short essay format

How to Write a Short Essay, With Examples

Writing clearly and concisely is one of the best skills you can take from school into professional settings. A great way to practice this kind of writing is with short essays. A short essay is any essay that has a word count of fewer than 1,000 words. While getting assigned a short essay might seem preferable to a ten-page paper, writing short poses its own special challenges. Here, we’ll show you how to write a convincing short essay in five simple steps.

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What is a short essay?

A short essay is any type of essay condensed to its most important elements. There is no universal answer to what a short essay length is, but teachers generally assign short essays in the 250- to 750-word range, and occasionally up to 1,000 words.

Just because the essays are short doesn’t mean the subjects must be simple. One of the greatest challenges of short essays is distilling complex topics into a few telling words. Some examples of short essay topics are:

• The advantages and disadvantages of social media
• The pros and cons of online learning
• The influence of music on human emotions
• The role of artificial intelligence in modern life
• The ways that climate change affects daily life

Why write short essays?

Short essays have a number of advantages, including effective communication, critical thinking, and professional communication.

Effective communication: In the short essay, you don’t have the space to wander. Practicing short essays will help you learn how to articulate your message clearly and quickly.

Critical thinking: Writing a short essay demands the ability to think critically and identify key points that support the central thesis. Short essays will help you hone your ability to find the most relevant points and shed irrelevant information.

Professional communication: Whether it’s writing a persuasive email, a project proposal, or a succinct report, the ability to convey information effectively in a brief format is a valuable skill in the professional world.

Developing writing skills: As with all writing practice, short essays provide an excellent platform for you to refine your writing skills, such as grammar, sentence structure , vocabulary, and coherence. The more you practice crafting short essays, the more your overall writing proficiency improves.

How to write a short essay

The tactics you use for longer essays apply to short essays as well. For more in-depth guides on specific types of essays, you can read our posts on persuasive , personal , expository , compare-and-contrast , and argumentative essays. Regardless of the essay type, following these five steps will make writing your short essay much easier.

Don’t be afraid of learning too much about a subject when you have a small word count. The better you understand your subject, the easier it will be to write clearly about it.

2 Generate ideas

Jot down key points, arguments, or examples that you want to include in your essay. Don’t get too wrapped up in the details during this step. Just try to get down all of the big ideas that you want to get across. Your major argument or theme will likely emerge as you contemplate.

Outlines are especially helpful for short essays because you don’t have any room for excess information. Creating an outline will help you stay on topic when it comes time to write.

You have to actually write the essay. Once you’ve done your research, developed your big ideas, and outlined your essay, the writing will come more easily.

Naturally, our favorite part of the process is the editing . The hard part (writing) is done. Now you can go back through and make sure all of your word choices make sense, your grammar is checked, and you have cleaned up any unessential or irrelevant information.

Short essay examples

Why small dogs are better than big dogs (209 words).

Small dogs are beloved companions to many, and their unique qualities make them a perfect fit for some pet owners. In this essay, we explore why a small dog might be the right choice for you.

Firstly, the compact size of small dogs makes them ideal for people living in apartments or homes with limited space. As long as you can get your furry friend to fresh air (and grass) a couple of times per day, you don’t have to worry about having a big yard.

Secondly, small dogs require less food, which can be advantageous for those on a budget.

Small dogs are also easier to handle and control. Walks and outdoor activities become less physically demanding, making them a preferable choice for children, the elderly, or those with limited strength.

If you travel a lot for work or family, small dogs are much easier to bring along than their larger counterparts. Some travel companies make dog carriers that tuck neatly under a bus or plane seat.

In conclusion, small dogs offer a multitude of benefits, from their limited space requirements and economic advantages to their ease of handling and portability. These charming qualities undoubtedly make small dogs a cherished choice for pet owners seeking a new companion.

Why big dogs are better than small dogs (191 words)

Big dogs, with their impressive presence and gentle souls, have captured the hearts of countless pet owners. In this essay, we explore why big dogs are better pets than their smaller counterparts.

Firstly, big dogs exude an aura of protectiveness and security. Their size alone can act as a deterrent to potential intruders, making them excellent guard dogs for families and properties. Their mere presence provides reassurance and safety.

Secondly, big dogs tend to have more energy and strength, making them suitable partners for various outdoor activities and adventures. Hiking, jogging, or simply playing fetch becomes an enjoyable experience, fostering an active and healthy lifestyle for both pet and owner.

Lastly, big dogs often have a gentle and patient demeanor, especially when interacting with children and other pets. Their calm nature can bring a peaceful or grounding presence to otherwise chaotic homes.

In conclusion, big dogs possess a captivating blend of commanding protectiveness, physical capacity, and gentle disposition. These qualities make them exceptional companions, providing both security and emotional fulfillment. Big dogs are a great choice for potential pet owners looking for an animal with majestic appeal and a loving heart.

Short essay FAQs

A short essay is any essay that is shorter than 1,000 words. Teachers often assign short essays to teach students how to write clearly, coherently, and concisely.

When do you write a short essay?

Short essays help students practice effective communication, critical thinking, and persuasive writing. While short essays are often assigned in school, they are also useful in professional settings for things like project proposals or reports.

How do you format a short essay?

Short essays should be formatted according to your teacher’s guidelines or the requirements of your workplace. Check your assignment for the word count and stick to it. Make sure your essay flows logically from one idea to the next by presenting a clear thesis, using strong topic sentences, and providing a concise conclusion.

30+ Short Essay Examples

Short essay examples.

Writing essays can be one of the most daunting aspects of applying to college. From the personal statement to the extracurricular list to short answer essay questions, the way you communicate your experiences and personality within your application is crucial. Looking at short essay examples is an excellent way to prepare yourself to write your own. In this guide, we’ll provide several short essay examples to help you get a sense of what schools are looking for. 

We’ll break down the differences between short answer essay examples and long essays, give you some college essay tips, and provide a wide variety of short essay examples. Reading short essay examples for college can help you brainstorm how to structure your essays to best represent your personality. In this guide we’ll look at short essay examples from Columbia, Princeton, and many other schools and colleges. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by college application essays, then you’re in the right place!

But before getting into our short essay examples, let’s learn more about different types of essays and their requirements.

Essay Types and Requirements

Writing essays is a crucial part of the college admissions process. Therefore, learning about the different types of essays you’ll need to write in your college applications is a good place to start the process. There are three main types of essays you’ll encounter as you apply to college: personal statement, long/medium essays, short answer essay questions. 

Common App essay

The Common App essay , also known as a Personal Statement, is the most well-known college essay you’ll have to write. So, it is not surprising that most colleges require the Common App essay/personal statement as part of their application process. The word limit for the personal statement is 650 words, and is it usually the longest essay requirement. 

Supplemental essays

Supplemental essays vary in length; however, many colleges will have long/medium essay requirements in addition to short answer essay questions. Generally, long/medium essays are between 200-400 words. That being said, you should always review the essay requirements for each college well before the application deadlines as they will vary. 

Short answer essays

A sub-type of the supplemental essay format are short answer essay questions. It can be easy to leave the short answer essays to the last minute. However, since these essays usually have a word limit of 50-150 words, they can actually be the most difficult to write. Therefore, it’s important to dedicate enough time and energy to your short answer essays as they can help your application stand out. 

This guide will focus on short essay examples and college essay tips for short answer essay questions. Short answer essays can be challenging, especially given the small word limit. Indeed, it can be hard to adequately capture your personality and strengths in such a short format. We’ll cover short essay examples later in this guide to help inspire your writing process!

Short Essays vs. Long Essays

Managing all the different types of essays needed for your applications can be difficult. And, while the short essays may feel like they don’t take as much effort, they are just as important as the personal statement or other longer essays. 

In general, you’ll find long essays take longer to plan and edit. However, the benefit of longer essays is that you have more room to explore your ideas. Alternatively, short answer essays require you to be very intentional with every word. Therefore, they may be trickier to brainstorm and to edit down below the word limit.

