People have long heard the saying "quality over quantity," and most people would agree that the basic premise of this saying is true. A person would almost always opt over having the best quality of something rather than having an abudance of something substandard. So some students might bristle when an instructor assigns a paper of a certain length or word count.
However, an instructor doesn't ask students to write essays of a particular length to make them feel as though they have to ramble on and on about a subject or that they have to pad their papers. Instead, most instructors feel that, when students write papers of a particular length, it is almost always obvious that the students with longer papers have spent more time and put more thought into what they have written.
But what if a student has been assigned to write a five-page essay and she feels that her three-page essay has said all she needs to say? Should she just pad sections of her paper or repeat herself over and over? Absolutely not, and instructors will find the padded paper more frustrating than a short paper. So what is a student to do when she has not met the length requirement of an assignment but feels there is nothing left to say? Here are some suggestions.
Do More Research
Perhaps the reason why the essay is short and seems complete is that the writer hasn't fully researched his subject. For example, if a student is writing an essay about fear and has only given his opinions about it, it might help him to do some research.
How will research help? Well, if the student looks at what scientists or psychologists have to say about fear, he can integrate the ideas these sources have given him. His readers will likely find that his research enriches his paper, because not only will readers understand the writer's personal take on fear, but they will also read what experts have to say about the subject. And, obviously, the more research the student does, the more information he can share in his paper, thus increasing the essay's length without padding.
Develop Unexplored Areas
Some students will simply use one sentence to refer to an idea or thought in their essay, assuming that a few words equal enough space to spend on that idea. However, many students can go through their papers and find that there are ideas or thoughts in their essay that merit more attention.
For example, if a student writes an essay about the hazards of driving, he might simply focus on what a person behind the wheel does that is dangerous and simply writes one line that says, "Defensive driving can also prevent accidents." How would exploring this idea in more detail help the student's essay? Plenty. He likely can spend at least a paragraph exploring this idea in greater detail by explaining more specifically what the concept of defensive driving is and how drivers can apply it to their everyday driving habits. Finding areas in an essay to explore in more detail can help students write a longer paper without repetition and rambling.
Give Examples and Details
Sometimes students feel that by simply mentioning an idea, they don't need to say any more about it. However, examples can greatly enrich a student's essay. Readers usually want details that support the ideas found in an essay, and quite often the students who provide examples write longer essays, simply because examples take up space.
That's not to say that an essay should be overloaded with examples. One example per idea is adequate. However, examples will often illustrate a point and make it more clear with readers. For example, under the previous heading in this article, "Develop Unexplored Areas," this author chose to write a second paragraph that illustrated her meaning. Not only does giving an example clarify the author's intent, it helps clear up any confusion a reader might have. Giving examples in an essay helps a student meet the length requirement without unnecessary padding.
Focus on Quantity that Adds Quality
Students who have a difficult time writing a full-length paper should realize that an instructor will not appreciate any type of padding in an essay, whether it is unnecessary repetition, rambling, or veering off the subject. These students need to realize that they don't need to resort to these tactics to write a quality paper that meets the requirements set forth by their instructor. While there are many ways to lengthen an essay without padding, the techniques here are solid ways students can add quality - and quantity - to their papers.
Cynthia Jones-Shoeman - Cynthia (“Cindy”) Jones-Shoeman earned her MA in English from Colorado State University in 2007; her thesis was "Toni ...
