How long is a 500-word essay? What duration of time would you require to write such an essay? Here, we will discuss tips on how to write a 500-word essay and highlight the page length you expect with a 500-word essay. 

500-word essay format

A 500-word essay is often divided into three sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The introduction of the essay ranges between one and two paragraphs and carries a hook to bring your reader’s attention to the essay topic and a summary of the background. This section also highlights the thesis statement, giving your readers a gist of the ideas contained within your paper. 

The body of the essay contains sentences that build upon your argument, bringing out the intended theme. Ideally, ideas within the body should develop upon each other, transitioning from one point to the key argument you intend for your essay. 

Unlike the introduction, the body makes up the bulk of your paper and may span between three and five paragraphs of your total essay. Finally, the conclusion reiterates your thesis statement and the key arguments in support of your topic. 

The conclusion should thus tie your key points together to bring your reader’s focus from specific claims to the larger argument. This part of your paper may span between one and two paragraphs depending on the length of each of your essay paragraphs. 

How to write a 500-word essay

1. Research your topic

Before writing your paper, conduct research to establish the background and key arguments for your topic. As you research, check for ideas that have not been exhausted to present an original paper. 

Also, jot down the ideas you establish along the way for an easy time preparing your outline. 

2. Prepare an outline

Before writing prepare it is crucial to prepare an outline of your key arguments. This outline allows you to organize your ideas into a coherent argument and also to have an easy time writing your paper without veering off your key arguments. 

The outline also allows you to assess the completeness of your paper before the writing stage, helping you determine the feasibility of the selected topic and helping you avoid various stumbling blocks in the latter writing stages. 

3. Writing

After preparing an outline, write your paper while expanding each idea in your outline into readable prose. When at this, we recommend using transition words between paragraphs to achieve coherence within your arguments. 

4. Editing

Before submitting your paper, perform multiple revisions to identify the errors that could compromise your final score. When editing your paper, refer to the instructions offered by your tutor and various styling guides, to avoid common issues that could compromise your paper’s quality. 

How many pages is a 500-word essay?

The 500-word essay length varies depending on the spacing and font size employed on your paper. Alike double-spaced papers, papers with a large font size have more white space and thus span more pages than their single-spaced and smaller font counterparts.

When using a 12-font size and double-spacing, the 500-word essay spans two pages compared to a single page of a 12-font size single-spaced essay. 

How long does it take to write 500 words?

A quick search of this question often yields answers such as twelve minutes or twenty-two minutes. However, this is the answer to the question: how long does It take to write 500 words?

Realistically, planning and research may take up to two hours depending on the complexity of your topic. Also, editing and proofreading may take an hour to correct your essay, and ensure that it adheres to all the guidelines provided by your tutor.

As such, you may require between two and three hours for a 500-word essay that’s up to standard. We also recommend that you don’t handle your essay in one sitting. Instead, break it down using the Pomodoro technique to ensure maximum productivity in your scheduled sessions.

However, many institutions require a scholarship essay as part of their criteria for sifting among various applicants. Your essay should thus indicate your attention to detail and highlight your accomplishments, goals, and writing abilities.

The scholarship essay should also put up a strong argument to show why you deserve the scholarship and express your overall understanding of a subject. If you are confused about how to write your scholarship essay, this article should come in handy.

Here, we’ll discuss the steps, tips, and outline of the essay, helping you overcome errors that could compromise your final score.

Scholarship essay outline

The scholarship essay outline follows a simple structure with an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Like all essays, however, your scholarship paper should organize details to ensure flow and present an outstanding argument, worthy of landing you a scholarship.

Introduction: how to start a scholarship essay

The introduction of your scholarship essay should take up between one and two paragraphs of your essay. This section highlights the key ideas of your essay and also contains the hook for your paper.

As such, your introduction should be outstanding to make a great first impression that pushes the scholarship panel to interact with your application further. Some great ways to hook your readers include using rhetorical questions and anecdotes highlighting your key points.

Ideally, give your introduction a personal touch, expressing your desires, fears, and hope, for better interaction with your audience.

Body

The body of your essay expands on your arguments while providing relevant support where needed. This section should make up the bulk of your essay, taking up between two and three paragraphs of your essay.

Conclusion: how to end a scholarship essay

The conclusion often comprises one paragraph and highlights what you hope to achieve from the scholarship. Here, reiterate your hopes and highlight how the scholarship will help you towards these desired outcomes.

How to write a scholarship essay

Owing to its importance in your academic journey, much thought ought to be invested in the scholarship essay. As such, rushing into writing your paper may jeopardize your chances to land the scholarship or result in challenges in your writing process.

Some of the steps to consider as you write your essay include:

1. Understand the essay question

Before researching your topic, read the question to determine the requirements for your essay. The question may specify the subject of your essay, the preferred word count, and the formatting style recommended by the scholarship panel.