Reading examples of college essays can give you a sense of how long and short essays differ, and how you should shift your approach for each. In fact, many of the short essay examples we’ve collected highlight just how impactful short answer essays can be at communicating your unique personality and interests. While long essays grant you more space, short answer essays can quickly help you stand out in the admissions process. 

Together, short and long essays help paint a holistic picture of who you are. Additionally, they help indicate if you’d be a good fit for a specific school. Reading through short answer essay examples can give you a feel of the pace and tone schools are looking for in this type of essay. 

Do all college applications require short essays?

No, not all colleges require short essays! While you research short essay examples, it’s good to keep in mind the essay requirements for each of the schools on your college list. 

You may encounter schools with a mix of short essays and long/medium essays, such as the University of Southern California or UT Austin . Some schools will only have long/medium essays in addition to the personal statement, like Vanderbilt and the University of Chicago . On the other hand, there are schools that don’t have any supplemental essay requirements, like Northeastern and Oberlin . As you make your college list, be sure to review the college admissions requirements for each school. 

What colleges require short essays?

Many different colleges require short essays. Later in this guide, we’ll look at short essay examples from Stanford , Princeton , and Columbia . However, many other schools have short essay questions.

Colleges with Short Essays

• Brown University requires four short answer essays, ranging from 3 words to 100 words. 
• California Institute of Technology (CalTech) has three optional short essays with word limits between 50-150 words. Given how competitive Caltech is, researching some short answer essay examples is wise!
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)  requires five short essay responses as part of their application. Responses should be between 100-200 words.
• University of Southern California has different short essay questions depending on your major. Check out the additional application requirements for the specific school you’re applying to. 
• University of Notre Dame has five unique short essay prompts, and students have to pick three of them to complete. Each short essay has a word limit of 50 words. Students must also respond to two other essay prompts, and although not necessarily deemed “short” essays, they have word limits of only 150. 
• Dartmouth College has three separate essay supplements; only one is considered “short” with a word limit of 100 . Reading through college essay ideas can help you brainstorm your best Dartmouth short essay. 
• Tufts University has two supplemental essay requirements, one of which is considered a short essay. For the Tufts short essay, all students must complete a sentence in 100 words or less explaining why they are applying. Take advantage of Tuft’s guide on tackling the short essay questions. 
• University of Pennsylvania has two mandatory short answer essays and one that is major specific. Each has a word limit of 150-200 words. 
• Virginia Tech has four required short essay prompts, each with a 120-word limit. 
• Occidental College has one 20-word response supplemental essay as well as a 150-200 word essay among their essay requirements.

As you can see, short essays are prevalent in many schools’ essay requirements. Therefore, reading short essay examples will help you with your applications. And remember, be sure to check each school’s specific requirements as every school is different! Writing requirements can also change yearly so search the school’s site for the most up-to-date information.

Examples of Short Prompts

In this section, we’ve compiled several short essay examples for you. For these short essay examples, we’ve included several different answers to each prompt. This will help you see the wide variety of ways you can tackle short answer essay questions. For each prompt, we’ll give you some college essay tips, and break down ways you can approach these short essays. 

The following prompts are all variations on personal interest essays. In general, these short answer essay questions help admissions officers understand your unique perspective and how your interests have shaped your understanding of the world. You can use these short essay examples as a jumping off point to shape your own approach to personal interest short essays. 

Let’s check out the first prompt and three short essay examples that answer it. 

When the choice is yours, what do you read, listen to, or watch? (50 word limit)

Response #1.

Read: The New York Times, Vox, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Quora. Favorite authors include Siddhartha Mukherjee, Atul Gawande, Dushka Zapata, and Zora Neale Hurston. 

Listen: This American Life, The Daily, Radiolab, Invisibilia, U.S. and French pop. 

Watch: The Good Place, Brooklyn 99, YouTube science, baking, and fingerstyle guitar videos.

Response #2

Read: an unhealthy number of self-help books, re-reading Just Kids by Patti Smith, every one of Audre Lorde’s books… 

Listen to: Danez Smith’s slam poetry (my personal favorite? Dinosaurs in the Hood), Still Woozy, Invisibilia… 

Watch: all the television I was forbidden from watching when I was twelve, POSE, ContraPoints, YouTubers criticizing ContraPoints… 

Response #3

Read: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, The Wendigo, How To Write an Autobiographical Novel, Night Sky With Exit Wounds, Brainpickings.org weekly newsletter

Listen: Shostakovich, Lauv, Atlas, 20-hour-rain soundtrack on Spotify 

Watch: Avatar, Forrest Gump, Schindler’s List, Hachi (if in the mood to cry), any Marvel movie!

These media focused short answer essay questions are very popular as your answer can say a lot about who you are! However, don’t try to be impressive or list things you haven’t actually read or watched – be honest and let your personality come through. 

Now, let’s look at some more prompts and their short essay examples:

Name your favorite books, authors, films, and/or artists. (50 word limit)

I love literature and art that helps me explore my roots and learn to love myself. These works and authors include: The Color Purple, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,

Maya Angelou, Day of Tears, Hope for the Flowers, and Langston Hughes.

What newspapers, magazines, and/or websites do you enjoy? (50 word limit)

I enjoy newspapers and magazines that enable me to learn something everyday. I like National Geographic because it lets me learn more about science. Once it even inspired me to do a self directed project on albatrosses. I also enjoy The Economist as it gives me a well rounded view of today’s politics and economics.

What were your favorite events (e.g., performances, exhibits, competitions, conferences, etc.) in recent years? (50 word limit)

“December 24th, 9pm, Eastern Standard time.” Rent began. I was sitting in between my best friends. We were losing circulation in our hands from holding on too tight and washing off our make-up with our tears. I felt an immense sense of harmony with the play and it was fantastic.

These short essay examples show how robust of an answer you can write with 50 words. Furthermore, they’re great examples of how students are able to expand on their personal interests to create a cohesive story with their essays. Indeed, the best college essay ideas will strengthen your personal narrative, even within short responses! These short essay examples show how much you can learn about an applicant in minimal words.

Moving on from those unique prompts, let’s turn to a favorite among schools. You’re likely to see a version of the following prompt for many different colleges. 

Name one thing you are looking forward to experiencing at Stanford. (50 word limit)

I live by my motto: “Dare!” in all instances of Truth or Dare.

Apparently, so do the students who brave Secret Snowflake. It spotlights what I love most, Truth or Dare minus the truth. Will I attempt to break the jalapeno eating record? Hop into The Claw in sub-zero temperatures?

We’ve included this Stanford prompt to highlight the ways in which short essay examples for college can also be used to gauge your knowledge about the school you’re applying to. Many college essay tips are school specific , but it’s important to think broadly when reading examples of college essays.

While some college essay advice may apply more to one school than another, many college essay tips can be used across various schools. This prompt highlights the importance of using research to demonstrate your interest in a school. 

In general, you might notice that many short essay examples have quite unique prompts. The following prompt is creative and fun, allowing students to take their response in any direction they want.  

Imagine you had an extra hour in the day — how would you spend that time? (50 word limit)

I’d split my hour two ways, investing time in my own wellbeing and in others. Half I’d spend baking treats for friends, which would double as a personal gift, since I find baking—like running—relaxing and restorative. The second half I’d spend answering Quora questions—something I’ve been meaning to pay forward.

At eight, I dreamed of becoming a YouTuber, documenting life in rectangular video. Each year, this dream drew further from reach.

With extra time, I’d retrieve what time stole. Creating comedic skits or simply talking about my day, I’d pursue what I value most—making others laugh and capturing beautiful moments.

These short essay examples demonstrate how one thought-provoking question can capture someone’s personality and values. College admissions officers use these questions to see how well a student knows themselves and what their priorities are. When reading examples of college essays, try to imagine how your answer will come across to a stranger. What details do you need to include to make sure your thoughts and ideas come across clearly? 

How to write a short answer essay for college?

After reading a couple of short essay examples, you may feel overwhelmed with how to answer the short answer essay questions. When you’re applying to college the short answer questions may be the last thing on your priority list. However, as our short answer essay examples demonstrate, short essays can help your application stand out. 

