The word counts for high school, college, and university papers differ. Some assignments are as brief as 300 words, while others necessitate more than one page – and a 1200-word essay is among them!
Keep reading to understand how to arrange and complete your 1200-word essay. As a bonus, you’ll see practical examples, valuable insights, and writing prompts!
đź“‹ What Does 1200 Word Essay Look Like?
Is a 1200-word essay long? Although it may seem lengthy, it is relatively easy to draft if you’re forearmed. Let’s review its structure and format to help you cope with this task.
How Long Is a 1200 Word Essay?
Essays in 1,200 words equate to around 6–12 paragraphs: an introduction, 4-10 main body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has 100–200 words and 5–6 sentences. An essay written by hand will take 5-7 pages, depending on your handwriting.
How Many Pages Is 1200 Words?
The page number of your 1200-word essay depends on your formatting style. For example, if you apply Times New Roman or Arial font and a 12-point font size, 1,200 words will take 2.4 pages single-spaced or 4.8 pages double-spaced.
1200 Word Essay Structure
Like other students’ works, a 1200-word essay has 3 core parts: an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion.
Introduction
A strong beginning section should attract the readers’ attention and clarify the gist of the writing. It typically contains 150-250 words, allocated between these elements:
- An intriguing hook to captivate the audience.
- Background details to add the context.
- A thesis statement to outline the central points.
Essay Body
The main section of a typical 1200-word essay comprises 4-5 paragraphs or 750-850 words. Each body paragraph should encompass 4 crucial components:
- Topic sentence to present the dominant idea of the paragraph.
- The main argument.
- Supporting details to underpin your viewpoint.
- Link to the subsequent paragraph.
Conclusion
The closing part recaps your primary arguments. On average, it has 150-250 words. A solid conclusion restates the thesis and summarizes the paper’s key ideas. Also, it should end with an impactful concluding statement, leaving your audience reflecting on your topic afterward.
1200 Words in Pages: Format
College papers adhere to a specific formatting style. The two most widely used formats are APA and MLA.
APA
- 12-point Times New Roman or 11-point Arial or Calibri font.
- 1-inch margins on all sides.
- Double spacing.
- A separate title page is necessary, with an essay title typed in bold and centered. Below the heading, include your name, university, course, professor’s name, and date.
- The header features the page number in the upper right-hand corner, starting with the title page.
- The paper’s title occupies the upper half of the title page and the top of the first page with text. It should be centered, bold, and typed in the title case.
- Section headings:
- Level 1: Bold, centered, title case.
- Level 2: Bold, left-aligned, title case.
- In-text citations:
- For paraphrased information: (Author, year), e.g. (Smith, 2020).
- For quotes: (Author, year, p. #), e.g. (Smith, 2020, p. 20).
- The reference list is titled “References.”
MLA
- 12-point Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri font.
- 1-inch margins on all sides.
- Double-spaced content.
- A title page is unneeded; all personal information (student name, professor name, course, and date) is typed in the top left corner of the first page.
- The header incorporates your last name followed by a space and a page number at the top right corner.
- The essay title appears under the heading information on the first page; it should be centered, not bold, and written in the title case.
- Section headings:
- Level 1: Bold, left-aligned, title case.
- Level 2: Italics, left-aligned, title case.
- The format for all types of in-text citations: (Author page #), e.g. (Smith 20).
- The bibliography is called “Works Cited.”
🖊️ How to Write a 1200 Word Essay
Further, we will tell you how to make writing a 1000-word essay easier! Follow our step-by-step instructions, and the results will not keep you waiting!
Decide on a Topic
If your professor does not specify a topic, it is your chance to choose the one that interests you. You can do some research to find a topic that you can easily discuss in 1200 words. Avoid very general titles and pick more specific ones instead. Look at the examples below to see the difference.
❌ Bullying in school
âś… The problem of bullying among teenagers and its consequences
❌ The causes of climate change
âś… What part do alternative energy sources play in climate change?
Collect Information
The information you will use in your essay must come from reliable sources. Ensure the data you have found is:
- Relevant. The information you gather must be pertinent to your topic.
- Credible. The data you get must come from trustworthy sources.
- Ethical. Ensure all people whose information you collect have permitted it to be used in your research.
- Varied. Use diverse data to see the issue from different angles.
Develop a Strong Thesis
The thesis statement is a sentence that informs the reader of the point you intend to make in your essay, while the main body supports that point. An effective thesis statement should meet the following criteria:
- Be specific. The thesis statement must concentrate on a particular area of a broader topic.
- Take a stand. Your thesis must demonstrate your conclusions and opinion on the issue.
- Answer “why” or “how” questions. Avoid vague words and add enough details to your thesis to ensure it answers a particular question about your topic.
- Justify the discussion. The thesis should prove that your topic is controversial and worth discussing.
- Express one idea. A thesis statement should precisely express what your work will be about. If you have more than one idea in your thesis, your readers may get confused about what point you are trying to make.
Create an Outline
An essay outline helps you visualize your finished essay before you start writing it. It reduces the paragraphs to critical points, allowing you to review your argument with a quick skim.
The outline should reflect the structure of the paper. Therefore, it should include a concise version of your introduction, thesis statement, the paper’s main points to support the thesis, and some concluding thoughts. Keep it brief and simple by avoiding unnecessary words and too many details.