Ideally, jot these requirements down and use them as a guide for editing your essay, to ensure compliance with the requirements.

2. Brainstorm and research your topic

After establishing the subject, brainstorm on the experience you have been asked to discuss and highlight the chronology of events that led to a certain lesson. If necessary, research to establish the necessary sources to back up various arguments within your paper.

3. Prepare an outline

It is crucial to prepare an outline before you write your essay. The outline allows you to organize your ideas for optimal flow and to have a smooth writing experience without veering off your key arguments. 

The outline also helps you gauge how well ideas have been developed and to trim irrelevant essay ideas. 

4. Write

After developing your outline, conversationally expand your essay. We recommend that you keep your sentences short and also that you avoid jargon which could compromise your reader’s capacity to understand your essay.

5. Edit

Finally, peruse your work to determine how it meets various requirements and also to correct grammatical and structural errors that could compromise your final score. You may consider expert scholarship essay writing help to nub various issues and format your essay to the acceptable scholarship essay standards.

Scholarship essay format

• 1-inch page margins
• 12-point font size
• Standard font, e.g., Times New Roman or Calibri
• Double-line or 1.5-line spacing

How long should a scholarship essay be?

A scholarship essay often ranges between 500 to 1000 words. The essay length however depends on the institution and is therefore prescribed in the essay requirements.

If no instructions are offered, consider consulting beneficiaries of the scholarship or limiting your essay to the minimum words required for a persuasive case. However, avoid very long papers as these may prove tedious for the scholarship panel given the vast number of applications to consider.

Scholarship essay prompts

1. What impact did the positive or bad challenge you faced have on you?
2. Describe a unique ability or accomplishment that sets you apart from other students.
3. Do you concur that overcoming obstacles is the only development path?
4. Why are you a qualified candidate for this scholarship?
5. What is your study strategy and why did you pick this particular topic of study?
6. Methods to avoid bullying and abuse in school settings
7. Cultural appropriation and racism as roadblocks to social progress
8. What beneficial effects has your favourite book had on your life?
9. Do we manufacture our happiness?
10. Why are you concerned about education?

Unfortunately, the plethora of topics to write about often makes it hard to select a topic for your research. This article will cover tips on how to find topics for an essay and highlight some interesting essay topics to guide you in topic selection. 

How to come up with essay topics

Coming up with good investigative essay topics calls for much consideration. As such, selecting a topic for an essay on a whim is a blunder bound to cause a series of headaches in writing. Also, poor topic selection may impair your focus on the essay topic, compromising your overall performance.

Some of the steps to follow when selecting your topic are:

1. Read the essay prompt

Poor understanding of the assignment is often the precursor to a myriad of topic selection issues. Before diving into research, you must gauge the assignment prompt to highlight the key phrase and scope of your assignment.

2. Brainstorm

After understanding the assignment, think of the interesting topics you have come about relating to the assignment. This allows you to gauge the areas that pique your interest and also to identify the topics that are familiar to you. 

The topics you come up with during brainstorming should inform your research and guide you to select a topic that piques your interest, ensuring you enjoy the laborious task of investigating and writing about your topic. 

3. Research

Before you settle for any topic, research various emerging issues on the topic and also the background of the topic. This not only allows you to select a topic that allows you to offer fresh insight but also to familiarize yourself with the background of your topic. 

As you perform your research, narrow your focus to a specific issue that can be exhausted within the prescribed word count. you could select two or three interesting topics to gauge the one that is easier to address, saving yourself from challenges in the latter writing stages.

4. Develop an outline

After selecting your topics, develop an outline to gauge the extent to which a topic can be investigated. The outline will allow you to gauge the word count of your essay and also to compare the abundance of sources within each topic.

If you are unsure about your selected topic, consider reaching out to your tutor with your outline for guidance on the areas that require further analysis. Also, consider seeking expert help for guidance in analyzing your topic and coalescing relevant resources relating to your topic. 

Good topics to write about

Descriptive essay topics

1. Describe a situation that altered your life. 
2. Describe a leisure activity you enjoy. 
3. Explain your first year of college. 
4. What kind of career do you hope to land once you graduate? 
5. Describe the nicest trip you ever had. 
6. What sport is your favourite? 
7. Give an account of your nightmare. 

Evaluation essay topics

8. How university soccer teams affect the character of young guys 
9. How the actions of basketball supporters improve the players’ enjoyment of games 
10. What roles did men and women play in contemporary love movies? 
11. Do historical movies aid in the study of history and the memory of important past events? 
12. iOS and Android comparison 
13. Analyse how well technology is used in education. 
14. How do pupils perform when there are mental health issues? 

