.
![how many words is the average middle school essay Visual Writing](https://literacyideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/visual_writing_prompts-1.jpg)
In this article, we will drill down to some aspects that will assist students in taking their essay writing skills up a notch. Many ideas and activities can be integrated into broader lesson plans based on essay writing. Often, though, they will work effectively in isolation – just as athletes isolate physical movements to drill that are relevant to their sport. When these movements become second nature, they can be repeated naturally in the context of the game or in our case, the writing of the essay.
THE ULTIMATE NONFICTION WRITING TEACHING RESOURCE
![how many words is the average middle school essay essay writing | nonfiction writing unit | Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers | literacyideas.com](https://literacyideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/nonfiction_writing_unit.jpg)
- 270 pages of the most effective teaching strategies
- 50+ digital tools ready right out of the box
- 75 editable resources for student differentiation
- Loads of tricks and tips to add to your teaching tool bag
- All explanations are reinforced with concrete examples.
- Links to high-quality video tutorials
- Clear objectives easy to match to the demands of your curriculum
Planning an essay
![how many words is the average middle school essay essay writing | how to prepare for an essay | Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers | literacyideas.com](https://newsite.literacyideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/how_to_prepare_for_an_essay-1024x576.jpg)
The Boys Scouts’ motto is famously ‘Be Prepared’. It’s a solid motto that can be applied to most aspects of life; essay writing is no different. Given the purpose of an essay is generally to present a logical and reasoned argument, investing time in organising arguments, ideas, and structure would seem to be time well spent.
Given that essays can take a wide range of forms and that we all have our own individual approaches to writing, it stands to reason that there will be no single best approach to the planning stage of essay writing. That said, there are several helpful hints and techniques we can share with our students to help them wrestle their ideas into a writable form. Let’s take a look at a few of the best of these:
BREAK THE QUESTION DOWN: UNDERSTAND YOUR ESSAY TOPIC.
Whether students are tackling an assignment that you have set for them in class or responding to an essay prompt in an exam situation, they should get into the habit of analyzing the nature of the task. To do this, they should unravel the question’s meaning or prompt. Students can practice this in class by responding to various essay titles, questions, and prompts, thereby gaining valuable experience breaking these down.
Have students work in groups to underline and dissect the keywords and phrases and discuss what exactly is being asked of them in the task. Are they being asked to discuss, describe, persuade, or explain? Understanding the exact nature of the task is crucial before going any further in the planning process, never mind the writing process .
BRAINSTORM AND MIND MAP WHAT YOU KNOW:
Once students have understood what the essay task asks them, they should consider what they know about the topic and, often, how they feel about it. When teaching essay writing, we so often emphasize that it is about expressing our opinions on things, but for our younger students what they think about something isn’t always obvious, even to themselves.
Brainstorming and mind-mapping what they know about a topic offers them an opportunity to uncover not just what they already know about a topic, but also gives them a chance to reveal to themselves what they think about the topic. This will help guide them in structuring their research and, later, the essay they will write . When writing an essay in an exam context, this may be the only ‘research’ the student can undertake before the writing, so practicing this will be even more important.
RESEARCH YOUR ESSAY
The previous step above should reveal to students the general direction their research will take. With the ubiquitousness of the internet, gone are the days of students relying on a single well-thumbed encyclopaedia from the school library as their sole authoritative source in their essay. If anything, the real problem for our students today is narrowing down their sources to a manageable number. Students should use the information from the previous step to help here. At this stage, it is important that they:
● Ensure the research material is directly relevant to the essay task
● Record in detail the sources of the information that they will use in their essay
● Engage with the material personally by asking questions and challenging their own biases
● Identify the key points that will be made in their essay
● Group ideas, counterarguments, and opinions together
● Identify the overarching argument they will make in their own essay.
Once these stages have been completed the student is ready to organise their points into a logical order.
WRITING YOUR ESSAY
There are a number of ways for students to organize their points in preparation for writing. They can use graphic organizers , post-it notes, or any number of available writing apps. The important thing for them to consider here is that their points should follow a logical progression. This progression of their argument will be expressed in the form of body paragraphs that will inform the structure of their finished essay.
The number of paragraphs contained in an essay will depend on a number of factors such as word limits, time limits, the complexity of the question etc. Regardless of the essay’s length, students should ensure their essay follows the Rule of Three in that every essay they write contains an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Generally speaking, essay paragraphs will focus on one main idea that is usually expressed in a topic sentence that is followed by a series of supporting sentences that bolster that main idea. The first and final sentences are of the most significance here with the first sentence of a paragraph making the point to the reader and the final sentence of the paragraph making the overall relevance to the essay’s argument crystal clear.
Though students will most likely be familiar with the broad generic structure of essays, it is worth investing time to ensure they have a clear conception of how each part of the essay works, that is, of the exact nature of the task it performs. Let’s review:
Common Essay Structure
Introduction: Provides the reader with context for the essay. It states the broad argument that the essay will make and informs the reader of the writer’s general perspective and approach to the question.
Body Paragraphs: These are the ‘meat’ of the essay and lay out the argument stated in the introduction point by point with supporting evidence.
Conclusion: Usually, the conclusion will restate the central argument while summarising the essay’s main supporting reasons before linking everything back to the original question.
ESSAY WRITING PARAGRAPH WRITING TIPS
![how many words is the average middle school essay essay writing | 1 How to write paragraphs | Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers | literacyideas.com](https://newsite.literacyideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/1_How_to_write_paragraphs.png)
● Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea
● Paragraphs should follow a logical sequence; students should group similar ideas together to avoid incoherence
● Paragraphs should be denoted consistently; students should choose either to indent or skip a line
● Transition words and phrases such as alternatively , consequently , in contrast should be used to give flow and provide a bridge between paragraphs.
HOW TO EDIT AN ESSAY
![how many words is the average middle school essay essay writing | essay editing tips | Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers | literacyideas.com](https://newsite.literacyideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/essay_editing_tips-724x1024.png)
Students shouldn’t expect their essays to emerge from the writing process perfectly formed. Except in exam situations and the like, thorough editing is an essential aspect in the writing process.
Often, students struggle with this aspect of the process the most. After spending hours of effort on planning, research, and writing the first draft, students can be reluctant to go back over the same terrain they have so recently travelled. It is important at this point to give them some helpful guidelines to help them to know what to look out for. The following tips will provide just such help:
One Piece at a Time: There is a lot to look out for in the editing process and often students overlook aspects as they try to juggle too many balls during the process. One effective strategy to combat this is for students to perform a number of rounds of editing with each focusing on a different aspect. For example, the first round could focus on content, the second round on looking out for word repetition (use a thesaurus to help here), with the third attending to spelling and grammar.
Sum It Up: When reviewing the paragraphs they have written, a good starting point is for students to read each paragraph and attempt to sum up its main point in a single line. If this is not possible, their readers will most likely have difficulty following their train of thought too and the paragraph needs to be overhauled.
Let It Breathe: When possible, encourage students to allow some time for their essay to ‘breathe’ before returning to it for editing purposes. This may require some skilful time management on the part of the student, for example, a student rush-writing the night before the deadline does not lend itself to effective editing. Fresh eyes are one of the sharpest tools in the writer’s toolbox.
Read It Aloud: This time-tested editing method is a great way for students to identify mistakes and typos in their work. We tend to read things more slowly when reading aloud giving us the time to spot errors. Also, when we read silently our minds can often fill in the gaps or gloss over the mistakes that will become apparent when we read out loud.
Phone a Friend: Peer editing is another great way to identify errors that our brains may miss when reading our own work. Encourage students to partner up for a little ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’.
Use Tech Tools: We need to ensure our students have the mental tools to edit their own work and for this they will need a good grasp of English grammar and punctuation. However, there are also a wealth of tech tools such as spellcheck and grammar checks that can offer a great once-over option to catch anything students may have missed in earlier editing rounds.
![how many words is the average middle school essay essay writing | Perfect essay writing for students | Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers | literacyideas.com](https://newsite.literacyideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Perfect_essay_writing_for_students.jpg)
Putting the Jewels on Display: While some struggle to edit, others struggle to let go. There comes a point when it is time for students to release their work to the reader. They must learn to relinquish control after the creation is complete. This will be much easier to achieve if the student feels that they have done everything in their control to ensure their essay is representative of the best of their abilities and if they have followed the advice here, they should be confident they have done so.
WRITING CHECKLISTS FOR ALL TEXT TYPES
![how many words is the average middle school essay writing checklists](https://literacyideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/WRITING-CHECKLISTS-1024x293.png.webp)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (92 Reviews)
ESSAY WRITING video tutorials
![how many words is the average middle school essay essay writing | essay writing tutorial28129 | Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers | literacyideas.com](https://newsite.literacyideas.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/essay-writing-tutorial28129.png)
Home ➔ Essay Length Questions ➔ How Long Is a Typical Essay?
How Long Is a Typical Essay?
The word count of your essay mostly depends on your educational level, subject, department, course, and tutor’s instructions. This piece of writing is normally shorter than research papers or dissertations. But how long should an essay be exactly?
Generally, the length requirements are indicated in your assignment sheet. It can be words, paragraphs, or pages given as a range (300–500 words) or a particular number (5 pages). If you are not sure about your essay’s length, the number-one tip is to clarify it with your tutor. Also, if you’re not sure how to write an essay , we have a detailed guide on that topic, just follow the link.
We will review all the factors you must consider when it comes to an essay’s length, but here’s a quick answer to questions like, “How many words in an essay or how many paragraphs does an essay have?”
An essay is five paragraphs long on average, which is around 400–700 words.
Essay Length Tips
The tips below relate to academic essays that are given as a writing assignment. Everything that concerns admissions essays will be discussed in the following section.
- Three is the minimum number of paragraphs for essays (intro, body, and conclusion).
- The most common structure for a basic paper is the five-paragraph essay.
- The length of the introduction and conclusion paragraphs is always proportionally smaller.
- Each body paragraph must cover only one central idea, which is your topic sentence.
- A double-spaced page with text written in Times New Roman (12pt) usually contains about 275 words.
- A single-spaced page can fit double the amount, which is about 550 words.
How long should each essay part be?
If it’s a short essay (400–1000 words), each paragraph usually contains 100–200 words. The introduction and conclusion should be roughly the same in length and shorter than the overall word count of the body section.
According to Jennifer Duncan from The Writing Centre (the University of Toronto at Scarborough), for a 1000-word essay, its introduction and conclusion should be 4–5 sentences each. If your word count must be bigger, the length of these sections can be several paragraphs or even pages.
You might have seen conversion tables that say, “This number of words equals this number of paragraphs.” They all are based on a fixed length for each paragraph and are not very accurate. Yes, an essay that’s 400–800 words long can be converted like that. But, when your paper is bigger than a thousand words, your paragraphs can scale along, which means their number won’t grow exponentially with the overall essay size. For instance, if a 700-word essay comprises five paragraphs, a long essay (2000 words) won’t necessarily have fifteen paragraphs.
How long should a college essay be?
Here, “college essays” imply essays written for admissions. Admissions essays are quite different from the ones you get as homework. Usually, their chief goal is to show to the board that you are a worthy applicant. All the details about such essays should be publicly available on the college’s website in the appropriate section. But, if you don’t know the word count requirement and can’t find it, you still have some options. Below is a quick answer to the “how long is a college essay” question.
An average college essay is about 500 words long.
Admissions essay length tips
- Once you open the college’s site, look for phrases like “essay questions,” “information about supplemental essays,” “application instructions,” etc.
- As a rule, admissions essays are short (250–600 words) because board officers have to go through a lot of them daily.
- Do not exceed the given range by too much: if it says 500–550 words, the maximum length would be 600.
- When exceeding the word limit, your essay may not even end up being read to the end, so be mindful.
What if there are no length guidelines?
Sometimes colleges will not indicate a length limit for their essay prompts. But, don’t worry just yet because there are several ways to deal with this situation.
1. You need to send a sample of your writing.
They might have several options for applicants. Amherst College provides you with a choice: you can either (Option A) write a response to one of the quotations from the list or (Option B) submit a graded paper that best shows your writing skills. The last option implies that you have a set of papers to choose from, so you’re limited by their word count. But usually, there’s a page that contains guidelines for paper samples.
2. You can understand how long it should be from the description.
In its essay prompt guidelines, Wellesley College doesn’t give you a range of words or pages. Instead, it says, “in two well-developed paragraphs.” That means paragraphs can be quite long but within a reasonable limit, which is about 450–500 words. So this is when you’ll need to estimate or even guess a bit.
3. You need to search for the length requirements.
It can happen that essay length guidelines are not on the same page as the prompts. However, once you google, you can find posts on forums and social networks that discuss these essay writing requirements. You can also try searching “long” or “length” within the college site by typing “site:yourcollegewebsite.com” with those words.
4. You must call the admissions office.
If word limit instructions are nowhere to be found, you should call the admissions office. Even if they don’t have an exact number, they can tell you how long an essay should be based on the ones they had received before.
![how many words is the average middle school essay banner logo](https://essayreply.com/img/logo_new.png)
Sentence length will vary based on the paper type you’re working on. In narrative essays , you have to tell a story, which means sentences can be very long (up to 50 words). But general advice would be to keep sentences shorter than 25 words. Considering that, a 500-word essay would have somewhere between 20 to 45 sentences.
In short, you do. Unfortunately, the education system is “lazy” in this regard. Even though minimum length requirements force students to stretch their writing by adding fluff and verbose phrases, if those restraints were no more, some students would abuse that and submit essays far too short. Although some educators give a small margin over or under the word count, it’s better to write within the given range.
Your introductions and conclusion are usually smaller than body paragraphs. Hence, they will contain fewer sentences. For a 300-word paper, the first and last paragraphs will be about 3–5 sentences each, and every main paragraph will consist of 5–7 sentences.
The list of references
Here, you may find additional information on the topic:
- Paragraph Length — Aims Community College
- Writing Introductions and Conclusions — the University of Toronto at Scarborough
Was this article helpful?
- Translators
- Graphic Designers
Please enter the email address you used for your account. Your sign in information will be sent to your email address after it has been verified.
How Long Should My Academic Essay Be?
![how many words is the average middle school essay Tonya Thompson](https://www.servicescape.com/img/blog/post/author/tthom.webp)
When you're given an academic essay assignment, it's easy to feel overwhelmed—especially if English is your second language or you have limited experience with academic writing. Academic essays can range from a few paragraphs to book-length dissertations, so the scope of expectations varies widely based on the school you're attending, the class you're taking, the departmental expectations, and (most especially) the professor giving you the assignment.
However, if you're new to academic essay writing and are stressing over the length it should be, keep in mind that in most situations, your questions will be answered by your professor or the admissions committee assigning you the essay in the first place. When an assignment is given, some professors are very specific on their expectations, including what they expect the word count to be.
![how many words is the average middle school essay When an assignment is given, some professors are very specific on their expectations, including what they expect the word or page count to be.](https://www.servicescape.com/img/blog/post/body/post95242-1.webp)
For most assignments, you'll likely be given guidelines based on word count (for example, 1,000 to 1,200 words) or page count (3 to 5 pages, double-spaced). You might also be given guidelines on the citation format to use, how many sources you should have, and even the publication date range of those sources. Some professors like to be extremely specific on their expectations for each academic essay assignment, while others might be more lenient and less structured in their guidelines. And of course, these guidelines will vary based on the type of academic essay and its purpose.
General guidelines for essay length
Middle school.
Academic essay assignments typically start in middle school in the American education system and fall within the range of 300 to 800 words. In these grades, you'll be learning the basic 5-paragraph essay structure, which includes an introduction, a thesis statement, the body, and a conclusion. In the typical 5-paragraph essay format, the first paragraph should be the introduction, the second through fourth paragraphs should be the body of the essay, and the fifth paragraph should be the conclusion. In very rare instances would your introduction or conclusion take up more than one paragraph for these types of essays.
High school
In high school, you'll still likely need to write a 5-paragraph essay, although some teachers (especially English and Language Arts) will start to require longer essays (3 to 5 pages). This is to prepare you for the rigor of academic writing that you'll be fine-tuning in college. In these essays, you will still have the basic format of introduction, body and conclusion; however, you'll expand the body to more thoroughly explore or explain a topic. The conclusion of your 3 to 5-page essay will likely still fall within one paragraph, although the introduction might be more than one, depending on the topic.
University (Undergraduate level)
Once you get admitted into an undergraduate program, the length of your academic essay assignments will vary significantly, depending on the classes you take and the departments you take them in. You'll also encounter classes that require academic essays of varying length as the semester progresses, with a longer essay due as the final assignment for a greater percentage of the class grade. In most cases, these longer academic writing assignments will be structured in such a way in that parts of the essay assignment must be turned in at different times, with all sections being put together as a final paper.
