College Writing
2,000-word essay page count: about 4–8 pages by format
Use the 2,000-word essay page count—about 4–8 pages depending on spacing—as a starting point. Then plan APA formatting, paragraph indents, and a workable word budget.
Argument outline: Choose a research topic and build a defensible paper
Argument outline guidance for choosing a debatable, researchable topic, shaping a qualified thesis, and organizing reasons, evidence, counterarguments, rebuttals, and a conclusion.
How to use et al. in a research paper, quote song lyrics, and cite Amy Tan’s Mother Tongue
Learn how to use et al. in a research paper, quote song lyrics in an essay, and cite Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” in MLA, APA, or Chicago, with sentence, note, and reference examples.
College Essay Prompts: Plan, Draft, and Edit a Focused Response
Use college essay prompts to match questions with life evidence. College supplemental essays explain a school’s fit with your goals. Learn to edit an essay for fit, structure, voice, and correctness.