Expository essay topics

15. The Problem of Social Unemployment 
16. Social Media’s Positive and Negative Effects 
17. The Causes of Loneliness in Contemporary Culture 
18. Should money be spent on space exploration?
19. The Aspects of Ethics in Management 
20. An Overview of Feminism in the Victorian Era 
21. Computers’ Impacts on Environment and Human Life 

Good reflective essay topics

22. My initial middle school day
23. Comparing middle school and high school studies
24. Mentoring’s effects on school-aged youth
25. My future predictions
26. the places I avoid, and the reasons why
27. A time in college when I felt proud
28. feeling terrified and unsure of how to handle it

Process analysis essay topics

29. How can a washing machine be fixed at home?
30. How can you write more legibly?
31. How do I compose an essay for college?
32. How does DNA replication happen?
33. What is the process of cognitive behavioral therapy?
34. How do ads affect the way you think?
35. What effects does CO2 have on the environment?

Final take

We hope that this guide has helped you overcome your challenges in selecting an essay topic. Feel free to consult our experts on any challenges within your academic journey to access custom help for various fields.

The explanatory essay consists of the introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. A thesis statement is a single declarative sentence that expresses what the audience needs to understand. It represents the controlling idea of the essay and the road map for the paper.

The body paragraph has the basic construction such as topic sentence, concrete detail, commentary and the concluding or transition sentence. The topic sentence presents the main claim of the paragraph. A concrete detail is in the form of facts, data, quotes, and/or examples. The commentary represents the analysis, an explanation or the data interpretation. The concluding sentence sums up the main idea of the paragraph or introduces the next paragraph.

A good paragraph will use strong transition words that help in understanding the presented ideas. Transition words may be as the following: for example, thus, in summary, for instance, because of this, as a result, hence, consequently, therefore, etc.

How to start an essay?

An introduction of an expository essay includes the central idea. The three main reasons that support this main idea should also be included in the introduction.

In the second paragraph, the first idea is presented and should give details to support the second reason. Paragraph 3 introduces the second reason and provides the second reason in detail. The conclusion should reevaluate the complete essay thesis.

The writing of an explanatory thesis

The main idea of the thesis statement is the main plot of the essay. Transition words such as first, second, due to, as a result, should be implemented in the text. The introduction should be written as a hook – to connect the reader with a starting question, anecdote, or personal experience statement. The thesis statement can be first in the paragraph, last in the paragraph, or explained through the paragraph. 

In each paragraph, the main ideas are promoted with the corresponding details.

In expository writing, there is one topic with the corresponding reasons.

First, brainstorm upon the given thesis.  Insert the details such as anecdotes, descriptions, facts or personal opinions. In paragraph one a thesis statement is presented with the background information on the three topics. In paragraph 2, jot down the main idea and outline further details.

In paragraph 3, add more details, personal experience and describe how the topic impacts on your life.  In paragraph 4, add the main idea, details, and personal examples and facts to describe a further thesis.

In the conclusion, summarize all the necessary ideas as the conclusion.

The editing of an essay means to correct the language, grammar mistakes, and proofread the paper completely.

There are a large number of lectures and college recommendations on how to improve writing skills.

The majority of the academic essays are 650 words in length with the minimum required 250 words. 

There are various topics you could be writing in your college essays. For example, in the majority of essays, it is recommended to introduce yourself in a way to describe your identity, background, or other life achievements or failures. Some mentors aim at students to gain more knowledge about their personalities by writing about their mistakes, wrong choices, or embarrassments.

It is possible to develop an appropriate thesis in regards to a certain problem or another emerging issue. A variety of college essays are in demand for descriptive writing tasks. The most common topics are special life moments – for example, a  transition period from childhood to a teenage or adolescent period.  Writing about the first real-life challenges in the life of an individual may be challenging. To write my TOK essay for me is a frequent task for professional writer. If you need help with your essay, writing experts are always ready to assist you. Writing about school programs, movie theatre or other festival events is a frequent task. An essay about the public figures – mother Teresa, presidents, actors etc.) requires research in regards to the historical events about their life courses.  

Developing guidelines for a teaching class or educational material, in general, can be a serious writing task. It requires devotion and thorough research on the proposed subject. Focus on specific subjects to gain adequate writing resources to explain the learning or a research process. 

Other common titles may refer to music or a movie star or a bend. This may be a unique task because it requires a lot of dubious research about their life pathways.  A variety of essays may be written in regards to a so-called – top 10 movies or the most famous acting characters.  Anyway, the important tip would be to add a personal note or opinion in regards to such topics. 

A historical essay may be demanding but of great educational value. Popular essays nowadays are based on college admission tips. The majority of online sites or libraries have academic guidelines related to this topic. The aim is to provide as much as information needed for students to pass the most difficult test and exams.

The student’s experiences during life on a college campus are valuable so other new students may have better success while studying programs. The common titles may refer to a book topic needed to pass the finals or any other regular college year.  

It may be the case that a teacher allows a student to pick its essay title.