You felt the joy. Finally! your essay was done. However, your joy was prematurely terminated when you reviewed your paper and discovered it was a long shot from reaching the prescribed word count.
What do you do when your paper does not meet the required length of a dissertation? This article seeks to guide you on the methods to reach the prescribed Ph.D. dissertation length without compromising your paper’s quality.
We will also touch on the ideal length for your paper and offer some tips to help you manage your paper with ease.
How to make my dissertation longer
After exhausting your argument, you may feel frustrated if you are short of the paper’s length. Given the good work you have done in research, you cannot afford to spam your paper with unnecessary fluff.
You may also not be willing to include more ideas as these may require much time to research and integrate them into your paper. Here are some of the approaches to lengthen your dissertation without much stress.
- Broaden your descriptions
Afraid to exceed the word count, students tend to limit the length of their descriptions. When in a predicament where your word count is below the target, explain various ideas and scenarios better.
While many may feel conflicted over this, it is a great way to address the specifics of your dissertation, helping a reader better understand your perspective. For instance, instead of saying that:
The withdrawal of punishment inspired more negative behavior from students.
you could say that:
Upon withdrawing punishment, students slowly reverted to negative behavior including noise-making and lateness in class. This indicated that punishment was effective in deterring the negative stimuli.
- Do away with abbreviations and contractions
Abbreviations are yet other regular culprits who could be taken from your total word count. Spelling out each abbreviation and contraction helps avoid confusion and restores the formal tone of your paper.
- Develop a reverse outline
A reverse outline is a great tool for gauging the completeness of your paper. This outline is structured by reading your paper and highlighting the key idea from every paragraph in various sections.
By preparing your outline, you can unveil the ideas that have been poorly covered and develop them further. You may also identify some paragraphs carrying two ideas and break them into two while adding the needed flesh to the new paragraphs.
- Use transition phrases
Transitional phrases are a great way to achieve flow and sneak in a few words to your paper’s total word count. some examples of transitional phrases include:
- To add something…
- To put it in another way…
- Contrary to what author x propounds …
- In light of these observations …
- Add more support
You could also aim to add support to various arguments, meeting the word count and improving your paper’s argument. The possible additions you could make in your paper include direct quotations of an author’s words, anecdotes, counterarguments, facts, figures, and commentary.
How long are dissertation papers?
The average dissertation length ranges from fifty to two hundred pages. Many faculties however recommend that your dissertation be less than 80,000 words.
After receiving your instructions, gauge the distribution of pages per section and determine the topic that can sate the word count. preferably, select a unique topic to have a wider range of ideas to discuss in your paper.
It is key to note that references, appendixes, and the title page do not add to the final word count tally. Also, you are not required to meet the exact word count indicated in the instructions. Consult with your tutor to discover the allowance they have provided to fall below or exceed the word count.
Final take
This article has covered some of the tips our experts shared on how to make writing longer. If you are still struggling with your paper, feel free to reach out for our professional guidance.
