Five pages may seem like a lot if you are still in high school, but it’s quite a modest length for college. Most of your college papers are anywhere between 5 and 7 pages, with end-of-module pieces being about 10-pages long. Yes, this is quite a change from the standard 5-paragraph stuff, but don’t worry. It’s only a matter of practice. This post will answer two of the most pressing questions: how to write a 5-page paper and how long should it take you.
How Long Does It Take To Write a 5-Page Paper
Before you start panicking and asking why you deserve any of this, let’s find out how long a page is. If we are talking about a double-spaced page, each one has 250 words on average. Whereas a single-spaced page contains around 500 words.
Therefore, to calculate how long to write a 5-page paper will take you, you should first look into your assignment sheet and determine which parameter you have there. If it’s a double-spaced paper, meaning it should contain around 1250 words, you can write it twice as fast as it would take you to write a single-spaced one with 2500 words in it.
How many hours would that be? It depends heavily on your familiarity with the topic. Suppose you have already spent some time thinking about your subject and reading about it. In that case, you can easily write even a single-spaced five pages in one day. Alternatively, one night if it’s a last-minute fix or you are a night owl who thrives by the moonlight.
However, what if the topic is new to you? How fast can you write a 5-page paper then? Well, again, it depends on the complexity of your subject, availability of information, and the length of sources you must process. Even under the most favorable conditions, you should add at least a day more to do the searching and reading. If you have two days or more before the hand-in deadline, you will breathe through it.
However, something tells me that if someone starts asking, “How long does it take to write a 5-page paper?” it’s probably a case of the eleventh hour. Don’t worry. Even if you only have minimal resources, you will still be able to create a passable paper in about 13 hours. If you are ready for a writing marathon, you will plow through.
Alternatively, you can ask for some writing help online. We can do the research for you or undertake the entire project. Our writers are proficient in their academic fields. They can write a paper at the speed of one page per hour – research and editing included. Want your nightmare to have a happy end in 5 hours? Place an order and go have some sleep – when you wake up, your paper will be waiting for you!
Steps to Writing a 5-Page Paper Efficiently
Suppose you are going to write that paper all by yourself. In that case, you will need to make a schedule and stick to it. First, plan the main three stages of your work:
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Pre-writing
This stage includes brainstorming your topic, coming up with a working thesis, research, and outlining your paper. It can take up to 8 hours. Again, research and brainstorming should take considerably less time if the matter is somewhat familiar to you.
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Writing
With all the materials and citations already at hand, you can write the rough draft in 3 hours, maybe a bit more.
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Proofreading
About 2 hours should be left to proofread, edit, and touch up your paper before you hand it in. This is a crucial stage, and you should not skip it, except for the extremely dire lack of time.
Tips to Write Against Time
Here are some tips to help you use your time efficiently and write a decent paper faster.
1. Take notes.
When you are doing the initial research, make sure you make notes. Write down the essential bits of information and quotes you want to use in your paper. If it is possible, copy them straight into your draft. Write your own thoughts and questions that occur to you. Color-code the quotes and your own comments, so you won’t confuse them later.
This will allow you to create a backbone for your paper on the go. While working on the draft, you will rearrange those pieces of information and tie them up into a cohesive argument.
2. Use literature reviews.
If the sources you must process are lengthy, try to access summaries or literature reviews that digest the main arguments of the articles you need. This will shorten the research time significantly.
3. Cite your sources right away.
Make sure to put all the citation info next to the things you copy from your sources. It will save you time later when you will need to put your references page straight. This might slow you down somewhat, but this precaution will prevent you from doing the same job twice.
4. Don’t try to hit the word limit in your first draft.
If you see that you have already said everything you had to, but you haven’t reached 5 pages in volume, stop and go to the proofreading stage. The thing with drafts is they tend to grow as you edit them, clarify your thoughts, and add examples. For your initial draft, about four or even three and a half pages should suffice.
5. Take a short break to refresh your mind.
This is not a waste of time. This is a prerequisite for maintaining your productivity and a key to finishing your paper on time. If you feel like you start to blank out and stall, leave the desk for 10 minutes. Make a tea, exercise, take a turn about the room. Let your mind wander – this is when the most surprising ideas present themselves as if out of nowhere.
That’s it. You should be able to finish your paper on time if you apply yourself. However, in the future, try to avoid last-minute rushes. Plan your work, mark deadlines in the calendar, and don’t neglect to ask for help if you feel that the workload is getting out of hand.
Instead of procrastinating over your least favorite tasks, why not outsource them? This way, you will make sure that the work is done professionally and keep your peace of mind and time.
