First things first:
- Stick to your lecturer’s guidelines! If in doubt, ask again.
- Be careful with changing the formatting—it can be tricky.
- When cutting content, make sure your argument stays clear and consistent.
Most assignments for term papers have a strict page or word count limit. However, you often have a little leeway, usually around 10% more or less than the required length. So, for a 15-page paper, you could go over or under by about one and a half pages. But it’s a good idea to check with your lecturer to see how strict they are about this.
The most important thing, though, is the quality of your paper. If you start cutting entire sections, it might weaken your argument. So be careful with what you choose to delete. That said, there are some small tweaks you can make to reduce your word count without losing substance. Here are some tips to help you shorten your paper.
Use shorter phrases
Start by looking for unnecessarily long phrases in your text. Phrases like “due to the fact that,” “at this point in time,” or “if one considers the following factor…” can often be shortened or cut entirely. Of course, these fillers can sometimes be useful or even essential for clarity, so only cut them if they’re really not needed. Once you go through your entire paper this way, you might be surprised how often you’ve used these phrases without realizing it. Plus, deleting them makes your writing more precise and easier to understand.
Cut transitions and repetitions
This tip goes hand in hand with the first one. Do you start a lot of sections with phrases like “The next point will analyze…” or “Building on this, we will now look at…”? These can often be cut without losing any meaning. Instead, just dive straight into your analysis.
Also, watch out for unnecessary repetitions. If you’ve already explained something earlier, there’s no need to repeat it. Go through your paper and weed out these redundancies.
Use abbreviations
Another way to shorten your paper is by using abbreviations. Look for phrases like “for example,” “respectively,” or “as the case may be,” and replace them with their common abbreviations. But first, check your assignment guidelines to see if abbreviations are allowed. If you create new abbreviations for terms you use frequently, consider adding an abbreviation list at the end of your paper. This list usually doesn’t count towards your total page or word count.
Font choice
Sometimes, the font is specified in the assignment guidelines. If you can choose between Arial and Times New Roman, go with Times New Roman. Arial takes up about a third more space than the same text in Times New Roman. This tip is useful if you’re trying to reduce pages rather than word count.
Be cautious with layout changes!
Adjusting the layout should be your last resort for shortening your paper. Reducing margins, decreasing line spacing, or using a smaller font size can make your paper look shorter, but these tricks are risky. Lecturers often notice these changes, which could lead to a lower grade. It’s usually better to focus on deleting content instead.
Narrowing down your topic
Finally, it’s important to carefully narrow down your topic before you start writing. Precise questioning helps you not to get out of hand and to remain precise.
If you find yourself writing too much as you go along, it might help to revisit your outline. Consider whether you can combine two sections or cut out a subpoint.
Good luck with your next term paper!
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