18 September,2023
Table of Contents
Essays are supposed to be simple. At least, that was the impression you were under until you reached college and suddenly were asked to write a 10,000-word essay. The moment you see a number like 10,000, “simple” is the last word you’ll use to describe the task.
There’s something really intimidating about that number. Perhaps the four zeros seem like an overkill.
Surely an essay can’t be that long?
Unfortunately, sooner or later, you’ll learn that 10,000-word essays are considered child’s play when you reach the graduation level. In fact, these essays are nothing but the preamble to theses and dissertations that can extend to 5 to 10 times this word count.
Suddenly, that 10,000-word essay doesn’t seem too intimidating in comparison, does it?
Now, getting over the initial fear of the word count isn’t enough. When it comes to writing academic essays of 10,000 words or more, you’ll encounter challenges like –
Besides, whether you’re writing a thesis, a dissertation, or even lengthy essays, misconceptions like you’ll have to spend every waking hour on the paper or that you’ll have to spend months on research can hinder your progress. As you read this blog, you’ll learn that these are nothing but false exaggerations.
So, for a realistic idea of how your essay writing process for such a task will be, keep reading!
Let’s begin the discussion with the basics – the structure.
Now, a 10,000-word essay structure and a 100-word essay structure don’t really have significant differences. For starters, even if you have to write 10,000 words, the entire essay is still going to be broken down into the three basic segments every student knows by heart –
What are the noticeable differences?
Well, if you compare the word count of each segment, then there’s no denying that the 10,000-word essay word count breakdown is quite extensive compared to your typical high-school essay. Secondly, the way you present your body paragraphs will be different. You won’t notice sections or chapters in body paragraphs of typical middle school or high school essays. However, 10,000-word essays include them. After all, you can’t expect to fit chunks of paragraphs totaling almost 9,000 words without giving readers some sort of visual break!
Now, while writing three-part essays, you have to maintain the appropriate organization that ensures the best logical flow of ideas. In other words, don’t even think about experimenting with a non-linear narrative!
Suppose you’re writing an essay on – “The Impact of AI on the Creative Field.” Now, observe the two outline options in front of you.
| Outline 1 (Non-Linear) | Outline 2 (Linear) |
| A. What led to the rise of artists against AI?B. How has AI improved businesses?C. What is AI?D. Coexistence between tech and artE. How has AI impacted the writing sector? | A. What is AI?B. How has AI impacted the writing sector?C. What led to the rise of artists against AI?D. Coexistence between tech and artE. How has AI improved businesses? |
Compare the two, and you’ll immediately notice that outline 2 is more logically sound. Every point logically connects to the other, which is not the case for outline 1. After all, what’s the point of mentioning what AI is in the middle of your essay after you’ve already covered AI’s impact on business and artists’ reactions to AI?
Proper organization matters. The logical flow of thought matters. The way you structure your 10,000-word essay outline matters because it determines the comprehensibility of your essay. The upcoming section will help make this step easier for you.
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You’ve already covered the breakdown of the word count earlier, but who came up with those numbers? Is it okay to follow those numbers to the T? Well, the calculation that was followed is pretty simple.
For the 10,000-word essay introduction and conclusion, 10% of the total word count was considered. The length is usually the same for these sections. So, that means combining the introduction and conclusion gives you 2000 words, and the rest of the word count (approx. 8,000 words) gets adjusted to the body paragraphs.
Now that the word count is out of the way let’s review the important segments and figure out how you’re supposed to structure them.
The introductory paragraph of any essay must contain the following –
| Hook | • A shocking statistic, a paradox, a rhetorical question, etc. • Meant to grab the reader’s attention |
| Context | • Offers relevant background information to the readers • Context can be historical or sociocultural |
| Thesis Statement | • Expresses the central focus of the essay • Is concise, arguable, and original |
Out of these three inclusions, it might be argued that the thesis statement is the most important.