When you first approach a short essay prompt, feel free to break it down into even smaller parts. What is the core idea you’re trying to convey? Try to answer the prompt in a single answer, or even word, first. You can then use the remaining word count to explain or justify your answer. The best short essay examples get right to the point and communicate the answer clearly and concisely. 

Once you have a version you’re happy with, get some feedback! While the short answer essay examples we’ve included feel effortless, rest assured that they were edited and workshopped. Remember that the short essay examples paint a picture of the applicant– think about what you’re putting forward, and what assumptions the reader may make.

Planning your short essay responses

Despite the small word count, short essay examples for college require thoughtful planning and careful execution. Try reading the short answer essay examples as a college admissions officer might. What story is being told? Is it being told well? 

Then consider the response in the context of an application. Are you trying to highlight your experiences and how they relate to your major? Is there anything you’re proud of that you want to mention? Looking at the short essay examples holistically can help you see how other students have been able to shape a narrative, and, in turn, can help you map out yours. 

As our examples of college essays highlight, it’s important to be precise with your words – each word should have a role and work towards your overall answer. There’s no room for fluff here! 

Things to avoid in your short essay responses!

All of our short essay examples are well-written. However, it can be helpful to know what to stay away from in your responses.

Firstly, and most importantly, avoid generic answers. Have your answers be true to who you are, and allow them to display your unique personality. The short essay examples included in this article show how crucial personality is in the application process. Good short essay examples tell you something about the author and leave you with a better sense of who they are. 

When brainstorming college essay ideas, don’t try to create totally new interests to appear impressive. It’s hard to fake authenticity. As such, owning your experiences and hobbies will be more impactful than inventing them. The short answer essay questions are a tool to help bolster your application – use them that way!

The last thing to avoid when writing short essays is waiting until the last minute to get started. While it may be tempting to focus on your longer essays, it will be obvious to admissions officers if the short answer essay questions were rushed through. The short answer essay examples included here were not written the day of the application deadline – careful planning and drafting are essential! 

What is the format for a short essay?

The beauty of short essays is that there is no single format you have to follow. As demonstrated with our short essay examples, some answers come in list form and others in short paragraph form. So don’t be afraid to experiment with the format of your answers. But remember, answering the prompt directly and quickly will allow you room to explore your rationale – don’t make the college admissions officer search for your answer! 

Researching examples of college essays that experiment with form can help you think outside the box. There is no one formula for short essay examples, so let yourself be creative. With such a limited word count, you don’t have the space to build up to your answer. The short answer essay examples we’ve included here don’t follow the traditional essay format. Don’t be afraid to break away from traditional essay rules – as long as your essay response answers the prompt, it can take on any form!

As previously mentioned, we’ve got some school-specific essay examples in store for you – starting with examples for the Columbia essay.

Columbia Short Essay Examples

The Columbia essay, like all short essays, is an important part of the overall application. The short essay examples below can help you brainstorm your own responses and serve as a guide as you write your own Columbia essay. 

Let’s jump into our Columbia essay examples. Here are the prompts and the short essay examples: 

Columbia Essay Examples Guidelines

For the list question that follows, there is a 100-word maximum. Please refer to the below guidance when answering this question: 

• Your response should be a list of items separated by commas or semicolons.
• Items do not have to be numbered or in any specific order. 
• It is not necessary to italicize or underline titles of books or other publications.
• No author names, subtitles or explanatory remarks are needed.

List a selection of texts, resources and outlets that have contributed to your intellectual development outside of academic courses, including but not limited to books, journals, websites, podcasts, essays, plays, presentations, videos, museums and other content that you enjoy. (100 words or fewer) 

1984, Oedipus Rex, Antigone, A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Kite Runner, Number the Stars, Beowulf, Into the Wild, The Crucible, The Art of Strategy, The New York Times, NBC News, NPR, The Associated Press, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, CNalaysis, Elections Daily, Sabato’s Crystal Ball, Split Ticket, FiveThirtyEight, Twitter/X, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Nature, Animal World, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society, Mathematical Reviews, Timeline – World History Documentaries, History Matters, Mr. Beat, Oversimplified, The Metropolitan Museum of Art 

List a few words or phrases that describe your ideal college community. (150 words or fewer) 

Cultivates conversations that cross all boundaries and borders whether in the dorms of John Jay or at The Forum. 

A community that is collaborative but challenges individuals to be the best versions of themselves. 

Where a homebody can chill with a slice of Koronet pizza or go out for a night on the town. 

A campus spirited with the buzz and excitement of the city yet mellow with the rhythmic clicks and frantic thoughts in the library. 

Full of hands with sore thumbs and paper cuts from flipping through the pages of The Aeneid 

Where an introverted-extrovert can get lost in the crowds of 8 million people or among fellow students on the Van Am Quad. 

Home. 

List the titles of the required readings from courses during the school year or summer that you enjoyed most in the past year. (150 words or fewer) 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

List the titles of the books you read for pleasure that you enjoyed most in the past year. (150 words or fewer) 

The Girls by Emma Cline, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, How to Be a Bawse by Lilly Singh

List the titles of the print, electronic publications and websites you read regularly. (150 words or fewer) 

Time Magazine, Vox.com (especially the Youtube channel), Vogue, Refinery29.com

List the titles of the films, concerts, shows, exhibits, lectures and other entertainments you enjoyed most in the past year. (150 words or fewer) 

Isolation Tour (Kali Uchis), American Teen Tour (Khalid), Music Midtown (Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Rainbow Kitten Surprise) – Freudian by Daniel Caesar, The New York Times Great Hall exhibit at the Newseum, “Pictures of the Year: 75 Years of the World’s Best Photography” at the Newseum – A Changing America at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, “The Future Is…” podcast summer series, Stuff You Should Know (podcast by HowStuffWorks), The Good Place, Mad Men

You’ll notice that all of the Columbia essay prompts are in list format. Therefore, they don’t leave you much room to explain or elaborate on your answers. The lists you create will speak for themselves. These short essay examples highlight the ways you can still create a strong narrative through the lists you make. 

Next, we’ll turn our attention to some great Princeton essay examples!

Princeton Short Essay Examples

Remember, when researching short essay examples for college, it can be helpful to have college-specific short essay examples. Let these short answer essay examples inspire you as you begin brainstorming your response for your own Princeton essay. 

Here are the Princeton essay examples:

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college? (50 words max) 

I would like to learn the important skill of team collaboration in college. Through research programs and student organizations, I will work within a team and navigate diverse perspectives. This will help prepare me for the collaborative complexities of the real world beyond the campus.

What brings you joy? (50 words max) 

One of my hobbies is building election models that predict the results of the next general election. It brings me great joy when I predict the results with profound accuracy, and even if I get some wrong, it’s all part of the unpredictable process—sometimes even my models need a recount!

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment? (50 words max) 

“Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield represents the soundtrack of my life right now. Its lyrics mirror my journey of self-discovery and untapped potential. Lines like “Feel the rain on your skin; no one else can feel it for you” inspire me to embrace my responsibilities and savor life’s experiences.

When reading them as a whole, each Princeton essay should work to create a sense of who you are and what you’re interested in. When writing a Princeton essay, it can be tempting to come across a certain way, or try to mimic what you think college admissions officers want. However, it’s important to remain authentic in your essays and own your interests and passions. These short essay examples demonstrate this – the more authentic your answer, the better your essay will be! 

Below, we’ll wrap up our school-specific essay examples with one final school: Stanford.

Stanford Short Essays Examples

For the Stanford short essays, we’ve included more than one example for each prompt. With such a small word count, you’ll have to be super careful with your Stanford short essays. Read through these Stanford short essays to help jumpstart your writing process . 

Here are some short essay examples for the Stanford short essays: 

What is the most significant challenge that society faces today? (50 word limit)

The deterioration of political and personal empathy. There’s been an aggressive devaluing of inclusive mindsets and common ground rules—the kind of solidarity of purpose necessary to accommodate divergent viewpoints, respect evidence, share burdens, and tackle national/international emergencies like climate change and immigration. We are fumbling—in backwards tribalism—while the world burns.

Where’s Waldo books. 

