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How to Add Length to a Research Paper: Tips and Tricks

When writing research papers most students struggle with two things the most: making their papers shorter and making them longer. We will focus on the latter, because if your paper isn’t long enough you will not have enough content to make good edits, or even make anything shorter. When you’re starting out, the struggle is often with adding length.Then as you mature as a student the more difficult challenge becomes removing content from papers and editing for clarity. Don’t get discouraged if you are facing the need to add length, it takes a long time to get to the point of automatically writing too much. Dave talks in his vlog below about his own experiences adding length to research papers when when he was first started out:

This post was written by Stephanie A. Bosco-Ruggiero (PhD candidate in Social Work at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service) and Jessica Russell ( freelance writer) on behalf of Dave Maslach for the R3ciprocity project (Check out the YouTube Channel or the writing feedback software ). R3ciprocity helps students, faculty, and research folk by providing a real and authentic look into doing research. It provides solutions and hope to researchers around the world.

There are many different ways of writing a research paper and your professor will have his/her own rubric for what must be included and how the paper will be graded. Graduate level research papers may tend to be more like lengthy literature reviews where you review and synthesize what is already known about your topic. At the doctoral level (or graduate level), you may be proposing an actual research study. Still other papers have their own requirements and rubrics. ( If you like this post, you might want to read this one on how professors grade papers. )

There are many places where you can add content to different types of papers. It is actually more difficult to make a research paper shorter, but there are simple tricks to make your research paper longer. This post discusses some tips and tricks for adding length to doctoral level research papers, in particular, but it also will help you find ways to add length to other types of papers as well, including at the graduate level.  

Choosing a good topic may be a process, not the first step

It is important that you’ve chosen a good research topic. By making sure to do many of the following things we describe when writing, you’ll find out if you have chosen well. Sometimes taking these steps will cause you to change your path, and sometimes (hopefully more often) it will truly help you not only add length to your paper, but get into the really important aspects of what you want and need to say. 

What should I write in the introduction ?

Most research papers begin with an introduction, but this section should only be two to four paragraphs. You really don’t want to go on and on in the beginning of the paper because it really is for summarizing your topic, what the aim of your study is, and perhaps why it is important to look at this issue or research question. You can say more in the background and/or literature review about the context, state of the art in practice, or what knowledge there is to date on this topic. Here are some tips for writing more about the context of your study in one of the earlier sections of your paper (e.g. background, aims and scope literature review, etc.)

What is the context of your research?

Write about the who, what, when, where, how, and why of your problem, issue, or phenomenon. Write 2-3 sentences for each W or the how. Who does it affect, who can affect the outcomes, who needs to be involved? What is the objective or the strategy of your paper? What has happened before, what is happening now, and what could be happening in the future? Where is this problem or issue occurring, and where are its effects happening most? Where is this topic needed and who needs to be discussing it? And why is that? Why is it happening, why should we care, and why has this topic not been at the forefront? These are just some of the questions you can ask yourself to flesh out the context  of your research questions and research paper. 

Why is your research or topic important ?

Write about why this issue or problem is important and what the potential implications are of your study. After writing a few sentences about who, what, where, and why, you will start to see where you can expand upon what you’ve already started to discuss about context. Why is this study or research topic important, who does it affect, where are the implications most evident, and what needs to happen in order to affect change? Then switch those questions around to consider more views on the topic. Dig deep into every avenue of thought and hypothesis on this topic. This alone will give you something to write about.  (Here is a great blog post on choosing research topics that you should read) .

What are your research questions and hypotheses?

This the place where brevity is best. You do not want to provide detail to back up your hypotheses in this section. Your hypotheses emerge from your review of the literature and your knowledge of the field. Your research questions are expanded on in your background and literature review. You have taken a journey toward developing specific research questions and hypotheses if you are proposing a study. Your research questions and hypotheses may be refined several times, but that is ok. Just make sure they are clear and to the point. 

What is your literature review telling you about what is known and what you might find (if you are doing a study)?

The background and literature sections of your paper are great places for discussing the context of the study or phenomenon and for expanding on what is known in the field about this topic, and /or what the different hypotheses or trains of thought are about how it works or why it is relevant. Your literature review should not be a simple list (like an annotated bibliography) of studies that have preceded yours and what the findings were. Rather it should synthesize similar findings, discuss emerging themes, and show how knowledge to date about the subject suggests your hypothesis might be true. If you need help with literature reviews, you might want to read this blog post:

What Is A Literature Review (In A PhD Or Graduate School)? A How to Guide

You might also want to discuss similar theories about the phenomenon, as well as what is not yet known and needs to be studied. There is a lot to write about when looking at the literature and history of your topic, but be careful not to list every study or paper known to man about the topic. Look back about ten years and highlight the most important studies or information. As you mature as a student, this is the section where you tend to write too much and can edit down.

Write a detailed description of 1-2 pages about how things are thought to work. Focus on what is known. When we work from what we know, we can see the gaps that need to be addressed. Do more research if you are struggling on the history and current events relevant to your topic. Search different sources to learn up to the date details on current happenings in your field of study. As you are covering this, more questions and thoughts about the topic will pop into your head. Make sure to take notes and jot down ideas, even if they are small. You never know which thought will lead to a few pages of content. Make sure you establish why your research question and study are necessary and important.

Which theories provide the foundation for your research questions, hypotheses or study?

Your paper may require you to propose or critique a theory. Write where, what, and why the theory is important. Aim for writing 2-3 sentences for each W. Your theory, or someone else’s theory, is the basis of why you’re studying this topic. Start off with a few sentences and then expand upon each sentence. As you are writing, you will develop ideas you may not have thought about initially. It is important to really get into the meat of your theory. Your paper is meant to prove your theory, or it will disprove it as you’re working and cause you to take new avenues and thought patterns to figure out what needs to change. 

Note why you have not chosen a different theory to focus on. It helps to talk about why your theory is important. Why are you writing this, why do you believe in it and why others should read your paper. What is it about this theory that made it something you chose to write about, chose to study and research? And why should others take notice and consider everything you’re saying? Why should it lead to others choosing this to research and study? What led you down this path, what were some of the topics that you didn’t choose, but steered your research towards this theory? 

Where can you go deeper with your analysis ?

Look for multiple levels of analysis. What happens when you zoom in and zoom out of what you are looking at? A great example Dave talks about is looking at your hand. It’s a hand, you know it has bones and muscles and tendons, so he says, “ I can look at my hand and I can see it as a hand but I can think about it in terms of the molecular structure that’s behind it. I can think of it in terms of cells that are behind it. You know, I can think of it in terms of the different wrinkles and wrinkle patterns; I have lots of fingerprint patterns. ” The multiple levels of analysis he is describing will give you a rich, multifaceted, understanding and written description of your topic. Writing a paragraph or two about each level of analysis of your topic and/or a theory will really tease out the details and add length and clarity to your paper. 

Where can you define for clarity and understanding ?

Write definitions for each of the ideas you introduce in your paper. Each definition will add one paragraph to the paper. Not everyone who reads your paper is an expert on your theory or topic. It is often helpful to add definitions both to aid understanding and for adding length. Just make sure not to add superfluous definitions to add length where no additional understanding is really needed. Ask yourself if you weren’t in this field, talking about this topic regularly, what would you need to understand better in order to understand the whole? Define those topics and ideas, expand upon those topics and ideas with the intention of making them more clear to the reader and as a basis for topical understanding. 

Have you described your research methods thoroughly ?

Why is the method that you are using important and the best method for addressing your research question? How is it different from other methods? What are the key assumptions in your research method? Why can’t you use another method? It’s important to keep notes about your methods. These notes will help you describe your methods, conduct your research and discuss the importance of your methods. You can talk about how other methods vary as well as how other methods failed to yield satisfying answers. Explain how different methods led you to your current method and why the changes were necessary. Spend time discussing how you came to where you are now in your research and what brought you to this place. Taking time to expand on these thoughts in your paper to add length and detail, and to document the evolution in your thinking about how to approach this study. 

What do you think? Write it down 

Not everything has to be cited. If you have a clever idea that is novel, about 75% of your paper will have citations but 25% of your paper will be original . Record your sources and make good citations. But make sure to expand upon your thought patterns on the topic. Yes, you have chosen a research topic and are required to write about it, but you are here for a reason. You have chosen your topic, perhaps created a theory or hypothesis, and are at the point of writing about all you’ve learned. Don’t just talk about what others say, think, and have done. Talk about all the ideas you’ve thought about (take notes!) along the way. 

Research sparks ideas and creativity. This provides avenues for new thoughts and theories. Research sparks more research. Learning and discovering new ways to do things, change things, save lives, increase productivity, provide meaning, and spark more in the minds and lives of others are half of the reasons you do what you do. Talk about what you think about everything you’ve learned and where you think there are more avenues for further study. 

Dave says that you know your own ideas. He says it’s important to look for ways that you can add things that are uniquely your own insights because not everything has to be cited in a research paper. The general rule is you want 60-80% of your content to be based on others’ ideas and work. The remaining 20-40% is your own thinking, theorizing, and synthesizing. You can go on a tangent sometimes about different things, and talk about those different things that you find interesting. It will add to the particular context so if you do that you’re going to have a much more original paper and it’s going to seem a little more clever because nobody else is talking about these ideas. 

Discussion: Have you described several mechanisms that might explain what you are looking at ?

There might be several reasons for the change you have observed or are trying to explain. You are seeing change or certain information in your work. Take time to describe those mechanisms, but also look at different mechanisms that might help you and others understand what you are seeing. Looking at it from different viewpoints or through another lens will give you a better understanding of the who, what, where and why of your topic. Considering other mechanisms can help you as you do the research because then you are really thinking about what is happening and why. And, what you may not have considered before or dismissed off hand will become important, not only to your theory, but to your research in general. 

There are many places where you can add length to a paper. At the doctoral level especially, great detail is expected. Just do not write your paper as if you are trying to think of things to say or write about. It will be obvious. You have enough to talk about, even if you don’t realize it at first, to have a paper with sufficient depth and breadth.

If you enjoyed this post, check out these other posts at  http://r3ciprocity.com

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How to Make a College Paper Longer

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Need to make a paper longer but out of ideas? Forget fudging the margins and font or even the legendary "period trick." These 6 tips will make your paper longer—and better!

Avoid the Old, Obvious Tricks

First and foremost, know that your professor most likely knows about all of the "easy" tricks and can spot 'em! Changing the font, changing the margins, doing the "period trick," and tons of other sneaky ways to make your paper longer have all been done before and then some. Since you need to make your paper longer , not worse , skip the easy stuff and focus on the content.

Cite a Few Sources

Add additional quotations to support your examples. If your paper is good, you'll have examples to support your thesis . To make your paper even better (and longer), make sure you have at least one quotation from the text—if not more—to support your examples. (And be careful about citing your quotations accurately, too.)

Add Some Examples to Your Paper

Add an additional example to each paragraph/argument/idea. If you can't add more quotations , add more examples to support your position. Think about more ways to make your point by showing —not just telling—the reader.

Check Your Paragraph Format

Make sure each paragraph has a topic sentence , supporting evidence , and a concluding/transition sentence. Of course, each paragraph should have more than just these three sentences, but you might be surprised at how easily each can be left off—and how much longer your paper can become if you go back through and insert missing items where needed.

See If You Can Prove Yourself Wrong

Think about the arguments against your thesis—and then make sure you've addressed those points. Sure, you may have good arguments for your position. But what would someone holding the opposite position say? And what would you say in response? Making sure those responses are already included in your paper is a great way to make sure you've covered all the bases... and a great way to add some length if your paper is a little shorter than you'd like.

Make Sure Your Paper Structure Is Solid

Confirm and reconfirm that you have a strong introduction , thesis statement , and conclusion . ​Although you may be focused on the body of your paper and the evidence supporting your position, having a strong intro, thesis, and conclusion are important, too. Making sure your paper starts with a bang (good intro), has a solid foundation to stand on (strong thesis), and leaves the reader convinced (stellar conclusion) is a great way to make sure your paper is all-around better—and longer!

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• A Research Guide
• Research Paper Guide

How to Make a Research Paper Longer?

Leverage quotations.

• Transitional Words and Phrases

Revisit the Introduction and Conclusion

• Grasp the Prompt

Anticipate Counterarguments

Include examples, seek online assistance, read aloud for clarity, 8 ways to make a paper longer, use transitional words and phrases.

• Utilize “to be” Verbs: Incorporate verbs that start with “to be.” Transform simplistic phrases like “I eat fast” into more descriptive ones like “I am a fast eater.”
• Add Depth: Avoid brevity. Instead of stating, “We had a good time at the fair,” opt for a more detailed account like “This weekend, my friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our time there. Riding the Ferris wheel and savoring funnel cakes created wonderful memories.”

Meticulously Grasp the Prompt

• Have you addressed all the questions posed in the prompt?
• Have you backed up your claims with solid supporting evidence?
• Are any crucial details missing that could enhance your argument’s clarity?
• Have you met all the requirements outlined in the prompt besides the length?
• Have you deleted extra spacing and used the correct margin and font?

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How to Make an Essay Appear Longer Than It Is

Last Updated: February 2, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,774,382 times.

You are writing a paper and the deadline is approaching, but you are nowhere near the page limit. Many students find themselves in this position. Luckily for you, you can lengthen your paper by using a few tricks. Increasing the font size, adding a lengthy header, and manipulating the spacing between lines are just a few strategies you can use to make your essay appear longer. However, be aware that breaking your teacher’s guidelines may result in a lower grade.

Playing with the Font

• Don’t pick a very large font like Arial Black or Lucida Handwriting. Your teacher will notice that you are trying to make your essay longer by choosing a larger font.

Manipulating Spacing and Margins

• If the increase is too noticeable, then try 1.15 or 1.1 instead.
• Because all documents are left justified, avoid increasing the left margin. Adjusting the left margin will produce a noticeable change that your teacher will detect.

Adjusting the Header and Footer

Expanding the Content

• Additionally, if you are quoting or paraphrasing research or literature, make sure to cite it properly. Citations can add extra length to a paper as well.

• Expand your introductory paragraph with an attention-getting statement to hook the reader in.

• However, try to avoid being descriptive when it is unnecessary since this may cause your paper to appear embellished or sound verbose.

Community Q&A

• Copy and paste your paper into a new document. Make these changes to the new document. Then compare and contrast the document with the changes to the original document. Remove any adjustments that seem obvious. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Use a thesaurus to find longer synonyms to use in place of shorter ones. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Spell out abbreviations; for example, write out “United States" instead of using "US." Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Be aware that breaking your teacher’s guidelines may be considered cheating, which may result in a lower grade or even a zero. Thanks Helpful 11 Not Helpful 1
• Don't be redundant. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.paperhelp.org/blog/how-to-make-a-paper-longer.html
• ↑ https://www.jakebinstein.com/blog/how-to-make-an-essay-look-longer/
• ↑ https://studentshare.org/study-guides/how-to-make-your-essay-look-longer
• ↑ http://www.seventeen.com/life/school/advice/a27491/tricks-you-try-to-make-your-school-paper-longer/
• ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-make-paper-longer-793288

About This Article

To make an essay appear longer than it is, pick a font that's slightly larger than Times New Roman, like Arial, Courier New, or Cambria. If you're required to use 12-point font, try increase the font to 12.1 or 12.2 to gain some extra length without the font looking noticeably larger. Then, press on Control and the F key at the same time to activate the find and replace function, and replace all of the commas and periods with 14-point font. If the essay still isn't long enough, increase the line spacing by 0.1 or 0.2 and make the right margin 0.1-0.2 inches larger. For tips on adjusting the header and footer or adding more content to your essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to make a paper longer: ideas that will help any student.

Maybe you want to know how to make a paper longer because you’ve been researching and writing the essay without reaching the word or page count your teacher needs. Maybe you’re getting desperate because it looks like you might not achieve this goal. That’s because you’ve tried to be fluffy with descriptions, paying with words, and rewriting your sentences, but nothing seems to work. Luckily, you’ve come across this article where you will learn tips for making a paper longer.

The length of academic papers varies depending on the subject and educational level. Some courses have specific requirements, and departmental guidelines can also affect the size of academic writing. Nevertheless, most teachers and professors provide guidelines for the number of pages or words to write.

In most cases, the length of an academic paper is a range instead of an exact figure. For instance, your educator can ask you to write between 2500 and 3000 words or 10 and 12 pages. The length of most high school papers ranges between 200 and 1000 words. College admission essays range between 200 and 650 words, while undergraduate essays range from 1500 to 5000 terms. Graduate school admission essays can range between 500 and 1000 words, while graduate school essays’ word count range from 2500 to 6000.

Many students want to learn tricks to make a paper longer because they struggle to meet the word count that their colleges, teachers, or departments specify. And this is mainly the case when a learner is juggling multiple assignments and exams. Nevertheless, increasing a paper’s length shouldn’t be an agonizing process. All you need are tips for adding depth and clarity to your writing.

How to Make Your Paper Longer by Expanding Some Sections

You can make your paper longer by expanding some sections.

For instance, you can go back to the conclusion and the introduction sections to see if you have included all relevant details.

In most cases, ideas can hit your mind when writing the paper. If you started this task by writing an introduction, you could revisit this section to see if you might want to add anything.

Maybe you decided to leave out some information, yet it can help the readers comprehend your argument. In that case, include this data to see if it will extend the length of your paper. Also, check the conclusion to ensure it summarizes all the main points of your essay. Additionally, make sure that your concluding section provides a solution that readers can consider. Don’t hesitate to revise these sections if you feel like you can add something after reading the conclusion and the introduction.

Use Your Rubric or Prompt to Make a Paper Longer

Perhaps, your supervisor or educator provided a comprehensive rubric or prompt for the paper. In that case, read it a second or a third time to determine whether you’ve included everything the assignment requires.

Consider the following after reading your rubric or prompt:

• Does the paper answer every question in the essay rubric or prompt?
• Does my essay provide adequate supporting evidence backing up every claim in it?
• Does the paper meet all requirements, apart from the length?
• Does my writing leave out vital information that can boost the reader’s comprehension of my argument?

If you don’t answer any of these questions with a decisive “yes,” revise the paper to ensure that it provides the best response to your essay prompt.

How to Increase Paper Length Using the Format

The format or outline of a paper is more than a guide for writing an academic essay. When looking for the sections that you can take longer, consider reviewing the structure of your writing.

Looking at your paper outline can help you identify vital points that you might have overlooked. You can also notice issues that you have not developed sufficiently and adequately. Thus, you can identify concepts that you want to go back and clarify further.

Also, you can find paragraphs that deserve breaking down and introducing new ideas. When you break down each section, you can explain their primary points and provide supporting evidence. And such acts will increase your paper’s word count.

If your paper has longer paragraphs, you can break them down to boost the world count. And this can help you if the page count is the primary issue. Breaking up sections in your paper is easy, and it makes it more readable.

Essential Tips on How to Make an Essay Longer

Maybe you’ve exhausted every detail of your topic, but the page count doesn’t correspond to your professor’s criteria. In that case, try these tricks to extend your paper’s length.

• Change the font size: If the educator didn’t specify the font size for your paper, consider using a larger one. Also, use fonts like Cambria, Bangla Sangam MN, and Courier New that make a document seem longer. However, avoid exaggerating by using fonts like Arial Black or Lucida Handwriting. That’s because the professor will notice that you’re trying to give your paper a long appearance by using a larger font. Also, you can adjust your font size from 11pt to 11.5pt.
• Use periods and commas: One of the best ways to make your paper longer without the educator noticing is by enlarging periods and commas. To do this, press control +F on your keyboard. This command will prompt the computer to display the “Find” and “Replace” that you can use to select 11pt periods and commas and then change them to 12pt.
• Change spacing: You can also make your paper look longer by changing the spacing between sentences. If the educator requires you to double or single-space the document, open “Format” and then “Paragraph.” This command will prompt the computer to display the line “Spacing” option. Using this option, select “Multiple” and then enter 1.1 or 2.1 inside the box.
• Scale down the margin: You can also scale down the paper margin on the right side. To ensure the educator won’t notice, adjust by a quarter. For instance, if the educator requires your paper to have a 1.5cm margin, scale it down to 0.9cm. To do this, click “Format” followed by “Document.” Once the box appears near the right side of the paper, enter 0.9. That way, you can extend the paper length without noticeable changes. However, don’t reduce the margin on the left side of the paper. That’s because educators use the left margin to justify documents. Thus, altering the left margin can give your essay a visible change.
• Expand the bottom margin: You can also make your essay appear longer by increasing the bottom margin. Find a box next to the “Bottom” in the document and enter 1.25. If this is too visible, reduce it to 1.15. That way, your paper can look longer, and the educator won’t notice the large bottom margin.
• Expand words spacing: Expanding the space between words is also another practical tip on how to make a paper seem longer. Open “Font” followed by “Advanced” to do this. Once the “Expanded” box appears, enter 1.6 adjacent to the “By” button.
• Increase the header: You can increase the page count of your paper by expanding the paper header. To do this, include the title, name, course number, date, lecturer’s name, email, and student ID. Ideally, you can increase the length of your paper by including more information in the header. You can also double-space sentences in this section to give your essay a long look.
• Center the title: Your paper title should appear below the header. To make your paper seem longer, place it at the center and expand its font size. Also, use double space between the header and the title. The same should apply to the first paragraph and heading.
• Add a footer page: The footer page includes numbers that make the paper appear longer.

These are practical tips on how to increase page count for an academic paper. However, read your educator’s instructions carefully to ensure that you do everything without going against them.

How to Make Your Essay Longer with Your Writing Style

If working with periods, commas, and spacing doesn’t help, check your writing style. Ideally, you can use words to make your essay longer.

Here are tips on how to extend paper length with words:

• When using a number with a value below ten, spell it out. For example, you can spell two instead of using the numeral. That way, you can make the paper longer while keeping it professional because formal writing requires authors to spell out numerals.
• When writing something formal like a research paper, academic guidelines require you to avoid shortening words. Therefore, you can extend the length of your essay by writing words. For instance, you can write “will not” instead of “won’t” and “do not” rather than “don’t.”
• Include a short conclusion for every paragraph. Perhaps, this is the most effective tip on how to make essays longer because it enables you to add your paper’s word count. Ideally, you can summarize the main point in a paragraph and then give an opinion.
• You can also extend your paper’s length by using more descriptions in a capstone paper. When you provide new information, give definitions, explanations, specific numbers, people’s names, and dates.
• Use names to replace names. For instance, you can use Donald Trump and Barack Obama instead of replacing them with “they.” Nevertheless, be careful to avoid exaggerating with this tip.
• Using more transitional phrases can also make your essay seem longer. What’s more, transitional words enable you to move from one idea to another naturally. And this increases the paper length while making your thoughts easy for the readers to follow. Therefore, read the paper to see whether you can add transitional phrases to make your thoughts and sentences flow better. Most graders look for transitional phrases and words when marking academic papers. Therefore, use them to make your sentences clearer and link everything together.
• You can also make your paper look longer by adding more examples. For instance, you can add an example to every argument, idea, or paragraph. Also, you can use quotations to elaborate ideas or support a position. Ideally, you can think about ways to make every point by demonstrating instead of telling your readers.

Get Professional Help to Make Your Paper Seem Longer

Maybe you’ve tried to write a high-quality and captivating paper, but your attempt to make it longer seems to ruin its quality. The submission deadline for your essay might also be fast-approaching, yet you have other things to do as you work on your writing assignments. Such situations can make you feel desperate, thinking you can’t get rapid assistance with your paper.

However, you can use a paper writing service to submit a quality paper with the help of professionals. Our crew offers the best writing service online to make completing any paper assignment easy. If stuck with your project, contact us and say something like, “make my paper longer.” We guarantee you a reliable, professional, and affordable service when handling your write my paper request!

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How to Make a Paper Longer: Strategies to Increase Word Count

Table of Contents

Are you struggling to meet the required word count for your paper? You’re not alone. Many students and writers find themselves in the same situation. Whether it’s a high school essay or a research paper, meeting the word count can be a daunting task. But do not fret! There are several strategies you can use to increase the length of your paper without compromising on quality.

Expand on Ideas

One of the easiest ways to increase your word count is to expand on existing ideas. Take a closer look at your thesis statement and the main arguments in your paper. Are there any concepts that you could elaborate on? You could add more details, examples, and explanations to provide more depth to your ideas.

Another way to expand on your ideas is to consider the counterarguments. Acknowledge the opposing viewpoints and explain why you disagree with them. This can help you to add more content to your paper and make it more persuasive.

Expanding the scope of your argument is another way to increase your word count. Consider if there are any related topics that you could bring up in your paper. For example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could also discuss the impact of climate change on wildlife or the economy.

Adding supporting examples is another effective strategy for expanding your paper. Use relevant statistics, anecdotes, and case studies to support your arguments. This will not only increase your word count but also make your paper more convincing.

By expanding on your ideas, you can increase the length of your paper without sacrificing its quality. It’s important to remember, however, that every sentence should contribute to the overall argument and flow of the paper.

Use Transitional Phrases and Words

Transitional phrases and words are essential for creating a cohesive and well-structured paper. They help to connect ideas and improve the flow of your writing. Using transitional phrases can also help to increase your word count.

Examples of transitional phrases include “in addition,” “furthermore,” and “moreover.” These phrases can be used to introduce new ideas and arguments. Using phrases like “on the other hand,” “in contrast,” and “however” can help you to transition between contrasting ideas.

Using transitional phrases and words can also help to make your paper more professional and polished. It shows that you have put thought into the structure of your paper and that you have a strong grasp of the subject matter.

Transitional phrases can be used to introduce new ideas, provide examples, or contrast different points. For instance, “in addition,” “furthermore,” and “moreover” are commonly used transitional phrases to introduce new ideas. Using phrases like “on the other hand,” “in contrast,” and “however” can help you to transition between contrasting ideas.

Besides, transitional words can also be used to show the result of something, such as “therefore,” “thus,” and “consequently.” These words can help to connect your ideas and make your paper more coherent.

Use Quotations and Citations

Using quotations can be an effective way to increase the length of your paper while adding credibility to your arguments. You can use quotes from experts, scholars, or other authoritative sources to support your claims. However, it’s essential to use quotations thoughtfully and appropriately.

When using quotes, make sure they are relevant to your argument and that they add value to your paper. Also, be sure to accurately cite your sources to avoid plagiarism. Use quotation marks to indicate the exact words of the original author and include a citation at the end of the quote.

To properly cite your sources, use the appropriate citation style for your paper, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago. Each citation style has its own guidelines, so be sure to follow them carefully. It’s also a good idea to check with your instructor to ensure that you are using the correct citation style for your paper.

In conclusion, using quotations and citations can be an effective way to increase the length of your paper while adding credibility to your arguments. By using quotes carefully and citing your sources accurately, you can enhance the quality of your paper and make it more persuasive.

Adjusting Formatting

Another way to increase the length of your paper is to adjust its formatting. While it’s crucial to follow the formatting guidelines provided by your instructor or publisher, there are a few ways to tweak the formatting that can help increase the word count.

Increasing the font size and spacing can be an effective way to increase your paper’s length. However, it’s important to ensure that you don’t go overboard with this strategy. Make sure that the font size and spacing are still readable and professional-looking. A noticeable increase in font size or spacing may also give away your attempt to increase the word count.

Adjusting margins is another strategy that can be used to increase the word count. However, it’s essential to check the guidelines provided by your instructor or publisher before doing so. Some guidelines may require specific margin sizes, and you don’t want to risk losing points for not adhering to the guidelines.

In conclusion, meeting the required word count for your paper can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. By using the strategies discussed in this article, you can increase the length of your paper without sacrificing its quality.

Expanding on your ideas, using transitional phrases and words, and adding supporting examples are effective ways to increase your paper’s length while making it more persuasive. Adjusting formatting, such as increasing font size and spacing or adjusting margins, can also be used to increase the word count.

Remember, the length of your paper should not be your primary focus. Quality should always be your top priority. Make sure that every sentence in your paper contributes to the overall argument and flow of the paper. By focusing on quality, you can create a paper that is both informative and engaging.

Home / Guides / Writing Guides / Writing Tips / How to Make an Essay Longer the Smart Way

How to Make an Essay Longer the Smart Way

Meeting an essay’s required page or word count can sometimes be a struggle, especially if you’re juggling multiple papers or exams. In a pinch, students often rely on tricks like increasing margin size or making their font slightly bigger. Though these tricks do increase page length, there are easier (and smarter) ways to write a longer, high-quality essay. Making a paper meet minimum word or page counts doesn’t have to be an agonizing process—you can add length while also adding clarity and depth.

Here are 10 tips on how you can write a longer and a smarter essay, even if the deadline is fast approaching:

Tip #1: Look Back at Your Prompt/Rubric/etc.

If you’ve been provided a comprehensive prompt or rubric for an essay, read it, and read it again. Think about the following:

• Did you answer all of the questions in the prompt?
• Did you provide supporting evidence to back up whatever claims you made?
• Did you leave out any information that might increase the reader’s understanding of your argument?
• Did you meet all requirements (besides length) for the paper?

If the answer isn’t a decisive “yes” to every question on this list, go back and revise.

Tip #2: Go Back Through Your Introduction and Conclusion

Often times, ideas evolve while writing a paper. If the first thing you wrote was the introduction, go back and reread the first paragraph. You might decide that you left out key information that aids the reader in understanding your argument. When looking back on the conclusion, make sure you’ve both summarized the main points within the essay and provided your reader with a solution to consider. If you don’t feel you’ve done this, go back through and revise the paper.

Tip #3: Have Someone Proofread Your Essay

Even if you’re short on time ask a friend, sibling, or parent to read through your paper, specifically noting any points they find confusing. Then, go back and revise the parts that were unclear, adding in more information to provide readers with further clarity. You have a more comprehensive understanding of what you’re writing about than your reader, so having someone else look over your paper can be a helpful way to ensure that you haven’t missed any important details.

Tip #4: Use Quotations

Chances are, you have already used quotes in your paper. Quotations are a great way to enhance your argument while also driving up a paper’s word count, but don’t add quotes just for the sake of doing so. If you’re short on words, read through your source materials again to see if you’ve missed any valuable quotes. You can also do a little more research to see if there are any other sources you can add to provide the reader with more evidence toward your argument. Longer quotes aren’t necessarily better, but if you’re really in a bind, you might want to lengthen some of the quotes that are already included.

