For those using IEW ... I have a paragraph/paper length question!

[Melissa in New York]

My oldest has started college and has been assigned some essays. One coming up is a 5-page essay. How does he calculate the number of paragraphs to number of pages? I know that Andrew Pudewa had some type of "formula" to follow but for the life of me, I can't remember what it was.

 

Is it, roughly, 3 (100 word) paragraphs per page times (X) number of pages? Thus, my ds would need 15 paragraphs? Or in other words, a super essay?

 

It's been awhile since I have watched those DVDs. If anyone remembers where Mr. Pudewa talks about it on the SWi or SICC Level C, please let me know!!

 

Thanks!

 

~Melissa

[Photo Ninja]

I don't remember Andrew Pudewa's formula, but my dc tend to know how many words they usually use per paragraph and how many paragraphs they usually have on one page. They work from that starting point.

 

Something that does make a difference is the instructor's directions on the finished paper. Is it to be double spaced or 1.5 spaced or single spaced? That can make a huge difference in the number of words or paragraphs in a 5 page paper. Be sure your ds takes that into consideration. My dc usually handed in papers that were single spaced or 1.5 spaced. Their college instructors usually ask for double spaced typing, so their papers actually end up with less content than their high school papers when there is a specified number of pages.

 

I would have your ds look at his past essays and count his words per paragraph and paragraphs per page and come up with an approximate number of paragraphs from that. Students write differently. I have one ds who tends to have twice the number of words per paragraph as my other ds, but both can write well.