By searching for Waldo, we subconsciously teach children that certain people aren’t meant to belong–they are meant to be hunted. Our brains may be hardwired to notice people who are different, but we are instructed to treat those people differently. 

Searching for Waldo must be consciously unlearned. 

Ignorance poses a paradoxical issue: we can’t solve a problem that we don’t know exists.

For fifteen years, I heard gentrification and thought humanitarian. The Oxford English Dictionary had even taught me that gentrification means “positive change.” How can such atrocities become noticed when our perceptions are so skewed?

Response #4

Greed. The root of all evil. To make momentous strides towards improving societal conditions, people and corporations must put aside their greed. Unfortunately, greed – the deep, dark desire for power and money – is the dominant force at work in many aspects of society, making it society’s most significant challenge.

These short answer essay examples highlight the different approaches you can take when answering this question. These short essay examples get to the point quickly– each example directly answers the prompt within a single sentence (or word), and then uses the remaining space to justify the answer. 

Now let’s look at the second prompt and short essay examples:

How did you spend your last two summers? (50 word limit)

Learned to drive; internship in Silicon Valley (learned to live alone and cook for myself!); Governor’s Honors Program; AAJA JCamp in Detroit; wrote articles for The Borgen Project; lobbied at the Capitol and met Rep. Lucy McBath; Kenyon Review Young Writers in Ohio; read a whole lot.

My goal: Adventure

2015: Moved from North Carolina to Texas (mission trip to Birmingham, Alabama in between), vacationed in Orlando.

2016: Math program at MIT in Boston, engineering program at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, mission trip to Laredo, Texas, vacation to northern California including the lovely Palo Alto.

These short essay examples highlight the ways in which you can play with form. The first example is in list form, while the second breaks up the answer into an easily digestible format. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your form with the short answer essay questions – they don’t have to follow a traditional format.

Here’s the third prompt:

What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed? (50 word limit)

Valentina Tereshkova’s 1963 spaceflight. Tereshkova’s skill, grit, and persistence carried her from working in a textile factory, through grueling tests and training, to becoming the first woman to fly solo in space. Her accomplishment remains symbolic of women’s empowerment and the expanded progress that’s possible with equity in STEM opportunities.

In 2001, Egyptian authorities raided a gay nightclub, arresting 55 men. The prosecutors tried them under fujur laws—initially passed by Egyptian nationalists to counter British ‘immorality’ during colonization. 

Watching the prosecution construct homosexuality as un-Egyptian would illustrate the extent anti-Western sentiment drove homophobia and how similar anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric remains today. 

Most definitely Paganini’s legendary one-stringed performance; one-by-one, his violin strings snapped mid-performance until he was left with only the G-string. Being Paganini, he simply continued to play flawlessly all on that single string!

Change does not happen without courage. I wish I could have witnessed the courage it took for the four A&T students sit in at the Woolworth’s counter in my hometown, Greensboro, North Carolina. I want to see the light overcoming darkness that created a change to last forever.

When applying to college, you may encounter prompts like this one, where you’re expected to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of world events. These short answer essay examples demonstrate how you can display your personality and interests in prompts like these.

Let’s look to the fourth prompt:

What five words best describe you? (5 word limit)

Speak up. Take action. Together.

Peter Parker meets Atticus Finch

The light of the world

Short answer essay questions like these can feel the most challenging, but don’t be afraid to get creative. They are meant to help capture the essence of your personality. These short essay examples for college highlight the ways these answers can have such a big impact, in such a small format.

What makes a short essay statement stand out?

When applying to college, there’s a lot of pressure to make your essays stand out. The best short essay examples help communicate the writer’s personality and interests clearly. Developing your personal writing style is key in having your short answer essay examples stand out. Start early and don’t be afraid to get creative!

It’s also important to consider how your essays will work together.Do they tell a cohesive narrative? Do they work to highlight different experiences but help connect your bigger picture message? Reading short essay examples with a focus on cohesion can help you map out your responses. 

The best way to have your short essays stand out is to plan them out carefully, and make sure they are authentic, demonstrating who you are and what you’re interested in. The best short essay examples feel genuine and convey a core aspect of the writer’s personality. Draft and edit your short essays until they feel right to you! 

Additional Short Essay Tips

In addition to outlining short essay examples for college, we’ve compiled some additional tips to help you get started with your college essay ideas:

1. Have a brain dumping session. 

When reading short essay examples for college, it can feel intimidating if you’re unsure of what to write about. Having a brain dumping session can be a great way to inspire the writing process and help you map out what you want to communicate. Don’t worry about structure or formatting; just free-write and let the words flow! 

2. Edit, edit, edit.

It’s likely that your first draft of short essays will go over the word limit, but don’t worry! The short essay examples included here were not first drafts – they were honed and edited down to their current versions. Keep this in mind as you read short essay examples for college, and be sure to plan enough time for the editing process when writing your own essays. 

3. Be truthful.

One thing all of our short answer essay examples have in common is that they are authentic to the writer. The best short essay examples make you feel closer to the writer. They should allow you to understand the writer on a deeper level. It can be tempting to embellish your short answer essay responses to match what you think a school wants to hear, but authenticity is hard to replicate. Therefore, be true to yourself when writing your short essay responses.

Other CollegeAdvisor Essay Resources to Explore

After you’ve explored the short answer essay examples outlined here, be sure to utilize the many other resources CollegeAdvisor has to offer. In addition to guidance on the overall admissions process , CollegeAdvisor has several other resources on writing essays. After reading these short answer essay examples, you can watch our webinars on essays: Writing About Extracurriculars in Your College Essays and Supplemental Essays . 

CollegeAdvisor also has ample resources on specific colleges. You can find additional short essay examples for Columbia , Barnard , and Stanford , as well as tips and tricks from former admissions officers. If you are looking for college admissions resources, CollegeAdvisor has you covered!

Short Essay Examples – Final Takeaways

While the short answer essays may seem like the easiest part of an application, using the limited word count in a smart, thoughtful way is challenging. The short essay examples for college highlight how impactful short essays can be in building out your overall candidate profile. As you start writing your short essay answers, be sure to remain authentic and truthful. And don’t be afraid to get creative! 

College essay writing can be stressful, but don’t let the short answer essay questions intimidate you– and definitely don’t leave them to the last minute! Take your time, plan thoughtfully, and be confident in your answers. The best short essay examples for college bring out your personality – be bold and rest assured that you’re putting your best foot forward. 

This article was written by senior advisor Jess Klein . Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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How to Write a Short Essay: Format & Examples

Short essays answer a specific question on the subject. They usually are anywhere between 250 words and 750 words long. A paper with less than 250 words isn’t considered a finished text, so it doesn’t fall under the category of a short essay. Essays of such format are required for personal statements where you need to write about yourself. It might seem easy, but it’s not half.

Expressing and elaborating your idea within the given word limit is the most challenging part of the task. In this article, we’ll explain how to write a great short essay. If you’re working on one of your assignments and need help, keep reading to learn more!

• 💡 What You Need to Know
• 📚 Essay Format
• 📝 Essay Template
• ✨ Guide & Useful Tips
• ✅ Essay Topics

🔗 References

💡 short essay: what you need to know, what is a short essay.

A short essay is an academic paper typically ranging between 200 and 750 words, providing a focused topic exploration. This type of essay follows a standard structure: intro-main body-conclusion, usually presented in a five-paragraph format.

How Long Is a Short Essay?

A short essay typically ranges from 200 to 750 words which can be covered in three to five paragraphs. This concise format translates to less than one page of typed content. However, it’s important to note that specific requirements may vary depending on the college, with some specifying a minimum of 150 words and a maximum of 650 words. Be sure to review the task instructions to ensure you meet the guidelines.

How Many Sentences Is a Short Essay?

In a short essay, the number of words is more important than the number of sentences. It means you can use any number of sentences as long as you stay within the required word limit. However, most of the time, a short essay consists of around 20 to 25 sentences.

📚 Short Essay Format

A short essay follows a standard essay structure : intro – main body – conclusion. You can be creative with the contents of your paper; however, it’s best to stick to the hamburger essay format when it comes to structure.

