Tips To Write A Longer Paper
Start writing a post
Student Life

Tips To Write A Longer Paper

Word count and page length are never fair.

23
Tips To Write A Longer Paper
Michelle Prince

If there is only one thing that binds together all of humanity, it’s that we all love to write papers, and the longer, the better. The other day while I was eating lunch, I noticed that campus is just BUZZING with excitement as the days become shorter, the weather gets cooler, and our assignment piles get higher. I smiled as I bit into my sandwich, overhearing one girl bragging about how she gets to write a 12 page research paper by next week. Her friend was so jealous, and so was I.

The only problem with writing papers is that they are never allowed to be long enough. Professors fill our heads with so much information and beg us to do further research on our own time and then they go and limit our page length! It’s almost as if they don’t want us to succeed at getting all the information out.

But don’t stress out about this for any longer, because there are several ways in which you can make your paper appear shorter than it is. While none of these tricks alone can shrink your paper length, when all used simultaneously, I feel confident guaranteeing you an extra body paragraph or two.

First and foremost, eliminate all extra spaces. Do not put two spaces after every period. If this were a perfect world, I’d suggest not putting any spaces at all. However, times have unfortunately changed since the days of Ancient Rome, and punctuation is a thing of the present. Also, make sure you have the functions “remove space after paragraph” and “don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style” turned on. They can both be found in the line spacing section of your Microsoft Word toolbox at the top of the page.

A super secret is that you can also change the line spacing. Double space wastes so much room! In “line spacing options” you can type in your own personal line space. I’d stick to 1.8 or 1.9 spaced though, so your teachers don’t start asking questions.

Now that all your unnecessary blank spaces are filled, take a look at your annotations. Do you have two quotes from the same source? It would be silly to cite it twice, especially if they follow one another. Remove the first citation and cite it all together. This trick usually always earns me a few lines!

Last, but not least, go over your paper and check your diction. Did you use the most concise wording you could have? Switch the wording around when you use phrases like “very” and take out words like “a lot” and “though” whenever you can.

Writing a paper is so much fun, and you shouldn’t have to get stressed out when your word count or page limit gets broken. With the help of these tricks, your papers should meet the guidelines in no time.

Happy writing!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

931083
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

106149
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less
New Year Resolutions

It's 2024! You drank champagne, you wore funny glasses, and you watched the ball drop as you sang the night away with your best friends and family. What comes next you may ask? Sadly you will have to return to the real world full of work and school and paying bills. "Ah! But I have my New Year's Resolutions!"- you may say. But most of them are 100% complete cliches that you won't hold on to. Here is a list of those things you hear all around the world.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Ultimate Birthday: Unveiling the Perfect Day to Celebrate!

Let's be real, the day your birthday falls on could really make or break it.

45960
​different color birthday candles on a cake
Blacksburg Children's Museum

You heard it here first: birthdays in college are some of the best days of your four years. For one day annually, you get to forget about your identity as a stressed, broke, and overworked student, and take the time to celebrate. You can throw your responsibilities for a day, use your one skip in that class you hate, receive kind cards and gifts from loved ones and just enjoy yourself.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments