How Long Does It Take to Write a 3 Page Paper: Valuable Tips from Experts

Independent work is a form of organization of the educational process, which involves the implementation of assignments according to the teacher’s methodological instructions but without his direct participation. It is considered the foremost means of mastering educational material and theoretical knowledge, acquiring practical skills and abilities in free time from classroom activities. It allows studying the discipline’s theoretical principles, solving discussion questions, and exercising self-control of own knowledge and skills. Independent activity consists of preparing seminars and individual classes, current and final control, writing scientific articles, abstracts, fixed reports, etc.

The main types of independent activity include the following:

  • Study of lecture material;
  • Analysis of the recommended additional literature;
  • Study of basic terms and concepts on the themes of the discipline;
  • Preparation for seminars, discussions in small groups;
  • Test the personal knowledge on questions for self-control;
  • Completion of independent tasks;
  • Preparation for intermediate and final control.

The writing of three-page papers is practiced for the following purposes: acquisition of the necessary professional training, development of skills of independent exploration in the educational process, acquisition of skills in examining literary sources. 

But how long does it take to write a 3 page paper? In this article, we will provide you with the full answer to this exciting question and show you how to optimize the process of writing and make it more efficient. If you are interested in such information, try to inspect this review carefully.

How Long Does it Take to Write a Three-Page Paper?

In search of an answer to the question “How long does it take to write a 3 page paper?” we thought about how many words are included in three pages of text. That’s roughly 750 words or 250 words per page. At first glance, this is not much, and it may seem that it will take only a few minutes to complete the assignment. But this is not always the case. There are a number of factors that affect the speed of executing a task, in particular: the theme, the method of research, experience in completing similar assignments, design requirements, organizational skills, etc.

In the framework of this article, it seems appropriate to divide the whole process into three stages: prewriting, writing, and post-writing processes. So, the speed of completing the work, in general, depends on the speed of execution of each stage. As practice shows, the prewriting lasts about 30 minutes, the writing is 1 hour, and the post writing is 30 minutes. Therefore, in general, it takes 2 hours to present the material on three pages. But this is an approximate time; it can vary significantly in each specific case.

We want to give you some valuable prewriting and writing recommendations. They are provided in the following sections of this overview.

Prewriting Tips

At the initial stage, you need to pay attention to the theme, draw up a plan, decide on a research method, etc. Completing these simple steps will help you structure the document correctly and understand its key purpose.

Focus on Topic

The most important stage of the work is the choice of topic and its formulation. Practice shows that choosing the right theme means to ensure the successful completion of an assignment.

Students are encouraged to choose the topic under the curriculum and pre-consult with the tutor. They choose the key objective independently, guided by their own scientific interests.

When selecting a theme, it is important to consider the following features. First of all, it is worth remembering that the subject of the individual task can be adjusted, taking into account the area of ​​ interest of a person. In this case, the student gets the opportunity to work in more detail on those issues that interest him more. This approach stimulates students’ scientific and practical interest, encourages them to search for little-studied and problematic issues in the literature, approaches, and ways to solve current scientific issues within the chosen them.

The choice of the theme is also determined by the degree of its coverage in the scientific community, the availability of publications and literature sources on the selected problem, and the possibility of unimpeded access to it. We should note that widely represented in the scientific literature topics are more popular as a basis for work. The choice of this theme will minimize the time spent to get acquainted with a significant number of specialized sources, identify your investigation, and begin the process of presenting content. In this case, the problem is the loss of the student’s manifestation of the independence of the study, own interest in the results of the creative search. Thus, the central task is to find the optimal solution when choosing between independent research and a simplified description of already known info on the selected topic.

There are also situations in which the chosen theme is difficult to perceive. In this case, a person can change the topic to any other and, thus, spend extra time, which may affect the quality of work in general. This challenge arises due to the previous ignorance about the chosen theme’s features and possible obstacles in its study. In order to avoid similar situations, you should consult with the teacher. It is worth consulting on the plan, selecting references, the essence of sections and points of the main part, etc. It will be useful to write down such information. In the future, it may be needed when presenting the material.