These are the benefits of having a standard essay structure:

• You always have a template that can help you organize your thoughts.
• You can estimate how many words each paragraph should include, making the writing process faster and easier.
• You can get a high grade by simply following the instructions.

Below you’ll find more detailed information on how to organize each short essay section.

How to Start a Short Essay 

An introduction needs to grab readers’ attention and provide some background information . It’s best to start your essay with a hook. However, be careful and add only the necessary information since your word count is limited.

Here are a couple of tips on how to make your introduction work:

Body Paragraphs

In the body paragraphs, you present and develop the essay’s main points. Each section focuses on a specific idea related to the topic, providing evidence, examples, and analysis to support the overall thesis statement. Here’s the structure of a paragraph:

A summary aims to condense the key ideas and arguments presented in an essay, allowing readers to quickly grasp the essence of the paper without reading the entire content. A good summary should:

📝 Short Essay Template

Use this easy template to quickly structure any short narrative, argumentative, or informative essay.

Introduction

• Hook: an intriguing fact, question, or statistic to grab your readers’ attention.
• Background info: something that provides context.
• Thesis statement: the purpose or central argument of your essay presented in one sentence.
• Topic sentence: a paragraph’s opening sentence that expresses its main idea.
• Supporting sentences: evidence, facts, and examples supporting the topic sentence.
• Transition: phrases or sentences that ensure coherence and cohesion in the essay, allowing for a clear and logical progression of information.
• Summary: a brief recap and conclusion to an essay.
• Restated thesis: a restatement of the main ideas and arguments.

✨ How to Write a Short Essay: Useful Tips

Each essay format has different requirements. Below are some tips to help you ensure you’re on the right track with the short essay format.

1. Follow the Short Essay Format

Mastering the format requirements is crucial, especially when writing a concise argumentative essay. While the five-paragraph structure may not be commonly found in literature, it holds great significance in academic writing for several reasons:

• Adhering to this standardized template makes the writing process more manageable.
• The clear guidelines facilitate reading, checking, and evaluation.
• This format accommodates various essay types, allowing students to excel in most academic texts .

Each paragraph in the short essay format plays a distinct role, making it essential to include all components for a cohesive and impactful essay.

2. Make Your Introduction Meaningful

Here’s how you can make your introduction work:

• When writing the opening paragraph of your essay, be very specific about your topic. It will help you sharpen your argument and clarify your intentions.
• To avoid a generic introduction, consider providing an example of the evidence you will use to support your point.
• Lastly, make sure to place your thesis statement as the concluding sentence of the paragraph, signaling to your readers where they can find the main point of your essay.

3. Write a Strong Thesis

Much has been said about the importance of a thesis statement, but crafting a persuasive one can be challenging. In a short essay, a strong thesis statement plays a crucial role. It summarizes the argument you intend to defend in your paper, setting the stage for your essay. Your thesis statement should be specific, intellectually rewarding by presenting new information, and decisive in expressing your opinion . Let’s take a closer look at some examples to illustrate these principles:

• Bad example: There is a vast diversity of opinions regarding abortions.
• Good example: Every woman must have the right to control her pregnancy which means the right to control her own body, health, and life.
• Bad example: Prisons can harm a convict’s further career.
• Good example: Imprisonment deteriorates a convict’s self-confidence and motivation, lowering their chances for new employment.
• Bad example: Orphans become the beloved children in some families, while in others, they never become natives.
• Good example: This essay aims to confirm that the reasons why adopting families don’t accept children lie within the families’ unreadiness for change.

4. Keep Your Introduction & Conclusion Concise

In the realm of short essay writing, brevity is the key. While it may be tempting to use abstract statements as hooks or delve into distant considerations in the conclusion part, keep an eye on the word count. With a maximum of 75 words each, the introduction elucidates the topic and conveys its significance, while the conclusion reiterates the main claim and reinforces the supporting evidence .

5. Make Topic Sentences from Your Thesis

When it comes to short essays, brevity extends to the main body as well. Typically comprising only 3 to 4 paragraphs, each of them focuses on a distinct aspect of the overall argument. To ensure clarity, we suggest splitting the thesis into multiple parts and transforming them into topic sentences for each paragraph. This structured approach will help you avoid confusion and make the paper more digestible for your readers. Additionally, this method simplifies crafting a well-rounded conclusion.

6. Refer to Reliable Sources

When tackling a short essay, it’s crucial to avoid baseless claims and instead focus on substantiating your arguments. Pay special attention to the sources you cite, as even the slightest inconsistency can catch the reader’s eye.

Enhance your essay’s credibility by incorporating several quotations or research-based facts, demonstrating your awareness of the topic. Even in the case of an in-class essay where extensive research may not be feasible, include relevant information or paraphrase passages you have previously encountered. Use indirect quotations if you can’t remember the exact wording.

7. Revise Your Short Essay

With a 500-word count, every word counts! Here are a few tips you may find helpful:

• Take a moment to assess the length of your essay and eliminate any unnecessary words to ensure a faster and more polished result. Consider using our convenient summarizer to streamline your writing further.
• Sometimes it’s hard to spot your own mistakes while proofreading the essay. Our essay-to-speech tool feature can help you identify weak points by reading your paper out loud. This auditory perspective can help you quickly identify and rectify any areas that require improvement.

✅ Short Essay Topics

Selecting an engaging and captivating topic is vital if you want to showcase your writing skills in a single short essay. Below are some examples to inspire your creativity. They’ll help you brainstorm and find the perfect topic that aligns with your interests and allows you to demonstrate your writing skills .

Short Narrative Essay Topics

• How I see a day in my adult life .
• Personal Experience in the Covert Conflict.
• A loss that will never be replenished.
• The Author’s Personal Experience.
• Describe how you would change the school program.
• Higher Education: Personality and Academic Success.
• What is the critical element of success?
• Photography: Hobby of Millions Unique for Everyone.
• My first love and lessons learned from it.
• Mindfulness Practicing: Personal Experience.
• The longest day of my life.
• Writing: Personal Hobby Analysis.
• A place to find peace in the hurricane of events.
• The Sports Coaching Guidelines and Routines.
• An eye-opening situation that changed the way I treat others.
• Innovation in Operation Management – Personal Experience.
• The worst trait of my character.
• Chapter 8 of “Criminology Today” by F. Schmalleger.
• How I met my best friend.
• Importance of Friendships.

Short Argumentative Essay Topics

• Social media can kill a relationship.
• Smoking in Public Places: Should It Be Banned?
• Animals should live in their natural habitats .
• Should People Be Ashamed of Poverty?
• Mandatory Overtime for Nurses Should Be Eliminated.
• The third wave of feminism is about to end with a half-victory.
• The Importance of Variability in the Food Industry.
• Gender Stereotypes: Should Real Men Wear Pink?
• Pharmacies: A big lie that costs a fortune.
• Police Standards Should Be Modified.
• Genetic cloning is immoral.
• Should Smoking Be Illegal?
• College Athletes Should Not Be Paid.
• We will never be equal because we are all different.
• Mandatory Job Drug Test Should Be Allowed.
• The best economic system has not been developed yet.
• Why Marriage Should Be Based on Love and Not Arranged?
• Reasons Why Kids Should Not Play Tackle Football.
• Owning a gun means you can be killed by chance.
• Should Social Media Be Banned?
• The non-family-friendly TV screen.
• Why Immigrants Should Receive Social Services?
• There’s a lot more sport about video games than we think.
• Should Children Be Taught Sex Education in School?