What is the Thesis Statement?
Think of this statement as a lighthouse whose sole responsibility is to shine light and act as a guide to help ships find their way to shore. Just like the lighthouse, the thesis statement also acts as the guiding light.
In a way, it is the main idea that the entire essay will cover.
Here’s an example – “The inclusion of regular mental health checkups in the high school curriculum can help identify students struggling with mental health issues and offer them the guidance needed to combat the invisible illness.”
From this thesis statement, a reader can come to the following conclusions about what the essay will discuss –
When writing a 10,000-word essay, there is always a risk of straying off the topic when you don’t conduct in-depth research. After you run out of relevant things to say and notice you still have scope to write, the easy way out is to write irrelevant things that add no value to the content.
This won’t do you any favors. If you’re not consciously doing this, then when you come up with the essay outline, always check the thesis to see if the topic sentences are directly relevant to the statement.
What is the Significance of the Background Information?
Sometimes, the historical or sociocultural context can do wonders to inform readers why they should be worrying about the topic. Let’s assume that you’ve been asked to write an essay on the dangers of AI.
Now, can you imagine how impactful it would be to strengthen your argument if you mention the incidents of deepfakes surrounding AI? The moment you mention the lives lost due to deepfakes, the situation becomes too real for the readers. They understand the weight behind the topic, and would be more invested in learning what you have to say.
Now, the introductory section is also the best place where you can provide an overview of what the essay will cover. Yes, the thesis statement already does half the job, but it certainly won’t hurt to offer a more detailed roadmap, especially when you have such an extensive word count to cover!
As you work on your main body, you’ll realize how similar the body of such a long essay is to that of a thesis or a dissertation, especially when you have to divide the body into sections or chapters, such as the following –
Let’s take a closer look at what each section comprises –
This section is essentially a summary of the key research findings relevant to your topic. You want your readers to know that you have a thorough understanding of the subject. You can prove this only by including the following in this section –
If you claim – “Social media negatively impacts students’ mental health” – then you have to prove it. Making any claim without further elaborating on it won’t do you any favors in gaining readers’ confidence. Nor will you gain anything by focusing only on one side of any argument.
Let’s consider the statement above and assume that you have come up with several arguments to prove that social media has a negative impact on students’ mental health. Ask yourself, “Is there all there is to it?” Despite the harmful effects of social media, you can’t deny the fact that it has become an essential part of society. Social media is the first place where you get to know what’s happening around the world. Besides, it’s also an essential element for any business. Keeping students away from social media won’t do them any favors in the long run.
If you don’t acknowledge these positive aspects of social media, then readers will assume you’re offering a biased perspective on the subject. Now, that’s definitely not what you want. So, what do you do?
You acknowledge all the counterarguments that the opposition might throw at you and then come up with points to counter the views. Show your readers that you’ve considered all angles while formulating your arguments.
While including original research is not compulsory for essays (yes, even ones as long as 10,000 words), no one will stop you from going down that route if you’re up for it. When explaining the research methodologies, you can include the following –
Mention the results that you obtained after conducting your research. Keep in mind that this section is only for the results – do not include your personal opinions or observations here.
The final part of your main body is where you discuss the results that you obtained. Remember the section where you explored the arguments and counterarguments? If the data that you obtained strengthens your argument, then it’ll become easier for you to convince the readers of the credibility of your words.
The concluding segment might be the final part of your essay, but don’t think you can simply summarize the points you’ve discussed in the main body and call it a day. You’re supposed to synthesize the points, not reiterate the same ideas again and again.
For starters, restate the thesis statement. Since you’re almost at the end of your 10,000-word essay, some readers might not remember the main idea that you were trying to prove. So, help them recall it. Then, you can –
This should be the basic structure for a 10,000-word essay. Seems intimidating, doesn’t it? Worry not! If you’re stressing about this task, then the next section is going to help you craft a top-notch paper.
