posted
I just started a class at a community college. One of our first due projects is a 1500 word "essay" on 9 different microbiologists.
We've been told to style it one paragraph per microbiologist. That averages 166 words each. That means 9 paragraphs of that length.
Now I won't say I've never seen paragraphs that long. But I've certainly never seen nine of that length in a row. So I don't know how that can be called that an essay.
Did anyone else have this kind of problem in school? Do you think it's likely I would lose marks for just writing it like normal paragraphs, and still keep 1500 words for the whole 9 microbiologists?
Posts: 1138 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
If you were told to do it a certain way, and you don't do it, it'd have to be darn good to not get points taken off. I wrote a personal essay (for a creative nonfiction class) that ended up being over 10 pages long and had paragraphs well over 166 words, so it's certainly doable.
I think the best thing for you to do would be to ask your professor if you can use more than one paragraph per microbiologist. If he/she says no, then look at it as a learning experience. That's what college is all about .
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
That doesn't exactly meet my definition of an essay. For one thing, you don't mention anything about tying it all together. Sounds more like nine long paragraphs written together.
Posts: 211 | Registered: Dec 2006
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quote:Originally posted by cheiros do ender: Now I won't say I've never seen paragraphs that long. But I've certainly never seen nine of that length in a row.
Um really. I just looked at some of the paragraphs in the things I've written recently. 166 words amounts to 10 - 11 lines in 12 point Times New Roman font. That is not a long paragraph at all. If you use double spacing it comes out to about half a page. I looked at the 20+ page paper I was recently sent to review for publication and it doesn't have a single paragraph that is shorter than 150 words.
Given only an average of 166 words per author, I think you'd be hard pressed to make more than one paragraph per author.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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Gosh, yes if that isn't the truth. I think college is nothing but four (in my case, five) years of hoop jumping. Get used to it. Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
It's a stupid assignment, but hey. That's school. "I am not much more than a beast that has been taught to dance by blows and a few meager morsels."
Posts: 1515 | Registered: Feb 2002
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posted
It depends on what style your professor wants. You should check, but in the meantime, here're some links to APA and MLA style guides. (Those are the only 2 I'm familiar with.)
The information on references/ works cited is at the bottom of each page. Click on the type of source you're using.
Posts: 834 | Registered: Jun 2005
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