Tip #5: Review Your Outline

Did you make an outline to plan the essay when you first started? Go back through that initial outline and make sure you’ve hit all of your intended points. It’s possible that you’ve left out an important piece of your argument that would both increase page count and make for a better essay.

Tip #6: Include More Transitional Phrases

Graders often look for traditional words linking sentences to each other, like “therefore,” “even though”, and “on the other hand.” Read through your essay and make sure the sentences flow smoothly into each other. If they don’t, go back and add in transitional phrases like the ones listed above. Your writing will be easier to read, and you’ll get closer to the minimum page requirement in the process.

Tip #7: Read Your Paper Out Loud

This might sound like a silly tip, but when you read your paper out loud, you become increasingly aware of any grammatical or syntactical issues. When you rephrase sentences to fix these, you might end up increasing the paper length a bit. In the process of reading out loud, you also might realize that you didn’t include sufficient details within a particular paragraph. If that’s the case, go back in and add more to increase length.

Tip #8: Take a Break From Your Essay

You’ve probably been staring at your computer screen for hours, hoping words will magically pop into your head. Take a break. Eat a snack, go for a walk, or talk to a friend on the phone. You’ll come back to the essay with a fresh perspective after some time away, and you might have new ideas after you’ve had time away from your paper.

Tip #9: Ask Your Instructor for Help

Most teachers, teaching assistants, and professors are willing to look over papers for students before the final submission date. If there is still time, ask if you can make an appointment to go over your paper or head over to office hours. Your instructor might offer tips on how to better answer the prompt, and this in turn may also increase the word count of the paper.

Tip #10: Use multiple examples to back up your argument

If you’ve only used one source or anecdote to explain a given point, find a second source to provide additional evidence for the reader. This method will help drive up a paper’s word count while also providing further support for your argument.

Although hitting a minimum page count can sometimes be challenging, you can do it the smart way by increasing the information you provide to the reader—there’s no reason to resort to tricks like increasing line spacing or font size. If you’re really in a bind at the last minute, you might want to break up some of your paragraphs. This increases length while also making text more manageable for a reader. But after going through the tips on this list, your paper should be adequate in length without you having to even consider spacing.

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How to make your research paper longer: an ultimate guide

Sometimes, while writing an assignment, people meet a major obstacle: their text is too short. We know this debilitating feeling quite well. You’ve added a lot of content and… that’s simply not enough. A logical question arises: what should I do to make my essay longer? Well, if you question this aspect, your search is over: we are here to give you some advice on this topic. Here we go!

Advice 1. Add a methodology section

All good research papers have some form of the methodology behind them. Certain instructors directly demand the content of this type since it is a sign of good academic writing. Still, in many cases, we’ve seen research papers without a clearly established research approach. This content alone can take at least half a page. What exactly can you write in? Above all, a good idea is to talk about the research methods you have. 

• Do you search for literature? In this case, openly state that your method includes the analysis of preceding information and its review. 
• Have some surveys or interviews? That’s great. Try writing about qualitative and quantitative methods in research. In fact, this content is so potent that performing some small survey can be a great idea even for papers that do not necessarily require it. You will be able to fill at least one or two pages in this way.

Apart from the research methods, you can also describe the procedures. For example, regarding article reviews, a good idea is to thoroughly analyze your approach to searching and studying the materials. You can write about various keywords (for instance, “race”) and the time frame for the research paper analysis. Generally, the approach is very strong because many instructors would love to see it. Good delineation of the methodology is a sign of being an expert. Thus, if you want to get the best marks, the presented framework is perfect. 

Advice 2. Add more literature

You can never go wrong with more research in a research paper. Every professional would confirm that the more sources you have, the better. Need to add a page or two? Just get more studies into your literature review section. If you don’t have one, the situation is even better: adding some overview of preceding writing on the topic can assist students significantly. For example, you can try to add a paragraph centered around some novel study. Some conflicting information that goes against the things a writer argued for is also perfect. Most instructors will praise you for making the research more profound. As we’ve said before, one simply cannot go wrong with this method: it works in the absolute majority of cases. Just make sure that you don’t plagiarize and write something original. 

Advice 3. Ask for help online

Are you completely out of ideas regarding your paper? Don’t despair. You can try to buy some cheap samples from companies that provide custom English essays. These personalized materials from expert writers are perfect for people who want a good model for completing their essays. Many of the top firms work with writers from the USA, who can deliver some outstanding content. Thus, getting outside help can be a genuinely great idea. You will get assistance from people with many years of experience. Besides, an average company in the field also does much to provide some sample academic papers for free. Interested? Want some recommendations? A perfect website to consider is CustomWritings, whose experts offer professional writing services to students from all across the globe and can easily process your “ write a research paper for me ” request.

Advice 4. Add many headings

If you do not want to use some outside services and have many instruction-centric limitations regarding literature reviews and methodology, think about headings. A quality research paper must present some proper order in its logic. Organized writing is a sign of strong students. Thus, you can try adding some headings and subtitles to a larger number of sections in your paper. In this way, a paper written well can become at least a page longer. Headings typically take a whole line without requiring much content. Their inclusion, in the end, can be a perfect choice since it will make the paper both readable and long. Still, this piece of advice is in fourth place for a reason. Some instructors don’t like the approach due to two issues:

• It increases the length of the paper without giving relevant content;
• Institutions often have very strict guidelines for various formatting requirements.

For this reason, we recommend you to use some student help service before adding changes. You can either become a customer of some online website or try out the college-centric resources.

Advice 5. Add some bullet point elements/tables/images

Another good idea to make your research paper longer is to concentrate on some frameworks that require the use of bullet points (or any form of lists) or add tables/images. The primary group of additions offers a lot of valuable content in a very space-efficient manner. Bullet points typically require rather limited content and, as a result, quickly fill up the space. For example, if you discuss Amazon’s long-term financial strategy, adding a SWOT analysis in bullet points can be a perfect idea. A crucial factor to consider also includes various forms of tables/images. If you make them from scratch and adapt to the research, these elements can represent a perfect addition. A table or image (for instance, mind map) of some kind can help the readers quickly orient in the overall nature of your argument. 

The only problem may stem from instructors, once again. Regrettably, two things occur in many cases:

• They refuse to count tables and images as part of word-centric content;
• Some actively discourage it due to college regulations.

Therefore, a good idea is to always double check what demands your college has in the current conditions. Chances are, our advice can work. If it doesn’t, use some of the recommendations mentioned first. They work in a much larger number of cases.

To summarize, the process of making your research paper longer is far from being easy. You have to add some genuine content or at least show that the structure of your argument is strong by highlighting its elements. In this light, the use of some outside help is a rational strategy. If you learn from the best people, the probability of mistakes will decrease. Still, the ultimate choice is yours. Our guide should already set you on the path towards success.

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How to make a research paper longer?

I f you are currently writing an article for your school or university, or you are busy conducting your thesis, and you have not reached a sufficient word count, this article might be a great help for you.

In this part we are trying to provide some methods for lengthening your research paper without compromising originality.

This can be a great help for those who want to make their papers longer but lack ideas or do not know how to expand the scope of their research paper efficiently.

Stay with us to learn how to make a research paper longer.

Table of Contents

Strategies For Expanding Your Research Paper Without Sacrificing Clarity

If you want to enhance the length of your research paper without compromising quality, you can find the best research paper expansion strategies in this part.

To make a research paper longer,  you can use the tips below:

1.    Make Sure That You’ve Add Sufficient Details

Your essay has the potential to shine even brighter with the addition of compelling evidence and supporting examples.

Revisit your strategy and explore how to weave in more references and real-world scenarios to strengthen each point you make. Don’t hesitate to inject relevant quotes that resonate with your argument.

If your essay falls slightly short of the word count, don’t hesitate. Go back to your arguments and expand upon them, ensuring that the additional information remains relevant and adds value.

Avoid filler content and  focus on the essential details  that drive your points home. If you’ve already laid out five solid arguments with concise explanations, take another pass and add layers of detail to make your essay truly stand out.

2.    Use More Examples

This can be one of the best ways to strengthen your research paper with proven techniques. Adding more illustrations to your essay can effectively reinforce your arguments and enhance their impact. However, it’s crucial to incorporate these examples thoughtfully.

A single example per point may not be enough to meet the word count requirements. Explore creative ways to demonstrate your ideas beyond simply stating them; this will captivate your readers.

To make your research paper longer, you can delve deeper into your research and uncover additional examples that can bolster your arguments. Utilize them thoughtfully to maintain the  flow and coherence of your writing . Well-placed examples will elevate your essay to a higher level of persuasion and clarity.

3.    Include More Citation & Quotations

Incorporating quotes from others or employing additional quotations to bolster your examples enhances the length and quality of your essay or argument.

When quotes are employed effectively, they reinforce your arguments, contributing to the overall strength of your points.

Assess the possibility of acquiring more relevant quotations to enhance the overall quality of your essay.

To enhance and expand the content of your work, consider incorporating at least one quotation and referencing from the book, if not multiple, to substantiate your instances.

This is also the other effective technique to extend the length of your research paper.

4.    Expand Your Header to Expand your Research paper.

To expand the depth and breadth of your research paper, even on the title, you can make some changes.

While some professors may provide specific instructions for header content, feel free to expand its length if allowed and use your creativity.

However, avoid including irrelevant or personal information such as social media handles. Instead, focus on enhancing the header’s professional appearance by including relevant course information and your name.

5.    Use The Historical Backdrop & Background Details

Offer a more elaborate account of the historical context related to your subject, spotlighting significant events, trends, and developments that have influenced the present scenario.

This not only enriches the depth of your paper but also showcases your understanding and connection with the topic and helps you to make a research paper longer.

6.    Expand your introduction & conclusion paragraph.

Sometimes, writing the introduction becomes clearer once you’ve completed the paper. Revisit your opening paragraph and identify any gaps in your explanation or any important information you may have omitted. Filling in these gaps will help you to make your research longer.

Consider incorporating additional information or insights into the introduction or conclusion to better set the stage for the essay’s arguments and conclusions. This will make your essay more informative and engaging for your readers.

These were the top 6 strategies for increasing the word count of your research paper. Now you know how to make your research paper longer, and you can expand it properly.

Read More: How To Identify a Predatory Journal ?

The Final Note

In this guidance, you familiarize yourself with the tips and tricks on how to make a research paper longer.

There are 6 expert tips on increasing the length of your research paper with credibility, and you can use them smoothly  without reducing  your paper’s clarity.

If you use other ways to make your research paper longer, please mention them in the comments so that everyone can use them.

How To Identify a Predatory Journal?

What happens if you publish in a predatory journal, related articles.

How To Mention Corresponding Author in Paper?

What Is Article Number in Journal?

What Is Affiliation in Research Paper?

Independent researcher affiliation

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Essay Extender for Students

Have you ever struggled to reach the specific word count while writing an essay? Our online essay extender can help you get the desired word count with just a few simple steps. All you have to do is:

• Copy and paste your essay.
• Choose how many words you need in your paper.
• Click the "Extend" button.

💎 5 Key Advantages of the Essay Extender

🙋 when to use the ai essay extender, 📜 essay extender free examples, 🖇️ essay word extender tips, 🔗 references.

Our essay word extender offers a range of benefits that can enhance your writing experience. Here are some of them:

With its user-friendly interface, our online essay extender can assist you in various ways. Check out these ideas on how you can use the tool.

1. To Increase the Word Count

One of the most common uses of our essay extender is to increase an essay's word count. You add words to the entire text or a specific part, for example, introduction, conclusion, or body paragraphs. This gives you more control over where you want to expand an essay and helps you tailor the extension to the academic requirements .

Our tool adds words without compromising the quality of their writing. Since it uses advanced AI algorithms, it extends the text while maintaining the coherence and flow of the original content.

2. To Add a New Part

AI essay extender can also help you add a new part to your essay. For example, if you have already written the introduction and body paragraphs but are struggling with the conclusion, our tool can generate it.

Similarly, if you need to add a new body paragraph to support your argument , our essay extender can generate a paragraph based on your prompt. This feature is particularly useful when you are short on time and need to complete your essay quickly.

3. To Get New Ideas

Sometimes, you only need a fresh perspective to improve your writing. Our essay extender can generate unique ideas by developing a body paragraph on any topic. This feature is helpful for those who are stuck with their writing and need some inspiration to continue. You can use this generated paragraph as a starting point and further develop it according to your ideas and arguments.

Wanna see how essay extender generator works in practice? Let's try it together. Imagine you're writing an argumentative essay on "Should all internships be paid?" We'll use our tool to add some words to a body paragraph and then develop an effective introduction.

All internships should be paid for the simple fact that interns are providing valuable work and skills to the company. It is unfair to expect young workers, who are often already struggling with student debt, to work for free. Interns are not just shadowing or observing; they actively contribute to the company's operations and success. By not compensating them, companies are perpetuating a cycle of unpaid labor and exploiting the enthusiasm and eagerness of young workers. Furthermore, paying interns shows that their time and contributions are valued, allowing them to gain practical experience without financial strain.

All internships should be paid for the simple fact that interns are providing valuable work and skills to the company. It is unfair to expect young workers, who are often already struggling with student debt, to work for free. Interns are not just shadowing or observing; they actively contribute to the company's operations and success. For example, a student who is completing an unpaid internship at a marketing firm may be responsible for creating social media content, conducting market research, and assisting with client meetings. These tasks require time, effort, and skills, and the intern should be compensated for their contributions. By not compensating them, companies are perpetuating a cycle of unpaid labor and exploiting the enthusiasm and eagerness of young workers. Moreover, unpaid internships often come with hidden costs that can be a significant burden for students. For instance, a student interning in a different city may have to cover transportation, housing, and other expenses on top of working for free. Furthermore, paying interns shows that their time and contributions are valued, allowing them to gain practical experience without financial strain. Companies should recognize the contributions interns bring to their organization and compensate them accordingly for their hard work.

Internships have become a common way for students to gain practical experience and valuable skills in their chosen field. However, the issue of whether these internships should be paid or not has sparked a debate. While some argue that unpaid internships provide valuable learning opportunities, others believe that all internships should be paid to ensure fair treatment of young workers. In this essay, we will explore why all internships should be paid, including the value that interns bring to organizations and the hidden costs of unpaid internships.

Check out these helpful tips to work on your academic writing skills and extend an essay manually.

• Expand your arguments . Instead of simply stating your point, provide more detailed examples to support your ideas.
• Use transitional phrases . Transition phrases such as "in addition," "furthermore," and "moreover" can help you connect your ideas and add more depth to your essay.
• Include relevant statistics and data . Adding statistics and data from reliable sources can boost the credibility of your essay and help you expand your arguments.
• Incorporate quotes . Including quotes from experts or authoritative individuals adds depth and weight to your essay.
• Provide background information . If you feel that certain concepts need more explanation, you can provide background information to help the reader better understand your points.

Remember, when expanding on your arguments, it is essential to do so smartly. This means providing detailed explanations and relevant examples that add length to your essay and strengthen your points.