Make a First Draft
The first draft is the writing stage that comes after creating an outline. A first draft can be rough and far from ideal, but it aids in putting your ideas on paper and creating a preliminary version of an essay. Use these tips to make the process of drafting smoother:
- Use formal academic language. School or college essays should be written according to academic standards. In particular, papers should be clear and concise and not include contractions, slang, or informal expressions.
- Choose a formatting style. Clean formatting demonstrates your attention to detail and understanding of the value of adhering to conventions.
- Make your story flow. Follow your outline and ensure that your thoughts are arranged logically. Use transitions to make the links between different ideas clear.
- Structure the paragraphs properly. Ensure that each paragraph includes all the essential components: topic sentence, supporting evidence, explanations, and concluding sentence.Â
- Cite your sources accurately. In academic writing, it is crucial to distinguish between your thoughts and the ideas borrowed from others’ works. Therefore, you should give credit to all sources that inspired your paper.
Improve and Proofread
After finishing an essay, you should proofread and edit it. We have some tips that can come in handy when checking your article:
- Use a ruler. As you read, place a ruler underneath each line. This way, you will have a manageable amount of text for your eyes to read.
- Take a break. Between writing and editing, try to take a rest. Even a 20-minute break will help you take a fresh look at your paper.
- Ask someone else to read your essay. It will assist you in identifying unclear sentences, wordiness, and other shortcomings.
- Read the essay backward. This technique will help you concentrate on the sentences rather than becoming distracted by the content of your work.
- Keep in mind your typical mistakes. Check out old papers you have written before and list the errors you consistently commit.
How Long Does It Take to Write a 1200 Word Essay?
The time required to write 1200 words depends on your typing speed, planning skills, ability to search for information, etc. Generally, it takes approximately 3.5 to 4.5 hours to write an essay in 1200 words.
✍️ 1200 Word College Essay: Writing Prompts
Are you tired of coming up with fresh ideas for your 1200-word essay? Do not worry! We have some insightful writing prompts to inspire you!
1200 Words Essay on Motivation
Motivation refers to the internal and external influences that encourage people to attain specific objectives. In your paper on motivation, you can dwell on strategies often employed in business to enhance workers’ performance. You can also provide a real-life example or impressive statistics!
đź“ť Check this 1200-word essay example to learn how these prompts work in practice: Motivation Strategies and Approaches at the Workplace.
1200 Words Essay on Human Resource
Human resources tackle various processes, including recruitment and selection, training, benefits and compensation, and workers’ performance management. You can compose a paper on the most pressing issues influencing HR departments:
- compliance with regulations and laws;
- employee safety and health;
- organizational change management;
- the development of competitive compensation packages.
📝 Or you can find more inspirational ideas in this 1200-words example: GlaxoSmithKline Company’s Human Resource Strategy.
1200 Word Essay on Group Therapy
Group therapy means the treatment of several patients simultaneously by one or more healthcare experts. In your article, you can raise the following questions:
- What is the goal of group therapy?
- What are its advantages?
- How many stages does this treatment involve?
- What is an excellent illustration of group therapy?
đź“ť Look at our example of a 1200-word essay on group therapy: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Group Therapy.
1200 Word Essay on Business Strategy
A business strategy gives the entire firm a vision and a course to follow. You can craft a paper focusing on a real-life scenario of a large and thriving corporation. Describe how its vision, mission, and core values direct its operations.
📝 Check this 1200-words essay example for more valuable insights: Picosam Technologies: Business’s Vision, Mission, and Values in Assessing the Strategic Direction.
1200 Word Essay on Globalization
Globalization alters the way nations, organizations, and people interact. You can devote your paper to various problems related to this phenomenon:
- cheap international sweatshop labor;
- confusing local systems;
- increasing populations of immigrants;
- decline in job opportunities;
- lack of regulation in multinational business enterprises.
đź“ť This 1000 to 1200-words example is already waiting for you: Globalization Impact on Trade and Employment.
1200 Words Essay on Cyber Crime
Cybercrime is any outlawed activity involving a connected device or a network. You can describe types of cybercrimes and their examples. Also, consider adding information about safety measures to shield users and social networks from cyberattacks.
đź“ť Look at the example of a 1200-word essay on cybercrime that we have prepared for you: The Lehman Bank: Irregularities and Cybercrimes.
✅ 1200 Word Essay — Useful Tips
Here are 7 tips that can come in handy when you need to write a compelling 1200-word essay.
- Pick an interesting topic. If you are not given a topic in advance, choose an issue that interests you.
- Use appropriate vocabulary. Your writing will be more captivating and persuasive if you use words that suit the tone and aim of your essay.
- Avoid passive voice. Sentences written in passive voice are usually longer and harder to read and understand than those composed in active voice.
- Use transitions. Transitions provide logical ties between paragraphs, enhancing the readers’ enjoyment and making it easier for them to follow your narrative.
- Vary your sentence structure. Combining simple, complex, and 1compound sentences can make your work more engaging.
- Reread your piece of writing. Check your essay for spelling, grammar, and punctuation issues before submitting it.
- Keep practicing. We all know that practice makes perfect. So, the more you write on various topics, the more professional you become.
đź“š 1200 Words Essay Topics
- Has America lost its global dominance?
- The role of misuse of antibiotics in the development of antimicrobial resistance.
- How does AI contribute to workplace safety?
- Strategies for managing behavioral disorders in the classroom.
- Are biofuels more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels?
- Why should we care about cat overpopulation in America?
- The risks of using cloud computing in business.
- Factors motivating people to undergo cosmetic surgery.
- Can culture wars ever end in America?
- The effectiveness of laws targeting distracted driving.