For example, in an advanced-level English class, your professor might assign multiple shorter essays of 5 to 7 pages (or 1,500 to 2,100 words) and one final essay that explores a topic in more depth at 8 to 10 pages (or 2,400 to 3,000 words). Another class, such as a core curriculum survey course, might require fewer essays or more journal prompt-type writing assignments.
University (Graduate level)
Much the same as the undergraduate level of college, graduate-level academic writing assignments will vary based on several factors, such as the professor, the course, the department, and the program of study. One university program might require extensive writing while another might be more lab-based or hands-on experience.
Graduate level is also where you're likely to first encounter "thesis" and "dissertation" academic writing assignments, which can go up to 100,000 words or more. These types of assignments obviously require extensive planning, research, and writing time, but you'll likely be given very specific word count and citation requirements when being assigned the paper to write.
Graduate level writing is significantly more involved than the 5-paragraph essay format and contains elements such as sections related to a review of literature, background of the topic/theoretical framework, methodology of research, and your specific findings. These separate sections might have their own word count limits and requirements, with some requiring significantly more time and writing than others. As with some undergraduate assignments, you might be asked to submit these academic writing assignments in stages or sections, including a proposal, a list of your sources, etc.
Beyond word and page count
Even if you stay within a certain word or page count that is required for an academic writing assignment, you could still receive a poor grade for not using that count wisely. For example, it's possible to write a 3 to 5-paragraph paper that is disorganized and illogical, in the same sense that an 8-page essay might have the same faults.
Here are some important guidelines to follow when writing an academic essay, regardless of the word count required:
- Always carefully outline before you begin writing. An outline will help you cover everything that should be covered and ensure that you've included all of the required parts of the essay (introduction, thesis statement, etc.)
- Never allow your academic essay writing style to appear rambling, off-topic, or full of "filler" words. While the topic you're writing about might be new to you, your professor will likely know it extensively and will be able to tell if you're writing just to fill space.
- Do your best to avoid hedging. Hedging is when you essentially dance around a topic with vague statements but never have an actual stance on it. In most forms of academic writing, you're expected to make a clear assumption or thesis statement and then back up your claim with solid research and/or data.
![how many words is the average middle school essay It's important to avoid vague statements or ambiguity in your academic essay writing.](https://www.servicescape.com/img/blog/post/body/post95242-2.webp)
So, can I go over or under word count?
Ultimately, it will always be in your best interest to stay within word count requirements given to you on assignments. Word count or page count limits are given to you for a reason—your professor knows exactly how in-depth you can explore a topic or topics given that word count restriction. If you find that you are significantly under word count when you've completed your writing assignment, it's likely that you haven't explored the topic to the depth expected of you by your instructor. A poor or failing grade might be the result, as it will be clear to your professor that you either didn't understand the topic or didn't take the time needed to research it correctly.
Some professors will allow word count that is over suggested limits a lot more readily than word count that is under them. However, keep in mind that if you have gone significantly over word count in your academic essay assignment, it's always a good idea to ask your teacher if this is acceptable. He or she might have such a heavy student and research load that they are simply unable to read hundreds of essays that are over the suggested word count limit, and might be forced to stop reading once you've reached it. This means that important parts of your writing will not be read and could affect your teacher's grade choice for the assignments.
This is also true for college admissions essay assignments. Admissions committees might be reading the essays of thousands of applicants and need those writers to stay within word count restrictions for the sake of time and logistics. Allowing one applicant to write extensively more could also put that applicant at an unfair advantage, so word count restrictions should always be followed. For a more in-depth look at what you should and shouldn't do on your college admissions essay, check out this article on writing a college admissions essay that stands out from the crowd .
6th grade writing
by: Hank Pellissier | Updated: June 16, 2024
Print article
![how many words is the average middle school essay 6th grader's writing under Common Core standards](https://www.greatschools.org/gk/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/6th-grade-writing-750x325.jpg)
This year, your sixth grader should learn to use precise language, the right pronouns, and high-quality sources for research. Public presentations are also a nerve-wracking but important skill highlighted this year. Read on to learn the key sixth grade writing skills your child should learn this year.
Introducing argument writing
Developmentally, sixth graders are entering a rebellious phase. Luckily, all this attitude has an academic outlet: argument writing . Your tween will write persuasive essays that promote their bold opinions with organized logic, backed by evidence from carefully researched, respectable sources. ( Wikipedia , The Onion , and National Enquirer won’t qualify, but Wikipedia does often link to sources at the bottom of their entries that may be acceptable.)
Your 11- or 12-year-old will also write formal essays that explain complicated topics with precise information. They’ll start with intriguing introductions, and then present their research in a clear, organized way. They will use quotes, facts, definitions, compare-and-contrast statements, cause-and-effect statements, graphics (e.g., charts, graphs), subject-specific vocabulary, and multimedia. It will all be formatted (e.g., using headings, subheadings, and bullet points), to make their points clear. They’ll end with concluding paragraphs that recap their main points.
“ To put it another way, Mommy, there is compelling evidence that I need another scoop of ice cream. ” This grown-up language sounds amusingly hoity-toity in squeaky voices, but don’t laugh when your child attempts it in daily conversation. Indeed, it is good practice for their writing.
Incredibly, what happened next was..
Storytelling is a fun part of sixth grade writing. This year, kids practice narrative writing in fiction and nonfiction papers. They learn effective ways to select their narrator, characters, setting, dialogue, descriptions, and conclusion. They work to make plot sequences seem natural. To really make their stories sing, kids should use specific details, precise language, and transition vocabulary (think: After nightfall or When she awoke ) that guides readers from one setting or plot point to another. Don’t be surprised if your shy bookworm starts writing a trilogy.
If at first you don’t succeed
Grit. Determination. Perseverance. Ernest Hemingway rewrote the last page of one of his novels 39 times. Rewriting and editing both teach kids discipline and determination. They are required to plan before they write, and then plan some more as their draft develops. They’re encouraged to outline before they start writing. They draft and redraft. They will revise certain parts and maybe restructure their entire paper. Then they will edit, possibly rewrite, and re-edit. At every turn, they’re encouraged to try new approaches. This isn’t obsessive redundancy; it helps students practice thinking about what they’re really, truly trying to say and then use their writing skills to convey their thoughts clearly and exactly.
Command of the keyboard
Writing nowadays often means typing . Sixth graders accelerate their hand-eye coordination as they evolve from hunt-and-peck slowness to rat-tat-tat-tat-tatting at a furious pace. The goal is for sixth graders to be able to sit and type three pages in a single sitting. Additionally, kids are taught online interaction and collaboration (e.g., emailing their work to each other, sharing Google docs, and adding suggestions and comments to each other’s work).
My research reveals…
Sixth graders get writing assignments that require research. To answer questions like What famous historical character do you admire? What’s your favorite invention? What endangered species do you worry about the most? , your young detective will read thick reference books and print periodicals at the library and digital data online (yes, often via Google). Students learn to evaluate the credibility of sources . Is National Lampoon as legitimate as Encyclopedia Britannica ? No. Using evidence, they compile information to write reports. They’ll learn to paraphrase what they’ve read, synthesize new thoughts, and use quotations to share information without plagiarizing.
Novel approach
Is Harry Potter more emotionally conflicted than Katniss Everdeen? Sixth graders sharpen their critical thinking skills by doing literary analysis. They’ll analyze poems, stories, historical novels, and nonfiction books. Kids learn to compare and contrast topics and themes. They’ll do this, for example, by discussing the consequences of prejudice in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and in Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad or by explaining how nature directs the plots of The Secret Garden and The Island of the Blue Dolphin . In nonfiction, sixth graders learn to divide an author’s statements into facts supported by evidence versus opinions. For example, was the Great Houdini truly “the world’s greatest magician” or is this an opinion? After all, David Copperfield walked through the Great Wall of China.
![](http://nandemo.space/777/templates/cheerup1/res/banner1.gif)
Pronouns: not just me-me-me all the time
Grammar isn’t easy, especially for 11- and 12-year-olds. Pronoun usage can be particularly tough. Kids learn about proper pronoun case . What’s that? Subjective case refers to pronouns used as subjects (I, you, he, she, it, we, they). Objective case indicates pronouns used as objects (me, you, him, her, it, us, they). Possessive case conveys ownership (my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, their, theirs). Using pronouns incorrectly can leave the writer (or speaker) looking unintelligent. For example, Us and her carried apples over to yous big barn is neither proper nor pretty.
Mistakes in pronoun person are common among this age group. To correct this, your child needs to loyally stick with the “person” they started with. No switching from first person (I or me) to second person (you), or vice-versa: When I go to school, you should have your homework done, or When you go to school, a person should have his homework done . (Hint, that second example goes from second person to third person.) Both switches are incorrect and can create confusion.
Pronoun number is also crucial. If the subject indicates a plural quantity, the related possessive pronoun needs the identical number. Here’s an example of this common error: All of the school girls took her umbrella. (It should be their umbrellas) . Vague pronouns are also a no-no. Take the sentence: Alice put a vase with a red rose on the desk, and sold it. What was sold: the vase, the rose, or the desk? We don’t know because it, used here, is too vague.
Sentences, spelling, punctuation
Sixth grade writing raises the bar when it comes to sentence structure. Kids are expected to vary their sentences by alternating the length and structure to keep their writing interesting.
When it comes to spelling, many sixth graders know that spelling rules in English are finicky and have many exceptions. Kids learn to spell odd English words correctly, with silent letters ( island, crumb ) and bizarre combo consonants ( cough, pheasant ). As such, spelling is best learned through practice and, eventually, by memorizing. If your child gets frustrated spelling words like climb or plumbing , let them know that Theodore Roosevelt, Andrew Carnegie, and a committee of concerned citizens tried to simplify English spelling more than a century ago — sadly, to no avail.
Finally, as their writing becomes more advanced, sixth graders tend to use commas, parentheses, and dashes to set apart phrases and clauses. You can help by reviewing these sentences and making sure the punctuation is placed correctly.
It’s all about presentations
In sixth grade, kids will read their writing aloud to classmates. As they read, they’ll be expected to make eye contact, pronounce their words clearly, and speak loudly enough to be heard by the entire class. They’ll share their arguments, research papers, projects, and literary efforts, which will often be accompanied by visual displays, music, audio, charts, and slides. Your child may be nervous before these presentations, but hopefully your child will be empowered by the experience.
![how many words is the average middle school essay Great!Schools Logo](https://www.greatschools.org/gk/wp-content/themes/greatschools-bootstrap-sass/images/G!_Logo_Newsletter.png)
Homes Nearby
Homes for rent and sale near schools
![how many words is the average middle school essay Tips-on-writing-college-essay](https://www.greatschools.org/gk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Tips-on-writing-college-essay-100x85.jpg)
6 ways to improve a college essay
![how many words is the average middle school essay Writing-tips-for-every-grade](https://www.greatschools.org/gk/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Writing-tips-for-every-grade-100x85.jpg)
Quick writing tips for every age
![how many words is the average middle school essay Writing on the wall](https://www.greatschools.org/gk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Writing-on-the-wall-100x85.jpg)
Writing on the wall
Why parents must teach writing
![how many words is the average middle school essay GreatSchools Logo](https://www.greatschools.org/gk/wp-content/themes/greatschools-bootstrap-sass/images/greatschools-logo.png)
Yes! Sign me up for updates relevant to my child's grade.
Please enter a valid email address
Thank you for signing up!
Server Issue: Please try again later. Sorry for the inconvenience
Have a language expert improve your writing
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.
- Knowledge Base
The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay | Steps & Examples
An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.
There are many types of essays you might write as a student. The content and length of an essay depends on your level, subject of study, and course requirements. However, most essays at university level are argumentative — they aim to persuade the reader of a particular position or perspective on a topic.
The essay writing process consists of three main stages:
- Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline.
- Writing : Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion.
- Revision: Check your essay on the content, organization, grammar, spelling, and formatting of your essay.
Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text
Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes
![how many words is the average middle school essay upload-your-document-ai-proofreader](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/grammar-check.webp)
Table of contents
Essay writing process, preparation for writing an essay, writing the introduction, writing the main body, writing the conclusion, essay checklist, lecture slides, frequently asked questions about writing an essay.
The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay .
For example, if you’ve been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you’ll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay , on the other hand, you’ll need to spend more time researching your topic and developing an original argument before you start writing.
1. Preparation | 2. Writing | 3. Revision |
---|---|---|
, organized into Write the | or use a for language errors |
Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting
Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:
- Academic style
- Vague sentences
- Style consistency
See an example
![how many words is the average middle school essay how many words is the average middle school essay](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/dissertation-proofreading-service.png)
Before you start writing, you should make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to say and how you’re going to say it. There are a few key steps you can follow to make sure you’re prepared:
- Understand your assignment: What is the goal of this essay? What is the length and deadline of the assignment? Is there anything you need to clarify with your teacher or professor?
- Define a topic: If you’re allowed to choose your own topic , try to pick something that you already know a bit about and that will hold your interest.
- Do your research: Read primary and secondary sources and take notes to help you work out your position and angle on the topic. You’ll use these as evidence for your points.
- Come up with a thesis: The thesis is the central point or argument that you want to make. A clear thesis is essential for a focused essay—you should keep referring back to it as you write.
- Create an outline: Map out the rough structure of your essay in an outline . This makes it easier to start writing and keeps you on track as you go.
Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to discuss, in what order, and what evidence you’ll use, you’re ready to start writing.
The introduction sets the tone for your essay. It should grab the reader’s interest and inform them of what to expect. The introduction generally comprises 10–20% of the text.
1. Hook your reader
The first sentence of the introduction should pique your reader’s interest and curiosity. This sentence is sometimes called the hook. It might be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement emphasizing the relevance of the topic.
Let’s say we’re writing an essay about the development of Braille (the raised-dot reading and writing system used by visually impaired people). Our hook can make a strong statement about the topic:
The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.
2. Provide background on your topic
Next, it’s important to give context that will help your reader understand your argument. This might involve providing background information, giving an overview of important academic work or debates on the topic, and explaining difficult terms. Don’t provide too much detail in the introduction—you can elaborate in the body of your essay.
3. Present the thesis statement
Next, you should formulate your thesis statement— the central argument you’re going to make. The thesis statement provides focus and signals your position on the topic. It is usually one or two sentences long. The thesis statement for our essay on Braille could look like this:
As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness.
4. Map the structure
In longer essays, you can end the introduction by briefly describing what will be covered in each part of the essay. This guides the reader through your structure and gives a preview of how your argument will develop.
The invention of Braille marked a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by blind and visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.
Write your essay introduction
The body of your essay is where you make arguments supporting your thesis, provide evidence, and develop your ideas. Its purpose is to present, interpret, and analyze the information and sources you have gathered to support your argument.
Length of the body text
The length of the body depends on the type of essay. On average, the body comprises 60–80% of your essay. For a high school essay, this could be just three paragraphs, but for a graduate school essay of 6,000 words, the body could take up 8–10 pages.
Paragraph structure
To give your essay a clear structure , it is important to organize it into paragraphs . Each paragraph should be centered around one main point or idea.
That idea is introduced in a topic sentence . The topic sentence should generally lead on from the previous paragraph and introduce the point to be made in this paragraph. Transition words can be used to create clear connections between sentences.
After the topic sentence, present evidence such as data, examples, or quotes from relevant sources. Be sure to interpret and explain the evidence, and show how it helps develop your overall argument.
Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.
See the full essay example
The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It should generally take up no more than 10–15% of the text . A strong essay conclusion :
- Returns to your thesis
- Ties together your main points
- Shows why your argument matters
A great conclusion should finish with a memorable or impactful sentence that leaves the reader with a strong final impression.
What not to include in a conclusion
To make your essay’s conclusion as strong as possible, there are a few things you should avoid. The most common mistakes are:
- Including new arguments or evidence
- Undermining your arguments (e.g. “This is just one approach of many”)
- Using concluding phrases like “To sum up…” or “In conclusion…”
Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.
Write your essay conclusion
Checklist: Essay
My essay follows the requirements of the assignment (topic and length ).
My introduction sparks the reader’s interest and provides any necessary background information on the topic.
My introduction contains a thesis statement that states the focus and position of the essay.
I use paragraphs to structure the essay.
I use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph.
Each paragraph has a single focus and a clear connection to the thesis statement.
I make clear transitions between paragraphs and ideas.
My conclusion doesn’t just repeat my points, but draws connections between arguments.
I don’t introduce new arguments or evidence in the conclusion.
I have given an in-text citation for every quote or piece of information I got from another source.