Short Informative Essay Topics

• How have video games affected modern technologies ?
• Infidelity and Societal Impact on Family Values.
• Meaning of Life in “Half a Day” by Naguib Mahfouz.
• Sociological Research Evaluation: Effects of Parental Imprisonment on Children’s Social and Moral Aspects.
• Climate Change Impacts.
• Explain the importance of the Olympic Games for building intercultural links.
• The Importance of Strategic Management and Planning.
• The Network Strategy of USA Today.
• A prominent artist and their masterpiece.
• Organizational Vision and Its Importance for the Staff.
• How to develop reading habits that last.
• The Impact of Electronic Medical Records.
• New and Old Media: Form, Impact, and Accessibility.
• Declaration of Independence and Cultural Issues Today.
• How does alcohol impact the way we behave?
• The Importance of Diet Monitoring.
• Personal Philosophy of Nursing Care.
• Why do teachers need a study plan?
• The Introduction of a Four-Day Work Week.
• Journalist Profession, Its Pros and Cons.
• The role of capitalism in shaping our idea of democracy.
• Teju Cole Personality’s in Modern American Society.
• The Importance of Medical Ethics.
• Tell a story of a famous and successful startup.
• Power of Advertising: Good and Bad Balance’ Importance.
• Personal and Political Pacifism.
• The cultural importance of divination.
• Important Factors in Personal Investment.
• My way of organizing my daily schedule and staying productive .
• The Impact of “The Marrow of Tradition” on Future American Literature.
• Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451”: Themes and Importance of the Book.
• Writing short essays – Concordia University
• Thesis Statements; The Writing Center – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• What Is an Essay Structure? (With 4 Types and Tips) | Indeed.com
• How to Write a Thesis Statement: Writing Guides: Writing Tutorial Services: Indiana University Bloomington
• Topic Sentences and Signposting | Harvard College Writing Center
• Using Topic Sentences | Writing Advice
• Beginning Proofreading – Purdue OWL® – Purdue University
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The Student Guide on the Short Essay Format

Short essays typically require a response to a question about the course material and may vary in length from 200 words to 750 words, depending on the instructor’s instructions.

26 students were picked as per a research study of UNED in Spain on ascertaining their writing abilities. Out of them, half rated their essay writing ability as fair.

However, the quality of the essays produced by the students showed a lower level of proficiency than their self-assessments indicated. The short essay format is even more complex in this regard.

Table of Contents

The Challenges of Writing a Short Essay

Before we get to reading the proper short essay format example to learn how to write short and concise essays, let’s try to understand what are the most common challenges students face while writing short essays.

I remember that day when I was tasked to write a short essay by my class teacher. At first, I thought it would be like the essay we usually write. But as I went through a short essay example, I came to realize that it’s a different ball game and the short essay format is challenging as well.

I had difficulties writing one at first but with practice and proper devotion of time, I was able to learn how to write well. I came to know that you have to be very precise and to the point when writing such an essay and so I learn to do that with time. Later on, it became my best skill and helped me a lot in securing some decent marks as well.

What Is A Short Essay?

A short essay is a brief piece of writing that’s all about presenting a specific argument, analysis, or viewpoint on a particular topic. It’s usually not as long as those regular essays you have to write for school.

There’s no super strict rule about how many words it should be, but it’s usually around  250 to 500 words , give or take. It all depends on the situation or what your teacher wants. If it’s a 300 word essay then follow the  300 word essay format guide , and if it’s not a fixed 300 then we have more options for you, keep reading.

A short essay is all about getting your point across in a limited space. Even though it’s short, it still needs to have a proper structure with an intro, body, and conclusion.

You can write about anything, from your thoughts to academic stuff or analyzing specific problems. If you have ever read some one paragraph essay examples, you will know what a short essay is and how a short essay format looks like. 

Due to their limited length, short essays require precise and focused writing. They emphasize the importance of conveying information effectively and efficiently, making every word count.

The Fundamentals

A legit short essay format example typically consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Despite its brevity, it aims to present a concise argument or viewpoint effectively.

You can get a good understanding of the format of such an essay by going through some one paragraph essay examples as well. Here’s an in-depth breakdown of each section:

What Does Intro Have?

Begin with a compelling  hook in essay  to grab the reader’s attention. This could be an anecdote, a startling fact, a quote, or a rhetorical question.

Background Information

Provide brief context or background information on the topic to orient the reader.

Thesis Statement

Present a clear and specific thesis that states your main argument or opinion succinctly. This sets the tone for the essay and guides the reader on what to expect.

What are the Main Things in Body Paragraphs?

An important part of the short essay format is the ability to learn how to write body paragraphs well. The format is in detail available in  paragraph structure examples , you just have to put short data as compared to that.

Topic Sentence

Start each body paragraph with a clear topic sentence that supports your thesis and sets the focus of the paragraph.

Provide Evidence for Support

You must support the topic sentence with solid evidence. Evidence could be in the form of facts, examples, and more. 

Make Use of Transitions

Transitional phrases will connect ideas between paragraphs smoothly. Just ensure that the flow is coherent throughout. 

Must Have Elements in It’s Conclusion

Restating the thesis.

Properly summarize the main  thesis statement , opinion or argument of your essay in a few words. 

Summarize the Key Points

Shortly shed light on the main points discussed in different paragraphs that support your thesis statement.

End with a Good Closing Statement

A memorable closing phrase or sentence will help readers understand the essay’s main idea. 

Don’t Introduce New Information

You must not bring in new ideas in the conclusion paragraph. The conclusion para is only meant to summarize the existing discussion. 

Guidelines for Formatting

Get to know the crux of short essay formatting below whose details are available in the  short essay format  guide. 

Keep it Concise

You must keep this essay short in length..Don’t go for putting in unnecessary details and more. 

Be Clear and Precise

You must present the ideas clearly. Don’t use jargon or difficult vocabulary. 

Organizing it Well

You can enhance the readability of your short essay with proper organization. 

10 Expert Tips And Tricks On A Short Essay Format

Here are some expert tips and tricks for mastering how to write essays short and well.

• Convey your ideas using clear and concise language.
• Properly plan the essay structure before you begin to write.
• Don’t cover too many points too quickly.
• Link evidence back to the main argument.
• There must be a proper coherence between paras.
• You should end your short essay with a striking end statement.
• Cut unnecessary words or phrases before submitting. 
• Get feedback from your colleagues or peers.
• Properly plan, write, and revise your essay.
• Read well-crafted short essay examples to learn the style and structuring.

Writing Rules And The Short Essay Format for APA, MLA

As you may know, APA and MLA writing rules follow a different structure. Here’s how

There is an  APA referencing  maker that will help while writing and implementing Apa short essay format.

• Center the title in the middle of the page.
• Include the student’s name, instructor name and due date at the bottom center.

Introduction of the Paragraph

• Title of the introduction separately.
• Start with the introductory paragraph after the title page.
• Put in a clear thesis statement at the end of intro para.

Body Paragraphs

Just as other essays, body paragraphs look the same in the short essay format as well,

• Use concise topic sentences for each para.
• Each point must be supported with evidence.
• Include in-text citations for information sources.
• Each para must have clear transitions. 
• Conclusion must have no title.
• Main points must be summarized.
• The thesis statement must be restated.
• Offer suggestions where appropriate.
• Put in references at the center of the page.
• All sources must be cited alphabetically with the last name of the author.
• Use APA format for referencing.

Formatting Guidelines

• 12-point Times New Roman font.
• Double-spacing throughout the essay.
• One-inch margins on all sides of the page.
• Include a running head on each page with a shortened title

MLA Short Essay

So you now have a good idea of the Apa short essay format, here’s an example of short essay in MLA format for you, you can also use  MLA referencing  creator while writing!

Main Page 

• No need for a separate title page.
• Include your name, instructor’s name, course title, and date at the top left corner.
• Center the essay’s title below this information.

The Introduction Para

• Put in the intro para after the heading.
• No need for a separate heading.
• The introduction paragraph must be ended with a clear thesis statement.
• Topic sentence at the start of each para.
• Each argument must be supported with evidence and examples.
• Put in-text citations for sourced information.
• Make sure there’s a smooth transition between paragraphs.
• Must have a separate heading for a conclusion.
• Each key point should be summarized without introducing new paragraphs.
• Restate the thesis with concluding thoughts and words.

Works Cited Section

• Works Cited centered at the top of the page.
• List all sources cited in the essay alphabetically by the author.
• Ensure to follow MLA format for citations
• Double-spacing
• One-inch margins on all sides
• Include a header on each page

Why Not Taking Some Essay Help from Professionals?

