The Page Limit Just Does Not Exist
I have always struggled with page limits for essays. Every time my one of my professors assigns a page limit of 8 pages, I end up having to make it 9. If the page limit for the next paper is 10 pages, my paper will be 11 pages. I just can't help overwriting and putting out all my thoughts, it is how my mind works! Thus, I have become skilled in the game of changing margins, making periods smaller, and making the spacing just a little but less than double-spaced. I consistently play this game in my attempts to try to trick teachers, to see if I can submit this paper, with all its alterations, and not get caught. Let's just say, it is stressful. Why can't I just learn to write more concisely? I probably could, but I think I have gotten so accustomed to playing this game that I don't want to stop. Until I got caught.
Just a few weeks ago, my teacher told me to stay after class. She had a comment regarding my latest paper. She said that she can't remember the last time she had to confront a student for changing the margins to make their paper seem shorter than it really is, usually it is the other way around. While she applauded me for my efforts, she also took off five points. I didn't think teacher's realized what I was doing. That apparently was not true. So, was the five points worth getting off? For me, yes. I want to say everything I feel the need to say. Cutting out parts of my paper is just too hard for me. Thus, I will now have to reap the consequences of such actions, or....just get better at the game of cheating the page limit. For me, like the figure above shows, the "limit does not exist!"
It is risky to play games with your teachers, after all, the hold your grade in their hands. Also, going over the page limit gives the teacher that what you have to say is more important than respecting their guidelines. I know this is the risk I take every time I choose to make the margins just a bit smaller or change my periods to font 11 instead of 12. Yet, this is a risk, for some assignments, I am willing to take. The teachers have all the power in deciding what papers to assign and what they are going to be about, thus, as students I think we should at least get the power to decide how much we want to write about the topic. Are page limits just another arbitrary label put on students, like GPA, or grades? Is there really a need for page limits? My opinion is clear. What do you think?
By: Taylor Rothman
This post is very interesting to me, as I personally have never heard of a teacher taking off points for having too long of a paper! In my opinion, if you are playing the game to maximize your points, it would be well worth it to cut some length off your paper. Often times, I feel similar to you in that I have TOO much to say. But, many times, the way we say things becomes wordy and it's a useful skill to be able to cut out some wording. I definitely think in the future you should try this and make the limit exist!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post, I do the same thing! I always seem to have far too much to write in answering the writing assignment questions. Typically, in contrast I try to eliminate repetitive thoughts and points in order to try to obey the guidelines, but usually it is am impractical feat to accomplish. This leaves me with the same exact predicament, cheat and try to make the paper shorter, or explain to my professor why i need the extra space and apologize for the slight inconvenience. This usually works (maybe you should try it), but when faced with stiffer guidelines or unaccommodating/understanding professors I am forced to remove more from my argument, these papers I usually am unable to have as structurally sound of an argument. Overall, I'd say honesty is a respectable quality that professors in my experience have been accommodating on. On the off chance your professor won't be nice and will want to penalize you try some of these ideas: http://ask.metafilter.com/47828/How-do-I-decrease-apprarent-essay-length
ReplyDeleteI'm currently facing the same issue because I provided four arguments when only one was required, I will probably have to remove one of my four, but I'm not pleased with the outcome. I guess the last resort option is to take more writing classes and learn how to avoid the predicament in the future, for now, let the sly cheating of shortening essays continue, I'm with you, if the system won't help you or be kind, beat them!
I also had this problem in a class this fall. In English 340 (which by the way is a great class), in this class we read a book or collection of short stories a week and in that week we had to write a short paper about something in the book (one page double space, no more than 300 words). It was in this class that I realized that being able to focus your ideas was just as important and expanding on them.
ReplyDeleteMichael Scheible
Taylor,
ReplyDeleteI thought this was really interesting and it was interesting to learn about the some of the techniques that you use. You would think that a teacher would encourage you to write more and thoroughly express your thoughts. However, I do see how this could be considered disrespectful to them, as you are not respecting their guidelines. They may see this as manipulative and trying to find ways around their guidelines and cheat the system. Personally, when I see page limitations for an assignment, it is more of relief for me. I know that I must get my point across in a concise manner; I have never thought about altering the margins or font size. Therefore, I agree with Ali, in that it may definitely be useful to cut out wording and get right to the point in some cases.
Last week I had a paper due that could be NO MORE THAN 4 PAGES. My GSI made it very clear that she would throw away and not read anything past the fourth page. As I normally do, and it seems like many other people do, I never fail to go over the page limit; I had four and a half pages of writing, without a title. Unfortunately, we had to turn the paper in online, so I could not adjust the margins or change the spacing like I normally do. I am also always hesitant to remove part of my work because I think that it is always all necessary. For this assignment I had to get two impartial people to read my paper and tell me what was able to be cut out without taking away from the paper. Even though I was not happy about making deletions, I luckily brought my paper down to four pages.
ReplyDeleteI understand that without a page limit, people can go overboard making the assignment much more difficult for the GSI or professor to grade, but I do not think its fair that we are limited to a specific number of pages or words when the assignment is to describe or evaluate something in our own words.