I have included a reference page at the end of my essay, listing full details of all my sources.
My citations and references are correctly formatted according to the required citation style .
My essay has an interesting and informative title.
I have followed all formatting guidelines (e.g. font, page numbers, line spacing).
Your essay meets all the most important requirements. Our editors can give it a final check to help you submit with confidence.
Open Google Slides Download PowerPoint
An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.
In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.
Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.
The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.
The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.
Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:
- An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
- Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
- A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.
The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.
The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:
- It gives your writing direction and focus.
- It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.
Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.
A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.
At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).
Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.
The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .
Is this article helpful?
Other students also liked.
- How long is an essay? Guidelines for different types of essay
- How to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples
- How to conclude an essay | Interactive example
More interesting articles
- Checklist for academic essays | Is your essay ready to submit?
- Comparing and contrasting in an essay | Tips & examples
- Example of a great essay | Explanations, tips & tricks
- Generate topic ideas for an essay or paper | Tips & techniques
- How to revise an essay in 3 simple steps
- How to structure an essay: Templates and tips
- How to write a descriptive essay | Example & tips
- How to write a literary analysis essay | A step-by-step guide
- How to write a narrative essay | Example & tips
- How to write a rhetorical analysis | Key concepts & examples
- How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples
- How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips
- How to write an essay outline | Guidelines & examples
- How to write an expository essay
- How to write the body of an essay | Drafting & redrafting
- Kinds of argumentative academic essays and their purposes
- Organizational tips for academic essays
- The four main types of essay | Quick guide with examples
- Transition sentences | Tips & examples for clear writing
"I thought AI Proofreading was useless but.."
I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”
![how many words is the average middle school essay](https://thehungryteacherblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/the-hungry-teacher-logo.jpg)
Bell Ringers
3 types of essays your middle schoolers need to practice.
Writing can be a real headache for ELA teachers. Writing is layered with skills – from grammar to analysis – so it’s not a walk in the park for teachers or students. It’s really common for students to struggle to apply what they’ve learned, think deeply and critically, and write independently. There are several types of essays that middle schoolers need to learn, but if the thought of teaching them makes you want to run for the hills, stick with me. We’re going to talk about three different types of essays middle schoolers need to practice, and I’ll share some resources to help you out.
![how many words is the average middle school essay](https://thehungryteacherblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/1.png)
Types of Essays for Middle Schoolers
There are various types of essays out there, but there are three types I want to specifically look at: argumentative, literary analysis, and narrative. These types of essays cover both creative and critical thinking – and help push literary skills to the next level.
Argumentative Writing
Writing argumentative essays requires that students know how to defend a stance. Students are great at taking stances, but defending them requires deeper thinking.
When writing an argumentative essay, there are a few key things students need to know. To start, students need to be able to select a topic and take a position on that topic (or they can take a position on a topic assigned to them). Students will also brainstorm a list of logical reasons to support their stance, use clear and convincing evidence to support their points, and share counterclaims.
Of course, that’s where things get tricky. Students really struggle to build solid arguments and find great evidence. Inside the Argumentative Writing Booklet, I included information about credible sources, logical reasonings, and relevant evidence. I referred to these a lot when in the classroom, and it’s likely you’ll need to teach them over (and then over again).
Another important part of an argumentative essay is counterclaims. This requires that students step into someone else’s shoes and think about how someone could break down their stance. Inside the Argumentative Writing Booklet, I included some key points for students to remember about counterclaims and sentence starters to help with essay writing.
If you are looking for a resource to make the process of teaching students to write argumentative essays a total breeze, check out my free Argumentative Student Reference Booklet! Inside, you’ll find reference pages for –
❤️ how to craft an argument
❤️ the elements of writing an argumentative essay
❤️ writing a counterclaim
❤️ the types of credible sources
❤️ how to ensure you are using logical reasons
❤️ and more!
![how many words is the average middle school essay](https://thehungryteacherblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/EMAIL-BUTTONS-2.png)
Literary Analysis
Another important skill for middle schoolers is learning how to write a literary analysis essay . Literary analysis goes much deeper than just a simple summary. In fact, when writing a literary analysis essay, students can make an argument, dig deep into specific literary elements, or explore a theory they have about the text.
In order to know how to write a literary analysis essay, students need to know how to analyze a text and find evidence to support their analysis. (I know, it’s easier said than done.) For example, students might notice a frequent symbol or craft that the author uses and decide to explore what it means or its purpose. Inside the Literary Analysis Booklet, I included pages on symbolism and author’s craft as a jumping-off point for students to brainstorm and analyze.
Another area I’ve seen students struggle with is the thesis statement. Because students often want to write literary analysis like a summary, they get stuck here. In the Literary Analysis Booklet, I give examples of thesis statements, along with a thesis formula and mistakes to avoid.
If the thought of teaching how to write a literary analysis essay is overwhelming to you, check out the Literary Analysis freebie! Inside, you’ll find –
❤️ summarizing vs. analyzing
❤️ literary analysis elements
❤️ how to annotate literature
❤️ in-depth overview of author’s craft
❤️ thesis statement guide
![how many words is the average middle school essay](https://thehungryteacherblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/3.png)
Narrative Writing
The final type of essay I want to focus on is narrative writing . Learning to write narrative essays is the way that students become really comfortable with their own storytelling voice. Personal narratives are often some of the first writing exposure students have in elementary school. As students get older, it’s tossed to the side for more analytical writing. Narrative essays provide the perfect opportunity for students to practice skills like adding details, vocabulary, and imagery. It allows them to give a touch of their personality and imagination.
One big perk to narrative writing is that you’ll have tons of examples to pull from. You can easily slip it alongside your reading unit. Students can use a book club or whole class text as an example of narrative writing – and then try to create their own.
My favorite part of narrative writing is that it reinforces what students have learned in their reading units. They will have to understand the plot and how a plot unfolds. This also involves students dipping into author’s craft by choosing a point of view, using figurative language, and developing character motives. It also means creating believable characters and dialogue. It can be tougher than it might first appear!
In my Narrative Writing Reference Booklet freebie, I’ve included all the foundation information students would need + examples of narrative essays for students to refer to. Inside the freebie, you’ll find –
❤️ elements of narrative writing
❤️ developing the plot of narrative writing
❤️ sensory details + examples
❤️ how to use dialogue
❤️ ways to start and end narrative writing + examples
I know that essay writing can be a head-banging experience (for both you and your students). My hope is that with the Writing Toolkit, you can make it easier for students to write independently and build a strong foundation for writing.
- Read more about: Middle School Writing
You might also like...
![how many words is the average middle school essay 4 Station Ideas for Middle School ELA Skills](https://thehungryteacherblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-Station-Ideas-for-Middle-School-ELA-Skills.png)
4 Station Ideas for Middle School ELA Skills
![how many words is the average middle school essay How to Plan Your Narrative Writing Unit](https://thehungryteacherblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/How-to-Plan-Your-Narrative-Writing-Unit-2.png)
How to Plan Your Narrative Writing Unit
![how many words is the average middle school essay How to Explicitly Teach Elements of Narrative Writing](https://thehungryteacherblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/How-to-Explicitly-Teach-Elements-of-Narrative-Writing.png)
How to Explicitly Teach Elements of Narrative Writing
Get your free middle school ela pacing guides with completed scopes and sequences for the school year..
![how many words is the average middle school essay](https://thehungryteacherblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Slide3-5.jpeg)
My ELA scope and sequence guides break down every single middle school ELA standard and concept for reading, writing, and language in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. Use the guides and resources exactly as is or as inspiration for you own!
Meet Martina
![66486167_691601601310163_8353908539794399788_n(1) 66486167_691601601310163_8353908539794399788_n(1)](https://thehungryteacherblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/66486167_691601601310163_8353908539794399788_n1.jpg)
I’m a Middle School ELA teacher committed to helping you improve your teaching & implement systems that help you get everything done during the school day!
Let's Connect
Member login.
PRIVACY POLICY
TERMS OF USE
WEBSITE DISCLAIMERS
MEMBERSHIP AGREEEMENT
© The Hungry Teacher • Website by KristenDoyle.co • Contact Martina
![how many words is the average middle school essay reThink ELA LLC](https://www.rethinkela.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/rethinkELAlogo-trans.png)
- About Michelle Waters
- Curriculum Vitae
- Tools I Use
- Podcast Episodes
- How To Be Our Podcast Guest
- Member Login
- Member Helpdesk
- Support Portal
- Resource Partners
- Writing Partners
- Certificate Verification
- How To Contribute
by Michelle Boyd Waters, M.Ed.
A Plethora Of Writing Examples For Middle School (& High School)
October 14, 2014 in Pedagogy
![how many words is the average middle school essay Middle School Writing Samples](https://www.rethinkela.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Middle-School-Writing-Samples-1024x1024.jpg)
When I started my first job as a professional newspaper reporter (This job also served as an internship during my junior year in college — I just didn’t leave for about 6 years.), I quickly realized that all my experience, and all my years of journalism education had not been enough to help me write stories about drug busts, fatal car accidents and tornadoes. All the theoretical work I’d done, and all of the nifty little scholastic and collegiate stories I had done, did not prepare me for real world writing.
At that point, I had to find a solution quickly. After all, I had a deadline to meet, and it was only a few hours away.
One of my colleagues, who also served as a mentor, had the solution. She introduced me to the newspaper’s “morgue.” This was a room filled with filing cabinets in which we kept old — dead — stories arranged by reporter. Whenever I wasn’t’ sure how to write a story, all I had to do was check the morgue for similar stories. If I needed to write a story about a local drug bust, for example, I’d find another story on a similar incident, study its structure, and mentally create a formula in which to plugin the information I’d gathered.
Once I’d gained more experience, and had internalized the formula for that particular type of story, I felt free to branch out as the situation — and my training — warranted.
I do the same thing when I want to write a type of letter, brochure, or report that I’ve never written before.
This is what writing looks like in the real world.
Of course, if you’re a new teacher like me, there is one problem with providing mentor texts to my students: I have a dearth of middle school level writing sitting around in my file cabinets.
Fortunately, the Internet is full of sources, so I scoured the bowels of Google to find examples. I know how busy you are, so I’m sharing.
Expository writing examples for middle school
Below are several sources of expository writing samples for middle school students.
- The Write Source Expository Writing Samples
- Holt, Rinehart, Winston Expository Essay Models
Finally, here is an article in the New York Times that will help you teach your students real-world expository writing skills .
Descriptive writing examples for middle school
- Descriptive Writing Samples from Novels
- Milwaukee Public Schools Descriptive Essay Samples (p. 137)
- Holt, Rinehart, Winston Descriptive Essay Models
Narrative writing examples for middle school
- Writing Samples by Steve Peha (PDF)
- The Write Source Narrative Writing Samples
- Oregon Department of Education Scored Writing Samples (Ideas and Organization)
- Oregon Department of Education Scored Writing Samples (Sentence Fluency and Conventions)
- Oregon Department of Education Scored Writing Samples (Voice and Word Choice)
- Oregon Department of Education High School Scored Narrative and Argumentative Writing Samples
- Holt, Rinehart, Winston Narrative Essay Models
Argumentative/persuasive writing examples for middle school
- The Write Source Persuasive Writing Samples
- Holt, Rinehart, Winston Persuasive Essay Models
Reflective writing examples for middle school
- Reflective essay examples from Lake Washington Girls Middle School
If you know of any other online writing example sources, please feel free to share them in the comments below.
Related topics: Argumentative Writing , Informative Writing , Mentor Texts , Narrative Writing
About the author
Michelle Boyd Waters, M.Ed.
I am a secondary English Language Arts teacher, a University of Oklahoma student working on my doctorate in Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum with an concentration in English Education and co-Editor of the Oklahoma English Journal. I am constantly seeking ways to amplify students' voices and choices.
This is very, very helpful. Thank you for sharing!
As a new middle school teacher (coming from elementary) this was very helpful and encouraging.
Thank you very much for letting me know. I’m glad that I was able to help you!
Thank you! I’m glad I can help.
Your welcome
This is super helpful. Thank you!
These links are a fantastic help. Thank you!
This helped me BUNCHES! Thanks so much!
thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XD
These links are now dead 🙁
Thank you for notifying me! I have updated the post to include new (live!) links. Some of them are geared towards high school, but I think we can still use them as exemplars of what we want our students to aim for.
Comments are closed.
![how many words is the average middle school essay](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f5798b0c5d8bc607913e4af/65afa1eb7aeeda47b619ab97_How%20to%20edit%20an%20essay.png)
How Long is an Essay
![how many words is the average middle school essay](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f5798b0c5d8bc607913e4af/5ff436ccddfe4016aeaf33f0_Dr.%20Susan%20Martinez.jpg)
How Long is an Essay?
High school essays typically range from 300-1000 words, focusing on a 5-paragraph structure. College admission essays are brief, 200-650 words, showcasing personal interests. Undergraduate essays vary, spanning 1500-5000 words, depending on course and institution specifics. Graduate admissions require more detailed essays of 500-1000 words, while graduate-level essays often extend from 2500-6000 words, reflecting deeper research and analysis.
The question of how long should an essay be– whether you are a pro or not–should come from something OTHER than your liking 💯.
Sure, you can always follow your heart whenever you want to put your sentiments and purpose into words. It is, however, another truth that there is an external factor that always determines how effective you are as an essayist: the WORD COUNT.
Let us not all lie. No matter how good or bad we are at writing things, word count always matters. This factor may come into play when it becomes one of the criteria for judging one’s written output or a measure of someone’s writing prowess if it is made out of a career. Thus, one thing is for sure: even if it sucks, we always consider how long should an essay be.
But just like any other factor influencing good writing, managing an ideal word count for essays can be quite a breeze. All you have to do is pan out your purpose, know your audience, and be strategic in monitoring your word count. All of the know-how, and many others, will be discussed thoroughly in this blog, so stick around to see the magic!
Type of Essay | Average Word Count Range | Essay Content |
---|---|---|
High School Essay | 300–1000 words | In high school, you are often asked to write a 5-paragraph essay, composed of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. |
College Admission Essay | 200–650 words | College applications require a short personal essay to express your interests and motivations. This generally has a strict word limit. |
Undergraduate College Essay | 1500–5000 words | The length and content of essay assignments in college varies depending on the institution, department, course level, and syllabus. |
Graduate School Admission Essay | 500–1000 words | Graduate school applications usually require a longer personal statement and/or statement of purpose detailing your academic achievements and motivations. |
Graduate School Essay | 2500–6000 words | Graduate-level assignments vary by institution and discipline but are likely to include longer essays or research papers. |
How Long is an Essay Considering the Factors that I Have to Follow?
Factors everywhere. A good result cannot be determined well and objectively without these factors. Sure enough, good writing, while considering its word count, can be a walk in the park if one considers the following factors that regulate an ideal (or sometimes, required) word count.
Academic essay varies depending on multiple factors. Asking the “WHY” on something provides you with a clear way how you can finish it. In writing, this “why,” which represents your intention or purpose, gives you an outline of how you may navigate the entire process– and manage your word count as well.
Once you have set your writing goals before the writing process, you can prepare the right information that you will inject into the sections of your manuscript, as well as an approach (more than two is fine; do not be shy!) that will serve as your structure. Writers have different purposes– dictated or not, explicit or implicit, thus producing different preferences for word count.
One may have many demands in its purpose, making the word count a bit overboard. Some do not demand that much, translating to a permissible count. One thing is for sure, though: purpose drives your writing journey, so whether you measure your essay length or not, it must be clearly stated on the paper!
When we say that your feelings matter so much in your writing, that has to be minimized considerably because maintaining word count and determining how many words should an essay be sometimes depends on the people who read and use it.
A specific group of people always know what they want in a writing piece– either they like it long and extensive or short yet succinct. With this reality (arguing about it will not give you good marks) in mind, you have to be a sucker for their preferences.
The good thing about this, though, is you already have some ideas on how you will create your piece (versus thinking about it from scratch), and your horizons will widen since you will craft a piece that reflects other people’s liking. A little note when considering the audience as one of your considerations for word count is that they are already giving you a favor.
Nature of the Writing Task
Along with the wish to maintain an average essay word count, you must know WHAT you are writing about. Mostly common among academic institutions, the nature of a writing task may come off as explicit through the name itself (is it a traditional expository essay? A narrative report? A critical essay?) or implicit through the specifications of the task (Should there be an outline to adhere in the task? Should one use a specific structure or approach to the creation of a text?).
Determining how many words should there be in an essay will largely depend on what you are writing about, and the elements and features of these various tasks may shorten or lengthen the word count.