In our example of a short essay, it is clear that the writer aims to present a thesis or central idea and support it with succinct yet compelling evidence or examples, but all in shortest word count. Overall, it could be a short task but nevertheless very challenging for some students, that’s why we advise consulting the best  essay service  available.

Final Thoughts

A short essay is all about effective communication in a very confined space. To write it well, you must have the ability to convey complex ideas effectively and concisely. The argument must be short but well supported by solid evidence. Hopefully, you now have a good idea about what a short essay format looks like. If you are still confused with it, don’t hesitate to count on our experts.

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Your Guide Towards Writing An Outstanding Short Essay!

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Essay writing might appear to be easy and quick at first. Most students think it takes an hour or two at most. Still, there are situations when writing a short essay can be extremely difficult. In particular, when you want to say a lot but are unsure of how to express it concisely. In long essays, we can still express ourselves in a broader form and more openly. But, the short or brief essay deals with writing limited and point-to-point.

You might be facing difficulties in writing a 200-word essay or a 500-word essay, but don’t worry as we are here to help you. This blog of All Assignment Help is your ultimate guide to writing short essays without losing any information. Read the blog till the end and find out everything there is to know about the distinctive features, format, structure, and examples of short essays.

What is a Short Essay?

The definition of a short essay is an academic writing assignment in which students must organize their ideas and viewpoints into a proper structure and no more than 500 words. There are instances when the essay is even shorter—only 200 words are needed. Like other essays, it can be narrative, argumentative , explanatory, descriptive, and so on.

The purpose of such essays is to teach the shortest possible way to express thoughts. Students must continue to be laconic and stay away from repetition. There is no need for slang, cliches, or confusing information in this paper. Besides, it only included a viewpoint supported by facts, compelling reasoning, and figures.

Read Here: Structure and Ways of Writing a Short Essay

How Long Should a Short Essay Be?

Well, this is the most asked question of all. A short essay should be:

• A minimum of half a page & a maximum of 1 page if we work single-spaced.
• It can go up to max 2 pages if we work double-spaced.
• It should consist of a maximum of 400 words.
• You can go up to 500 but, if only it’s the need for the topic.

Also, we have given a basic overview of 3-paragraph and 5-paragraph short essay guidelines below.

The 3 Paragraph Short Essay

• The 3-paragraph brief essay is divided into an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
• The thesis statement of the essay is stated in the first paragraph, the body of the essay offers evidence for it, and the conclusion restates the main ideas.
• This type of short essay is usually written in response to a question that your professor has provided.
• You can get away with just responding to the question and removing the formalities that normally accompany a well-crafted essay.

So, what distinguishes a brief essay like this from a brief response? Not much. That’s why it’s usually best to stick with the five-paragraph essay format if you have been given a short essay to write. However, writing 3-paragraph is not a cup of tea for many students. Hence, they can get an essay writing service online where they will be assisted by expert essay writers.

The 5 Paragraph Short Essay

• The five-paragraph essay format enables you to follow the requirements of the essay structure, which include an introduction, body, and conclusion.
• You will include a brief section outlining your goal and thesis in your introduction.
• The body is composed of three body paragraphs, each of which has a topic sentence and supports your thesis.
• In the conclusion, you restate your main idea and how the body of the paper supported it.

What’s the optimal word count for this? Let’s say 600, but you can even go as high as 900. In 900 words or three pages, you can write a five-paragraph short essay effectively.

Elements of a Short Essay

Some college students find that writing a short essay is more challenging than writing a long one because they don’t have enough room to fully develop and explain their ideas. Just the details required to support your argument should be included. However, while writing a brief essay, make sure the following fundamental elements are included in your essay:

Introduction

It should be one paragraph and not more. Your introduction should build up the interest of the audience, and it should be clear what is the topic. It should be concise, catchy, and informative. However, the first sentence itself should claim the urgency of the topic which becomes worth reading. End the sentence with a precise statement.

It is the final introduction sentence. It needs to be centered on the main problem you are researching and include a claim you intend to support. However, your thesis should be debatable and should inspire those who disagree with you to refute it. Also, you can get thesis help online for assistance in writing a concise thesis for your essay topic.

Topic Sentences

Make your main point clear and concise so that it appears at the start of each paragraph. It should summarize your entire argument. Thus, give a distinct topic sentence for each new point you make. Also, it needs to be presented, backed up and analyzed.

3 paragraphs out of 5, should be of the main body. This part contains your main ideas and supporting evidence or facts. Make sure that your evidence contains quotations and cite them according to the requirements of the format. Use linking words and conjunctions to make your text cohesive. It will bring flow to your narration.

This paragraph is for the final results. It should be 1 paragraph long. In this paragraph, you need to show how your ideas from the body support the statement in the first paragraph. It is not a summary. However, this part will close the question raised in the introduction part.

How to Write a Short Essay?

It takes several key points to write a well-written essay in fewer words. Here is how you can write a short essay:

Identify Your Topic Carefully

The first thing before you initiate the writing process is reading. Read your essay prompt carefully. You can underline important information or encircle the main question. You have to make sure what the question wants you to write. Students sometimes in a hurry fail to understand the topic and end up writing on something else.

Narrow Down Your Argument

You have got the task of writing a short essay, right? So, you cannot discuss everything in the essay. You have to cling to one single topic. Therefore, choose one topic and work on it. For instance, in “Tragedy in Shakespeare’s Plays” this topic is too vast. Here you have to research different plays of Shakespeare to bring out the tragic elements. So, your topic should be, “Discuss Hamlet as a tragedy”. Such a topic will help you to write a short essay easily.

Use Reliable Sources for Collecting Information

If your information is from reliable sources, your chances of getting excellence will be high. For example, if you are writing on any journalism topic, then go for BBC or other well-known news websites. Always avoid the least reliable sources, such as blogs or random articles.

Be Careful About the Essay’s Words

Words are the soul of an essay. If your words are not expressive enough, you might fail to get the desired grade. Students, especially those who are from non-English speaking backgrounds need to be careful about words. While writing the essay focus on words, use transition words in your essays. These words act as a bridge between sentences and ideas.

Remove Verbiage from Your Essay

You have a limit on the word count. Therefore, using excessively long speech doesn’t make sense in a short essay. Remove all lengthy verb phrases, adjectives, etc. Keep your sentences short and explain the meaning perfectly.

Try to Be More Active Than Passive

To make your essay succinct. Thus, make your sentences in the active voice. Active voice will convey to the point meaning in a crisp and clear manner. Write sentences that can help in explaining the meaning in a direct way. This will cut short the words from your essay.

Keep the Relevant Arguments Only

A passionate essay writer always wants to add multiple arguments to his/her essay. But in a brief essay, you have to control yourself. Only put useful arguments and weed out irrelevant ones. But, be alert, never remove the most convincing points, or else your essay will lose its purpose.

Following these 7 tips while composing an essay. Also, you may end up with an excellent piece of writing. If still finding issues in writing a short essay, then you can also check out essay examples for different types of essays such as reflective essay examples, analytical essay examples , expository essay examples, and so on for a better overview for writing brief essays.

Also Read: How to Write the Best 1000-Word Essay

Writing a Short Essay: Do’s and Don’ts

Having trouble composing a short essay.

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FAQ’s

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A Guide to Writing a Great Short Essay

As a student, you're no stranger to the countless writing assignments your teachers toss your way. When you see that your next assignment is a short essay, you might think, "Oh, this will be easy!" I mean, it's only a few hundred words, right? How hard could it be? But here's the thing: writing a short essay can sometimes be even harder than writing a longer paper. So, let's work together and figure out how to make your short essays really stand out!

The Basics of a Short Essay Format

A short essay is a smaller version of a regular essay that focuses on the most important parts of the topic. A short essay is usually between 250 and 750 words, and sometimes up to 1,000 words, depending on what your teacher or professor asks for. Even though it's short, a short essay format follows the same setup as a regular essay: an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion.