❓ Essay Extender FAQ

Updated: Dec 11th, 2023

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On this page, you can find a free essay extender for students. With the help of this tool, you can increase the word count of any text – paste it into the related field and add the necessary details. The essay extender can add particular paragraphs or double your words in two clicks! Don’t miss the helpful tips and examples of text expansion.

Expand your writing

Change the length of your paper without changing any of the content..

If you haven't hit your minimum page requirement, you can either write more, or use papaerexpander.com. Here's how:

• Paste your paper into the box below
• Hit the "Expand" button
• Use the sliders to expand the paper to how you like it

edit youtube comments AFTER they get a bunch of likes

After hitting submit, your UNEXPANDED paper will appear below.

Change the length by moving the four sliders below.

Expand here

A quick video tutorial.

My other free platform lets you share answers with your classmates, post any memes, and organize your life. Check it out and let me know what you think!

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How it works.

Our Software expands your paper in four nearly undetectable ways:

• Increase the space between each letter
• Increase the font size of periods
• Increase the font size of lower case "t"s
• Increase the font size of commas

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• research paper

5 Lifehacks: How to Make Your Research Paper Longer

When teachers give a writing assignment, they often give a minimum number of paragraphs or pages that each student should submit. If you do not have enough points to cover, you may be short of the required word count. With these tricks to make a paper longer, you can lengthen your paper easily. This is done without including irrelevant information that will get you a bad grade.

Why Paper Length is Important

Teachers often give students a rubric for writing papers. This includes information on their expectations, regarding content, length, and writing style. To earn full marks, you must meet the required paper length. These requirements help students understand what their teacher is expecting, so each student does a similar amount of work.

What Not to Do: ‘Fluffing’ Content

When considering how to make a paper longer, some students will add irrelevant words, sentences, or entire paragraphs. This ‘fluffing’ doesn’t add valuable material to the paper. Most teachers notice this and give poor marks. Instead, follow the tips below to increase the length of your paper without negatively impacting your grade. For most, you will need to carry out extra research to expand on your point.

5 Ways to Make Your Paper Longer the Right Way

• Add more details. The details are the points that make up the support for your topic sentences in each paragraph. Be sure they are relevant to your thesis if you want to get full points! It does not count if the length is added to your paper by irrelevant points. You can also add a detail by sneaking in a shocking or interesting fact in the introductory paragraph.
• Add an extra paragraph. This is one of the tricks to make your paper longer that adds content without taking away from the value of the paper. In most cases, you’ll find that you need to adjust your thesis statement to include an introduction to the new paragraph.
• Add an anecdote. Anecdotes are stories that are relevant to the topic of your paper. It might include your take on the topic or a story about how you got interested in what you are discussing. This personalizes your paper in a way and adds to the content. It also gives your content a unique spin.
• Analyze your ideas in a new way. Sometimes, you can add perspective to your paper by introducing an opposing viewpoint and debunking it or having the reader consider your topic in a new light. This strategy will not work well for every writing style. It is ideal for argumentative or persuasive people when you are trying to sway the reader toward your view point. You may also be able to add length in the conclusion by asking the writer to think differently about your topic.
• Expand your thesis. Sometimes, you do not have any option except to change your thesis. This happens when the topic you have chosen is too narrow. This is the longest method, but it is the best way when you have expended all your knowledge on a topic. Don’t be afraid to do more research if you need to—this is the best way to give yourself a way to expand your topic.

As you consider how to make your paper longer, take the time to do it properly. By researching new ideas, expanding your thesis, and the other strategies above, you can lengthen your original idea and still get a good grade. Be wary of techniques that boost word count without adding value. These can lose you content points, which are often more significant than the paper’s length. Hire an expert thesis writer from E Writing Service – experienced writing service.

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Essential Ways on How to Make Your Paper Longer

You finished writing your paper and need to submit it soon. However, the number of pages does not correspond to the criteria provided by your professor.  You ask yourself how to make an essay look longer? Fortunately, it is possible by using the following tricks.

• You may use a larger font. In case your professor did not give you exact specifications about the font which you can use, you should choose some popular one like Courier New,  Cambria, Arial or Bangla Sangam MN. Nonetheless, try not to exaggerate. We do not advise you to use, for instance, Lucida Handwriting or Arial Black, because your professor will see that you are trying to make your paper look longer by applying a larger one.
• You can slightly adjust the font size. For example, if your professor asks to use 11 pt., to make paper longer, apply 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.5 size. Compare the adjustments and apply the one which is not too eye-catching.
• If you wonder how to make an essay longer period trick, just extend the size of commas and periods. To do it, you should press control+F on the keyboard. You will see a window with find and replace function. All you need is to select all the 11.pt commas and periods and then change them to the 12 pt.
• You could also change the spacing between your paper lines. In case the single or double spacing is required, follow the next steps: open “Format” and “Paragraph”. You will see the line “Spacing”. In this case select “Multiple”.  Then just enter 1.1 or 2.1 in the box.
• You should scale down the right margin. To reduce it without noticing, change it only by a quarter. For example, if your professor requires the margin size of 1.5 cm, reduce it to 0.9 cm.  In order to do it, click “Format” and then “Document”. Enter 0.9 in the box next to “Right”. This tip can help you to extend your paper without any noticeable changes. Do not reduce the left margin. As the documents are always justified on the left margin, it helps to create a visible change.

5 More Tips on How to Make an Essay Longer

Here are some pieces of advice from experienced essay writers and students:

• Try to increase the bottom margin by a quarter. In the “Document” find the box which is next to “Bottom” and enter 1.25. In case it is too visible, change it for instance to 1.15.  With this useful tip, you can make your paper look longer without noticing.
• Expand spacing between the words. It will also increase the number of pages in your paper.  Open “Font” and then “Advanced” window. In the “Expanded” enter 1.6 into the box. It is next to the button “By”.
• Increase the header of your essay. Include your name, the title, the number of the course, the date, the name of your teacher, number of your student ID card and email. Include all necessary information which may extend your header. Do not forget to use double spacing.
• The title of your paper should be placed on the line under the header.  You should put it in the center. You can also expand the font size. Check whether you use double space between the title and the header as well as between the title and the first paragraph.
• By adding a footer page which includes numbers your composition will look longer as well.

When you know everything about period tips which would make your essay longer, now it would be useful to learn how to make an essay longer with words.

• If you need to enter a number and it is less than ten, then spell it out. For instance, spell out two instead of writing the numeral. This tip helps to make your paper longer. Moreover, it is professional because spelling out the numerals is required in formal writing.
• It is forbidden to use shortenings in formal writing. So this is another possibility to extend your essay by writing them out. Instead of “won’t” use “will not”, or instead of “don’t” - “do not”.
• Replace specific pronouns with names. For instance, “Barack Obama and Donald Trump” instead of “they”. However, do not exaggerate.
• You should use a lot of descriptions in your capstone paper . While providing any new information, extend its description and give definitions, specific dates, and numbers, names of persons.
• Make a short conclusion after each paragraph. Summarize the points and give your opinion if necessary.

You don’t need to ask anymore how to make a paper longer. Just use these methods and you will be surprised how the number of pages increases in a few clicks.

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How To Make An Essay Longer

To make an essay longer, focus on quality: elaborate on arguments, add evidence, consider counterarguments, deepen analysis, and clarify points. Use examples, expand introductions and conclusions, and enhance transitions for better flow and comprehension. ‍

Struggling with an essay that just won't stretch to the required length? You're not alone.Studyfy is your ally in this common academic predicament.

Most students have experienced looking at their word count and thinking about how to reach the maximum limit without using filler content. This guide tackles that problem head-on with practical solutions and insights.

We’ll introduce you to plenty of useful techniques so you can increase your word count effortlessly and without compromising your essay’s quality.

How To Make Your Essay Longer With In-Depth Research

One of the first approaches you can use to make your essay longer is to research your points. Remember these pointers:

• Conduct meticulous and thorough research on your essay’s topic to find new and overlooked information and insights.
• Make sure you use insights that strengthen your argument further, and not just information to use as filler and is irrelevant. 

Dig a little deeper, and you’ll surely find something you might have overlooked and can add to your paper. 

Ways To Make Your Essay Longer With Elaboration

Another way to make your essay longer is to elaborate more. This means you should explore the points you argue in greater detail. Keep these tips in mind:

• Break down your arguments : Detail each of your arguments and break them down into sub-points. For example, if you’re writing about sustainable energies, you can elaborate on the different types of sustainable energy sources that exist.
• The power of descriptive language : By using descriptive language, you can lengthen your essay because you’re painting a more vivid picture of your topic. You’re adding more detail and nuance. 
• Use real-world examples : These can help add substance, and they will strengthen the validity of your argument.
• Add background information : When adding new arguments to a topic, you can easily provide background information on whatever it is you want to add. This will help make your essay longer but can also add context, which will help the reader understand your point better.
• Use anecdotes : If done right and added in the right places, sharing personal stories can make your essay better. 

Using Counter Arguments In Your Essay

You can make an essay longer by using counterarguments. This strategy not only elongates your word count, it has the potential to increase your essay’s quality and persuasiveness.

Consider the following: 

• Find popular counter-views: Find common counterarguments against your thesis statement. If you know them, you’ll be better equipped to deconstruct and counter them to a larger paper's word count.
• Show the strength of your view : Properly, you can introduce the strength of your perspective through the counterargument. For example, use strong evidence to oppose the view and then show why your stance deserves to be considered.

Using Quotations and Analysis

If you’re looking for other ways how to make a paper longer, you can use quotes. Quotations and further analysis is a great strategy to add more content to your essay. So, how exactly can you achieve this? Check these pointers out: 

• Choose relevant quotes : Of course, you’ll have to select quotations and transition words that are related to your topic. You want quotes that capture the core ideas of your argument. If you’re writing about the environment, you’d want to quote an expert environmentalist and so on.
• Give analysis on your quotes : When you’ve presented a quotation, try providing analysis on it. Discuss its meaning and implications, and demonstrate why it backs up your claims. 

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A Blueprint For A Longer Essay

Another way to tackle how to lengthen an essay's word count is to make a detailed outline before writing so you can plan the number of words you’ll be writing from the start. This will motivate and reassure you that you’re hitting the word count.

Seek Writing Help

Finding writing assistance from professionals can be an easy and effective strategy to make your essay longer. For example, you can send a “ do my essay ” request on Studyfy to get in touch with a professional writer at any time. Here are some tips to remember when seeking help. 

• Look for credibility : Be sure you’re getting writing help from reputable people. Take a look at their customer feedback and reputation to make sure they deliver what they promise. 
• Be clear with what you need : Make sure they know that you want a longer essay. Be clear with your instructions.
• Guidance, not plagiarism : Use professional help for assistance, professional insights, and inspiration. You should use their work as a reference and foundation to build your writing and reach that desired word count.
• Make use of expert feedback : Make sure you use the feedback that is given to you and practice it. 

If you don’t have much time or energy, turning to writing professionals can be a great deal of help at desperate times of trying to fill out the minimum page count. 

Using Complex Sentence Structures and Richer Vocabulary to Up Your Required Word Count

Another strategy you can use if you’re keen on knowing how to make your essays longer is enriching your essay with vocabulary and complex sentence structures. What does this mean? Check out these tips: 

• Employ varied language and use synonyms : You can avoid repeating your words by using synonyms to convey similar phrases and meanings. This will add length and keep your audience engaged. With that, try utilizing transition words, transitional phrases and relevant quotations to reach supporting evidence.
• Use complex sentences : By using complex sentences and clauses in your writing, you can add more nuance to your writing and you can convey more insights. Vary your sentences from short to more detailed and lengthy. Balance this out with easy readability. Make sure that your essay is still easy to understand, regardless of a more nuanced writing style.

Taking Advantage of Examples and Case Studies when Essay Writing

If you want more words to make your essay longer, then using examples and case studies and integrating them into your essay is a great strategy to reach your word count goal.

These can strengthen your argument since they provide tangible evidence. They don’t solely make your essay longer. Here’s what you need to remember: 

• Select relevant examples and case studies : You should, of course, use examples that back up your arguments. Make sure they are recent examples as well. Imagine yourself writing on technology. If you’re using an example, you should use one from recent years.
• Go into detail when demonstrating case studies : When you use a case study, you should go into detail and include the context, process, and outcomes. You will add length to your essay, but you will also simultaneously make it more nuanced and strengthen your points.

Using Visual Elements

If done effectively, you can make your writing more engaging. Still confused? Don’t forget you can pay for essay services on Studyfy right now for an extra hand. So, what can you use?

You can use graphs, charts, and even image s to strengthen your essay and make it longer. For example, when you’re finishing up a scientific essay, you can use graphs to showcase statistics and data.

Writing Detailed Intros and Conclusions

Since your introduction and conclusion are decisive elements in your essay, you can make do by increasing their length without compromising their strength and quality. Do keep these tips in mind: 

• For the introduction : Provide more context so that you can present your thesis in a stronger light. Write hints about what you’ll discuss in your body text.
• For the conclusion : To make your conclusion longer, you can elaborate on the arguments you’ve developed over the body. You should present a “developed” and concluding version of those arguments. Reflect on what you’ve written without introducing new information. You can create a detailed and persuasive call to action to invite readers to explore the topic more. 

Development

Make sure your sections are well organized, and every argument is fully developed. If they’re not, this might explain why you’re not reaching your word count limit. Need extra help? Don’t forget to take advantage of Studyfy’s custom writing service right now. Elaborate a point completely. Be meticulous and diligent with the development of your points.

Did you like our article?

For more help, tap into our pool of professional writers and get expert essay writing services!

Can you teach me how to make my essay longer without sacrificing quality? 

Make sure that your points strengthen your arguments. Elaborate carefully. If you need help, use our college admission essay writing service for expert writing help.

Does this guide include everything I need to know?

Yes. Use our table of contents to jump to the techniques you feel keen on using. You'll find everything you need to know on how to make paper longer. We offer key points, supporting evidence and more examples to help you achieve the desired essay length.

How do I make my essay longer and keep it coherent?

You can make an essay longer and maintain its focus by going back to your thesis statement and main arguments when adding new material. Make sure they strengthen your arguments. 

What should I avoid doing?

When finding ways how to make your paper longer, avoid using filler content, and don't repeat words and sentences.

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How To Make An Essay Longer

Last updated on: Jun 14, 2023

How To Make An Essay Longer - Easy Guide For Beginners

By: Nova A.

Reviewed By: Chris H.

Published on: Apr 2, 2019

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you need to meet a word count for your essay but fall short of content?

It can be frustrating and stressful to figure out how to make your essay longer without compromising its quality and coherence.

In this blog, we will provide you with practical strategies and valuable tips to effectively expand your essay while maintaining its integrity.

Say goodbye to the struggle and embrace a well-crafted, lengthier essay.

Let's dive in!  

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Tips on How to Make an Essay Longer 

Essay Writing can be challenging, especially when you need to meet a specific word count or want to delve deeper into your analysis.

There are strategies you can use to effectively increase the length of your essay or research paper without compromising its quality. 

Let’s explore how to make your essay longer hacks and tips while maintaining its effectiveness.