In Studyfy, however, you can see these factors come into play and create a concoction of a text like no other. With a tailor-fit custom essay writing service that offers a variety of academic, business, and personalized research papers that vary in word count depending on your purpose, you can yield personal success in your sheer convenience.
How Long is an Essay in High School?
In high school, essays typically vary in length based on the assignment type, ranging from 500 to 1500 words for narratives, 800 to 1500 words for expository essays, 500 to 1000 words for reflective essays, and 600 to 1200 words for process essays. Always follow your teacher's guidelines.
High school is the period in education where students’ lower and higher-order thinking skills (LOTS/HOTS) are put into practice, and essays and other related written tasks are manifestations of their learning of these skills.
Although there is a tendency for students to ask someone “to write an essay for me ” because of being overwhelmed with too much information, writing an essay in high school is the best starting point for students to practice writing and presenting information by counting what is important and relevant.
The following is the list of common essay types and their ideal word count:
Narrative Essays
Its primary purpose is to narrate a specific event or describe a scenario using quotations, vivid descriptions, and imagery to convey the situation in writing accurately. Although adjectives, literary devices, and other strategies for vivid conveyance may mean a considerable amount of words to be injected into the piece, the essay length of a narrative text may range from 500-1500 words.
Expository Essays
Typically following the traditional and rigid 5-paragraph format, these essays present information about a topic or clarify a particular concept, phenomenon, or entity. While some sources may put the count range from 300-1000 words, the extensiveness of this essay type may enlarge the range from 800-1500 words.
Reflective Essays
Also known as reflection entries, these essays are beneficial for developing students’ metacognitive skills, as they are expected to recall personal thoughts and experiences about a certain topic. A typical reflective essay falls within the range of 500-1000 words, depending on how downright or deep your reflection is.
Process Essay
These kinds of essays are pretty common in Science courses, such as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Sometimes, coupled with a diagram or chart, a process essay explains how a certain practice, concept, or phenomenon happens step-by-step.
While some process essays may be words because some steps have to be elaborated for clarity, most are straightforward and do not need to be intricate since they are practical and mass-oriented. Because of this, process essays range from 600-1200 words.
Struggling with the Write An Essay?
Get your assignments done by real pros. Save your precious time and boost your marks with ease.
How Long is an Essay in College? Ideal Essay Length and Word Count
In college, essay lengths vary widely. Admission essays are typically 200-650 words, undergraduate essays range from 1500-5000 words, graduate admission essays are around 500-1000 words, and graduate-level essays can span 2500-6000 words. Always adhere to your assignment's specific word count guidelines.
To say that the essays in college get a lot more difficult than in high school, well– it is more complicated than that. Now that you are expected to have harnessed the necessary skills to process and interpret certain information, you now have to deal with types of writing tasks that are often extensive and time-consuming, to say the least.
Admission Essay
Impressing the admissions committee with a personalized essay is the number one goal, and guess what: You do not need a long string of words to do that. How long should essays be without using too many words in a college acceptance letter?
An admission college essay can be as short as a word count of 200-650 words, while graduate admission letters are more detailed with 500-1000 words. A quick tip: Show your personality and make an impact by clinching them with a few yet powerful or attention-catching quips.
Critical Review Essay
Critiquing a text, film, book, or any other body of literature may require every bit of your research effort and HOTS. You have to dissect the subject into components and make sense of these components while making sure that you find gaps, associations, and relevance to a particular “lens” that helps a seemingly oblivious observation to become apparent.
It is thus safe to say that your word count may go bonkers, with an ideal range of 1500 to 3000 words, depending on the structure of your paper and the approach to criticism.
Persuasive Academic Essay
A persuasive college essay may land you a good harnessing of marketing and sales skills. This essay enables you to take a stand and advocate something for your audience to do the same thing by presenting credible and evidence-based claims and arguments.
A unique thing about persuasive college essays is that they use the technique called “Call to Action” to magically turn readers’ attention to your claim realistically and feasibly. Considering the elements that must be included in this essay, an 800-1500 word count is preferred.
Comparative Analysis Essay
Comparing and contrasting two ideas, phenomena, or concepts may take a while to provide total comprehensibility. Since the points of comparison may exceed the usual threshold, the word count may also swell up. Still dependent on the elements being compared in this analysis essay, the ideal word count is 1800-3000 words.
This writing task encapsulates the various documentation, research, and analysis of a specific case or scenario, most preferably something peculiar or novel. When creating a case study, it is somewhat impossible to be concise in describing the locale of the scenario.
You have to exhaust your vocabulary and presentation skills to convey the case into analysis effectively. With that being said, its ideal word count is 2000 to 3500 words, depending on the case’s complexity.
College Essays: Help is Near
College writeups can be difficult to do, and to pay for an essay may take a bit of shame and courage. However, the feeling of shame will change to relief if you know that a custom writing service that serves personal writing style and needs like Studyfy gets everything covered.
All of the specifications you need to be in the write-up, plus the necessary information that is pivotal to the success of your paper, will be yours if you sign up for a Studyfy service!
Did you like our article?
For more help, tap into our pool of professional writers and get expert essay writing services!
FAQs: How Long Should An Essay Be?
How long is a typical essay if you will be using the ibc format.
IBC format, for starters, is the basic “Introduction-Body-Conclusion” format conventionally used for essays. Just like the IMRAD format in research papers, this format is standardized and widely accepted in academic institutions and other fields.
To determine the typical word count of an essay following this format, you must understand the weight of relevance each section holds. For instance, it is typical for an introduction to weigh less than the body, which should habituate the most significant information in the essay.
The same goes for conclusion. If the IBC format follows a 20-60-20 ratio and you aim for a 150-word minimum count per section, the entire count can be 750 words minimum.
How long are essays in college, considering that it will be a lot more difficult to write one?
Difficulty may translate to a longer word count, and we understand if it has been kept as a notion in your experience as a current or future college student. If you keenly noticed the type of essays presented at the collegiate level, the minimum word count is 250 (for admission essays) while the maximum is 3500 (mostly common among case studies).
Regularly, however, typical essay writing tasks range from 800-1000 words, especially if you are talking about concept, term, or research papers that are being done at the end of a unit of work or as a terminal course requirement.
Whether an undergraduate college essay, research paper, graduate school essays, or any type of academic writing, it's important to adhere to a specific word count and word limit. As college essays tend to be lengthy, an additional challenge is to incorporate all relevant information in a clear and succinct way.
Maximize your chances of admission with our expert admission essay writing service . Take action today to secure your academic future!
How many words should an essay have if I wanted to fill an entire page?
Although this question is a bit practical and unhinged at the same time, we are also guilty about this, as we seldom check the word count of our paper when we finish a page. From our experience, you can fit 500-700 words in a page, but the count still depends on the font size, spacing, justification, and other formatting elements of your document.
How long is an essay supposed to be in one paragraph?
The answer is invariable since we have to consider lots of factors about the purpose and nature of the writing task. From a general approximation, however, an essay paragraph can be within a hundred words. Exceeding it may render it lengthy and too tiring to read.
How many words should a high school essay be if no one provided an outline to adhere to?
When there is no explicit instruction about the word count of a high school essay task, you might find the 150-word minimum rule per section handy, in consonance with the 20-60-20 rule discussed briefly in the first question (although this is widely used if you are following the IBC format). You may adjust the minimum word limit depending on the difficulty or nature of the task.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Read our research on:
Full Topic List
Regions & Countries
- Publications
- Our Methods
- Short Reads
- Tools & Resources
Read Our Research On:
- The Impact of Digital Tools on Student Writing and How Writing is Taught in Schools
- Part II: How Much, and What, do Today’s Middle and High School Students Write?
Table of Contents
- Part I: Introduction
- Part III: Teachers See Digital Tools Affecting Student Writing in Myriad Ways
- Part IV: Teachers Assess Students on Specific Writing Skills
- Part V: Teaching Writing in the Digital Age
AP and NWP teachers participating in the survey report giving students written assignments ranging from research papers to short responses, journaling, and creative writing. The type and frequency of written assignments varies considerably by the subject being taught and grade level, but on the whole these AP and NWP teachers place tremendous value on formal written assignments.
These teachers also point out that “writing” can be defined more broadly than written work assigned in an academic setting. In focus groups, many teachers noted that in addition to the “formal” writing students do for class, they are engaged in many forms of writing outside of the classroom, much of it using digital tools and platforms such as texting and online social networking. How to define these new types of writing and determining what impact they have on the “formal writing” students do in class remains an open question for many of these teachers. But most agree that among students , “writing” continues to be defined as assignments they are required to do for school, as opposed to textual expression they engage in on their own time.
The writing assignments AP and NWP teachers give their students
The survey quantified what types of writing exercises AP and NWP teachers assign to their middle and high school students. As the graphic below suggests, among this group of teachers, short essays and journaling are the most commonly assigned writing tasks. More than half of the sample (58%) report having their students write short essays, short responses, or opinion pieces at least once a week. Four in ten (41%) have students journal on a weekly basis.
Research papers, multimedia assignments, and creative writing in the form of plays or short stories, while not assigned by many teachers on a weekly basis, are assigned at some point during the academic year by most of these AP and NWP teachers. Just over three-quarters report having students complete a research paper (77%) or a multimedia project (77%) at some point during the current academic year. Two-thirds (66%) have students engage in creative writing, such as poetry, a play, a short story or piece of fiction, at least once a year.
In contrast, more specialized types of writing assignments such as writing out mathematical problems or proofs, writing up labs, writing computer programs, designing computer games, and writing music or lyrics are assigned rarely, if ever, by most AP and NWP teachers surveyed.
![how many words is the average middle school essay Figure 3](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/media/DD19228057FD4CE283040973B33371D7.jpg)
The type and frequency of written work assigned is obviously highly dependent on the subject matter being taught. Among Math teachers, for example, 81% report having students write out mathematical problems, proofs or concepts on at least a weekly basis. And among science teachers, 51% have students write up labs at least once a week and 56% have students write out mathematical concepts or problems. All of these percentages are much higher than those for teachers of other subjects.
In addition, while 94% of English teachers and 83% of history/social studies teachers had their students write a research paper in the 2011-2012 academic year, that figure is 68% among science teachers and 36% among math teachers. A similar pattern emerges for multimedia or mixed media assignments, with English (84%) and history/social studies (82%) teachers most likely and math teachers least likely (51%) to have given their students this type of assignment in the prior academic year. Science teachers (70%) fall in the middle.
![how many words is the average middle school essay Figure 4](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/media/03A3FEED562D4678B3E18DDAE95611D0.jpg)
How do teachers—and students—define “writing” in the digital world?
A fundamental question posed to the AP and NWP teachers in the current study is how they and their students define “writing.” Specifically, we asked teachers which forms of writing in the digital age—academic writing assignments, texting, social network site posts, blogs, tweets, etc.— are “writing” in their eyes, and which are not? In a 2008 Pew Internet survey of teens on this topic, the consensus among 12-17 year-olds was that there is a fundamental distinction between their digital communications with friends and family and the more formal writing they do for school or for their own purposes. Only the latter is considered “writing” in teens’ eyes. 9 Survey and focus group findings in the current study indicate this perception has not changed, either among students or their teachers, and that there remains a fairly strong conceptual divide between “formal” and “informal” writing. For both groups, much day-to-day digital communication falls into the latter category.
Asked in focus groups to clarify what, specifically, they consider “writing,” the majority of teachers indicated that “formal writing” and “creative writing” fit their definition of “writing.” Slightly fewer said they would classify “blogging” as writing, and very few said they would consider texting as a form of writing. Asked how they thought students would categorize these same writing forms, the results are comparable. Most of these teachers do not think their students consider texting writing, but rather confine their definition of “writing” to those exercises they are required to do for school. A handful of teachers went even further, saying that some students define “writing” only as something that requires them to use complete sentences.
On how students define “writing,” AP and NWP teachers say…
Our kids, over the course of their lives, will write infinitely more than we ever will. I’m 43 years old–half of my life was lived without email, texting, social networking, etc. The fact is, that is writing. Kids have more access points today and those access points are literally at our fingertips and beeping and buzzing blipping…nudging us to write. Incredibly though, students do not see this as “writing.”
Because students still write journals in some classes, I think they still distinguish this from blogging. I think they see journaling as writing, but not blogging quite yet. Although, I think that is starting to change as they start blogging for classes. I think blogging will be viewed as more official writing in the future.
While most AP and NWP teachers in the focus groups said they do not consider texting, blogging, or micro-blogging (posting on social network sites) “writing” in the traditional sense, they believe these digital formats do spur thinking and encourage communication among their students, which may lead to deeper thinking and self-expression. Several teachers characterized these shorter online posts as “pre-writing” that may get a student engaged in a topic or discourse enough to want to write a longer piece about it or explore it further. In some teachers’ eyes, these digital forms of expression are building blocks for lengthier, more formal writing.
On newer digital forms of writing, AP and NWP teachers say…
These digital technologies give students a reason to write. Social media and texting are very engaging for them; they write reflexively. It is not classic academic writing for sure. But, they do use the written language to communicate. This requires a certain amount of composition activity. Texters must decide the most efficient set of words to include in their message in order to convey meaning. These activities are “pre-academic writing”, but nevertheless for some kids they are formative processes that can lead to more sophisticated composition skills.
Students can write and voice ideas in many different registers. It is often not “academic” writing in the sense that many teachers would consider. However, I think the kinds of real world applicability of student work in classes makes these new digital tools much more relevant for students beyond their schooling years.
I read a fascinating article that talked about the impact of micro-blogging on writing. The piece started talking about how everyone just assumed that when things like Twitter and Facebook began to become more prevalent we would see a decline in our society’s willingness to take the time to write. What the article went on to explain however, was that many people who blurt something out on these sites are also actually taking the time to digest what others are saying on the matter, collaborate or chat with the others who are talking about the same thing, and then in turn they feel more compelled to go on and take the time to compose a longer piece of writing – such as a blog post. I see a lot of truth to this idea. In essence, the micro-blog has become to some their pre-writing.
Teachers in the study say today’s students are expressing themselves more, and more often
Though most AP and NWP teachers who participated in the study do not characterize activities such as texting, tweeting, blogging or micro-blogging on social network sites as “writing” in the strictest sense, there is almost universal agreement among them that the digital ecology in which today’s teens live provides many more avenues for personal expression. In addition, most agree that many forms of personal expression are more accessible to the average student than has been the case for past generations. Ultimately, most of these teachers see their students expressing themselves in text (and other formats) more so than was the case when they themselves were in middle and high school. Asked in focus groups, if students today simply write more, in sheer quantity, most participating AP and NWP teachers agree this is the case.
On whether today’s students write more than prior generations, AP and NWP teachers say…
Digital technologies provide many opportunities to practice writing through participation. Mobile technologies allow one to write, capture, edit, & publish while on the go, anytime, anywhere. Be it at a museum, walk through the old neighborhood, or on a wilderness hike. Writing is no longer limited to a designated time or location.
They enjoy writing. When you talk to these kids, they like to write. They don’t like to write when you tell them, ‘I want you to write this.’ But in fact they love to write, and when you look at what they’re writing, they’re talking about themselves and expressing themselves. Maybe not well but they are speaking their minds, so they are, I think, exploring who they are and what they’re about and they’re reading what other people are writing and looking at, and exploring other people’s feelings and ideas.
The informality of the written word and how students use the language is the downside of technology, but the upside is that students are communicating in the written form much more than I ever did at their age.
The ease of accessibility brought via technology has opened the availability of writing opportunities for students today. Some devices have tempted students to write everything as if it were a text, but teacher focus on this issue can channel the text craze into more academic writing. I think like all technologies, there are good and bad points, but at least the thought processes of writing are taking place.
I think they’re writing more, more than ever, and I think they have a much more positive outlook on writing, not just because of the school…you have Facebook, you have email, you have Twitter…they’re writing constantly.
[other teacher]
92% of AP and NWP teachers surveyed describe writing assignments as “essential” to the formal learning process, and “writing effectively” tops their list of skills students need to be successful in life
The survey gauged AP and NWP teachers’ sense of the overall importance of incorporating writing into formal learning today, and asked them to rank the value of effective writing vis a vis other skills students may need to be successful in life. The vast majority (92%) say the incorporation of writing assignments in formal learning is “essential,” with another 7% saying it is “important, but not essential.” Only 11 teachers out of more than 2,000 describe the incorporation of writing assignments into formal learning as “only somewhat important” or “not important.”
These results are not surprising, given the large number of writing teachers in the sample and the focus on formal writing in much of the U.S. educational system. But the high value placed on writing extends across AP and NWP teachers of all subjects. While 99% of English teachers in the sample say that writing assignments are essential to the formal learning process, the same is true for 93% of history/social studies teachers, 86% of science teachers, and 78% of math teachers.