Brainstorm

Brainstorming is an operational method of solving a problematic situation based on stimulating creative activity. The participants are asked to express as many options as possible to solve a particular problem without avoiding even the most fantastic solutions. The chief aspects are the maximum number of ideas and a complete ban on criticism in the initial stages.

This method is mainly used at the initial stage of a particular project or problem solving or to find new ways of working in the case of a critical decrease in productivity on a particular issue. In these cases, it is important to intensify creative thinking to overcome the inertia of thinking, which leads to stereotyping of thinking and, consequently, reducing the process’s productivity. Accordingly, brainstorming activates students’ intellectual activity, which directs it to put forward the maximum possible number of ideas to solve a particular problem, liberate from the inertia of thinking, overcome stereotypes, etc. Simultaneously, even unrealistic thoughts should be considered, as the possibility of their optimization and application in work is allowed.

Certain requirements must be followed when using this method in the course of selecting a relevant theme. Groups of 5 to 10 people are considered optimal. The work begins with the formulation of the problem to be solved. The teacher must make sure that students understand what is expected of them, that they can capture ideas, that their placement in the classroom allows them to communicate without hindrance. At the end of the time allotted for work, students voice the ideas that were put forward in the collective discussion. Together with the teacher, the consideration of thoughts begins, their suitability to solve the problem is analyzed. The result is the choice of the most original idea. That is, there are several basic stages in brainstorming:

  • Defining the problem;
  • Accumulation of ideas;
  • Grouping accumulated thoughts and proposals, their evaluation (discussion), selection, determination of the original, and optimal idea for solving the issue in further activities.

It is worth noting that it is not recommended to limit the number of ideas generated during the discussion, but a time limit can be entered. This point is important because it allows the teacher to coordinate the work with the curriculum.

Outline Creation

The outline reflects the sequence of presentation of the information. A successfully developed plan shows the ability to analyze the information obtained, the degree of assimilation of its content, and sections’ distribution. The plan helps to improve the perception of the topic.

Outline forming is a rather difficult task. It requires exceptional accuracy, sometimes imagery, and a very careful approach to selecting each word and phrase. This process can be compared to finding the title. Sometimes at the beginning, it is already possible to determine that the outline must be complex. This is due to the nature of the material and the purpose of the outline. However, trying to develop a complex plan at once is not always advisable. 

Choice of Research Method

Before starting an investigation, students should focus on studying the history of the problem, collecting and systematizing the facts, choosing the right tools and techniques.

The method is a certain set of techniques or operations of practical or theoretical knowledge of reality, subjected to the solution of a specific problem. In a general sense, the method is a way to achieve the determined goal and objectives. 

The choice of certain theoretical or experimental methods is determined by the characteristics of the object, conditions, and purpose of a particular study. They form an orderly system of investigation, using techniques, actions with theoretical and experimental material in a certain sequence. Therefore, in particular, you can use various methods: general, operating in all branches of science and at all stages of research; general science, i.e., suitable for all sciences; partial – for certain sciences; special – for one specific science.

Writing Tips

You need to remember that any written document should have three structural parts: the introduction, the main part, and the conclusion. Below we give tips on the creation of each part.

Introduction

The introduction plays an important function in the text. It must logically and psychologically prepare for the perception of new information.

The introduction should include:

  • Formation of the essence of the issue under study;
  • Justification of the choice of topics, recognition of its significance and relevance;
  • Indication of the purpose and tasks, providing the characteristic of the used literature.

Main Part

After creating the introduction, the student moves on to the main part of the presentation. All this material must be properly organized, formed into a single composition in which each element occupies a certain place. Each section of this part, arguing the disclosure of a particular problem or one of its aspects, is a logical continuation of the previous one. The main part contains tables, graphs, diagrams, consideration of problem situations, examples, and more. It presents the own view on some issues of the topic.

A clear sequence of presentation of the material is one of the conditions of its content.

Conclusion

The ending is a necessary element of the structure. Without a conclusion, a paper is perceived as something unfinished. When working on this chapter, the student must ensure that the conclusions are as clear as possible. Be sure to pay attention to practical tips for using the information provided on the topic.

The final insight

In this article, we have provided an answer to the question “How long does it take to write a 3 page paper?” and gave recommendations on how to arrange a good paper. Try to follow them, and for sure, you will be able to finish the assignment quickly and efficiently!