Many times students struggle to get their written work to the required number of pages. What you should keep in mind when trying to lengthen your document is that quality is more important than quantity. The following techniques should only be used as a last resort, once you've made an effort to include as much content as possible. The best way to do good writing is to start early, do a lot of research, and make a coherent and compelling argument.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Add more content
Step 1. Conduct a thorough investigation
A job with a good research base will always have more content. Don't be afraid to use outside sources to reinforce your argument. Go to your school library or a local library to research your topic in virtual books and sources.
For example, the Jstor and Project Gutenberg pages are two good sources for academic papers. Schools often provide you free access to these Internet pages. Ask your teacher for help finding sources of information
Step 2. Create a complete outline
Writing an outline allows you to organize your arguments and ideas in a coherent way. The idea is to divide it into the sections that you plan to include in your work. For example, you might have a section titled "Introduction" followed by "First Body Paragraph", "Second Body Paragraph", "Third Body Paragraph" and "Conclusion".
- Also include the basics and quotes you plan to use in the outline. Make sure you have different examples to choose from.
- Writing an outline serves to see which sections have enough information and can be used to lengthen the work.
Step 3. Provide a counterargument
If you want to constructively fill more space, try adding a counterargument. When you develop it, you not only lengthen the work, but you reinforce the content, since this shows that you can take other perspectives into account.
You can weave the counterargument into the body paragraphs or create additional paragraphs to develop your topic. A good way to present it is with a sentence like: “While some people consider that consuming a plant-based diet is the key to living a healthy life, others point out that the French diet, which is rich in cheese and dairy, is an example of another approach to a healthy lifestyle”
Step 4. Add another paragraph to the body
Don't feel like you have to lock yourself into the typical 5 paragraph essay. After creating the outline, see if you can add a short paragraph or two to further elaborate on a point on the topic or add a new one.
If you can't come up with an idea for a new paragraph, reread some of your sources to find quotes that you find interesting. Once you find a few examples, see if you can create another argument out of them
Step 5. Use more fonts
It never hurts to add more quotes to reinforce your argument. That is why it is important to include a large number of possible appointments for your work in the scheme. If you have trouble writing a long enough paper, try adding one of those additional quotes as a foundation followed by a few sentences with your own analysis.
Step 6. Ask a librarian for help from a teacher
Research librarians or librarians are a great source of information for writing papers. Make an appointment with the school librarian and by the end of your meeting you will surely have more sources than you need.
- If you have trouble doing your work, your teacher will be more than happy to help you. Don't be afraid to ask, as it is their job to guide you.
- You can also ask a partner to help you correct. Having a fresh opinion about your work will help you see things differently.
Method 2 of 3: Compose in a different style
Step 1. Replace pronouns with specific nouns
Find parts of the work where you can substitute or specify with nouns pronouns like "he", "she", "that" or "they". Try to use people's full names, proper nouns, and descriptive nouns instead of pronouns.
- Instead of saying "'He found it,' write 'Johnny found the apple."
- If you are referring to a specific person, such as George Washington, use their full name throughout the job rather than just writing their last name.
Step 2. Use a poetic style
Write in flowery language. Adding lots of adverbs and adjectives will help lengthen sentences and may even improve quality.
- Instead of saying, "The Great Gatsby is a very important work of fiction," write, "The Great Gatsby is a momentous literary work that has influenced aspiring writers since its publication in the early 1900s."
- Use the words "truly", "very" and "really" whenever possible. But don't overdo it, as your teacher will notice the large number of adverbs.
Step 3. Add some unnecessary words
Today we tend to ignore certain articles, whether determined or indeterminate, and the connectors "because", "since" and "because". Include them in your work and it will definitely increase the amount of lines.
Instead of saying, “We couldn't get into the house; Amy thought it was haunted, "he writes," We couldn't get into the house because Amy thought it was haunted. "
Method 3 of 3: Change document settings
Step 1. Increase the line spacing measure
Most papers should be double spaced, but it is very difficult to tell the difference between a 2, 0 and a 2, 2 spacing. It is very unlikely that your teacher will measure the line spacing to make sure it is accurate, and use 2, 1 or 2, 2 can help you make your work a little longer.
- To do it in the Microsoft Word program, in the "Start" tab select the "Paragraph" option.
- Once the box opens, select the "Multiple" option from the "Leading" menu. Then, in the "In" menu write 2, 1 or 2, 2.
Step 2. Change the font size
You can also change the font size to make the text take up a little more space on the pages. Most teachers ask you to use size 12, but they may not realize it if you change it to size 12, 5.
Step 3. Add a space after the period
Adding two spaces instead of just one after the period will make your work longer and is not a very obvious change.
- Take this example of a sentence with only one space after the period: “During the 20th century there were many changes. Not only did two world wars occur, but the growth of industry and technology also took place”.
- This is the same example with two spaces after the period. You hardly notice the difference: “During the 20th century there were many changes. Not only did two world wars occur, but the growth of industry and technology also took place”.
- You can also change the point font size to 13 or 14. You can apply this to all punctuation marks. This is also a trick that is difficult to notice.
Step 4. Enlarge the margins of the page
Increasing the size of the margins to 1.25 inches (3 cm) decreases the number of words that reach on each page. If you have fewer words per page, you will have more pages and you will not have to add more text.
- To enlarge the margins, select the "Page Layout" tab and select the "Margins" option.
- In the menu, change the margins to 1.25 inches (3 cm). This measure is enough to make a difference in the text without being very noticeable to the eye.
Step 5. Change the font
If your teacher doesn't ask for a specific font, you can choose options other than Times New Roman that will make the work look longer. A good option is Bookman Old Style, which looks formal but takes up more space.
Don't use an obvious option like Comic Sans
Step 6. Don't use all the tricks at once
Your teacher will undoubtedly notice that the margins, font size and spacing have been enlarged, plus the font is different and suddenly you became a poet. When writing a paper, it is always best to strive to meet the page count requirements through thorough research and clear and effective writing. Only use a trick or two to make your work look longer only if absolutely necessary. Otherwise, there is a risk that your teacher will notice what you are doing and receive a bad grade.
Advice
Talk to your friends about your work. Call a friend and ask them to help you review the topic. This way you will get a new perspective and more ideas
Warnings
- If your teacher has been teaching for a long time, they may be able to identify some of these tricks. Unnecessary words, extra indents, and double spacing are strategies to use sparingly only if absolutely necessary.
- Do not leave things for the end. If you have enough time to thoroughly research the topic of your work and ask your teachers for help, you can write a work that you are proud of without using strategies to make it longer.
- Avoid plagiarism. Never steal other people's ideas or writing to extend your own work. Trust your own intelligence and write an original document.