If you’ve reached the academic stage where you’re tasked with writing 10,000-word essays, then surely you won’t need this blog to go over the same suggestions you’ve been listening to for ages. Don’t worry; we’ve got the best minds to work together and provide some tips for a 10,000-word essay that you won’t find anywhere else. Let’s check them out.
Not having a proper plan before writing a 10,000-word essay is like going into battle without any clue about your enemies. You can’t go in blind. Sure, you can probably write a 100-word essay with no issues. However, we’re talking about 100x that word count, and without a good plan, you might end up writing fluff just to be able to meet the target.
However, when you conduct in-depth research on the topic, you’ll be able to find plenty of angles to explore. No matter which topic you end up choosing, you’re bound to find some good materials on –
| Academic Sources (For All Subjects) | Subject-Specific Sources |
|
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy |
If you need more resources, you can always get in touch with our professionals. Now, once you’ve gone over the research materials, you’ll have a better idea of the existing work in the field. This knowledge will help you come up with an outline for your essay.
When you outline your paper, the chances of going off-topic are minimal. So, review an essay outline template if needed or reach out to one of our professionals for guidance.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that writing a 10,000-word essay is a time-consuming process. You might be able to write a 1,000-word paper after procrastinating until the final due date, but things won’t be so easy when you’ve got such a long paper to work on.
The task is manageable if you approach it smartly. Instead of trying to get as much as you can do in as little time as possible, why don’t you break up the entire task into more manageable sections? Here’s what you can do –
You can easily complete your task within less than a week without overwhelming yourself.
There’s nothing more intimidating than staring at a blank page as you come up blank. The blinking cursor counts the seconds as you stare at the page, willing your brain to cooperate. Trust us when we say that even some of our best scholars have encountered such moments on their bad days. So, here’s what they usually do –
A perfect essay doesn’t get drafted in one go. It takes at least three revisions for you to get a semblance of a well-written paper. The first draft is just a rough version of your outline, and as you go over multiple drafts, you can steadily flesh out your ideas and polish the entire content to perfection. Don’t focus on correcting spelling and grammatical errors until the final stages. Your second and third drafts should concentrate on the following areas –
Once you’ve completed your final draft, you can reach out to professional editors and proofreaders on MyAssignmentHelp to review your content for a final assessment.
If you’re attempting a 10,000-word essay for the first time, it’s very natural that you’ll have multiple questions about the task like –
“How long is a 10,000-word essay?”
“Is it ok for me to paraphrase from a source?”
“Will I be penalized if I don’t meet the word count?”
Honestly, there’s nothing wrong with asking questions. In fact, the ones who don’t ask questions as the ones who usually end up making some very rookie mistakes. Well, even knowing what these mistakes are can help you be more conscious of avoiding them. So, why not take a closer look?
Imagine trying to organize an argument only to keep getting distracted by your notifications going crazy. You promise yourself you’ll just take a peek, and before you know it, an hour goes by with you mindlessly scrolling your social media profiles. Want to avoid this specific scenario? Here’s what you can do –
When you go to a restaurant, you certainly don’t order your dessert before your mains, do you? There’s a proper order for everything, including the arguments that you include in your essay. There should be a logical train of thought connecting each argument so that readers can easily comprehend the big picture. Besides, you can’t slack off while formatting a 10,000-word essay. Here are some formatting tips that you can follow –
| Category | Details |
| Document Layout | Margin – 1 inch on all four sidesParagraph spacing – Single or double-line spaced as specifiedLine spacing – 1.5 or double-line spacingAlignment – Left alignment for text or headings |
| Text Formatting | Font style – Headings and subheadings in bold and 2 pts bigger in size than textFont – Calibri/Times New Roman/ArialFont size – 11 or 12 pt |
| Quotation Formatting | Short quotes (less than 40 words) should be within double quotes; longer quotes should be included in a separate paragraph. |
“You write, you cite” – that’s a personal favorite saying of some of our scholars on the team. It’s a very simple idea, and yet many students forget to follow it and end up looking for essay writing help. So, here’s what you should be doing if you want to write a flawless paper without relying on anyone else –
A well-cited essay does wonders to boost your credibility and expertise as a writer.