Do a Comprehensive Research

Conducting in-depth research is crucial when aiming to make your essay longer and more comprehensive.

By going beyond surface-level knowledge, you gain access to a wealth of information and insights.

This additional research allows you to develop a deeper understanding of your topic, which in turn enhances the quality of your essay.

When conducting research, keep in mind to rely on credible sources. Credible sources include academic journals, reputable books, scholarly databases, and trusted websites. 

Elaborate on Arguments 

To expand and strengthen your essay, it is vital to provide detailed explanations and expand on your arguments.  Follow these key steps:

• Offer clear explanations of your main points, using descriptive language to enhance understanding.
• Support your arguments with relevant evidence, such as data, statistics, or expert opinions.
• Provide examples and illustrations that exemplify your points and make them more relatable.
• Engage in critical analysis and interpretation to showcase a deeper understanding of the topic.
• Address counterarguments by acknowledging opposing viewpoints and providing reasoned responses.
• Continuously connect your elaborations back to the thesis statement for a focused and cohesive essay.

Add Examples

Start by researching your topic. Make sure you get important details, substantial arguments, and evidence to highlight your points of view better.

When you start writing, look for the claims you’ve made in your essay and analyze the supporting and opposing views.

Make sure you add relevant supporting evidence for each view that makes your essay more engaging and lengthen your paper effectively.

Usually, it’s good to use case studies and real-life scenarios or statistical information to make your arguments stronger.

Whenever you use any mathematical figures try to spell out numbers. Make sure that whatever it is, they support your arguments strongly.

Use Quotations and Citations 

Using quotations from experts and credible sources serves multiple purposes in your essay. 

Quotations play a significant role in enhancing the understanding and depth of your essay. 

They demonstrate that your ideas are supported by established thinkers or recognized sources in the field.

Proper citation is essential when using quotations in your essay. It not only gives credit to the original author but also demonstrates your academic integrity. 

Ensure that you adhere to the required citation style , whether it's APA, MLA, Chicago, or any other specified format. 

Take the time to understand the rules and guidelines for citing quotations accurately.

Include Transitional Phrases and Sentences

Thinkin how to make your essay longer using words while maintaining a smooth flow and coherence?

It is essential to include transitional phrases and sentences in your essay. 

Transitional sentences not only help to make your essay longer but more cohesive as well. Transition sentences are used to connect the ideas being discussed in different paragraphs of the essay. So the right choice of transitional sentences will make your essay a great piece of writing.

Here are some key considerations for using transitional phrases effectively:

Introducing Additional Points:

• Furthermore,
• Additionally,
• In addition to,

Providing Examples or Illustrations:

• For instance,
• For example,
• Specifically,
• To illustrate this,
• In particular,

Need more examples of transitional words to make an essay longer? Check out this transition words blog!

Do Not Use Short Forms

Avoid using short forms and contractions. In a formal essay, do not use ‘wouldn't’, ‘can’t’ or ‘don’ts’, use their full form. The same goes for numbers also, use spellings instead of number form.

If you are not sure about the word count then use a word counter to be sure that you have added the required number of words. Increasing the font size will also help to lengthen your essay.

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Be More Descriptive

To make your essay longer while keeping the flow smooth and engaging the reader, it is essential to focus on being more descriptive in your writing.

By incorporating vivid descriptions, sensory details, and figurative language, you can expand the length of your essay while enhancing its depth and richness.

Descriptive language allows you to provide more intricate explanations, paint a more detailed picture of your subject matter, and create a more immersive reading experience.

By employing techniques such as engaging the senses, providing concrete examples, and painting a vivid picture with words, you can reach the required word count.

Add All Necessary Information

During your revision part, ensure that you’ve included all relevant information for the essay and there’s no missing concept or theory.

At times students find sections that can be improved with new arguments or there is a missing piece of evidence.

Look for such loopholes in the content and fix them.

Add details that are relevant, credible, and valuable for your audience as well. Once you’re done with the checking, re-read the essay to ensure complete conformity to quality standards and essay guidelines.

Format Your Paragraphs Well

While writing your essay make sure that paragraphs of your essay are formatted well.

Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence , following the supporting argument, and a concluding or transition sentence.

Keep revising your paragraphs and add the sentences that are missing.

Take a Fresh Look at Your Topic

This may seem a useless tactic but revisiting your prompt in the middle of your writing process will help you a lot to explore the hidden perspectives of the topic.

You may realize that you have not considered a number of dimensions of the topic nor explained them.

This allows you to gain new perspectives, refine your arguments, and ensure that your essay remains relevant and compelling. 

Their explanation will not only help you elongate your essay but also make it more comprehensive.

Add Illustrations

To further add to your essay content, look for illustrative material that can be included to justify your claims better.

These are usually supporting pieces of information like images, charts, statistical reports, and graphs that largely add to the essay's appeal and length as well.

Your sources must be authentic and reliable. Do not forget to include them in your resource list to increase the size and essay length.

Add Lists and Numbers

Another good tip that adds to the page count for your paper is the addition of bullets and lists to organize your ideas properly.

Besides, they also make the paper longer and more readable, and engaging for the audience. Within sections and paragraphs, add lists to further explain a core concept or idea better.

You can also increase the line spacing between texts to make your essay look longer.

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Try Reverse Outlining

After writing your paper, reading back through it and creating an outline will help you reorganize pages. It will make more sense to the readers about your work. It can also point out areas that you need to develop more.

If you see a point and think that you can clarify it more, take the opportunity and make it longer.

If you notice a paragraph that introduces more than one idea, break them into multiple paragraphs and explain them thoroughly.

Take a Break and Revisit Your Essay

To increase the length and improve the quality of your essay, it is essential to take breaks and revisit your work with a fresh perspective.

Stepping away from your writing allows you to clear your mind and return with renewed focus.

When you review your essay with fresh eyes, you can identify areas that need further development, clarification, or expansion.

Take the time to revise and edit your essay, addressing grammar, punctuation, and clarity. 

Approach your Instructor and Ask for Possible Help

Many teachers and instructors are willing to give reviews about the paper before submission. It means you can always consider approaching your instructor for guidance. 

Schedule a meeting and come prepared with specific questions about expanding your essay effectively. 

Explain your concerns about the length and express your willingness to put in the effort to improve. 

Be attentive to the advice given by your instructor and make a keen effort to implement their feedback in your revised essay. 

Make Your Spacing Larger 

One sneaky way to increase the length of your essay is by adjusting the spacing. 

Increase the line spacing between your lines of text by using 1.5 or double spacing instead of the default 1.0 spacing. 

Another option is to use a slightly larger font size, although it's important not to go overboard. For example, you are using times new roman size 12, make it to 12.5!

Incorporating subheadings within your essay can help break up sections and add length. Additionally, take the opportunity to provide more detailed explanations and elaborate on your examples. 

Remember to use these formatting tips responsibly and focus on providing meaningful content to enhance the overall quality of your essay.

Get Professional Writing Help

If you find yourself still struggling to increase the length and improve the quality of your essay, seeking professional writing help can be a valuable option.

These online writing services offer assistance from experienced writers who can help you with essay-lengthening techniques. They also offer suggestions for improvement and provide editing and proofreading services.

Just like that, 5StarEssays.com is one of the best “ write my essay ” services!

Our qualified writing experts can compose an impressive essay that meets the word count without giving the impression of dragging it.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to elevate your writing skills and achieve your academic goals.

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As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

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How to Make Your Essay Longer The Right Way

All college students have been there. They’re writing a paper and the deadline is quickly approaching, but they haven’t met the required word count or page length. A paper’s length is an important part of any good college papers. Meeting the size requirements for a paper shows the professor that you are able to follow instructions. It’s easy to turn to an essay service for one time help when the deadline is nearing and you need to make your essay longer.

There are a number of tricks that every student has tried to reach that magic number. This includes everything from increasing the margin size to making the header longer or increasing font size.

While it is possible to increase the size of a paper like this, there are better ways to do it without angering your professor. It’s possible to add content in a pinch while also adding depth to your paper.

Below are some ways that you can make your essay longer if you’re struggling to reach the required word count.

Add Supporting Evidence

The first thing you should do when looking to make your essay longer is look back at any claims you made. Adding supporting evidence to any ideas that you’ve put forward in your essay is a simple way to make your essay longer. 

If you’ve only used a source or two to explain a point, it might be beneficial to do some extra research on it and add examples to further your argument. Not only will this make your research paper longer, but it will also add depth to your ideas and give them some added support.

Ensure that You’ve Included Everything

Take a look back at the rubric or the prompt for the paper and decide if you’ve included everything to make your research paper complete. You may have glanced over a counter-argument or something that needed to be explained further to meet the requirements. 

Ask yourself if you’ve answered all of the questions posed in the prompt or required by your research. Finding something that you’ve missed in the rubric could be the reason why your paper is shorter than the required length or word count.

Use Transitional Phrases

A natural way to increase the length of your essay is to use transitional words to jump from one idea to the next. Not only will this increase the size of your paper, but it will also allow your reader to follow easily follow your thoughts. Read through your essay and ensure that sentences and thoughts flow from one to another. 

This is also something that graders look for in marking an essay. These transitional words link sentences together and make for a clear and concise narrative. It’s a win-win situation.

Use Quotations

If you have a well-researched paper, it is likely that you’ve already included quotes. However, quotations are an easy way to add something extra to your argument while also increasing the essay’s word quote. Take care to ensure that your paper isn’t only quotations from other writers, this is a good way to spice up your essay.

This not only increases the size of your essay, but it also shows that other writers agree with your ideas and solidifies your arguments. That said, make sure you’ve formatted the quotes correctly and cited any sources.

Take Another Look at Your Outline

Many people see an outline only as a guide to begin writing a research paper. However, if you’re looking for places where you can make your essay longer, it might be worth another glance at your outline. 

A second look may turn up some points that you’ve overlooked or haven’t developed enough. It can also help you find any point you wanted to touch that you can clarify more. Take this opportunity to lengthen your writing and consider paying for a research paper if needed.

You may also find larger paragraphs that can be broken down to introduce new ideas. Break those paragraphs up and explain your ideas with more supporting evidence to increase the word count.

Review Your Introduction and Conclusion

Ideas evolve as you’re writing. Take a second look at your introduction. You may learn that you’ve left out key information that helps the reader in understanding your arguments. Expand on these points to help the reader understand your points and lead them into the supporting evidence that you will present.

The same can be said for the conclusion of your essay. Make sure that all of your key points have been summarized and that you’ve given the reader a solution to the arguments that you’ve made. If you haven’t, rewrite your conclusion to properly wrap up the essay.

Have Someone Read Your Essay

Having someone else take a look at your essay could highlight any points that are confusing. Go back and revise any arguments that were unclear and add more information and supporting evidence to give readers clarity. 

Remember that you are writing the essay as someone who is knowledgable about the subject. You need to provide the reader with enough information to understand your paper. This is helpful in ensuring that you haven’t left out any important details and giving you an opportunity to add length to your essay.

Read Your Essay Aloud

Reading your paper out loud allows you to become aware of any grammar or syntax errors. Rephrasing sentences to fix these errors could make your essay longer. You may also learn that you haven’t sufficiently supported your arguments. 

Spell Out Numbers or Contractions

One way to increase the length of your essay is to spell out numbers and contractions. Instead of writing “7,” write seven. Take out any “don’ts” and “won’ts” for do not and will not.

Keep in mind this might not be possible depending on any style requirements.

Breakup Paragraphs

In a pinch, you may want to look at breaking up longer paragraphs. If a minimum page count is your issue, this may be something that will be easy to do without making your essay unreadable.

When a deadline is approaching, reaching an essay’s minimum page or word count may seem like quite the challenge. However, it is possible without tricks like increasing line spacing or font size.

Use these tips to add length to your research paper while also making it more understandable for the reader.

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• Writing Tips

How to Make an Essay Longer

• 7-minute read
• 10th May 2023

So you have an essay due the next day. You’ve been holed up in your dorm all day writing it, and now you’ve finished the conclusion. You shake your fist in celebratory fashion as you punctuate the paper’s last sentence. However, your jaw drops in horror when you focus on the word count. The essay rubric states that you must write at least 1,500 words, but you’ve written only 1,000 ! How can this be? You worked so hard to do what the assignment asked you. We know the feeling, and we’re sure every college student experiences it at least once.

So with time running out, you can do the following:

●  Submit the essay and hope the professor doesn’t notice

●  Add some gibberish sentences to get close enough to the required word count

We don’t recommend these options. Making an essay longer seems daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. That’s why we’re providing this post on expanding your essay while keeping it relevant to the topic. We’ll share our helpful tips, and by the end of the post, you’ll know what to do next time your essay falls short of the word count.

1. Add Content to the Essay

Adding more details is a great starting point for increasing the word count. Review your essay and see whether you should have addressed additional points about the topic. Could you include a few more arguments?  

You’ll likely have to review your sources to find additional claims. We understand that you might not want to do this, especially if the clock reads midnight and your class starts in nine hours. However, adding more content not only increases the word count; it also makes your essay more credible. 

If you need to add content, make sure it’s relevant to the topic. Consider the following example:

Personal details about the source’s author are irrelevant. Submitting such details will only earn you the wrath of your professor’s red ink. Let’s try an alternative:

Expanding on the citation with personal insight about screen time adds punch while keeping the discussion relevant. Additional details must move your essay forward the way dialogue and narrative do for a work of fiction.  

2. Add Transitional Sentences and Phrases

Your essay might be short of words because it lacks transitional phrases, so you should add some to the mix. In fact, every academic paper should include a healthy blend of transitional sentences and transitional words/phrases . Not sure what we mean by that? You know words and phrases such as however , moreover , and in addition . 

As with details, transitional phrases help to move the essay forward, so make sure to use them correctly. Let’s take an example from an essay about the late Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic:

As you can see, the writer uses transitional phrases correctly, adding value and words to the essay. When you use them correctly, transitional sentences and phrases improve the flow of your writing , enhancing readability. Professors expect coherent essays that flow smoothly, so transitional sentences and phrases are mandatory, regardless of word count. 

That being said, it can be easy to overuse linking words, particularly if you’re a non-native writer. Check out this interesting article from Fabio Cerpeloni, who argues that linking words can impact the readability of your text . 

3. Spell Out Words and Numbers

If you have contractions in your essay, such as can’t , won’t , and couldn’t , write them out in full. You shouldn’t use contractions at all in academic writing because they’re considered informal. Although using full versions of words seems to be a miniscule measure, doing so can go a long way to increasing your word count. And as a rule, you can also spell out numbers one through eleven. Again, doing this will help expand your essay.

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To save time switching out your contractions, make sure you’re familiar with Microsoft Word’s find and replace tool .  

4. Add More Examples

Using at least two examples, you should aim to support every argument you present. If you have only one example for an argument, add a couple more. Provide citations to support your claims; otherwise, your professor will question your knowledge. As with details, examples will strengthen your essay. It’s a win–win situation!

If the essay has enough citations but still needs more words, you could try paraphrasing claims from sources. Just be sure to paraphrase effectively . You wouldn’t want to fall into the trap of plagiarism!