Asked to place a value on various skills today’s students may need in the future, “writing effectively” tops the list of essential skills, along with “judging the quality of information.” 10 Each of these skills is described as “essential” by 91% of AP and NWP teachers surveyed. Again, while large majorities of teachers of all subjects respond this way, English teachers are slightly more likely than others to say that “writing effectively” is an “essential” skill for students’ future success.
![how many words is the average middle school essay Figure 5](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/media/52A4E6B5C47145F3B27E8136ED0F8CBA.jpg)
Other skills relevant to the current digital culture also rank high as life skills, with large majorities of these teachers saying that “behaving responsibly online” (85%) and “understanding privacy issues surrounding online and digital content” (78%) are “essential” to students’ success later in life. Skills that fewer of these AP and NWP teachers view as essential for students’ success in life include “presenting themselves effectively in online social networking sites” and “working with audio, video, or graphic content.” Fewer than one in three AP and NWP teachers in the sample describes either of these skills as “essential” to their students’ futures, though pluralities do describe each of these skills “important, but not essential.”
![how many words is the average middle school essay Figure 6](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/media/FB140A55C8E64030AB386588C2E9820F.jpg)
Do AP and NWP teachers see continued value in longer writing assignments?
The tremendous value most AP and NWP teachers place on writing of all forms, and particularly “formal” writing, was reflected throughout focus group discussions. For some AP and NWP teachers, the extent to which today’s middle and high school students engage in what many see as “informal” writing means that “formal” writing assignments are more critical than ever. Moreover, many see tremendous value in longer writing assignments that require students to organize their thoughts and fully develop complex ideas (particularly because they often have to present ideas on standardized tests in this format). They see longer, formal writing assignments as an important juxtaposition to the more informal and often more truncated styles of expression in which their students regularly engage. Throughout focus groups, AP and NWP teachers expressed the belief that students must master all styles of writing in order to be successful across social domains and to communicate with different audiences.
On the value of longer writing assignments in the digital world, AP and NWP teachers say…
There is great purpose and value in teaching students to write long and formal texts. Again, there are a whole lot of ideas that simply cannot be reduced simply without serious distortion or reduction. Consequently, developing complex ideas and thinking often requires longer texts. Writing is a demonstration of thinking, after all. So the deeper and more complex the thinking, the more that is reflected in the writing. As for formal texts, academia certainly requires a greater level of formality but so does a lot of work in the political, legal, and commercial world. Formal writing is almost always a factor that can be used for exclusion. Inability to write formal texts potentially robs students of voice and power. Arguably more important is the ability to recognize and adjust to the context that is appropriate for a given purpose. So knowing when and how to write with greater formality is an essential skill.
The organization and critical thinking skills that must be employed when students write a longer, more formal piece are skills that will students to become better, more engaged citizens. The processes of brainstorming, researching, evaluating, selecting, analyzing, synthesizing, revising are all skills that help students become more critical citizens, more discerning consumers, and better problem-solvers.
To carry an idea out to see if it is “true” to the thinker or not, I think this is so important. I want students to grapple with the complexity of a subject, to see it from all sides by way of a formal written response. Further, I think breaking down that response into its finer parts help me to teach the components that would go into an extended response. An example of this would be a section of their packet simply titled, DEFINITION. Before going into their response, I ask my students to define their terms and to set their parameters for the paper, not only as a service to their readers, but as a guidepost for themselves.
Writing is thinking—and, quite honestly, I don’t think any of us fully knows what our writing is (will be) about until we write it. Writing develops our thoughts and allows us to grapple with the “whats” and the “whys” of life. In this respect, writing informal and formal texts serves as role playing exercises as much as they do anything else. It is practice in being critical, analytical, reflective, informative and so on. We’re shipping young people out into the world where they are going to have to buy a car, a lawn mower, a stove…and they are going to want to read informative reviews before they spend their money. Writing it allows us to become familiar with it–we may never write an informative review once we leave school, but some…many…will want to read reviews before they spend their own money on something. Beyond buying something, I want to emphasize “writing is thinking is role play for life” as a cross-curricular ideal that too often becomes buried as just an English class objective.
Long texts give students the opportunity to deeply analyze an idea. Longer texts are essential to articulate complex concepts and beliefs. Although not everyone will be asked to write a long academic paper for their jobs, the reflection that goes behind this type of writing is critical for everyone. The process of making thinking transparent and clear to others is essential to knowing the why behind the what. The notion of form al texts supports the idea of knowing how to communicate with various audiences. The more registers a person has in his or her arsenal, the more effective that person will be when communicating with a diverse group.
I think that there is value of having long and well organized thoughts about a topic. I think that when we delve deeply into a topic and have to provide an argument or exploration then we must be able to write logically and coherently and be able to develop a point without getting off track. We must be able to write for an audience and provide evidence and delve deeply. I think there are also audience needs to be met when deciding on what level of formality we will write with so I see the value in teaching formal writing. People have to produce reports for colleagues and prospective business partners and college professors so this is obviously a skill that needs to be learned.
Writing is crucial across the curriculum. Good writing teachers teach students how to communicate a logical argument that is well-researched. At my school, I am impressed with the amount our English and history students write as well as the amount our science students write. The IB program does not have many multiple choice tests; therefore, students have to be good writers to perform well on IB exams… The IB program places such a heavy emphasis on communication that the students (and teachers) have adapted their definition to include anything that involves clearly stating ideas and explaining rationale.
While many focus group participants stressed the importance of learning to write in multiple styles—including more “formal” styles—and to write lengthier pieces on complex topics, other teachers questioned the “term paper mentality” and the tendency of some educators to equate length of assignment with complexity of thought. Some AP and NWP teachers in the study debated the value of longer textual expression today, not just for students but for society as a whole. As many digital tools encourage shorter, more concise expression, these teachers questioned whether mastering more traditional writing styles will be critical for their students moving forward. While these skills may be valued in standardized testing and in the college and university settings, there was some debate about how useful these skills are beyond those two arenas. Moreover, some teachers questioned whether lengthy writing assignments are the most effective format for teaching students specific writing skills.
Regardless of the length of a student’s writing, I think it is more important to teach students to develop their thoughts completely. If development of thought can come through length or formality then so be it. More important than length or formality would be for students to have a firm understanding about how to organize their ideas in such a way where they can effectively communicate their thoughts and ideas. I certainly don’t think that a teacher should only teach any one kind or length of writing, but the most often I hear the reason we should teach students to write lengthy formal essays is because that is the way they will have to write in high school, which in turn is how they will have to write in college. While I would say there can be value in getting a student dedicated to deeply investigating a certain topic through a longer writing assignment, I would never be willing to teach kids formal writing just because that is the way they do it in high school – there would have to be another purpose.
This almost starts to get at the “how many words should this be question.” I tend to find that when I say 500 words long, kids work to that end and stop. Sometimes they seem to like this better…it’s easy and sure. Usually, I say to make a plan and work to thoughtful response to the assignment and the feedback from their peers. This usually drives more from their thought process that my giving them a word count. Is this a formal text? Not really, but yes at the same time. I think many teachers panic when students deviate from the 5 paragraph essay that they know and understand. The belief seems to be that this serves their needs on the near future high stakes test that are demanded on students. I’m not sure that this serves them past this point.
I don’t think length is a point to pound home with any student. We need to look at the content of a students’ writing the most. If that means a paper has 8-10 pages to it, then so be it, but students need to learn how to sort out what is relevant and irrelevant details and information. Students need to produce well planned, thought out papers that get to the point.
- “Writing, Technology and Teens,” available at https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2008/Writing-Technology-and-Teens.aspx . ↩
- For more on the latter, see “How Teens Do Research in the Digital World,” available at https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2012/Student-Research.aspx ↩
Sign up for our weekly newsletter
Fresh data delivery Saturday mornings
Sign up for The Briefing
Weekly updates on the world of news & information
- Age & Generations
- Digital Divide
- Education & Learning Online
- Online Search
- Platforms & Services
- Teens & Tech
- Teens & Youth
U.S. adults under 30 have different foreign policy priorities than older adults
Across asia, respect for elders is seen as necessary to be ‘truly’ buddhist, teens and video games today, as biden and trump seek reelection, who are the oldest – and youngest – current world leaders, how teens and parents approach screen time, most popular.
901 E St. NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20004 USA (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax (+1) 202-419-4372 | Media Inquiries
Research Topics
- Email Newsletters
ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .
© 2024 Pew Research Center
- Link to facebook
- Link to linkedin
- Link to twitter
- Link to youtube
- Writing Tips
The Word Limit in Academic Writing (and How to Stick to It)
- 3-minute read
- 24th September 2016
Even the phrase “word limit” can cause panic among students . For some it’s the challenge of writing enough, while others find it hard to stick within the limit given. In either case, it can lead to spending more time worrying about the length of your paper than the content!
![how many words is the average middle school essay And length isn't everything, right ladies? Ahem.](https://proofed.com/wp-content/webp-express/webp-images/uploads/2016/07/centimeter-2261_960_720-300x194.jpg.webp)
But why do college papers come with set word limits? And what should you do to ensure you don’t write too much or too little?
Why Have a Word Limit?
There are two main reasons that academic papers usually come with a word limit:
- Fairness It’s impossible to grade two papers of vastly different lengths (e.g., 20,000 compared to 2,000 words) on the same scale. The word limit makes sure that everyone taking the same class knows what is expected of them.
- Communication Skills As well as testing your knowledge, college papers are about communicating clearly and concisely. Setting a word limit forces you to consider what you’re saying more carefully, helping you to develop your writing skills.
Sticking to the word limit is, therefore, part of being a good academic, since being a long way over or under could suggest you’ve misjudged the scope of the essay topic or that you’re having trouble communicating your ideas.
How to Stick to the Word Limit
Although many colleges give you roughly 10% leeway on the word limit, you should aim for your finished paper to be as close to the suggested word count as possible. If you find yourself writing too much, you can reduce the word count by:
Find this useful?
Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
- Editing out repetition, redundant words and padding phrases
- Cutting down long or unnecessary quotations
- Reducing the number of examples or case studies used (if you’ve included several)
- Using the active voice instead of the passive voice
More generally, you should re-read your work and eliminate anything that isn’t directly related to the question you’re answering. As well as helping you stick to the word limit, this will make your work more focused, which could boost your grades.
How to Increase Your Word Count
If you’re struggling to write enough, the temptation might be to add padding phrases like “in my opinion” or long block quotations until you hit the minimum word count. But this will simply detract from the clarity of your writing.
Instead, the answer is usually to go back over your work and look for things that could be improved with a little additional attention. This might involve:
- Addressing anything from your essay question that you’ve overlooked
- Adding illustrative examples to support a point
- Considering different sources and views on the same issue
- Using short quotations as evidence for your arguments
Moreover, whether you’ve written too much or too little, getting someone else to read your work and offer feedback is a fantastic idea (especially if you ask a professional for help). This will help you to identify areas that could be expanded or cut in the next draft, so eventually you should be able to get your essay to the required length.
Share this article:
Post A New Comment
Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.
5-minute read
Free Email Newsletter Template (2024)
Promoting a brand means sharing valuable insights to connect more deeply with your audience, and...
6-minute read
How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Proposal
If you’re seeking funding to support your charitable endeavors as a nonprofit organization, you’ll need...
9-minute read
How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation
Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...
8-minute read
Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement
Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...
7-minute read
Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization
Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...
4-minute read
Five Creative Ways to Showcase Your Digital Portfolio
Are you a creative freelancer looking to make a lasting impression on potential clients or...
![how many words is the average middle school essay Logo Harvard University](https://proofed.com/wp-content/webp-express/webp-images/uploads/2020/11/logo-harvard.png.webp)
Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.
![how many words is the average middle school essay PrepScholar](https://www.prepscholar.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/PrepScholar-Logo-Colored.png)
Choose Your Test
- Search Blogs By Category
- College Admissions
- AP and IB Exams
- GPA and Coursework
How to Write an A+ Argumentative Essay
Miscellaneous
![how many words is the average middle school essay feature_typewriter](https://www.lifesolved.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/07/feature_typewriter-300x200.jpg)
You'll no doubt have to write a number of argumentative essays in both high school and college, but what, exactly, is an argumentative essay and how do you write the best one possible? Let's take a look.
A great argumentative essay always combines the same basic elements: approaching an argument from a rational perspective, researching sources, supporting your claims using facts rather than opinion, and articulating your reasoning into the most cogent and reasoned points. Argumentative essays are great building blocks for all sorts of research and rhetoric, so your teachers will expect you to master the technique before long.
But if this sounds daunting, never fear! We'll show how an argumentative essay differs from other kinds of papers, how to research and write them, how to pick an argumentative essay topic, and where to find example essays. So let's get started.
What Is an Argumentative Essay? How Is it Different from Other Kinds of Essays?
There are two basic requirements for any and all essays: to state a claim (a thesis statement) and to support that claim with evidence.
Though every essay is founded on these two ideas, there are several different types of essays, differentiated by the style of the writing, how the writer presents the thesis, and the types of evidence used to support the thesis statement.
Essays can be roughly divided into four different types:
#1: Argumentative #2: Persuasive #3: Expository #4: Analytical
So let's look at each type and what the differences are between them before we focus the rest of our time to argumentative essays.
Argumentative Essay
Argumentative essays are what this article is all about, so let's talk about them first.
An argumentative essay attempts to convince a reader to agree with a particular argument (the writer's thesis statement). The writer takes a firm stand one way or another on a topic and then uses hard evidence to support that stance.
An argumentative essay seeks to prove to the reader that one argument —the writer's argument— is the factually and logically correct one. This means that an argumentative essay must use only evidence-based support to back up a claim , rather than emotional or philosophical reasoning (which is often allowed in other types of essays). Thus, an argumentative essay has a burden of substantiated proof and sources , whereas some other types of essays (namely persuasive essays) do not.
You can write an argumentative essay on any topic, so long as there's room for argument. Generally, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one, so long as you support the argumentative essay with hard evidence.
Example topics of an argumentative essay:
- "Should farmers be allowed to shoot wolves if those wolves injure or kill farm animals?"
- "Should the drinking age be lowered in the United States?"
- "Are alternatives to democracy effective and/or feasible to implement?"
The next three types of essays are not argumentative essays, but you may have written them in school. We're going to cover them so you know what not to do for your argumentative essay.
Persuasive Essay
Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative essays, so it can be easy to get them confused. But knowing what makes an argumentative essay different than a persuasive essay can often mean the difference between an excellent grade and an average one.
Persuasive essays seek to persuade a reader to agree with the point of view of the writer, whether that point of view is based on factual evidence or not. The writer has much more flexibility in the evidence they can use, with the ability to use moral, cultural, or opinion-based reasoning as well as factual reasoning to persuade the reader to agree the writer's side of a given issue.
Instead of being forced to use "pure" reason as one would in an argumentative essay, the writer of a persuasive essay can manipulate or appeal to the reader's emotions. So long as the writer attempts to steer the readers into agreeing with the thesis statement, the writer doesn't necessarily need hard evidence in favor of the argument.
Often, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one—the difference is all in the approach and the evidence you present.
Example topics of a persuasive essay:
- "Should children be responsible for their parents' debts?"
- "Should cheating on a test be automatic grounds for expulsion?"
- "How much should sports leagues be held accountable for player injuries and the long-term consequences of those injuries?"
Expository Essay
An expository essay is typically a short essay in which the writer explains an idea, issue, or theme , or discusses the history of a person, place, or idea.
This is typically a fact-forward essay with little argument or opinion one way or the other.
Example topics of an expository essay:
- "The History of the Philadelphia Liberty Bell"
- "The Reasons I Always Wanted to be a Doctor"
- "The Meaning Behind the Colloquialism ‘People in Glass Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones'"
Analytical Essay
An analytical essay seeks to delve into the deeper meaning of a text or work of art, or unpack a complicated idea . These kinds of essays closely interpret a source and look into its meaning by analyzing it at both a macro and micro level.
This type of analysis can be augmented by historical context or other expert or widely-regarded opinions on the subject, but is mainly supported directly through the original source (the piece or art or text being analyzed) .
Example topics of an analytical essay:
- "Victory Gin in Place of Water: The Symbolism Behind Gin as the Only Potable Substance in George Orwell's 1984"
- "Amarna Period Art: The Meaning Behind the Shift from Rigid to Fluid Poses"
- "Adultery During WWII, as Told Through a Series of Letters to and from Soldiers"
![how many words is the average middle school essay body_juggle](https://www.lifesolved.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/07/body_juggle-300x300.jpg)
There are many different types of essay and, over time, you'll be able to master them all.