Once you go over potential 10,000-word essay topics and finally select the one you want to write your paper on, there’s no going back. All that’s left is to confidently walk forward, penning down your thoughts and crafting a masterpiece.
Stressed about messing up?
Sometimes, looking up some sample papers can help give you a sense of direction. So, take a look at these two examples and note the writing techniques used –
Remember the point about catching the reader’s attention? Well, this one does the job well from the get-go.
| The bard said, ‘All the world’s a stage’, and maybe it is, but what they don’t tell you is that all of life is stage-managed. You got your TV, radio, theatre, films, and pop music; it’s all divertimenti kids, all divertimenti [Stagefright] * |
Instead of leaving the infamous Shakespearean quote as it is, the writer offers a spin to it that’s the key to grabbing your attention. As you read the essay, you’ll also pick up on the following –
Instead of leaving the infamous Shakespearean quote as it is, the writer offers a spin to it that’s the key to grabbing your attention. As you read the essay, you’ll also pick up on the following –
If you want to dive more into the various writing techniques used by the writer here, then feel free to reach out to our scholars. At MyAssignmentHelp, you can also access hundreds of other writing samples to browse.
Proper planning, excellent time management and research skills, and just a little bit of confidence – that’s all you need to get the show going!
Hopefully, this blog has answered some of your questions and eased a bit of your fear. As long as you conduct in-depth research, you’ll never run out of things to explore in your paper, and as long as you keep an eye out for the other common mistakes mentioned in the blog, you shouldn’t encounter any issues. Good luck!
The days of struggling with your academic papers alone are gone. Now, you can get last-minute assignment help from the leading experts in the industry only at MyAssignmentHelp. We don’t beat around the bush. Just let us know what you need help with, and we’ll offer personalized solutions in no time.
Share your concerns with us. If you’ve encountered issues with such long-form writing before, feel free to let us know. It will help us identify the main issue and address the root cause of your struggles.
The page count of a 10,000-word essay depends on multiple factors, like font size, average words per sentence, and formatting details. However, if you take the standard calculations to heart, then you can expect to cover –
Keep in mind that writing the paper by hand will increase the page count.
The first step is to come up with a thesis statement, which will act as the guiding point. Then, follow these steps –
Your ideas should support the thesis statement. As easy as it sounds, organizing such an extensive paper can be challenging. So, if you want to learn how to plan a 10,000-word essay, our experts at MyAssignmentHelp can help you out.
You should not spend more than 5-6 days writing a 10,000-word essay. Technically, you should be done within 33 hours (approx.). However, it’s not like you’re going to sacrifice sleeping, eating, or other activities just to complete your paper. So, all things considered, you should be done within less than a week.
Personal opinions have no place in academic writing. However, a 10,000-word essay gives you the scope to prove that your opinion is not biased but quite objective by –
While there are plenty of AI content generators to help you write long essays, it’s best not to rely on them too much. These tools are not the best at creating logical arguments or incorporating unique ideas. However, at MyAssignmentHelp, you can book professional writers to help you write your paper. You can even use tools like –
These will help you assess the quality of your paper.
Hi, my name is Alexander Anderson. I am 30, and I am an English writing expert based in Melbourne. I started writing and blogging from a young age, and most of my write-ups are based on real experiences and self-taught. Currently, I write Academic Blogs for Students all across the Globe at MyAssignmenthelp.com. In addition to guiding students on their writing projects, I have also written on the topics of modern and contemporary art. If there’s something that I love more than Literature and art, it’s my Hungarian furry bud “Amos”. When I am not working, I am spending time with this greatest blessing in my life.
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