5. Review the Introduction and Conclusion

Now that you’ve written the essay, go back to the introduction and the conclusion. You might be able to expand on them and provide extra details. Remember that the introduction serves as a lead-in to the essay. In other words, it captures your readers’ attention and makes them want to keep reading. If your introduction appears weak, add details that will engage the reader properly.

And for the conclusion, provide a takeaway for the reader and offer a call to action. For example, what are the most important things to remember about your essay? The conclusion may lack punch, so add some details to improve it.

6. Expand Your Research on the Topic

The amount of research you’ve done could affect the word count. One way to check this is by reviewing your reference list. It should have at least five sources, so if yours has fewer, you need to do more research. Again, it’s not something you’d like to do in the middle of the night; however, sacrifices must be made if your essay needs more research. We guarantee your professor will notice if you haven’t done enough research. Here’s an extra tip: adding details will be much easier if you’re fully knowledgeable about the topic. Trust us on this!

While making an essay longer may seem daunting, doing so is easier if you’ve adequately researched the topic. The essay likely needs more ideas or examples, so go ahead and add them. Additional details will lend value, improve flow, and make your essay more credible. The most important thing to remember is that any details you add must be relevant. Simply adding fluff will weaken your essay and cost you marks. So never submit an essay with a low word count; your professor will notice! And after all, expanding on an essay is part of mastering essay writing skills .

We recommend not waiting until the last minute to check that your essay meets the required word count. Adding details or doing additional research the night before will only spell trouble. We understand the difficulty of making time when multiple papers are due in the same week. However, college life will test your time management skills like nothing else! Use your time wisely!

1.  Why do essays fall short of the required word count?

This is often due to a lack of details and transitional sentences. Review your essay to see whether it’s missing important examples that can strengthen your claims.

2.  Can I simply add “fluff” to increase the word count?

Anything you add to the essay must be relevant and must add value. Your professor is no fool, after all!

3. I hear proofreading is essential before submitting my essay. Can anyone help me with this?

We suggest our proofreading experts at Proofed! They can check your writing for grammar and punctuation errors and ensure perfect spelling and concision. Consider submitting a 500-word document for free today!

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How to Make an Essay Longer the Smart Way

Have you ever had a writer's block while writing your essay? You are there staring at your word count hoping there is a magic way to lengthen your essay quickly. You are not the only one who's facing this problem. Many writers struggle to fit the word count requirements without sacrificing quality.

It takes careful planning to write an extended essay without compromising quality. With the ever-evolving world of academia, students have to find smart and crafty ways to catch the reader's attention and find extra words to make their essays longer.

Why Do Essays Have a Word Count?

True mastery of essay writing is achieved through the creation of a compact and compelling composition. The notion that the worth of an essay is intricately linked to its length, is simply a fallacy. However, why do instructors and examiners insist on students reaching the required word count?

When the emphasis shifts from a minimum to a maximum word count, students are prompted to narrow down their thoughts, including the key points of a given issue. This method encourages creativity and results in improved essays.

The requirement of an essay word count compels students to broaden their minds, and carefully reflect on their ideas, forcing them to condense their ideas in a deep and impactful way. This technique encourages writers to build a link between head and heart, filling their compositions with true passion that reverberates onto the page, rather than simply meeting a criteria.

Instead of surrendering to the urge to generate filler words from the depths of their minds, pupils working with a word limit compose with intention, each word a deliberate decision reflecting a desire to convey a significant message.

What are some Informative Tips to Make an Essay Longer

Tip 1: make longer and elaborative paragraphs.

Extending paragraphs to at least four sentences is a practical approach to increase your paper's length. Short paragraphs may lack depth, leaving room for expansion. To provide well-structured and informative content, you can delve deeper into the topic, add more details, provide examples, or offer additional explanations.

This contributes to a more comprehensive discussion and naturally increases the page count. However, it's essential to maintain clarity and coherence while expanding, ensuring that the added content remains relevant and aligns with the paragraph's main idea. This technique helps to optimize the length and quality of your writing.

Tip 2: Expand on Your Points

Review your existing arguments and analysis. Expanding on your points within an essay involves carefully examining your current opinions and analysis. It creates an opportunity to enrich the depth and breadth of your content.

This process demands a critical eye and a commitment to enhancing the overall quality of your writing. To achieve this, consider the core concepts and ideas you've presented and try answering basic questions on your content. For instance, you may ask yourself: "Can I delve deeper into this?" 

Answering this question helps you open the door to more detailed explanations and the inclusion of illustrative examples. Answering different questions increases your essay length and elevates the reader's understanding. It comprehensively explores the subject, producing a more robust and persuasive essay.

Tip 3: Provide More Evidence in your Description

Incorporate additional evidence and examples to support your claims. Expanding your essay by providing supporting evidence is a potent strategy for enhancing the credibility and persuasiveness of your arguments. Introduce a rich tapestry of supporting materials such as additional research, relevant quotes, statistics, case studies, and real-life incidents to extend your essay effectively. 

Giving more detail such as quotes from credible sources provides external validation for your work, providing weight to your arguments. Add depth to your writing by incorporating statistics that have factual weight and offer numerical context to your statements. Engaging case studies brings the abstract into the concrete, demonstrating real-world applications of your ideas.

Real-life anecdotes humanize your arguments, making them relatable and memorable. You may make your essay longer while boosting its depth and influence by carefully adding case studies and other components.

Tip 4: Develop Sub-arguments on Significant Topics

Create sub-arguments or subtopics related to your central thesis. The strategic use of sub-arguments or subtopics is a clever approach to lengthening your essay while keeping it focused and relevant. Create a more complete and complicated debate by drawing secondary themes or concepts from your primary argument.

These sub-arguments act as distinct facets of your primary idea, allowing for deeper exploration and offering readers a richer understanding of the subject matter. 

Tip 5: Incorporate Counterarguments

Discuss and then disprove counterarguments. Integrating counterarguments into your essay is essential to extend its length and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the subject. You participate in a critical conversation that strengthens your work by acknowledging opposing ideas and then expertly debunking them.

This method indicates a willingness to explore opposing viewpoints, which increases your credibility as an informed writer. You increase the essay word count by offering a platform for counterarguments and possibilities for in-depth examination and refutation. Your work will be more convincing and thought-provoking, appealing to a broader audience.

Tip 6: Include Transition Sentences in your Writing

Add transition words between paragraphs and sections to connect your ideas more effectively. Incorporating well-crafted transition sentences into your essay is a refined strategy beyond merely lengthening your work. It enhances its overall coherence and readability. Transition sentences serve as bridges, guiding your reader smoothly from one point to the next. 

These sentences establish logical connections and offer additional context and explanations, making your arguments more accessible. Explicit linking ideas reduces the risk of confusion and ensures that your essay reads like a cohesive narrative rather than a disjointed collection of paragraphs.

These transition words provide readers with a roadmap through your essay, creating a more engaging and understandable reading experience. Thus, employing transition sentences extends your essay and elevates its overall quality.

Tip 7: Explain Your Methodology

Explain your methodology more thoroughly if your essay involves research or data analysis. Elaborating on the methodology employed in your paper, especially in research-based or data-driven works, augments your article's length and accuracy. You extend your essay and enhance its trustworthiness by providing a detailed explanation of your research approach. 

A detailed methodology section should outline your steps to gather, analyze, and interpret data, demonstrating transparency and sound research practices. This expansion provides a deeper understanding of your work's foundations and offers readers insights into your scholarly accuracy. Consequently, it fortifies the overall quality and substance of your essay while ensuring the authenticity of your findings.

Tip 8: Define Key Terms

Offer definitions and explanations for essential terms and concepts. Defining key terms and images within your essay is a dual-purpose strategy that can significantly enhance its length and reader comprehension. Providing clear and concise definitions helps extend the content and ensure your audience fully grasps the terminology integral to your topic. 

This practice eliminates potential confusion and aligns readers with your intended meaning. It demonstrates your expertise in the subject, showcasing your commitment to facilitating understanding. Your essay becomes more accessible and informative, appealing to a broader audience while increasing its word count through elucidating essential terms and concepts.

Tip 9: Elaborate on Introductions and Conclusions

Elaborating on your essay's introduction and conclusion is a strategic approach to enhance its length and overall impact. In the introduction, consider providing additional background information, historical context, or a more in-depth overview of the topic. Expanding the introduction lengthens the essay and prepares the reader for a comprehensive exploration. 

In the conclusion section, revisit and reiterate your main points, summarizing your arguments and insights concisely. Reinforcing these key takeaways supports your message, and a lengthened conclusion ensures a lasting impression on the reader, underscoring the significance of your work. Extending the introduction and conclusion makes your essay more comprehensive and memorable.

Tip 10: Use More Quotations

Incorporate relevant quotations from experts, scholars, or primary sources. Integrating a more significant number of references into your essay can effectively lengthen it while adding depth and authority. Quotes from experts, scholars, and primary sources serve as decisive evidence to support your arguments and provide valuable insights. 

However, it's crucial to weave these quotations into your text, ensuring they flow naturally and do not disrupt the narrative. Proper citation is essential to maintain academic integrity. By strategically employing relevant quotations, you increase the essay's word count and enhance its credibility and persuasive impact. These authoritative quotes reinforce your positions and offer diverse perspectives, making your writing more engaging and informative.

Tip 11: Explore Related Topics

If appropriate, explore related topics or subtopics that can contribute to the overall understanding of your central thesis. Exploring related topics or subtopics, when pertinent to your main thesis, is an astute approach to extending your essay's length while enriching its content. This strategy allows you to delve into interconnected ideas or themes that provide valuable context and depth to your central argument. 

The key is ensuring these related topics remain relevant and contribute to the overarching narrative. You provide a more holistic perspective, enhancing the reader's understanding of the central thesis by interweaving these subtopics. This expansion technique augments the length and showcases your ability to situate your argument within a broader intellectual framework, making your essay more comprehensive and enlightening.

Tip 12: Add Visuals or Graphics

Include diagrams, charts, images, or tables to illustrate your points or provide additional context if appropriate. Incorporating visuals or graphics into your essay, where relevant, is a sophisticated approach to increasing its length while enhancing comprehension and engagement.

Visual elements, such as diagrams, charts, images, or tables, can be powerful tools for illustrating complex ideas, providing additional context, and reinforcing your arguments. 

It's crucial to ensure that these visuals are integrated into the text, properly labeled, and thoroughly discussed to elucidate their significance. This approach extends the essay by reinforcing your points visually, making the content more accessible and memorable for a broader audience. Consequently, including visuals augments the essay's depth and visual appeal.

Tip 13: Revise and Reorganize your Content

Review your essay's structure and organization. Revising and reorganizing your article is a systematic and insightful approach to increasing its length while improving its overall coherence and effectiveness. You may uncover fresh perspectives and identify expansion opportunities by scrutinizing the structure and organization of your work.

This process often reveals hidden connections between ideas or highlights areas where further elaboration is needed. It allows you to rearrange sections for improved flow and can lead to discovering overlooked points that can be developed further. Through this thoughtful review and adjustment, your essay gains both in length and in the quality of its argumentation, ultimately delivering a more impactful and well-structured piece of writing.

Tip 14: Expand on Examples

If you've used examples to illustrate your points, expand on these examples with more details and analysis. Developing the examples employed within your essay is a powerful strategy to enhance its length while reinforcing the persuasiveness of your arguments. When you delve deeper into these illustrative examples, you give your readers a more immersive and comprehensive understanding of your presenting concepts. 

Offering additional details and in-depth analysis helps you breathe life into your examples, making them more vivid and relatable. This expansion increases the essay's word count and amplifies its effectiveness. The reader gains a richer appreciation of the subject matter, and your arguments become more convincing, leaving a lasting impression and elevating the overall quality of your essay.

Tip 15: Add Real-life Case Studies

If relevant, include case studies or real-life examples that illustrate your arguments. When pertinent, incorporating real-life case studies into your essay is a compelling method for extending its length while enhancing its engagement.

Presenting concrete instances and in-depth case studies helps you breathe vitality into your arguments, rendering them more relatable and memorable. These real-life examples serve as microcosms of your broader points, providing a tangible and practical dimension to your ideas. 

The real-life case studies add length to your essay and make it more captivating and informative, as readers can directly connect with the real-world relevance of your arguments. Ultimately, including case studies elevates your essay's overall quality, making it more impactful and educational.

Tip 16: Consult Additional Sources

If time allows, consult additional sources to gather more information and insights about your topic. Exploring different sources to gather more information and insights related to your case is a diligent approach that can increase the length and depth of your essay.

Establishing a wider net for research allows you to expose yourself to various viewpoints and expert perspectives. These supplementary sources can help increase your word count by furnishing your essay with fresh data, statistics, and scholarly analysis. 

Tip 17: Ask Another Person to Proofread your Work

Having someone proofread your essay is a valuable step in the writing process, especially when pressed for time. While you possess a deep understanding of your subject, an external perspective can identify areas of confusion or ambiguity you might overlook.

Having a friend, family member, or peer review your work and provide feedback helps ensure your message is clear and accessible to your audience. Their insights can pinpoint where additional information or explanations are needed, enhancing the overall quality of your essay. This collaborative approach allows you to refine your writing, giving you the chance to make your essay longer.

Tip 18: Take a Break from Your Work

Taking a break from your essay is a wise strategy when feeling stuck or tired. Staring at a screen for extended periods can lead to mental fatigue and writer's block. Stepping away, whether for a snack, a walk, or a chat with a friend, refreshes your mind and renews creativity.

It allows your brain to process information in the background, often leading to new insights and ideas. When you return to your essay with a fresh perspective, you're better equipped to tackle it effectively. This mental reset can be the key to overcoming writer's block and improving the quality of your work.

Tip 19: Ask for Help from Your Instructor

Seeking help from your instructor is a proactive step in improving your paper. Instructors are often open to reviewing drafts and offering guidance before the final submission. They can provide valuable insights on whether you're addressing the prompt effectively, potentially leading to more comprehensive content. 

Instructors may also share specific expectations or areas for improvement that can help increase word count while enhancing the paper's quality. This collaborative approach demonstrates your commitment to the assignment and enables you to refine your work, ensuring it aligns with their expectations and academic standards. It's a valuable opportunity for constructive feedback.

Can I use an AI to make my Essay longer?

Students are now able to benefit from using AI tools to speed up essay composition, such as ChatGPT and Bard AI Tools. Using complex algorithms and Machine learning, AI tools can generate additional content that is both voluminous and relevant making an essay longer.

AI writing tools, such as grammar checkers, provide helpful criticism and inspiration, assisting in the design of research questions and improving overall writing quality. However, it is important to point out that employing AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, to completely create an article may constitute plagiarism, breaking educational institution standards and resulting in penalties.

Text generated by AI is subjective and may contain incorrect information. While AI improves the writing process, students must follow institutional guidelines to maintain academic integrity.

The Bottom Line

Improving your writing abilities by developing strategic ability is mandatory for you to highlight your key points and make your essay longer. Imagine your articles as compelling art pieces that captivate readers and leave a lasting impression. With the right tips, students can foster the right skills for effective writing and critical thinking, ultimately producing more creative and impactful essays.

Get expert advice for smart essay lengthening. Discover strategies for making your paper longer without compromising quality. Optimize your writing today with AceMyHomework !

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21 Helpful and Easy Tips to Make an Essay Longer

Bookman Old Style > Times New Roman.

