What I look for in a short essay

Guidance on Writing Short Essays
First written in 2012 for high school students in my courses at Andover, lightly edited in 2026 to share for no particular reason other than a student somewhere might find it here.

The length I expect for the short papers is roughly a page or two.  The sweet-spot is 750 words, give-or-take a few hundred. I have in mind pieces of the scope of a New York Times op-ed or a briefing paper to a high-level public or corporate official who has limited time to read in advance of a crucial meeting.

Here are some things I expect in a strong essay of this length:

Frame a great question. I don’t expect you to find a “right answer” in these short essays you are writing. What is essential is that you frame a great question. A big part of your job is to find a hard problem lurking in the topic for the day; expose it for me and for your fellow students, who ideally will have a chance to read your essay before class (or at least to hear about it from you when we meet). It needs to be an intriguing question, a tough one, an engaging one — one that makes you go: “huh.” Engagement with fascinating material: that’s a big part of what I’m seeking to provoke as a teacher.

Make an argument. Please say something in your essay. Answer your own great question in a way that is thought-provoking. I am much more interested in seeing that you’ve engaged deeply with the material than that you’ve gotten the answer “right.” I am interested in what you think, not so much what you read about the thoughts of others. I’m also quite content for you to have an answer to the question that differs from whatever you think I might say about it — actually, I’m almost certain to be more interested in an answer different from my own point of view as a teacher, especially one that makes me think in turn. Often the best way to do this, I find, is to take a walk after dinner and turn the question around in my mind. Or maybe you run or do yoga or think about things in other contemplative spaces. Make your thinking visible.

Marshal facts to make your case. It’s necessary, but not sufficient, to present a novel, provocative argument. You need to employ persuasive evidence to support your claim. Yes, the essays are short, but they can’t be vapid; bring a few compelling facts or theories into play that convince your reader of your point of view.

Be honest. These essays are not group projects; they must be your own work. This is especially the case in the era of AI. When in doubt, drop a footnote or otherwise give credit where credit is due. If you have any questions as to whether to cite to something, please refer to the academic honesty policy in the syllabus or write to me directly.  

Be concise. Fewer words is better than more words to convey the same ideas. Part of the reason I want you to write short pieces is so that you’ll get multiple “reps” over the course of the term and we can work together on your writing. But another reason for short pieces is to require you to be concise. I am fan of Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. Their principle of composition #17: “Omit Needless Words.” One wag improved on the principle: “eschew superfluage.” I’ve always offered any students enrolled in my class a gift of Strunk and White if they’d promise to read it.

There’s more I could say, but that would violate my own advice, so I won’t. I know we as teachers don’t always have time to provide as much detailed feedback as we’d like — I can recall times, painfully, when I’ve fallen down on that score — but it’s such an important part of the teaching and learning process, often best carried out in the context of a course not explicitly about writing, and I’m going to do my part. If my feedback on your work doesn’t make sense or if I can help you figure out how to improve a subsequent essay, let’s talk about it. I much look forward to receiving your papers and to being inspired by what you have to say.