A Typical Argumentative Essay Assignment
The average argumentative essay is between three to five pages, and will require at least three or four separate sources with which to back your claims . As for the essay topic , you'll most often be asked to write an argumentative essay in an English class on a "general" topic of your choice, ranging the gamut from science, to history, to literature.
But while the topics of an argumentative essay can span several different fields, the structure of an argumentative essay is always the same: you must support a claim—a claim that can reasonably have multiple sides—using multiple sources and using a standard essay format (which we'll talk about later on).
This is why many argumentative essay topics begin with the word "should," as in:
- "Should all students be required to learn chemistry in high school?"
- "Should children be required to learn a second language?"
- "Should schools or governments be allowed to ban books?"
These topics all have at least two sides of the argument: Yes or no. And you must support the side you choose with evidence as to why your side is the correct one.
But there are also plenty of other ways to frame an argumentative essay as well:
- "Does using social media do more to benefit or harm people?"
- "Does the legal status of artwork or its creators—graffiti and vandalism, pirated media, a creator who's in jail—have an impact on the art itself?"
- "Is or should anyone ever be ‘above the law?'"
Though these are worded differently than the first three, you're still essentially forced to pick between two sides of an issue: yes or no, for or against, benefit or detriment. Though your argument might not fall entirely into one side of the divide or another—for instance, you could claim that social media has positively impacted some aspects of modern life while being a detriment to others—your essay should still support one side of the argument above all. Your final stance would be that overall , social media is beneficial or overall , social media is harmful.
If your argument is one that is mostly text-based or backed by a single source (e.g., "How does Salinger show that Holden Caulfield is an unreliable narrator?" or "Does Gatsby personify the American Dream?"), then it's an analytical essay, rather than an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay will always be focused on more general topics so that you can use multiple sources to back up your claims.
Good Argumentative Essay Topics
So you know the basic idea behind an argumentative essay, but what topic should you write about?
Again, almost always, you'll be asked to write an argumentative essay on a free topic of your choice, or you'll be asked to select between a few given topics . If you're given complete free reign of topics, then it'll be up to you to find an essay topic that no only appeals to you, but that you can turn into an A+ argumentative essay.
What makes a "good" argumentative essay topic depends on both the subject matter and your personal interest —it can be hard to give your best effort on something that bores you to tears! But it can also be near impossible to write an argumentative essay on a topic that has no room for debate.
As we said earlier, a good argumentative essay topic will be one that has the potential to reasonably go in at least two directions—for or against, yes or no, and why . For example, it's pretty hard to write an argumentative essay on whether or not people should be allowed to murder one another—not a whole lot of debate there for most people!—but writing an essay for or against the death penalty has a lot more wiggle room for evidence and argument.
A good topic is also one that can be substantiated through hard evidence and relevant sources . So be sure to pick a topic that other people have studied (or at least studied elements of) so that you can use their data in your argument. For example, if you're arguing that it should be mandatory for all middle school children to play a sport, you might have to apply smaller scientific data points to the larger picture you're trying to justify. There are probably several studies you could cite on the benefits of physical activity and the positive effect structure and teamwork has on young minds, but there's probably no study you could use where a group of scientists put all middle-schoolers in one jurisdiction into a mandatory sports program (since that's probably never happened). So long as your evidence is relevant to your point and you can extrapolate from it to form a larger whole, you can use it as a part of your resource material.
And if you need ideas on where to get started, or just want to see sample argumentative essay topics, then check out these links for hundreds of potential argumentative essay topics.
101 Persuasive (or Argumentative) Essay and Speech Topics
301 Prompts for Argumentative Writing
Top 50 Ideas for Argumentative/Persuasive Essay Writing
[Note: some of these say "persuasive essay topics," but just remember that the same topic can often be used for both a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay; the difference is in your writing style and the evidence you use to support your claims.]
![how many words is the average middle school essay body_fight](https://www.lifesolved.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/07/body_fight-300x200.jpg)
KO! Find that one argumentative essay topic you can absolutely conquer.
Argumentative Essay Format
Argumentative Essays are composed of four main elements:
- A position (your argument)
- Your reasons
- Supporting evidence for those reasons (from reliable sources)
- Counterargument(s) (possible opposing arguments and reasons why those arguments are incorrect)
If you're familiar with essay writing in general, then you're also probably familiar with the five paragraph essay structure . This structure is a simple tool to show how one outlines an essay and breaks it down into its component parts, although it can be expanded into as many paragraphs as you want beyond the core five.
The standard argumentative essay is often 3-5 pages, which will usually mean a lot more than five paragraphs, but your overall structure will look the same as a much shorter essay.
An argumentative essay at its simplest structure will look like:
Paragraph 1: Intro
- Set up the story/problem/issue
- Thesis/claim
Paragraph 2: Support
- Reason #1 claim is correct
- Supporting evidence with sources
Paragraph 3: Support
- Reason #2 claim is correct
Paragraph 4: Counterargument
- Explanation of argument for the other side
- Refutation of opposing argument with supporting evidence
Paragraph 5: Conclusion
- Re-state claim
- Sum up reasons and support of claim from the essay to prove claim is correct
Now let's unpack each of these paragraph types to see how they work (with examples!), what goes into them, and why.
Paragraph 1—Set Up and Claim
Your first task is to introduce the reader to the topic at hand so they'll be prepared for your claim. Give a little background information, set the scene, and give the reader some stakes so that they care about the issue you're going to discuss.
Next, you absolutely must have a position on an argument and make that position clear to the readers. It's not an argumentative essay unless you're arguing for a specific claim, and this claim will be your thesis statement.
Your thesis CANNOT be a mere statement of fact (e.g., "Washington DC is the capital of the United States"). Your thesis must instead be an opinion which can be backed up with evidence and has the potential to be argued against (e.g., "New York should be the capital of the United States").
Paragraphs 2 and 3—Your Evidence
These are your body paragraphs in which you give the reasons why your argument is the best one and back up this reasoning with concrete evidence .
The argument supporting the thesis of an argumentative essay should be one that can be supported by facts and evidence, rather than personal opinion or cultural or religious mores.
For example, if you're arguing that New York should be the new capital of the US, you would have to back up that fact by discussing the factual contrasts between New York and DC in terms of location, population, revenue, and laws. You would then have to talk about the precedents for what makes for a good capital city and why New York fits the bill more than DC does.
Your argument can't simply be that a lot of people think New York is the best city ever and that you agree.
In addition to using concrete evidence, you always want to keep the tone of your essay passionate, but impersonal . Even though you're writing your argument from a single opinion, don't use first person language—"I think," "I feel," "I believe,"—to present your claims. Doing so is repetitive, since by writing the essay you're already telling the audience what you feel, and using first person language weakens your writing voice.
For example,
"I think that Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States."
"Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States."
The second statement sounds far stronger and more analytical.
Paragraph 4—Argument for the Other Side and Refutation
Even without a counter argument, you can make a pretty persuasive claim, but a counterargument will round out your essay into one that is much more persuasive and substantial.
By anticipating an argument against your claim and taking the initiative to counter it, you're allowing yourself to get ahead of the game. This way, you show that you've given great thought to all sides of the issue before choosing your position, and you demonstrate in multiple ways how yours is the more reasoned and supported side.
Paragraph 5—Conclusion
This paragraph is where you re-state your argument and summarize why it's the best claim.
Briefly touch on your supporting evidence and voila! A finished argumentative essay.
![how many words is the average middle school essay body_plesiosaur](https://www.lifesolved.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/07/body_plesiosaur-300x150.png)
Your essay should have just as awesome a skeleton as this plesiosaur does. (In other words: a ridiculously awesome skeleton)
Argumentative Essay Example: 5-Paragraph Style
It always helps to have an example to learn from. I've written a full 5-paragraph argumentative essay here. Look at how I state my thesis in paragraph 1, give supporting evidence in paragraphs 2 and 3, address a counterargument in paragraph 4, and conclude in paragraph 5.
Topic: Is it possible to maintain conflicting loyalties?
Paragraph 1
It is almost impossible to go through life without encountering a situation where your loyalties to different people or causes come into conflict with each other. Maybe you have a loving relationship with your sister, but she disagrees with your decision to join the army, or you find yourself torn between your cultural beliefs and your scientific ones. These conflicting loyalties can often be maintained for a time, but as examples from both history and psychological theory illustrate, sooner or later, people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever.
The first two sentences set the scene and give some hypothetical examples and stakes for the reader to care about.
The third sentence finishes off the intro with the thesis statement, making very clear how the author stands on the issue ("people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever." )
Paragraphs 2 and 3
Psychological theory states that human beings are not equipped to maintain conflicting loyalties indefinitely and that attempting to do so leads to a state called "cognitive dissonance." Cognitive dissonance theory is the psychological idea that people undergo tremendous mental stress or anxiety when holding contradictory beliefs, values, or loyalties (Festinger, 1957). Even if human beings initially hold a conflicting loyalty, they will do their best to find a mental equilibrium by making a choice between those loyalties—stay stalwart to a belief system or change their beliefs. One of the earliest formal examples of cognitive dissonance theory comes from Leon Festinger's When Prophesy Fails . Members of an apocalyptic cult are told that the end of the world will occur on a specific date and that they alone will be spared the Earth's destruction. When that day comes and goes with no apocalypse, the cult members face a cognitive dissonance between what they see and what they've been led to believe (Festinger, 1956). Some choose to believe that the cult's beliefs are still correct, but that the Earth was simply spared from destruction by mercy, while others choose to believe that they were lied to and that the cult was fraudulent all along. Both beliefs cannot be correct at the same time, and so the cult members are forced to make their choice.
But even when conflicting loyalties can lead to potentially physical, rather than just mental, consequences, people will always make a choice to fall on one side or other of a dividing line. Take, for instance, Nicolaus Copernicus, a man born and raised in Catholic Poland (and educated in Catholic Italy). Though the Catholic church dictated specific scientific teachings, Copernicus' loyalty to his own observations and scientific evidence won out over his loyalty to his country's government and belief system. When he published his heliocentric model of the solar system--in opposition to the geocentric model that had been widely accepted for hundreds of years (Hannam, 2011)-- Copernicus was making a choice between his loyalties. In an attempt t o maintain his fealty both to the established system and to what he believed, h e sat on his findings for a number of years (Fantoli, 1994). But, ultimately, Copernicus made the choice to side with his beliefs and observations above all and published his work for the world to see (even though, in doing so, he risked both his reputation and personal freedoms).
These two paragraphs provide the reasons why the author supports the main argument and uses substantiated sources to back those reasons.
The paragraph on cognitive dissonance theory gives both broad supporting evidence and more narrow, detailed supporting evidence to show why the thesis statement is correct not just anecdotally but also scientifically and psychologically. First, we see why people in general have a difficult time accepting conflicting loyalties and desires and then how this applies to individuals through the example of the cult members from the Dr. Festinger's research.
The next paragraph continues to use more detailed examples from history to provide further evidence of why the thesis that people cannot indefinitely maintain conflicting loyalties is true.
Paragraph 4
Some will claim that it is possible to maintain conflicting beliefs or loyalties permanently, but this is often more a matter of people deluding themselves and still making a choice for one side or the other, rather than truly maintaining loyalty to both sides equally. For example, Lancelot du Lac typifies a person who claims to maintain a balanced loyalty between to two parties, but his attempt to do so fails (as all attempts to permanently maintain conflicting loyalties must). Lancelot tells himself and others that he is equally devoted to both King Arthur and his court and to being Queen Guinevere's knight (Malory, 2008). But he can neither be in two places at once to protect both the king and queen, nor can he help but let his romantic feelings for the queen to interfere with his duties to the king and the kingdom. Ultimately, he and Queen Guinevere give into their feelings for one another and Lancelot—though he denies it—chooses his loyalty to her over his loyalty to Arthur. This decision plunges the kingdom into a civil war, ages Lancelot prematurely, and ultimately leads to Camelot's ruin (Raabe, 1987). Though Lancelot claimed to have been loyal to both the king and the queen, this loyalty was ultimately in conflict, and he could not maintain it.
Here we have the acknowledgement of a potential counter-argument and the evidence as to why it isn't true.
The argument is that some people (or literary characters) have asserted that they give equal weight to their conflicting loyalties. The refutation is that, though some may claim to be able to maintain conflicting loyalties, they're either lying to others or deceiving themselves. The paragraph shows why this is true by providing an example of this in action.
Paragraph 5
Whether it be through literature or history, time and time again, people demonstrate the challenges of trying to manage conflicting loyalties and the inevitable consequences of doing so. Though belief systems are malleable and will often change over time, it is not possible to maintain two mutually exclusive loyalties or beliefs at once. In the end, people always make a choice, and loyalty for one party or one side of an issue will always trump loyalty to the other.
The concluding paragraph summarizes the essay, touches on the evidence presented, and re-states the thesis statement.
How to Write an Argumentative Essay: 8 Steps
Writing the best argumentative essay is all about the preparation, so let's talk steps:
#1: Preliminary Research
If you have the option to pick your own argumentative essay topic (which you most likely will), then choose one or two topics you find the most intriguing or that you have a vested interest in and do some preliminary research on both sides of the debate.
Do an open internet search just to see what the general chatter is on the topic and what the research trends are.
Did your preliminary reading influence you to pick a side or change your side? Without diving into all the scholarly articles at length, do you believe there's enough evidence to support your claim? Have there been scientific studies? Experiments? Does a noted scholar in the field agree with you? If not, you may need to pick another topic or side of the argument to support.
#2: Pick Your Side and Form Your Thesis
Now's the time to pick the side of the argument you feel you can support the best and summarize your main point into your thesis statement.
Your thesis will be the basis of your entire essay, so make sure you know which side you're on, that you've stated it clearly, and that you stick by your argument throughout the entire essay .
#3: Heavy-Duty Research Time
You've taken a gander at what the internet at large has to say on your argument, but now's the time to actually read those sources and take notes.
Check scholarly journals online at Google Scholar , the Directory of Open Access Journals , or JStor . You can also search individual university or school libraries and websites to see what kinds of academic articles you can access for free. Keep track of your important quotes and page numbers and put them somewhere that's easy to find later.
And don't forget to check your school or local libraries as well!
#4: Outline
Follow the five-paragraph outline structure from the previous section.
Fill in your topic, your reasons, and your supporting evidence into each of the categories.
Before you begin to flesh out the essay, take a look at what you've got. Is your thesis statement in the first paragraph? Is it clear? Is your argument logical? Does your supporting evidence support your reasoning?
By outlining your essay, you streamline your process and take care of any logic gaps before you dive headfirst into the writing. This will save you a lot of grief later on if you need to change your sources or your structure, so don't get too trigger-happy and skip this step.
Now that you've laid out exactly what you'll need for your essay and where, it's time to fill in all the gaps by writing it out.
Take it one step at a time and expand your ideas into complete sentences and substantiated claims. It may feel daunting to turn an outline into a complete draft, but just remember that you've already laid out all the groundwork; now you're just filling in the gaps.
If you have the time before deadline, give yourself a day or two (or even just an hour!) away from your essay . Looking it over with fresh eyes will allow you to see errors, both minor and major, that you likely would have missed had you tried to edit when it was still raw.
Take a first pass over the entire essay and try your best to ignore any minor spelling or grammar mistakes—you're just looking at the big picture right now. Does it make sense as a whole? Did the essay succeed in making an argument and backing that argument up logically? (Do you feel persuaded?)
If not, go back and make notes so that you can fix it for your final draft.
Once you've made your revisions to the overall structure, mark all your small errors and grammar problems so you can fix them in the next draft.
#7: Final Draft
Use the notes you made on the rough draft and go in and hack and smooth away until you're satisfied with the final result.
A checklist for your final draft:
- Formatting is correct according to your teacher's standards
- No errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation
- Essay is the right length and size for the assignment
- The argument is present, consistent, and concise
- Each reason is supported by relevant evidence
- The essay makes sense overall
#8: Celebrate!
Once you've brought that final draft to a perfect polish and turned in your assignment, you're done! Go you!
![how many words is the average middle school essay body_prepared_rsz](https://www.lifesolved.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2016/07/body_prepared_rsz-300x242.png)
Be prepared and ♪ you'll never go hungry again ♪, *cough*, or struggle with your argumentative essay-writing again. (Walt Disney Studios)
Good Examples of Argumentative Essays Online
Theory is all well and good, but examples are key. Just to get you started on what a fully-fleshed out argumentative essay looks like, let's see some examples in action.
Check out these two argumentative essay examples on the use of landmines and freons (and note the excellent use of concrete sources to back up their arguments!).