When you're writing a school paper after researching and typing for what feels like ages, but you still haven't reached your teacher's required page count, it's normal to feel frustrated. Maybe you get a little creative and play Microsoft Word gymnastics with different fonts and spacing, or become super expressive with your descriptions. There's also a chance you missed something on the assignment rubric, or overlooked the opportunity to include more quotes from trusted sources. You might even be able to load up on a few more examples for your argument, easily boosting the word count with additional research. Still a couple pages behind the limit? Don't worry. Below, we have over 20 tips to help you hit that page requirement.

1. Make sure you included everything on the rubric. If you forgot a whole section focusing on the counter argument, that could be the reason why your paper is a couple pages shorter than needed.

2. Load up on transitional phrases. Your paper isn't long enough, therefore it may be necessary to add some transitional phrases because they take up space. On the other hand , this could make your paper really wordy, however , it may be necessary. See what I did there?

3. Spell out your numbers. There are four editorial styles — AP, APA, MLA, and Chicago. Each one has a different rule for spelling out numbers, which can work out in your favor. For instance, in APA, you write out all numbers under 10. So a one-character "7" becomes a five-character "seven." In MLA, you spell out all numbers at the beginning of a sentence, and all simple numbers (those that are one or two words). Make sure to check the assignment rubric to see what style your paper should be written in!

4. Ditch the contractions. Honestly, you probably should not even be using contractions in a formal essay, so if you are filling up your paper with "don't," "won't," and "can't," switch them out for "do not," "will not," and "cannot."

5. Use numerous examples. Make sure to do extensive research on your essay topic and come up with at least 2-3 examples for every argument presented. One example might seem like enough, but adding a couple more points improves your paper and boosts its word count.

6. Add quotes. Including quotes, whether they be from a book, news article, or trusted source, helps strengthen and validate the point you're making in a paper. But you can't just drop a quotation without context. Introducing, writing out, and properly unpacking a quote can add value — and length — to your essay.

7. Start getting really descriptive about everything. How illustrative can you get about the evolution of electricity, you ask? Well, the answer is: Very. The howling wind gushed passed Benjamin Franklin at 30 miles per hour on that cold, rainy night, pulling the string of his kite taught as it fought to stay in the sky and sent his grey hair flying up in the sky like silvery wisps.

8. Try to make your header longer. If possible, of course. Some teachers clearly state what information needs to be included in the header. But if there's no guideline, add what you can within reason — I'm not sure your teacher is going to appreciate your TikTok or Insta handle listed on the page.

9. Have someone proofread. Getting another pair of eyes to read your paper might reveal some areas in need of work. Maybe you need to elaborate a bit more on a certain argument, or include a quote to strengthen an example.

10. Revisit your introduction paragraph. Sometimes, an introduction is easiest to write after the paper has been written. Having already presented and thoroughly discussed the argument in the essay's body paragraphs, you have a more concrete understanding of what direction the paper takes. There might be some information or ideas you can add into the intro, to better set up the paper's points.

11. Make your spacing larger. Your teacher probably won't be able to tell the difference between double spacing and 2.5 spacing. *fingers crossed*

12 . While you're at it, expand the spacing between the characters. Yes, I'm talking between each and every letter.

13. Raise the font size from 12pt to 12.5pt. Nobody has to know!

14. Make all periods and commas 14pt. It sounds tedious, but simply command-f and search for the period, that way you can change all of them at once.

15. Put extra space around your (super long and bolded) title. It needs some space to shine and breathe, obvs.

16. Change the font. You can't get too crazy or else your teacher will call you out, so you stick with something super similar to Times New Roman, but slightly bigger, like Bookman Old Style. However some teachers specify a certain font in the paper's assignment requirements — in the case, don't try to switch things up.

17. Reverse outline. After you've finished penning your essay, read it through and write an outline on what you have written so far. This strategy can reveal some paragraphs in need of further development. If you notice one super long paragraph, try breaking the ideas down into separate paragraphs. This might bump the page count up a bit, and give you the opportunity to include a few more transition sentences.

18. Make your margins bigger. You have to be careful about the left and right margins, and the top can be tricky. But the bottom margin, you can practically make it as big as you want. And then you can...

19. Add a fancy footer with page numbers. Obviously (hopefully), your teacher will appreciate your attention to detail and presentation.

20. Add a header with the title of your paper to every single page. Just in case your teacher forgets what your paper is about. You only want to help.

21. Make a separate cover page. Technically, the rubric didn't say it couldn't count as page one.

When I'm not holed up in my room going on a completely unproductive Netflix binge or Tumblr stalking Timothée Chalomet, I'm searching for awesome celeb news stories that Seventeen readers will love!

Leah Campano is an Associate Editor at Seventeen, where she covers pop culture, entertainment news, health, and politics. On the weekends, you can probably find her watching marathons of vintage Real Housewives episodes or searching for New York City’s best almond croissants. 

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00922-y

Branch, T. A. et al. PLoS ONE 19 , e0292201 (2024).

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Haustein, S., Peters, I., Sugimoto, C. R., Thelwall, M. & Larivière, V. J. Assoc. Inf. Sci. Technol. 65, 656–669 (2014).

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April 2, 2024

Are Your Solar Eclipse Glasses Fake? Here’s How to Check

You’re going to want to guard your eyes from the sun using legitimate protective gear

By Sarah Sloat

Ryhor Bruyeu/Alamy Stock Photo

This article is part of a special report on the total solar eclipse that will be visible from parts of the U.S., Mexico and Canada on April 8, 2024.

A day after the American Astronomical Society (AAS) announced that there were no signs of unsafe eclipse glasses or other solar viewers on the market in early March, astronomer and science communicator Rick Fienberg received an alarming call.

Fienberg is project manager of the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force, which is busy preparing for the total eclipse over North America on April 8 . He’s the creator of a list of vetted solar filters and viewers that will protect wearers’ eyes as they watch the moon move in front of the sun. When a solar eclipse last crossed a major swath of the U.S. in 2017, Fienberg and his team spotted some counterfeit glasses entering the marketplace—imitations that distributors claimed were manufactured by vetted companies. Testing at accredited labs indicated that many counterfeits were actually safe to use, however. This led the task force to describe such eclipse glasses as “misleading” but not “dangerous” in a March 11 statement meant to reassure the public.

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But then Fienberg’s phone rang. The caller was “a guy who had bought thousands of eclipse glasses from a distributor who had been on our list at one point,” Fienberg says. “Those glasses were not safe. They were no darker than ordinary sunglasses.” Legitimate eclipse glasses are at least 1,000 times darker than the darkest sunglasses you can buy.

Fienberg contacted Cang n an County Qiwei Craft , a Chinese factory that he knew manufactured safe glasses and had—in the past—sold them to the distributor in question. But this time, Fienberg says, factory representatives told him they hadn’t sold to that distributor in a long while. “That’s when we switched from being concerned about only counterfeits to being concerned about actual fakes,” Fienberg says.

The AAS does not have a confident estimate of how many fake or counterfeit glasses are for sale out there. And though Fienberg doesn’t think this is a widespread problem, the situation is an “iceberg kind of concern,” he says, because there are likely more examples than the ones he knows about. While counterfeit glasses may still be safe to use, completely fake glasses could put wearers in serious danger.

If you’re viewing the upcoming eclipse, there are specific indicators you can look for when evaluating products for safety—and ways to test glasses before you stare at the sun.

The standard for solar eclipse viewers

On April 8 viewers within a 115-mile-wide band stretching across Mexico and the U.S. into eastern Canada will experience a total solar eclipse : what happens when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of our star. Outside of this band, people in much of North America will be able to see a partial eclipse.

“It’s a beautiful alignment,” says Michelle Wooten, an assistant professor of astronomy education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. But Wooten has observed that people are often careless when viewing eclipses—she says she has seen people look directly at the sun with no protection at all . According to NASA , the only safe time to observe a total eclipse without a solar viewer or filter is during the fleeting moments of totality, when the moon completely covers the sun and the lunar shadow falls on Earth—and as soon as even a bit of sun emerges, one should immediately stop looking. Totality lasts around 3.5 to 5.5 minutes . It is never safe to view a partial eclipse directly without a special eye guard.

This is where safe solar eclipse glasses or other viewers can help. Those that comply with the ultraviolet, visible and infrared light transmittance requirements have a designation: ISO 12312-2 :2015 , a safety standard adopted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2015 . ISO standards are determined by a nongovernmental body of experts. An ISO standard isn’t legally enforceable , but it’s meant to be a mark of assurance when manufacturers comply.

Hin Cheung , a clinical assistant professor at the Indiana University School of Optometry, recommends that eclipse chasers looking for glasses check out the AAS list of legitimate solar viewers . But because anyone can print the ISO number onto their viewers and claim those products are safe, Cheung points out that one can’t necessarily trust online sellers making that assertion without cross-referencing the AAS list. Meanwhile don't believe any sellers who say their glasses are “NASA-approved.” The federal space agency doesn’t endorse commercial products.

“If you were to use a fake viewer that does not meet that [ISO] standard, then unsafe levels of solar radiation could enter your eye and cause damage,” Cheung says. “That damage could also cause permanent changes to your vision.” Even a brief peek at the sun can temporarily or permanently burn the macula, the part of the retina involved in seeing what’s directly in front of you. It’s also critical to check eclipse glasses for scratches or tears. To avoid eye injury, never look at the sun through a camera lens, telescope or other optical lens without a solar filter designed for such tools.

If you don’t have solar glasses, there are ways to safely enjoy the eclipse with indirect views. They include methods such as using a pasta colander as a pinhole projector , which Wooten recommends as an easy and fun option for projecting an image of the sun onto the ground or other surface.

How to test whether eclipse glasses are safe

While lab tests are the best way to determine whether glasses meet the ISO standard, Fienberg says there is a three-part test people can do at home if they’re concerned their eclipse viewers aren’t up to the task.

First, put your glasses on indoors and look around. The only things you should be able to see are very bright lights, such as a halogen bulb or a smartphone flashlight.

Then, if the glasses pass the indoor test, bring them outside—but don’t look at the sun just yet. Look around: it should be too dark to see distant hills, trees or even the ground.

If that second test is passed, keep the glasses on and quickly glance at the sun. You should comfortably see a bright, sharp-edged round disk. If your glasses pass all three tests, they are probably safe to wear. Still, Fienberg points out that it’s best to use them for only a few seconds every minute or so during the eclipse; this cautious approach is how they’re intended to be used. And if you don’t trust your glasses for April’s celestial event, you could try to find a reliable pair in the next two decades. “You only have to wait 20 years for another really good eclipse year in the [United] States,” Fienberg says.

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4 best ways to view the solar eclipse safely without glasses

The day of the 2024 total solar eclipse is here, and you may be among the millions of Americans scrambling to get a glimpse of the moment the moon completely blocks the sun.

The safest way to watch the solar eclipse is with special glasses because it can damage your eyes to look directly at the sun. But with the rare phenomenon expected to start this afternoon, if you haven't purchased any of the recommended glasses, you may think you've missed your chance.

Live updates:  Following along our total solar eclipse live blog

Luckily, it's possibly to safely watch the solar eclipse without eclipse glasses. Here are a few of the best ways to do so.

How to watch the eclipse without glasses

Taken from a few expert sources, here are a few easy ways to watch the solar eclipse if you don't have the special glasses.

Make a pinhole projector

You can make a pinhole camera to watch the eclipse instead of using glasses with a few materials you probably have lying around your home, according to the Planetary Society .

To start, go outside and find a good spot to view the eclipse. Ideally, when the eclipse becomes visible in your area, you'll want to be able to see the shadow of your head and shoulders and nothing else in this spot.

Then, take two pieces of card stock (or a paper plate) and use a pushpin to punch a hole in the middle of one of the cards. If you're interested in doing something more elaborate, you can punch multiple holes in the card in the shape of a design, like a star or heart.

To use it to view the eclipse, go to a place where you can see your shadow. With your back to the sun, hold up the card with the hole(s) in the one hand and the card without the holes in the other. Place the card with the holes above your shoulder and the hole-less card a few feet behind it so you can see the shadow of the card with the hole on it.

The light in the middle of the shadow is the sun, so when the eclipse is visible in your area, the card with the hole will project it onto the other card.

Use a mirror

You can use a mirror to safely view the eclipse, according to the Royal Astronomical Society in the U.K.

The way you do so is by using the mirror to reflect the image of the eclipse onto a wall or another flat surface, ideally a white one — not by looking at the eclipse in the mirror, as this can damage your eyes. Do not use a magnifying mirror for this.

Cover the mirror with a piece of paper that has a small hole in it, no more than 5 millimeters. Stand with your back to the eclipse and use the covered mirror to reflect the light of the sun onto a wall or other flat surface. You can do this outside or inside with an open window. Do not reflect the sunlight into your eyes or someone else's.

Use a colander

A colander, also known as a pasta strainer, is another way to view the eclipse without glasses. All you have to do is hold it about 20 inches above the ground with your back to the sun, according to the Exploratorium . You can also place a piece of white paper on the ground so you can see the eclipse projected onto it more easily.

If you don't have a colander, you can use a cheese grater instead.

DIY solar eclipse glasses with a cereal box

You can use a cereal box to make makeshift glasses that allow you to safely view the eclipse, according to NASA .

To start, empty the cereal box. Then cut a piece of white cardboard to fit in the bottom of the box. It should be snug, or you should glue it in place. Cut the top of the cereal box so there is a square hole on either side but the middle part is intact. Tape the middle section to hold it closed.

Use a piece of tin foil to cover one of the openings on the top of the box and tape it in place. Make a small hole in the foil no bigger than 3 millimeters. The other opening should stay that way as that's what you'll look through.

When the eclipse hits your area, take the box and turn your back to the sun. The side with the foil and the hole should point toward the sun. Then look through the other side, and you should see the eclipse projected onto the white cardboard on the inside at the bottom of the box. It will look like a bright spot of light.

Can I wear regular sunglasses to watch the eclipse?

No, using regular sunglasses is not a safe way to watch the solar eclipse because they don't reduce the amount of sunlight that hits the back of your eyes by that much.

“They’re not an acceptable means for protecting your retina” if you stare directly at the sun, Dr. Russell N. Van Gelder, professor of ophthalmology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, previously told TODAY.com.

Can I watch the eclipse through my phone?

Using your phone to watch the eclipse without the proper equipment could be both harmful to your phone and your eyes. In a recent post on X , formerly known as Twitter, NASA explained that pointing your phone camera at the eclipse could damage its sensor.

In its guide to photographing the eclipse , NASA also stated that you need to wear eclipse-safe glasses in order to protect your eyes while trying to take picture of the eclipse.

You can use your phone to watch the eclipse via NASA's live YouTube stream .

Can you watch the eclipse through a window?

Yes, you can watch the eclipse through a window as long as you use the recommended protective glasses. If you don't have glasses, many of the DIY methods may be less effective through a window.

Maura Hohman is the senior health editor for TODAY.com and has been covering health and wellness since 2015.

Eat This, Not That!