How to Write a Short Essay That Stands Out

To write a short essay that stands out, follow these five steps:

Learn as much as you can about your topic so you can write about it clearly and with confidence. Look for information from sources you can trust, like school books, good websites, and people who know a lot about the topic. This will help you find interesting facts and ideas to make your essay even better.

Generate ideas

Write down the main points, arguments, and examples you want to include in your essay. You can use mind mapping or brainstorming to organize your thoughts and find connections between different ideas, which can help you make a better essay.

Make a short essay outline to stay on topic and make sure your essay has a good structure. A clear, short essay outline will be like a map for your writing, helping you stay focused and making sure each paragraph helps the main goal of your essay.

Now that you have your research, ideas, and outline ready, writing will be easier. Start with a strong introduction that grabs your readers' attention and has a clear thesis statement. Then, write your main paragraphs with good arguments and examples. Finally, end with a conclusion that sums up your main points and leaves your readers with something to think about.

Read over your essay to check for word choice, grammar, and relevance, taking out any information that's not needed. Pay attention to how your sentences are put together, how the paragraphs connect, and how the whole essay flows, making sure everything works together to make a polished and convincing piece of writing.

Key Components of a Well-Written Short Essay

A standard, well-written short essay has 5 paragraphs:

Introduction (one paragraph)

Your introduction should make the reader want to keep reading. Use something interesting to get their attention and explain why the topic is important. Keep your introduction short, informative, and fun to read. Try to keep it to about 5 sentences. End with a clear thesis statement that tells the reader what your essay is about. Make sure this statement is easy to understand so readers know your main idea.

Main Body (three paragraphs)

The main part of your essay should have your most important ideas, along with facts or evidence to support them. Use one paragraph for each main point, starting with your strongest argument. Use facts or quotes to back it up. Use linking words like "and," "but," and "because" to make sure your ideas flow smoothly and make sense.

Conclusion (one paragraph)

In the last paragraph, bring together the results of your analysis and show how the ideas from the main body support your thesis statement. Don't just repeat what you wrote; instead, give your readers a new way to think about the topic. Your conclusion should make your readers feel satisfied with what they've read.

Six Tips for Writing a Great Short Essay

• Pick a topic that you really like because your excitement will show in your writing and make your readers interested too.
• Know who will be reading your essay and write in a way that makes sense for them. For example, if your professor is the main reader, you might not need to explain basic ideas.
• Read a lot about your chosen topic to learn a lot and find the most interesting and important facts to put in your essay.
• Try not to get distracted while writing so you can stay focused and make sure your essay is specific and stays on topic.
• Keep trying even if it's hard , like when you can't think of what to write or get bad grades, and remember that if you keep working, it will pay off in the end.
• Use online writing and editing tools, like Aithor, to make sure your essay is error-free and polished.

Getting Better at Writing Short Essays

How to write a short essay effectively? Practice and persistence are key. The more you write short essays, the better you'll get at expressing your thoughts in a clear and concise way. Don't get discouraged if things are hard at first or if you get bad grades; instead, use them as chances to learn and find ways to improve. Remember, the quality of what you write is more important than how long your short essay is.

Writing a great short essay can be tough, but don't be afraid to ask for help from online resources or professional writing services. If you want a little extra help to make your essay the best it can be, you might want to try Aithor . 

Aithor uses advanced technology to help you write, edit, and improve your essay quickly and accurately, without changing what you originally wanted to say. So, you can feel good knowing that your essay will stay true to your ideas while getting a nice boost in quality. Plus, Aithor is easy to use, so you don't have to be a computer expert to get the most out of it.

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What Is Short Essay Format?

Steps to writing a short essay, components of a short essay, six tips for successful short essay writing, how to write a short essay: step-by-step guide with useful tips.

Have you ever faced the daunting task of conveying a complex idea or argument in just a few hundred words? In academic and professional contexts, the ability to articulate thoughts succinctly is invaluable.

A short essay demands this very skill: to be clear, concise, and compelling, all within a limited word count.

This guide is designed to unlock the secrets of effective short essay writing. From understanding the format and components to mastering the writing process, this article will provide you with the tools needed for crafting essays that are both impactful and succinct.

A short essay typically ranges from 200 to 500 words, roughly equivalent to one single-spaced page or two double-spaced pages. Despite its brevity, a short essay must still fulfill the same requirements as a longer essay, including an introduction, a coherent structure, a body of several paragraphs, and a conclusion.

The key challenge is to present a complete argument or narrative within a compact framework. Understanding this format is crucial, as it shapes how you'll approach the writing process, ensuring you deliver your message clearly and effectively without veering off into unnecessary details.

Understanding the Prompt

The first step to writing an effective short essay is to fully understand the prompt. Take the time to read it carefully, identifying key words and what is being asked of you.

Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification if anything seems ambiguous. A clear understanding of the task at hand is fundamental to choosing the right direction for your essay.

Research and Notes

Even for a short essay, research is vital. It helps to back up your points with facts, making your argument more credible. However, given the brevity required, your research must be focused and relevant.

As you research, take concise notes to help you remember key points and where you found them. This step ensures you have enough material to support your thesis without overwhelming the essay with unnecessary information.

Outline Creation

Creating an outline is your roadmap through the writing process. Begin with your thesis statement at the top, followed by bullet points for your introduction, each body paragraph, and conclusion.

Each body paragraph should have its main idea or argument, along with evidence to support it. With a short essay, being concise in your outline will help ensure you stay within the word limit.

Writing the Draft

With your outline in hand, begin drafting your essay. Aim to write clearly and directly, staying focused on your thesis and supporting points.

Each sentence should serve a purpose, whether it's introducing a point, providing evidence, or linking ideas together. Since the essay is short, avoid diverging into tangential subjects.

Revising and Editing

Revising and editing are where your essay truly takes shape. Initially, focus on the structure and flow of your essay—does each paragraph smoothly transition to the next? Is your argument or narrative clear?

Afterward, concentrate on word choice, grammar, and spelling. Be ruthless in cutting out unnecessary words or phrases to meet the word count, and ensure every sentence adds value to your essay.

A short essay, while concise, must still include the fundamental elements that constitute any effective essay. These components ensure that your essay has a clear message and structure.

Introduction

The introduction sets the stage for your entire essay. It starts with a hook that grabs the reader's attention—a question, a bold statement, or an interesting fact. Then, it narrows down to your thesis statement, which is the essence of your argument or main point. The thesis should be clear, concise, and reflective of the essay's content.

Body Paragraphs

The body of your short essay is where you develop your argument or narrative. Despite the limited length, strive to include at least two to three paragraphs, each dedicated to a specific point or piece of evidence supporting your thesis.

Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that signals the main idea of the paragraph. Follow this with evidence or examples, and conclude each paragraph by linking the point back to your thesis statement.

The conclusion is your opportunity to wrap up your essay by summarizing the main points and restating the thesis in light of the evidence you've presented. It should bring closure to your argument or narrative.

A powerful conclusion also leaves the reader with something to think about, extending the impact of your essay beyond its final word.

Writing a compelling short essay is an art form. Here are six tips to help you refine your craft:

• Stick to the Point : In a short essay, there's no room for meandering. Every sentence should serve a direct purpose. Avoid digressions or overly complex explanations that could distract from your main points.
• Be Concise : Wordiness can dilute the strength of your argument. Use clear and straightforward language, and choose words that convey your meaning effectively without adding unnecessary length.
• Use Simple Language : Complex vocabulary doesn't necessarily equate to a better essay. It's more important that your ideas are clearly communicated. Simple, clear language ensures that your reader understands your argument and evidence.
• Strong Introduction and Conclusion : These parts of your essay leave the most lasting impression. Spend extra time refining your introduction and conclusion to ensure they are impactful and concise.
• Edit Ruthlessly : Be prepared to cut out portions of your essay in the editing phase, even if you're attached to them. If a sentence or paragraph doesn't contribute directly to your thesis, it's likely a candidate for removal.
• Seek Feedback : Don't underestimate the value of outside perspectives. Share your drafts with peers, mentors, or instructors who can offer constructive feedback. Fresh eyes can catch issues you might overlook and suggest improvements to enhance your essay's clarity and persuasiveness.

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