Essay

Anonymous #1

I’m just curious to know how many hours do people spend or how many days do they spend working on each essay

Reply 1

Scotland Yard

Volunteer Team

Original post

by Anonymous

I’m just curious to know how many hours do people spend or how many days do they spend working on each essay

This is a thorny question with as many answers as there are stars on the sky...

I usually personally take maybe about a week or two working on essays. I don't work on them every day, and when I do I prefer to avoid working for hours non-stop, I'm a big fan of little chunks of work along the day. Although sometimes I have had to go to the library and spend hours on end there writing and researching things. Not always though. It really depends on the essay as well too. I don't want to say some essays are easier than others, but there have been some essays where I've had a clear idea of what I want to write from the start (and so I do these faster), others where I'm just stumped and so need to dedicate a lot more time to them.

Reply 2

Kingston Eve

Official Rep

Original post

by Anonymous

I’m just curious to know how many hours do people spend or how many days do they spend working on each essay

Hey,

Good question! It typically varies depending on the length of the essay itself. A 2,000 word essay usually takes me three to five days to complete (albeit I'm not working on it constantly throughout each day). My 6,000 word dissertation took approximately three to four weeks, mainly because it required much more in-depth research.

I like writing each essay in full before I move onto the next one. I don't have the ability to successfully work on multiple things at once - I worry I'm going to confuse my references or my topic - so if I have lots of essays due around a specific date, I have to start writing the first one a few weeks in advance just to ensure I can complete the others on time. I'd love to be a better multitasker! 😂

Best wishes,
Eve (Kingston Rep).

Reply 3

University of Salford Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post

by Anonymous

I’m just curious to know how many hours do people spend or how many days do they spend working on each essay

Hey,

This varies a lot, so try not to compare yourself too harshly to others. Different subjects, word counts, and working styles make a big difference.

For a typical 2,000 to 3,000 word essay, a lot of students probably spend something like:

•

a few days dipping in and out doing reading and notes

•

1 to 2 solid days planning and structuring

•

2 to 4 days writing (not always full days, a few focused hours at a time)

•

a day or so for editing, referencing, and polishing

That might look like anywhere from 15 to 30 hours total, spread over a week or two. Some people work better in shorter bursts over a longer period; others do fewer but longer sessions closer to the deadline. Both are normal.

It also depends on how familiar you are with the topic. If it’s something you’ve covered a lot in lectures, it’ll usually take less time than a completely new area with loads of reading. First-year essays often take longer because you’re still figuring out what’s expected, whereas later on you get faster at planning and writing.

If you’re ever unsure whether the amount of time you’re spending is right, it’s totally okay to ask your lecturer or personal tutor what they’d roughly expect for that kind of assessment. They won’t expect perfection, just that you’re working consistently and engaging with the task.

The main thing is not the number of hours, but whether your approach is working for you. If you’re meeting deadlines and your feedback is decent, you’re probably doing just fine.

Good luck 😊
Arslan – University of Salford Student Representative

Reply 4

Kingston Zhi En

Official Rep

Original post

by Anonymous

I’m just curious to know how many hours do people spend or how many days do they spend working on each essay

Hiya,

I think it really depends on individual, some of my peers are fast writers and are able to research and write their essays relatively fast (eg. within a few weeks). Personally, when I was writing my dissertation I had to prepare several months in advance to gather the right resources and data 🤗 Writing is not just about meeting the word count and it is always best to start early and plan in advance to give yourself time edit. It also takes time to structure and cite your essays in a presentable format! I hope this helps.

Zhi En
(Kingston Student Rep.)

Reply 5

DaisyChain1810

Original post

by Anonymous

I’m just curious to know how many hours do people spend or how many days do they spend working on each essay

Really good question and as the previous replies illustrate everyone’s way of working is different. Personally I like to research for a good week though not all day every day, more like 2/3 hours a day, get a good plan of each section and then start writing. I think the writing itself takes around a week as I’ll edit and redraft.

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