How to Make Your Fresh Produce Last Longer, According to Experts

Posted: April 28, 2023 | Last updated: June 27, 2023

Eating healthy is worthwhile , but it's not always easy. Groceries are more expensive than ever, and the last thing you want to do is toss those nutrient-rich avocados because you missed their "best by" date after a few days. Yet, sometimes, it almost feels like an unavoidable part of buying produce.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that one-third of food ends up in the trash globally, a staggering statistic that leaves many Americans wondering what they can do to minimize that number. Based on a consumer survey by OnePoll and HelloFresh, 22% of respondents say that they don't know how to properly store food, resulting in food waste.

"Food waste strains our agricultural system, our environment, and our budgets. We will never be rid of waste entirely, but we can always do better, and that starts with being conscious of the issue and open to solutions," writes Abra Berens , the James Beard Award-nominated chef at Granor Farm in Three Oaks, Mich., in her latest cookbook Pulp: A Practical Guide to Cooking with Fruit . Pulp is part of a series of fruit- and vegetable-focused cookbooks by Berens, which offer ample guidance on making the most of your produce.

By learning how to keep fruits and vegetables fresh for longer, you can be sure that your entire grocery haul will be put to good use. We've gathered tips and tricks from seasoned food experts, including Berens and Josiah Leet , a produce field inspector at Whole Foods Market.

RELATED: How to Choose the Best Produce at the Grocery Store, According to a Chef

1. It starts at the grocery store

One of the best ways to make your produce last longer is to buy the freshest food you can find at the supermarket. The highest quality produce will have signs of ripeness, such as smell, color, and weight.

"For fruit, each one is different because you're not going to get a ton of smell off of rhubarb," says Berens. "So if you're waiting for a great smell to know when it's ripe, you're going to be waiting for quite a while. But [with] melons, you should be able to smell them from really far away. You pick them up, and they feel heavy, and they look like they have a warm undertone–even a honeydew. It's green, but it will have this warmth to the undertone of it. The same is true for apples, stone fruits like peaches and nectarines, and even apricots to a degree."

The longevity of an item is also determined based on its natural hardiness. Storage crops, such as apples, potatoes, carrots, or onions, can be kept in temperature-controlled conditions for months before hitting the market. When you buy these, they generally stay good for longer in your fridge. Apples, for example, can remain fresh for up to eight weeks if stored unwashed and wrapped, according to Healthline .

Anything harvested and sold at peak ripeness, like seasonal fruits and veggies, are more perishable and are generally delivered fresh to the store, says Berens. "Seasonal [foods] are absolutely going to be some of the freshest options at all times," adds Leet.

As for what to skip, Berens says that there are visual cues that tell you to leave a particular item on the shelf. "In general, avoid produce that is wrinkly or yellowing, is unduly soft, or is showing signs of breaking down [with] dark or soft spots."

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2. Avoid these common mistakes

When you bring home your produce, don't automatically put everything in the fridge. While some items should be kept cool, others are better stored at room temperature. "Take your cue from the store itself," advises Berens. "If it's at room temperature in the store, keep it at room temperature at home—though out of direct sunlight."

For example, tomatoes should stay out on the counter while they're still ripe. "Do not refrigerate tomatoes until they are cut or prepared," says Leet. "Whole tomatoes are best left out to keep their flavor intact."

On the other hand, there are definitely items that should be refrigerated in short order—specifically, in the built-in drawers that come with your fridge, which allow you to control airflow and humidity.

"Modern refrigerators are engineered with specially designed compartments for different items," says Leet. "We are all familiar with the crisper drawer, but by taking a little extra time when putting produce items away in the fridge, one can prolong the 'shelf life' of each fruit or vegetable if it is wrapped or packaged correctly."

The proper storage method depends on the item, but one general guideline holds true for many produce types. While rinsing off your groceries as soon as you get home might save you time upfront, it may also leave your produce more susceptible to spoilage. "Washing all fruits and vegetables right at the time of preparation—and not beforehand—will help keep them in their original condition," advises Leet.

Don't forget to dry your foods before popping them in the fridge. You don't want to invite mold, wilting, or sprouting. "Checking for and removing excess moisture also helps keep produce longer," says Berens. "If you notice your bag of greens has a ton of water in the bottom, swap it for a dry bag and shake off any excess moisture or wrap in a kitchen towel to absorb [it]."

And lastly, consider which fruits and vegetables you're storing together, depending on how quickly you want the items to ripen. "Most fruits put out low levels of ethylene as part of the ripening process, which can be slowed by refrigeration depending on time-of-use," says Leet. "Bananas, for example, can assist in accelerating avocado ripening when they are put together in a paper bag on the counter." If the goal is to keep the item from getting too ripe before you plan to use it, however, avoid nestling it in a drawer alongside ethylene-producing foods .

3. Use bags and paper towels for effective food storage

Properly storing food is easier than you think. You can enlist everyday household goods to help you keep those carrots and cucumbers in peak condition. Berens has a few go-to kitchen tricks that you can adopt to preserve freshness.

"For the fridge, I have a series of reused plastic bags that I store all produce in. I also have a couple of plastic shoebox-sized totes for herbs and greens," she says. "For room temperature things, we use a fruit bowl to have fruit at room temperature but off the counter and with good airflow. I also generally set out items like onions and eggplant on a baking sheet, lined with a kitchen towel. In the freezer, I rely on heavy-duty deli containers. They stack easily and are heatproof."

Leet says you can even repurpose the plastic bags you brought back from the grocery store. "Wrap leafy-greens, radishes, scallions, cilantro, parsley and head-lettuces in tea towels or paper towels and put them back into their original bag," he says. "This ensures these items stay as fresh as when they were purchased."

RELATED:  7 Groceries You Should Never Buy On Sale

4. Have a backup plan

No matter how diligent you are about storing these items, your carefully packed and prepped produce won't last forever. Keep an eye on your stash. For any items you haven't used up, you'll want to pickle or cook them before they turn bad, according to Berens.

"If something is getting to the edge, I often do a quick pickle: some vinegar, salt, and a bit of sugar. And when I have it, I pour old pickle liquid over the vegetables. It will last a couple of rounds before it isn't acidic enough," she says. "Additionally, sometimes cooking the item will buy you some time. If your greens are getting wilty, cook them down. It will stave off rot, and then they are ready to eat."

When it comes to buying in bulk, nothing is more effective than utilizing the freezer. "I like to lay most fruits on a baking sheet and freeze them before transferring them to a sealable bag," says Berens. "This prevents large clumps or clusters of fruits, and makes it easier to portion them out in the future."

Just remember that a bit of preparation can make it easier to use up your frozen produce when it's time to defrost, Berens adds. "Some fruits should be peeled before freezing—like nectarines and peaches. And pitting your fruits before freezing saves you the headache later on."

You can be creative with the use of frozen fruits, especially in desserts and drinks. Berens offers a few ideas to get you started: "My favorite thing to do with frozen melon is to blend it with a bit of simple syrup and lemon or lime to make a creamy sorbet. For grapes, I freeze whole and then use them as ice cubes for champagne cocktails or a gin and tonic. This helps you portion them out in the future. And for strawberries, I make a quick pulsed strawberry sauce and freeze that to use later on. It tastes just as bright and delicious as perfectly peak-season strawberries."

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Read the original article at Eat This, Not That !

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Write down your thoughts and shred them to relieve anger, researchers say

Writing negative reactions on paper and shredding it or scrunching and throwing in the bin eliminates angry feelings, study finds

Since time immemorial humans have tried to devise anger management techniques.

In ancient Rome, the Stoic philosopher Seneca believed “my anger is likely to do me more harm than your wrong” and offered avoidance tips in his AD45 work De Ira (On Anger).

More modern methods include a workout on the gym punchbag or exercise bike. But the humble paper shredder may be a more effective – and accessible – way to decompress, according to research.

A study in Japan has found that writing down your reaction to a negative incident on a piece of paper and then shredding it, or scrunching it into a ball and throwing it in the bin, gets rid of anger.

“We expected that our method would suppress anger to some extent,” said Nobuyuki Kawai, lead researcher of the study at Nagoya University. “However, we were amazed that anger was eliminated almost entirely.”

The study, published in Scientific Reports on Nature , builds on research on the association between the written word and anger reduction as well as studies showing how interactions with physical objects can control a person’s mood. For instance, those wanting revenge on an ex-partner may burn letters or destroy gifts.

Researchers believe the shredder results may be related to the phenomenon of “backward magical contagion”, which is the belief that actions taken on an object associated with a person can affect the individuals themselves. In this case, getting rid of the negative physical entity, the piece of paper, causes the original emotion to also disappear.

This is a reversal of “magical contagion” or “celebrity contagion” – the belief that the “essence” of an individual can be transferred through their physical possessions.

Fifty student participants were asked to write brief opinions about an important social problem, such as whether smoking in public should be outlawed. Evaluators then deliberately scored the papers low on intelligence, interest, friendliness, logic, and rationality. For good measure, evaluators added insulting comments such as: “I cannot believe an educated person would think like this. I hope this person learns something while at the university.”

The wound-up participants then wrote down their angry thoughts on the negative feedback on a piece of paper. One group was told to either roll up the paper and throw it in a bin or keep it in a file on their desk. A second group was told to shred the paper, or put it in a plastic box.

Anger levels of the individuals who discarded their paper in the bin or shredded it returned to their initial state, while those who retained a hard copy of the paper experienced only a small decrease in their overall anger.

Researchers concluded that “the meaning (interpretation) of disposal plays a critical role” in reducing anger.

“This technique could be applied in the moment by writing down the source of anger as if taking a memo and then throwing it away,” said Kawai.

Along with its practical benefits, this discovery may shed light on the origins of the Japanese cultural tradition known as hakidashisara ( hakidashi sara refers to a dish or plate) at the Hiyoshi shrine in Kiyosu, just outside Nagoya. Hakidashisara is an annual festival where people smash small discs representing things that make them angry. The study’s findings may explain the feeling of relief that participants report after leaving the festival, the paper concluded.

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Why is looking at a solar eclipse dangerous without special glasses? Eye doctors explain.

By Sara Moniuszko

Edited By Allison Elyse Gualtieri

Updated on: April 8, 2024 / 8:54 AM EDT / CBS News

The solar eclipse will be visible for millions of Americans on April 8, 2024, making many excited to see it — but how you watch it matters, since it can be dangerous for your eyes. 

A  solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, blocking the sun's light . When the moon blocks some of the sun, it's a partial solar eclipse, but when moon lines up with the sun, blocking all of its light, a total solar eclipse occurs,  NASA explains . Either way, you need eye protection when viewing.

"The solar eclipse will be beautiful, so I hope that everyone experiences it — but they need to experience it in the right way," said Dr. Jason P. Brinton, an ophthalmologist and medical director at Brinton Vision in St. Louis.

Here's what to know to stay safe.

Why is looking at a solar eclipse dangerous?

Looking at the sun — even when it's partially covered like during an eclipse — can cause eye damage.

There is no safe dose of solar ultraviolet rays or infrared radiation, said  Dr. Yehia Hashad , an ophthalmologist, retinal specialist and the chief medical officer at eye health company Bausch + Lomb.

"A very small dose could cause harm to some people," he said. "That's why we say the partial eclipse could also be damaging. And that's why we protect our eyes with the partial as well as with the full sun."

Some say that during a total eclipse, it's safe to view the brief period time when the moon completely blocks the sun without eye protection. But experts warn against it. 

"Totality of the eclipse lasts only about 1 to 3 minutes based on geographic location, and bright sunlight suddenly can appear as the moon continues to move," notes an eclipse viewing guide published in JAMA , adding, "even a few seconds of viewing the sun during an eclipse" can temporarily or permanently damage your vision. 

Do I need special glasses for eclipse viewing?

Yes.  Eclipse glasses are needed to protect your eyes if you want to look at the eclipse.

Regular sunglasses aren't protective enough for eclipse viewing — even if you stack more than one. 

"There's no amount of sunglasses that people can put on that will make up for the filtering that the ISO standard filters and the eclipse glasses provide," Brinton said.

You also shouldn't look at the eclipse through a camera lens, phone, binoculars or telescope, according to NASA, even while wearing eclipse glasses. The solar rays can burn through the lens and cause serious eye injury.

Eclipse glasses must comply with the  ISO 12312-2 international safety standard , according to NASA, and should have an "ISO" label printed on them to show they comply. The American Astronomical Society  has a list  of approved solar viewers.

Can't find these, or they're sold out near you? You can also  make homemade viewers ,   which allow you to observe the eclipse indirectly — just don't accidentally look at the sun while using one.

How to keep kids safe during the solar eclipse

Since this eclipse is expected to occur around the time of dismissal for many schools across the country, it may be tempting for students to view it without the proper safety precautions while getting to and from their buses. That's why some school districts are  canceling classes early so kids can enjoy the event safely with their families.

Dr. Avnish Deobhakta, vitreoretinal surgeon at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary at Mount Sinai, said parents should also be careful because it can be difficult for children to listen or keep solar eclipse glasses on. 

"You want to actually, in my opinion, kind of avoid them even looking at the eclipse, if possible," he said. "Never look directly at the sun, always wear the right eclipse sunglasses if you are going to look at the sun and make sure that those are coming from a reliable source."

Brinton recommends everyone starts their eclipse "viewing" early, by looking at professional photos and videos of an eclipse online or visiting a local planetarium. 

That way, you "have an idea of what to expect," he said. 

He also recommends the foundation  Prevent Blindness , which has resources for families about eclipse safety.

What happens if you look at a solar eclipse without eclipse glasses?

While your eyes likely won't hurt in the moment if you look at the eclipse without protection, due to lowered brightness and where damage occurs in the eye, beware: The rays can still cause damage .

The harm may not be apparent immediately. Sometimes trouble starts to appear one to a few days following the event. It could affect just one or both eyes.

And while some will regain normal visual function, sometimes the damage is permanent. 

"Often there will be some recovery of the vision in the first few months after it, but sometimes there is no recovery and sometimes there's a degree to which it is permanent," Brinton said. 

How long do you have to look at the eclipse to damage your eyes?

Any amount of time looking at the eclipse without protection is too long, experts say. 

"If someone briefly looks at the eclipse, if it's extremely brief, in some cases there won't be damage. But damage can happen even within a fraction of a second in some cases," Brinton said. He said he's had patients who have suffered from solar retinopathy, the official name for the condition.

Deobhakta treated a patient who watched the 2017 solar eclipse for 20 seconds without proper eye protection. She now has permanent damage in the shape of a crescent that interferes with her vision. 

"The crescent that is burned into the retina, the patient sees as black in her visual field," he said. "The visual deficit that she has will never go away."

How to know if you've damaged your eyes from looking at the eclipse

Signs and symptoms of eye damage following an eclipse viewing include headaches, blurred vision, dark spots, changes to how you see color, lines and shapes. 

Unfortunately, there isn't a treatment for solar retinopathy.

"Seeing an eye care professional to solidify the diagnosis and for education I think is reasonable," Brinton said, but added, "right now there is nothing that we do for this. Just wait and give it time and the body does tend to heal up a measure of it."

Sara Moniuszko is a health and lifestyle reporter at CBSNews.com. Previously, she wrote for USA Today, where she was selected to help launch the newspaper's wellness vertical. She now covers breaking and trending news for CBS News' HealthWatch.

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