It is extremely unfortunate that 5 points were taken off a paper, so hopefully you can find a way to get your thoughts across more concisely, even though it definitely is not always easy. Good luck!
Speaking only for myself, I insist on the word limit in short assignments, where the purpose is for students to learn to be succinct. (My rule is plus-minus ten percent is allowed; beyond that it affects the grade.) In long assignments, I don't care so much, although it wouldn't be unreasonable to care. If a journal, magazine, or a newspaper commissions something from you, their setting parameters is completely understandable, and a good writer will force herself to do it.
ReplyDeleteThat said, anybody who says "I won't read beyond X" needs some therapy.
It is interesting I read this post today, after staying up late last night with my best friend helping her with a re-write of a paper. Now my friend is an extremely good writer and did not need me to edit her paper, but wanted me there so she could ask me if this or that made sense, since she, also, had a strict page limit. After meeting with her professor after the first draft she found out that her thesis was not explained thoroughly enough, however it was one of the best topics she had ever read and offered support if she decided to pursue it as an honors thesis. Even though she was really asking for more information, she did not change the 4 page word limit. Even with all the "fluff" removed from her paper (anything even remotely extraneous was removed) she still found she had too much to say.
ReplyDeleteThis morning I received a text from her saying: "4 pages exactly. Couldn't fit another word in the doc if I tried! I am very proud of myself. ANd I learned my lesson. No more bifurcated thesis statements in 4 page papers".
I find this sad, because when she first decided on the topic she could not wait to write the paper. However, because she pursued a more in-depth topic than other students, she was the one that had to learn the lesson? Although I understand why page limits are in place, the value of education and learning a topic you are excited about, and in depth, the student should not be chastised for it. Although it is true maybe she should not have written a paper on something that would take more than 4 pages, but at the same time she learned much more than her fellow classmates.
I'm glad you took the hit on the 5 points to get your ideas across, because this is how you learn. Limiting yourself to a strict word limit also limits your ideas, creativity and research into a topic you might really enjoy. And these have payoffs that last much longer than 5 points do.
Since English isn't my first language, the writing assigments at the University of Michigan are 'hell' for me. Not that I can't write at all, but to express my thoughts clearly is still a challenge.
ReplyDeleteFor me personally the page min/max are extremly helpfull because they serve as guidline and helps me follow the right track. I also think the page limits are there just for the 'conciniece of the teachter, so they don;t have to much to read trough'.
I've been here for one semester now and I sertainly didn't had the problem of having 'to much' so I couldn't really relate to your problem untill today. I've written an paper for my women and gender course and I am so excited about the topics that I had to cut pieces out in order to keep it between the limits. My profesor told me that it would be fine if I had written more, and I think that if you hadn't play 'games' and just explain how exited you were for the assigment and therefore wrote a little bit extra, I think you probably would have recieved the full points!
When it comes to me, I always tell my teachers that: "when it comes to papers, it's quality, not quantity". However, I believe that some courses are required to have "written assignments" that MUST be at least, say, 1000 words. My guess for the reason for this is as good as yours. My best guess is that for some courses that do not look like having a heavy work load in LSA, the University compensates by placing requirements (like written assignments) on these courses. Although this may be a conspiracy theory, I am currently in a course where I overheard a conversation this dilemma. I'll keep everyone posted if I hear more...
ReplyDeleteSome arguments and ideas simply require more than the page limit to express. In those situations, I usually talk to the teacher ahead of time to make sure that it is alright with them that I exceed the limit. Changing the margins and font size seems a bit risky to me, since it gives the appearance that you are trying to circumvent their guidelines.
ReplyDeleteEven if you don't have the opportunity to speak with the teacher ahead of time, I recommend being explicit in violating the page limit. It simply makes your essay appear more presentable (crammed margins and small fonts don't look nice).
- Jonathan Lipkin
In my opinion, I would have to agree with Jonathon. I probably wouldn't change the margins and I would probably talk to the teacher depending on how long my paper was. I also agree with you, that I want to say everything I want to say. I have also seen people make the font size of punctuation slightly smaller. Although risky, I like a little risk.
ReplyDeleteI think taking risks is what makes life worth living. Relating this to the class, I look back on sports and competition. I think about the major quest as well. When it comes to sports, it often gets violent. It is a risk to get involved in sports that involve contact. I was always getting injuries but I loved to play sports--giving me the opportunity to make other friends. Risk taking allows you to experience new things, things you otherwise would never consider. For example, my camp took us cliff jumping on a camping trip. Without taking risks, I would never have done some of the things in my life that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I always say: "It's quality, not quantity." This is very true for written assignments as well and I could argue for hours about this statement being true. Minimums should not be given out, only maximum page lengths. Everyone has had to alter their papers in order to maintain a minimum or maximum one time or another. This isn't right and doesn't make sense. Your post strikes a very controversial issue in school from K to 12 and beyond.
ReplyDelete