The Use of Landmines
A Shattered Sky
The Take-Aways: Keys to Writing an Argumentative Essay
At first, writing an argumentative essay may seem like a monstrous hurdle to overcome, but with the proper preparation and understanding, you'll be able to knock yours out of the park.
Remember the differences between a persuasive essay and an argumentative one, make sure your thesis is clear, and double-check that your supporting evidence is both relevant to your point and well-sourced . Pick your topic, do your research, make your outline, and fill in the gaps. Before you know it, you'll have yourself an A+ argumentative essay there, my friend.
What's Next?
Now you know the ins and outs of an argumentative essay, but how comfortable are you writing in other styles? Learn more about the four writing styles and when it makes sense to use each .
Understand how to make an argument, but still having trouble organizing your thoughts? Check out our guide to three popular essay formats and choose which one is right for you.
Ready to make your case, but not sure what to write about? We've created a list of 50 potential argumentative essay topics to spark your imagination.
Trending Now
How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League
How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA
How to Write an Amazing College Essay
What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?
ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?
When should you take the SAT or ACT?
Get Your Free
![how many words is the average middle school essay PrepScholar](https://www.prepscholar.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/PrepScholar-Logo-Colored.png)
Find Your Target SAT Score
Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests
How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer
Score 800 on SAT Math
Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing
How to Improve Your Low SAT Score
Score 600 on SAT Math
Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing
Find Your Target ACT Score
Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests
How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer
Get a 36 on ACT English
Get a 36 on ACT Math
Get a 36 on ACT Reading
Get a 36 on ACT Science
How to Improve Your Low ACT Score
Get a 24 on ACT English
Get a 24 on ACT Math
Get a 24 on ACT Reading
Get a 24 on ACT Science
Stay Informed
Get the latest articles and test prep tips!
![how many words is the average middle school essay Follow us on Facebook (icon)](https://360031.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/360031/facebook_logo.png)
Courtney scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT in high school and went on to graduate from Stanford University with a degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology. She is passionate about bringing education and the tools to succeed to students from all backgrounds and walks of life, as she believes open education is one of the great societal equalizers. She has years of tutoring experience and writes creative works in her free time.
Ask a Question Below
Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!
How Many Words Should An Essay Be: Complete Essay Writing Guide
![how many words is the average middle school essay how many words should an essay be](https://lmshero.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/how-many-words-should-an-essay-be-lmshero.png?ezimgfmt=ng%3Awebp%2Fngcb1%2Frs%3Adevice%2Frscb1-1)
When writing an essay, dissertation, thesis , college paper, or any other thing, the question of how many words is enough or required always comes to mind.
The length of an academic essay depends on factors like your level, major, course requirements, and department guidelines. This could range from 200 to 650 words, 300 to 1000 words, and so on.
Essay length guidelines
Here’s a table that highlights the basic word count for different types of essays. These are appropriate and acceptable requirements anywhere, even if you’re not given a guideline to follow.
Type of essay | Essay length |
High school essay | High school essays are relatively short with a minimum of five paragraphs that comprises an introduction, the body, and a conclusion. That said, the basic length for a high school essay is between |
College admission essay | College application essays have a strict word limit. It is basically a short essay to express your passion or interest and motivation. It is shorter than any other type of essay with a . |
Undergraduate college essay | College essays vary by institution, department, course requirements, and level. It could be anything from depending on the purpose of the assignment |
Graduate school admission essay | Graduate school applications require a longer statement of purpose compared to college applications. Apparently, your academic achievements would be more, plus you should be able to state your motivations more coherently. The required word count here is . |
Graduate school essay | Graduate program essays also vary by institution and discipline. But they could likely be research papers with a length of |
How long should an essay be?
Usually, introductions take not more than a paragraph, but a complex assignment of more than 3000 words may require two to three paragraphs for an introduction to provide proper background and context.
Your conclusion doesn’t have to be a summary of the entire essay but it should succinctly tie together the main points.
How long should a paragraph be?
While some believe that a short document should have short paragraphs and long paragraphs for long documents, others believe that it doesn’t matter.
Additionally, the body should flow accordingly with a structured transition from one thought to another and the conclusion should meaningfully wrap up the ideas of the entire text.
Can you go under the suggested length?
Writing less than the required word count is allowed as long as you’re close to the suggested length . For instance, if you’re able to meet 900 words for a 1000-word assignment, you’re good to go.
Peradventure, you’re nowhere near the suggested length, you should consider doing these:
Can you go above the suggested length?
How many words should a 5-paragraph essay be.
A 5-paragraph essay basically has a maximum of 1000 words . It is common for high school essays to be around this length.
Tutors use this guideline to allow students the freedom to expand their ideas and arguments more comprehensively.
The introduction and conclusion here are basically one paragraph each and the body takes three paragraphs where the major argument and development of the idea happens.
Certain topics that cover causes and effects or compare and contrast fall into this category of essay. All in all, 1000 words is a good essay length for students in high school.
How long does it take to write an essay?
Generally speaking, a 1000 words document would take an average writer about 30 minutes to type on a keyboard and an hour for handwriting. But essays that require in-depth research, citations, links, and references may take between 3 to 4 hours to complete.
How to write an essay
It’s also important to balance quality with quantity. The goal should be to make a solid and succinct argument while meeting the word count. This way you can impress your instructor and earn high grades.
Is a dissertation an essay?
Are 200 words enough for an essay, is a thesis an essay.
No . While essays are requirements for courses, a thesis is a requirement for degrees (bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees)
The length of your essay should follow the guidelines as suggested by your instructor. However, if you need to figure it out, the article has provided enough information for you to work with.
If you have written beyond the word count for a short essay, you should consider asking someone more experienced to check through your work to identify irrelevancies.
I hope this article helped. Thanks for reading.
You may also like:
Why do waiters get paid so little [+ how to make more money], navigating workplace norms: can you email a resignation letter, difference between roles and responsibilities, does suspension mean termination, moral claim: definition, significance, contemporary issues, & challenges, why can’t you flush the toilet after a drug test.
What are the six different essay lengths?
![how many words is the average middle school essay how many words is the average middle school essay](https://academicmarker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/essay_creation-768x512.jpg)
This is the second of three chapters about Essays . To complete this reader, read each chapter carefully and then unlock and complete our materials to check your understanding.
– Discuss why essays might vary in length
– Outline the six major lengths of academic essay
– Provide defining features for each essay length
Chapter 1: What is an academic essay?
Chapter 2: What are the six different essay lengths?
Chapter 3: What are the seven different types of academic essay?
Before you begin reading...
- video and audio texts
- knowledge checks and quizzes
- skills practices, tasks and assignments
The length of essay you’re assigned will likely depend on where you are exactly in your academic course. Generally, assignments at the start of a bachelor’s degree will be shorter than those required in a student’s final years, just like master’s and doctoral-level essays will continue to increase in both length and difficulty.
1. The One-Paragraph Essay
Generally about 150 to 250 words in length, the one-paragraph essay may be assigned by academic tutors simply in order to practise the basic concepts of paragraph writing, or it may also be used for specific purposes such as to practise summarising an article that’s been read in class or to write an extended definition of a concept. Additionally, one-paragraph essays may also be used as a diagnostic to quickly determine the level of a student’s writing. Unlike other essay lengths, for the one-paragraph essay, you’ll need to include at least some introductory, body and conclusive elements within the same paragraph.
2. The Three-Paragraph Essay
Usually around 500 words in length, the three-paragraph essay is generally used to introduce students to the concept that all essays should maintain an introduction , body section and conclusion if the writer wishes to produce cohesive and a logical writing. The introduction and conclusion will be the first and last paragraphs and tend to be a little shorter in length, while the central body paragraph will contain the essay’s content or argument. A simple table explaining the balance of content in a three-paragraph essay has been provided below:
![About Essay Types 2.1 Three Paragraph Essay About Essay Types 2.1 Three Paragraph Essay](https://academicmarker.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/About-Essay-Types-2.1-Three-Paragraph-Essay-p7u6fj3fht2zzvlpammnt3adkcoowzwrkbhe8ov3ze.png)
3. The Five-Paragraph Essay
Around 1,000 words in length, the five-paragraph essay is generally set by tutors who are content that their students understand the introduction-body-conclusion essay structure and wish to allow more freedom to expand the ideas and arguments presented by the writer in the body section of the essay. This length of essay still only dedicates one paragraph to the introduction and conclusion , but allows three paragraphs to be dedicated to the exploration of the theme in the essay’s body. At this length, certain essay types such as cause and effect essays or compare and contrast essays may now be utilised. The following is a simple diagram of the balance of paragraph lengths in a five-paragraph essay.
![About Essay Types 2.2 Five Paragraph Essay About Essay Types 2.2 Five Paragraph Essay](https://academicmarker.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/About-Essay-Types-2.2-Five-Paragraph-Essay-p7u6fj3fht2zzvlpammnt3adkcoowzwrkbhe8ov3ju.png)
4. The Extended Essay
The extended essay is the most common type of essay that’s assigned during a bachelor’s or master’s degree , and it may be of any length – although it’s unusual for such essays to be above 5,000 words. The most common lengths for an extended essay are 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 words, with a word count allowance of plus or minus 10%. Such essay types will most certainly require research and referencing skills , and may also begin to follow more complex structures such as are found in dissertations and theses rather than simply following the introduction-body-conclusion structure of shorter essays.
5. The Dissertation
Generally assigned as the final project for both bachelor’s and master’s degree , the typical length of an academic dissertation is 10,000 or 15,000 words. Unlike shorter essay types , dissertations have more complex structures and are almost always based around primary research (original research that the writer has conducted themselves). The following table demonstrates some of the key parts of a dissertation as well as the rough word count percentages for each section:
![About Essay Types 2.3 The Dissertation About Essay Types 2.3 The Dissertation](https://academicmarker.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/About-Essay-Types-2.3-p7u6fj3a0gnb7ay1y2tua18ts63vi99wke1vrknshs.png)
6. The Thesis
Finally, the thesis is the longest academic essay type and the one that’s reserved for doctorate students studying PhDs. Generally between 40,000 and 60,000 words in length, the doctorate thesis may contain all the elements of a dissertation but in much more detail and with more careful investigation. Such essays are almost certainly original and are based on primary research , with a larger focus on the accuracy of the literature review , data collection and data analysis . Many students will never encounter this essay type.
Once you can recognise which essay length you’ve been assigned, the next question covered in Chapter 3 is about determining the type of essay you have to write. This is because each essay type will require particular styles, structures, foci and language.
To reference this reader:
Academic Marker (2022) Essays . Available at: https://academicmarker.com/academic-guidance/assignments/essays/ (Accessed: Date Month Year).
- Harvard Writing Center
- Leeds University Library
- Purdue Online Writing Lab
Downloadables
Once you’ve completed all three chapters about essays , you might also wish to download our beginner, intermediate and advanced worksheets to test your progress or print for your students. These professional PDF worksheets can be easily accessed for only a few Academic Marks .
Our essays academic reader (including all four chapters about this topic) can be accessed here at the click of a button.
Gain unlimited access to our essays beginner worksheet, with activities and answer keys designed to check a basic understanding of this reader’s chapters.
To check a confident understanding of this reader’s chapters, click on the button below to download our essays intermediate worksheet with activities and answer keys.
Our essays advanced worksheet with activities and answer keys has been created to check a sophisticated understanding of this reader’s chapters.
To save yourself 5 Marks , click on the button below to gain unlimited access to all of our essays chapters and worksheets. The All-in-1 Pack includes every chapter in this reader, as well as our beginner, intermediate and advanced worksheets in one handy PDF.
Click on the button below to gain unlimited access to our essays teacher’s PowerPoint, which should include everything you’d need to successfully introduce this topic.
Collect Academic Marks
- 100 Marks for joining
- 25 Marks for daily e-learning
- 100-200 for feedback/testimonials
- 100-500 for referring your colleages/friends
How Many Words Does the Average Person Know?
Have you ever wondered what an average person’s vocabulary size is?
We take language for granted and most of the time, we’re not even aware of how many words we’ve already assimilated through the course of our lives. We probably don’t even realize the number of words we use on a day-to-day while communicating either through speaking or writing.
![how many words is the average middle school essay Unsurprisingly, age has a significant affect on how many words a person knows](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/62ac8d0645a0685a389def23/62c63ab50d1e7dcbf1ee8afe_how-many-words-does-the-average-person-know-word-counter.jpeg)
In 2013, The Economist published a blog article about “Lexical facts,” based on results gathered by researchers at TestYourVocab.com. The study (which was based on the English language) revealed the following:
- Most adult native test-takers have a vocabulary range of about 20,000-35,000 words
- Adult native test-takers learn almost 1 new word a day until middle age
- Vocabulary growth stops at middle age
How Many Words do Native English Speakers Absorb by Age?
So now you’re probably wondering — how many words can the average native English- speaking person assimilate by age? Resources vary when it comes to findings and figures, but according to the same Economist article, average native-test takers aged 8 years old have a vocabulary size of about 10,000 words, while those aged 4 years know about 5,000 words.
A more recent academic publication on vocabulary size and auditory word recognition among pre-school aged kids was published in May 2016. The study made use of “the visual world paradigm with semantic and phonological competitors to study lexical processing efficiency in children ages 2-5 years old.”
The publication gave the following insights in its manuscript:
- At age one, a child will recognize about 50 words
- At age three, a child will recognize about 1,000 words
- At age five, a child will recognize about 10,000 words
“Given that the average speaking rate is approximately four to five syllables per second, even small differences in the efficiency of spoken word recognition will place some children at an advantage and others at a disadvantage,” the manuscript further states, adding that “although children’s vocabularies are much smaller than those of adults, their lexical processing is remarkably similar.”
In August 2016, UPI.com conducted its own study which yielded a much higher figure — twice the size of what was previously perceived in 2013. According to UPI’s findings, “most U.S. adults have a vocabulary of more than 42,000 words.”
After careful analysis of tests taken by one million respondents via social media, the results showed that U.S. native English speakers would have acquired a vocabulary of 42,000 words at age 20 and about 48,000 words by age 60.
Is Shakespeare the Master Wordsmith?
Here’s an interesting discovery: linguistics enthusiast Kono Kim made a comparison between William Shakespeare’s vocabulary vs. the number of words used in a 10-year compilation of the Wall Street Journal.
According to Kim, Shakespeare’s combined written works totaled 25,000 unique words compared to the Wall Street Journal which used less than 20,000 unique words in its newspapers for a decade. (Note: Several other sources cite around over 30,000 words for all of Shakespeare’s collected writings).
It’s a well-known fact that Shakespeare’s aptitude for learning words is beyond average — but knowing his unique magnitude gives us an idea of the human mind’s capacity when it comes to assimilating words. So, based on UPI’s recent findings, we’ve become Shakespeares in our own right, at our own time!
And while we’re measuring our human capabilities when it comes to increasing our vocabulary, it would be also good to note that new words are being created every single day — which means as the English language continues to expand, so does our vocabulary.
What are Active and Passive Vocabularies?
This is all probably overwhelming to discover, albeit in a good way. But realistically though, how many words do we actually use in our daily lives as native English speakers?
Unbeknown to most, there exists an active and passive vocabulary . An active vocabulary consists of the words we have learned and actually use when speaking or writing. On the other hand, a passive vocabulary refers to words we’ve assimilated but have not been able to use.
According to lexicographer and dictionary expert Susie Dent , “the average active vocabulary of an adult English speaker is around 20,000 words, while his passive vocabulary is around 40,000 words.”
In terms of actual word usage, The Reading Teachers Book of Lists claims that:
- the first 25 words are used in 33% of every day writing
- the first 100 words are used in 50% of adult and student writing
- the first 1,000 words are used in 89% of every day writing
While we’ve been patting ourselves on the back for beating Shakespeare, the truth is that the English poet-playwright-actor still outnumbers us when it comes to active vocabulary and actual word usage.
According to Kottke.org’s statistical estimate, Shakespeare probably had about 35,000 words in his passive vocabulary. With both vocabularies combined, he would have known a total of about 65,000 words!
That’s one staggering achievement that we still have yet to conquer in our lifetimes.
How to Write Essay Titles and Headers
Don’t overlook the title and section headers when putting together your next writing assignment. Follow these pointers for keeping your writing organized and effective.
101 Standout Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas
Need a topic for your upcoming argumentative essay? We've got 100 helpful prompts to help you get kickstarted on your next writing assignment.
Writing a Standout College Admissions Essay
Your personal statement is arguably the most important part of your college application. Follow these guidelines for an exceptional admissions essay.
![how many words is the average middle school essay Word Counter Blog](https://wordcounter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/wc-logo.png)
How Many Paragraphs in an Essay?
