NationStates Jolt Archive

Okay, so the other person doesn't even realize that it's bothering me so much, but I need this.

My teacher gave us an assignment to read a book on economics of a certain length, and to write a paper on it that was at minimum 2 pages, double spaced, with all the standard font/margin/etc. specifications.

Somebody asked if we had to double space the final draft. She said something like "You can single space it if you want, but it still has to be 2 pages."

My stepdad thinks she's defining 2 pages single spaced as the maximum.

I think she's defining 2 pages as the minimum regardless of spacing.

Please vote. Even if I'm overruled, I still need to know! But if you think I'm wrong will you explain... because I don't understand how I could be and he wasn't able to explain it to me.

Well, not to dog your Econ teacher or anything, but that's a pretty crappy way to make an assignment. Word count is more effective in my experience.

But based on what you gave in the opening post, I'd say he's looking fro two pages minimum, regardless of spacing. I'd recommend double spacing it all the same, however, because reading a single-spaced paper is a bitch, and there's no room to comment on it, and I'd hold it to four pages double-spaced as a maximum.

So you can't ask her?
How about you write 2 pages single spaced and then double it? Or.. y'know.. ask her.
If you can't, that sucks.
She should have clarified.

My stepdad thinks she's defining 2 pages single spaced as the maximum.

I think she's defining 2 pages as the minimum regardless of spacing.
How about option number three, and that's clarifying it with your teacher?

Besides that, there's a big difference between two pages single spaced as a maximum and two pages double spaced as a minimum.

See I never doubted anything. I only brought it up because I thought it was funny that she would make people write twice as much to single space. Then he thought it was a maximum and I mostly was confused as to how he could interpret what she said that way.

I loathe double spacing, personally, I think it's a horrible waste of paper and hard to read besides. She did say single spacing was okay when asked, and historically she doesn't make many, if any comments.

She never said there was a maximum, but I am going to ask her because my paper is turning out very long and she specified the font, size, and margins so strictly that I can't do much about it except cut it down if it's too long. Then again, the book I read was twice as long as she required, so she can't expect it too short.

If she asked for 2 pages double spaced, then make it 2 pages double spaced. that really is a crappy wording of the assignment...I would clarify with her if you have a chance, but I would do no less than 2 pages double spaced and no more than 3 pages double spaced.

See I never doubted anything. I only brought it up because I thought it was funny that she would make people write twice as much to single space. Then he thought it was a maximum and I mostly was confused as to how he could interpret what she said that way.

I loathe double spacing, personally, I think it's a horrible waste of paper and hard to read besides. She did say single spacing was okay when asked, and historically she doesn't make many, if any comments.

She never said there was a maximum, but I am going to ask her because my paper is turning out very long and she specified the font, size, and margins so strictly that I can't do much about it except cut it down if it's too long. Then again, the book I read was twice as long as she required, so she can't expect it too short.
narrow your topic. Atleast at the college level (which it would see you aren't at, forgive me if I am wrong), a paper that should be 5 pages and is 8 pages is just as bad as one that is 2 pages.

Also, when you are reading 25 or more papers, single spaced, the words bleed together and it gets tedious. Hence double spacing. Much much easier on the eyes.

Like, uh, follow the format your supposed to be using. We use MLA format.

narrow your topic. Atleast at the college level (which it would see you aren't at, forgive me if I am wrong), a paper that should be 5 pages and is 8 pages is just as bad as one that is 2 pages.

Also, when you are reading 25 or more papers, single spaced, the words bleed together and it gets tedious. Hence double spacing. Much much easier on the eyes.
You ain't kidding. But I don't read many actual papers anymore--my students turn them in electronically, in Word format, and I use the comment feature to give them suggestions for revision and their grades. It works very well.

you should always double space for formal assignments. you'll have less to write first off, its much clearer to read and put comments. when you are writing an exam u should double space as well. If you write single space i find that they may miss alot of points when marking since especially in college or university the prof or t.a have to mark hundreds of papers, it's really a pain.

You ain't kidding. But I don't read many actual papers anymore--my students turn them in electronically, in Word format, and I use the comment feature to give them suggestions for revision and their grades. It works very well.
I can't read papers on computer...even when I proofread, I have to have it printed out.

Although, I edited someones paper on word, and they asked if the red text was some special teacher program. I laughed.

I graded 6th graders writing. They did it all single spaced. And with a 6th graders prose. That is the very definition of cruel and inhumane.

I can't read stuff on the computer very well either. Sure, I'm doing it right now, but its not like I really care about what is being written and read as I do, say, my thesis on a paper that is worth sixty procent of my grade.

Well, not to dog your Econ teacher or anything, but that's a pretty crappy way to make an assignment. Word count is more effective in my experience.


I disagree. I've always hated "this many word" essays because it doesn't give you a very good idea of how long it is. Pages is a better marker.

As far as single or double spacing... if it has to be the same length, and you choose to do it single instead of double... you're a moron.

I disagree. I've always hated "this many word" essays because it doesn't give you a very good idea of how long it is. Pages is a better marker.

As far as single or double spacing... if it has to be the same length, and you choose to do it single instead of double... you're a moron.
300 words=about 1 page, and there is no debate about how long the prof wanted it. Pages, you end up with one line on the last page to a full last page. 1500 words, you end up with essays between 1400-1600 words. A short paragraph less than the assignment instead of 300 words (or a full page) short.

2 pages? omg i miss short papers. nowadays 2 pages is my opening paragraph...

2 pages? omg i miss short papers. nowadays 2 pages is my opening paragraph...
haha...shortest paper I've written in the last 2 years was 7 pages. I can bang out a 10 page paper in maybe 2 hours. Even with my roommates distracting me with shiny objects.

haha...shortest paper I've written in the last 2 years was 7 pages. I can bang out a 10 page paper in maybe 2 hours. Even with my roommates distracting me with shiny objects.

ditto. i wrote a 15 page paper in one sitting.

the longest ive had to write was 30 pages. the memory alone gives me a headache...

ditto. i wrote a 15 page paper in one sitting.

the longest ive had to write was 30 pages. the memory alone gives me a headache...
ouch...my worst was a 20 page critical essay about the play Marat/Sade and the political leanings of the script. Did it in one sitting. When I started I wanted to die. When I finished, I still wanted to die.

I think the longest I had to do was 30 pages or so...it was 9500 words about funeral rituals in southern rural china, jordan, and france.

Welcome to something that makes suicide look like fun.

I don't care for either word counts or page counts, to be perfectly honest. I like the professors who would tell you to write however long or short you need to write to get your point across, so long as they provide a general parameter for that length.

I've gotten some of my best grades on papers that have been slightly less than the guideline. For example, I got a "A" on a 7.5 page Shakespeare paper even though I turned it in a class period late and was supposed to get a penalty and the assignment called for 8-10 pages. I also got a 19 out of 20 on a paper in a French literature class (that was taught in English) in which the assignment called for 5-6 pages and I clocked in at a shade under four pages.

Specifying margins and fonts is necessary sometimes because people will fudge what they can to squeeze out a certain number of pages. If you don't have limits like double spacing, one inch margins, and size 12 Times New Roman, you're going to have people fudge as much as they can possibly get away with. I know the game. I've played it. Then again, just be glad I'm not anyone's English 101 teacher. :p