![how many words is the average middle school essay How many paragraphs in an essay?](https://wordcounter.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/paragraphsymbol-550x366.jpg)
As a rule, you’ll write your essay in three main parts. First, you’ll introduce your topic to your reader. Next, you will have body text in which you discuss the topic in more detail, and finally, you’ll have a conclusion that tells your reader what you were able to see after looking into the facts or thinking through the topic.
In its simplest form, an essay can consist of three paragraphs with one paragraph being devoted to each section. Proponents of the five paragraph essay say that the body text should consist of three paragraphs, but in reality, it’s fine to write more or fewer paragraphs in this section.
Guessing How Many Paragraphs Before You Begin
This is a rule of thumb, which means it won’t always work quite that way, but it’s handy all the same. In academic work, your paragraphs are likely to be a bit longer than most of the ones you see in this blog post. On average, there are usually 100 to 200 words in a paragraph . So if you’d like a guesstimate, you can assume that a 1,000-word essay will have between five and ten paragraphs.
What Points Do You Have to Cover?
Another, less limiting and more accurate way to work out how many paragraphs you need to cover your topic is to look at the main points you have to cover in the body text. A paragraph contains all the ideas that support or explain a single concept.
When you are planning your essay, you will think of or research the main elements that are needed in the body text. It would be safe to assume you need at least one paragraph for each of these. Of course, if there is a lot of information to cover in order to explore each area, you may need more.
For example, if you are writing an essay on childhood development and exposure to technology, you will want to look into the physical, psychological and cognitive developmental effects of tech on kids. When you research this topic, you will find that there are contrasting points of view and researchers have identified several physical, developmental, and psychological effects of technology use in children.
Assuming five psychological effects have been identified, you can assume you’ll need to write five paragraphs if you are going to write a relatively in-depth essay. But if both those who say technology is bad for kids and those who say it can be good have done a great deal of work on the sub-topic, you might want to make that ten paragraphs so that you can cover both sides of the argument and look into how earlier authors reached their conclusions.
Of course, if you have been set a relatively short word limit , you may not be able to go in-depth at all, in which case a paragraph for each of the main sub-topics (psychology, physical development, and cognitive development) will likely be adequate.
Essay Content Is More Important Than the Number of Paragraphs
Ultimately, your essay will be evaluated on the information you present, not on the number of paragraphs in the essay. Early in your academic life, teachers and lecturers may give you both a structure for your essay and a guideline on how long each part of the essay should be. I have seen essay instructions say how many marks are allocated for each section, and my trick is to take the total word count and allocate a percentage of words to each section based on the percentage of marks you can get for it. After all, if the teacher is allocating 80 marks for content in total and you can see 50% of the mark relates to a certain part of the essay, then 50% of your essay’s words should be devoted to that section.
Sometimes, you’ll just be given a topic and told to air your opinion. This gives you more freedom, but it’s a tad more difficult. The research will show you how many angles you should look at, and it’ll help you to find information that both supports and contradicts your point of view. To make a strong argument, you need to look at both supporting and contradictory information.
To avoid getting tangled up in one aspect of the discussion, you’ll have to decide how long it should be. If it’s the most important aspect informing your conclusion, you can spend a little more time (and words) on that particular point. It could run into several paragraphs rather than just one or two.
Always Remember the Purpose of Paragraphs
Paragraphs structure information into sub-topics, and they make your work easier to read and understand thanks to the structure they provide. With careful advance planning, you’ll be able to work out more or less how many paragraphs you need to complete your essay.
How many paragraphs is…
For those looking for a general rule-of-thumb, below are some estimates on the number of paragraphs there would be in an essay of different lengths based on an average length of 150 words per paragraph. Of course, the number of paragraphs for your essay will depend on many different factors. You can use the following information for a general reference, but don’t take these numbers as literal. .
Basic Essay Word to Paragraphs Conversions
- A 100 word essay is 3 paragraph. (minimum for an essay)
- A 200 word essay is 3 paragraphs. (minimum for an essay)
- A 250 word essay is 3 paragraphs. (minimum for an essay)
- A 300 word essay is 3 paragraphs. (minimum for an essay)
- A 400 word essay is 3 paragraphs. (minimum for an essay)
- A 500 word essay is 3 to 4 paragraphs.
- A 600 word essay is 4 paragraphs.
- A 700 word essay is 4 to 5 paragraphs.
- A 750 word essay is 5 paragraphs.
- A 800 word essay is 5 to 6 paragraphs.
- A 900 word essay is 6 paragraphs.
- A 1,000 word essay is 6 to 7 paragraphs.
- A 1,250 word essay is 8 to 9 paragraphs.
- A 1,500 word essay is 10 paragraphs.
- A 1,750 word essay is 11 to 12 paragraphs.
- A 2,000 word essay is 13 to 14 paragraphs.
- A 2,500 word essay is 16 to 17 paragraphs.
- A 3,000 word essay is 20 paragraphs.
- A 4,000 word essay is 26 to 27 paragraphs.
- A 5,000 word essay is 33 to 34 paragraphs.
- A 6,000 word essay is 40 paragraphs.
- A 7,000 word essay is 46 to 37 paragraphs.
- A 7,500 word essay is 50 paragraphs.
- A 8,000 word essay is 53 to 54 paragraphs.
- A 9,000 word essay is 60 paragraphs.
- A 10,000 word essay is 66 to 67 paragraphs.
I don’t understand, How can a 100, 200, 300 and 400 word essay all have 3 paragraphs if a paragraph is 100 to 200 words long? A 100 word essay should be 1 paragraph or 1/2 a paragraph, not 3 paragraphs. Can someone explain this too me?
A sentence is an idea. A paragraph is a group of ideas that relate to one another. That’s the most important point. The second most important one is remembering that your text consists of introduction, body, conclusion with at LEAST one paragraph for each. While teachers like 100 to 200 word paragraphs, you can’t always apply that. Call it a guideline rather than a rule!
the general rule is that 3 paragraphs are minimum for an essay. So, no matter how short your essay is, you should still need 3 paragraphs. If you are really for some reason writing a 100 word essay, then you should have one short sentence for both your introduction and conclusion.
I was always taught an essay has five paragraphs by my teachers. Did they lie to me? If an essay only needs three paragraphs, why would my teachers tell me that they should have five?
I think the five paragraphs for an essay is more of a rule-of-thumb number that is easy to teach students when they are first learning to write. Your teacher was just trying to make sure you understood how to write, not give you a rule you had to always obey.
I think five paragraphs is a good number to shoot for when writing, but it isn’t a hard-fast rule you need to hit every time. Each essay is different and require more or less paragraphs depending on the information you need to provide in the writing.
yes and no.. i would say a good on as 4 paragraph. Intro, 2 body P, and a conclusion.
My teachers always taught by eight paragraph essays, but five-paragraph essays normally lie precedent to the more advanced or larger essays.
I was taught essays should be 7 paragraphs long, not 5. My teacher said 3 central paragraphs never gives enough detail to the topic, so we should write 5. It makes sense to me and that is how I’ve always done it.
What you’re taught is often a general rule to shoot for, not a rule set in concrete. That’s the case with this. Your teacher felt that 7 paragraphs was a good number for the essays you wrote for her, but it doesn’t always have to be that way. it’s a general rule, not a concrete one.
How many sentences if we don’t know how many sentences we need to write?
The average paragraph contains 5-6 sentences. If you’re feeling a little extra, paragraphs can be 7-10 sentences.
It also depends on whether or not you are bringing outside information into the paragraph as well. Using quotes makes a paragraph longer than not doing so.
I think the length of a paper depends mainly on the instructions given by the instructor. Secondly, I would decide a paper length on the basis of the grading rubric.
I already knew an essay has three paragraphs
Inilividual project: follow all steps and develop a paragraph of your choice and write all expository essay with not less than 500 words of the povoloped paragraph?
On average for a five-paragraph essay, I write around 1,000-1300 words. For an eight paragraph essay, I write around 2,000-2,600 words on the document. Keep in mind your quotes too, you should have one quote per paragraph (expected) or two (recommended). It really is up to the person though, I have a buddy who writes considerably less than I do, but is able to get his point across. It is really up to the person.
Student A: Sir, do we have to write a long essay?
How will I determine my word count for 1300 to 1500 maximum words in the academic writing?
Popular Posts
- The Top 10 Most Difficult-to-Spot Writing Mistakes
- 4 Simple Tips for Great Writing
- Avoiding Wordiness: 330 Examples & What to Use Instead
- The Oxford Comma: The Splice of Life
- Who vs. Whom
- Affect vs. Effect
- How to Take Notes: The 10-Step Guide to Note-Taking (Infographic)
- CMOS vs. AP – Recent Changes & Comparison (Updated 1. Nov. 2021)
- The Daily Word Counts of 19 Famous Writers
- The Ideal Length of Everything You Write Online ( Infographic)
Recent Comments
- Trilby on Words Everyone Seems to Hate
- Sarah on Words Everyone Seems to Hate
- Justin Robinson on Words Everyone Seems to Hate
- Muhammad Abdullah on Word Counter Reading Level Feature
![how many words is the average middle school essay Check Word Count](https://wordcounter.net/images/wc-homepage.png)
Session expired
Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page.
Advertisement
Supported by
Harris Plans to Ban Grocery ‘Price Gouging.’ What Does the Evidence Say?
Price increases when demand exceeds supply are textbook economics. The question is whether, and how much, the pandemic yielded an excess take.
- Share full article
![how many words is the average middle school essay Produce shelves at a grocery store, with carrot bunches, bags of potatoes, leafy greens and other items.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/08/15/multimedia/15dc-harris-gouge-lhvp/15dc-harris-gouge-lhvp-articleLarge.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale)
By Jim Tankersley and Jeanna Smialek
Reporting from Washington
Vice President Kamala Harris’s economic agenda for her presidential campaign features an argument that blames corporate price gouging for high grocery prices.
That message polls well with swing voters. It has been embraced by progressive groups , which regularly point to price gouging as a driver of rapid inflation, or at least something that contributes to rapid price increases. Those groups cheered the announcement late Wednesday that Ms. Harris would call for a federal ban on corporate price gouging on groceries in an economic policy speech on Friday.
But the economic argument over the issue is complicated.
Economists have cited a range of forces for pushing up prices in the recovery from the pandemic recession, including snarled supply chains, a sudden shift in consumer buying patterns , and the increased customer demand fueled by stimulus from the government and low rates from the Federal Reserve. Most economists say those forces are far more responsible than corporate behavior for the rise in prices in that period.
Biden administration economists have found that corporate behavior has played a role in pushing up grocery costs in recent years — but that other factors have played a much larger one.
The Harris campaign announcement on Wednesday cited meat industry consolidation as a driver of excessive grocery prices, but officials did not respond on Thursday to questions about the evidence Ms. Harris would cite or how her proposal would work.
There are examples of companies telling investors in recent years that they have been able to raise prices to increase profits. But even the term “price gouging” means different things to different people.
We are having trouble retrieving the article content.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in .
Want all of The Times? Subscribe .
![](http://nandemo.space/777/templates/cheerup1/res/banner1.gif)
IMAGES
COMMENTS
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. ... 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 ...
Essay length guidelines. Type of essay. Average word count range. Essay content. High school essay. 300-1000 words. In high school you are often asked to write a 5-paragraph essay, composed of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. College admission essay. 200-650 words.
350 words at least. It depends on the essay type you write. Thus, a high school essay sample will be 350 words at least. If you need a college application essay, consider personal papers of 250-650 words. Check essay samples of 800-1,000 words if you need a standard college paper.
Ideas- The main idea, supporting details, evidence, and explanation. Ideas are the heart of any good paper. This is where you get the argument, the main idea, or the details that really bring the paper to life. Ideas should be the first thing discussed and brainstormed in the writing process.
The answer to this question depends on the topic, scope, and depth of your essay. In general, an essay of 2-3 pages is considered short; 4-6 pages is average; 7-10 pages is long. The amount of pages also depends on the spacing you are required to use. Using double-space between paragraph extends the page count twice.
Normally, essays length for middle school students varies between 500 and 1000 words. A typical middle school essay follows a well-known essay structure: introduction, body paragraphs, and summary (five paragraphs). Main body is usually the most informative part of a school essay and takes 80% of the word count.
Many standard essays range from 2,500 to 4,000 words, although this can vary depending on the course and assignment restrictions. High school essays are usually a little shorter and they tend to be 300 to 1,000 words. These are often simple 5-pagragraph essays that include an introduction, a few paragraphs and a conclusion.
Entering middle school, pupils face many subjects for the first time. And, they face many new types of assignments for the first time as well. ... While you could've been assigned essays in elementary school, trust us - it is not the same. A middle school essay is way more complicated and demanding, so it is important to know how to handle it.
ESSAY WRITING PARAGRAPH WRITING TIPS. Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea. Paragraphs should follow a logical sequence; students should group similar ideas together to avoid incoherence. Paragraphs should be denoted consistently; students should choose either to indent or skip a line.
Sentence length will vary based on the paper type you're working on. In narrative essays, you have to tell a story, which means sentences can be very long (up to 50 words). But general advice would be to keep sentences shorter than 25 words. Considering that, a 500-word essay would have somewhere between 20 to 45 sentences.
General guidelines for essay length Middle school. Academic essay assignments typically start in middle school in the American education system and fall within the range of 300 to 800 words. In these grades, you'll be learning the basic 5-paragraph essay structure, which includes an introduction, a thesis statement, the body, and a conclusion.
In the first year of middle school, kids are expected to write essays and stories, share their writing, and compare literary texts. This year, your sixth grader should learn to use precise language, the right pronouns, and high-quality sources for research. Public presentations are also a nerve-wracking but important skill highlighted this year.
The length of the body depends on the type of essay. On average, the body comprises 60-80% of your essay. For a high school essay, this could be just three paragraphs, but for a graduate school essay of 6,000 words, the body could take up 8-10 pages. ... High school essays are often 500 words, but graduate essays can be 5000 words or more. 813.
Types of Essays for Middle Schoolers. There are various types of essays out there, but there are three types I want to specifically look at: argumentative, literary analysis, and narrative. These types of essays cover both creative and critical thinking - and help push literary skills to the next level. Argumentative Writing.
Expository writing examples for middle school. Below are several sources of expository writing samples for middle school students. The Write Source Expository Writing Samples; Holt, Rinehart, Winston Expository Essay Models; Finally, here is an article in the New York Times that will help you teach your students real-world expository writing ...
High school essays typically range from 300-1000 words, focusing on a 5-paragraph structure. College admission essays are brief, 200-650 words, showcasing personal interests. Undergraduate essays vary, spanning 1500-5000 words, depending on course and institution specifics. Graduate admissions require more detailed essays of 500-1000 words ...
And among science teachers, 51% have students write up labs at least once a week and 56% have students write out mathematical concepts or problems. All of these percentages are much higher than those for teachers of other subjects. In addition, while 94% of English teachers and 83% of history/social studies teachers had their students write a ...
There are two main reasons that academic papers usually come with a word limit: Fairness. It's impossible to grade two papers of vastly different lengths (e.g., 20,000 compared to 2,000 words) on the same scale. The word limit makes sure that everyone taking the same class knows what is expected of them. Communication Skills.
An argumentative essay attempts to convince a reader to agree with a particular argument (the writer's thesis statement). The writer takes a firm stand one way or another on a topic and then uses hard evidence to support that stance. An argumentative essay seeks to prove to the reader that one argument —the writer's argument— is the ...
That said, the basic length for a high school essay is between 300 to 1000 words. College application essays have a strict word limit. It is basically a short essay to express your passion or interest and motivation. It is shorter than any other type of essay with a minimum of 200 words and a maximum of 650 words.
4. The Extended Essay. The extended essay is the most common type of essay that's assigned during a bachelor's or master's degree, and it may be of any length - although it's unusual for such essays to be above 5,000 words.The most common lengths for an extended essay are 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 words, with a word count allowance of plus or minus 10%.
On the other hand, a passive vocabulary refers to words we've assimilated but have not been able to use. , "the average active vocabulary of an adult English speaker is around 20,000 words, while his passive vocabulary is around 40,000 words.". the first 25 words are used in 33% of every day writing. the first 100 words are used in 50% of ...
A 1,750 word essay is 11 to 12 paragraphs. A 2,000 word essay is 13 to 14 paragraphs. A 2,500 word essay is 16 to 17 paragraphs. A 3,000 word essay is 20 paragraphs. A 4,000 word essay is 26 to 27 paragraphs. A 5,000 word essay is 33 to 34 paragraphs. A 6,000 word essay is 40 paragraphs.
Price increases when demand exceeds supply are textbook economics. The question is whether, and how much, the pandemic yielded an excess take.