Tricks to increase the amount of text on a page?

[mobobuff]

So wait this an assignment to be handed into a teacher who is/used to be a judge?

Or is this for an actual testimony?

I am confroozed.

 

[newb111]

It should be single spaced UNLESS otherwise specified. That is your problem

EDIT: Just noticed you think the judge has a preference. Ugh, good luck =)

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: mobobuff
So wait this an assignment to be handed into a teacher who is/used to be a judge?

Or is this for an actual testimony?

I am confroozed.

My Professor is a Circuit Court Judge.

 

[AbsolutDealage]

He didn't specify the size of paper... you could grab some legal size and that would help. I think anything bigger than that would be a little insulting.

He also didn't specify if you could use both sides of the paper.

Of course, doing either of those things is probably not the smartest thing in the world. If I were you, I would decrease letter spacing, change your spaces and punctuation to a smaller size, and increase the margins on the paper a bit. That will get you an extra half a page at least.

As stated before, you should just write the answer as you would have with no restrictions, and then edit it down as much as possible. When you get it as lean as you can, then use the suggested means to cram it into the 4 pages.

 

[imported_Baloo]

Try being less wordy. If there is a simpler way to say something, say it that way.

 

[Tobolo]

The point of this is to make a concise point.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: Tobolo
The point of this is to make a concise point.

I agree - it sounds like a challenge, but you would be much better off spending the time editing than spending it trying to fool the judge.

 

[snapper316]

Less BS?

Remove words like really/exactly/very etc..

 

[b0mbrman]

Decrease the margins
Decrease the line spacing
Decrease the font size (to something unnoticeable like 13.8 )
Decreae the character spacing
Use a font without serifs
Decrease the tab size
Switch justification to justified

 

[Pacemaker]

Set the line spacing to 2.1 if it is printed the human eye can't tell the difference, and in a long document it can make a few page difference.

 

[Canai]

Webdings :thumbsup:

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Decrease the margins
Decrease the line spacing
Decrease the font (to something unnoticeable like 13.8 )
Decreae the character spacing
Use a font without serifs
Decrease the tab size
Switch justification to justified

How much time does ATOT spend trying to fit an extra 30 words on a page?

This sounds like a tough assignment to be so efficient with, but it's much, much more beneficial to really learn how to write than to learn the intricacies of formatting a Word doc.

 

[mcvickj]

Tell the prof to update his eye glass prescription so you can use 12 pt font.

 

[dullard]

I run into this all the time. It is frustrating.

1) Ask if you can use single spaced. If not, go for 1.5 spacing, they'll never know.

2) Some fonts are narrower, try a few of them.

3) Look at the ends of paragraphs. Is there just one or two words at the end? If so, rewrite something to get it one less line. Usually you can take out a word easilly somewhere in the paragraph.

4) Smaller fonts for headings, punctuation, and anything in between the text.

5) Larger margins.

6) This is hard, but be concise. You don't have to say the same thing repeatedly. Don't repeat and overemphasize. This overemphasis leads to wordy answers that are not concise. Another word for concise is terse. They are not exactly the same, but both mean that you aren't repeating yourself. Make certain to not say the same thing twice. Because if you say it again, it isn't concise and your document gets longer. That is, to conclude, that on a daily basis, each day, write with your word document editor version 1.34 in a way that uses less words than what you are currently using.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Decrease the margins
Decrease the line spacing
Decrease the font (to something unnoticeable like 13.8 )
Decreae the character spacing
Use a font without serifs
Decrease the tab size
Switch justification to justified

How much time does ATOT spend trying to fit an extra 30 words on a page?

This sounds like a tough assignment to be so efficient with, but it's much, much more beneficial to really learn how to write than to learn the intricacies of formatting a Word doc.

I used to copy edit for my alma mater's newspaper. I was pretty good at cutting words from reporter's stories, but there's a point where you can't cut anymorewithout affecting the story (or missing deadline). That's when these tricks come in handy.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Decrease the margins
Decrease the line spacing
Decrease the font (to something unnoticeable like 13.8 )
Decreae the character spacing
Use a font without serifs
Decrease the tab size
Switch justification to justified

How much time does ATOT spend trying to fit an extra 30 words on a page?

This sounds like a tough assignment to be so efficient with, but it's much, much more beneficial to really learn how to write than to learn the intricacies of formatting a Word doc.

I used to copy edit for my alma mater's newspaper. I was pretty good at cutting words from reporter's stories, but there's a point where you can't cut anymorewithout affecting the story (or missing deadline). That's when these tricks come in handy.

If it wasn't a school paper, you wouldn't have been ALLOWED to make those changes

I probably edited 200-300 essays while I was in University, and never gave one back that wasn't at least 10% shorter (and those were the good ones!).

 

[thirtythree]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie
Time for more editing.

Teachers/Profs don't give these limits to see how creative you can be at bending the rules.

Agreed, though I'd check with the professor about single/double spacing.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Decrease the margins
Decrease the line spacing
Decrease the font (to something unnoticeable like 13.8 )
Decreae the character spacing
Use a font without serifs
Decrease the tab size
Switch justification to justified

How much time does ATOT spend trying to fit an extra 30 words on a page?

This sounds like a tough assignment to be so efficient with, but it's much, much more beneficial to really learn how to write than to learn the intricacies of formatting a Word doc.

I used to copy edit for my alma mater's newspaper. I was pretty good at cutting words from reporter's stories, but there's a point where you can't cut anymorewithout affecting the story (or missing deadline). That's when these tricks come in handy.

If it wasn't a school paper, you wouldn't have been ALLOWED to make those changes

I probably edited 200-300 essays while I was in University, and never gave one back that wasn't at least 10% shorter (and those were the good ones!).

Why wouldn't I have been allowed to?

And I regularly cut stories by over 50%. Like I said, there's only so much you can do before it starts changing the story.

Back to the OPs question, I just opened an essay of mine in Word, switched the font size to 14 and line spacing to double and was able to fit 265 words on the first page.

I decreased the margins by 0.1 on the sides and 0.15 on the top and bottom, switched the font to Arial Narrow, condensed character spacing by 0.25 points, and decreased line spacing to 1.8. Without changing the font size, I was able to fit 365 words on the first page.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Decrease the margins
Decrease the line spacing
Decrease the font (to something unnoticeable like 13.8 )
Decreae the character spacing
Use a font without serifs
Decrease the tab size
Switch justification to justified

How much time does ATOT spend trying to fit an extra 30 words on a page?

This sounds like a tough assignment to be so efficient with, but it's much, much more beneficial to really learn how to write than to learn the intricacies of formatting a Word doc.

Amendment, Constitution, , Gideon v. Wainwright, Johnson v. Zerbst, and the other 20 or so cases I had to cite take up room, and do not really say much. This is easily the most concise paper I have ever written.

Doing all the tricks everyone told me left me about a 3/4 page for the last question. About what I needed. Thank you all.

BTW, I had edited a bunch, but I found a few more sentences and things I could take out. Still sucks.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Why wouldn't I have been allowed to?

And I regularly cut stories by over 50%. Like I said, there's only so much you can do before it starts changing the story.

Back to the OPs question, I just opened an essay of mine in Word, switched the font size to 14 and line spacing to double and was able to fit 265 words on the first page.

I decreased the margins by 0.1 on the sides and 0.15 on the top and bottom, switched the font to Arial Narrow, condensed character spacing by 0.25 points, and decreased line spacing to 1.8. Without changing the font size, I was able to fit 365 words on the first page.

You could only do that because you controlled the format of the paper, is what I mean.

Decreasing line spacing is dubious, because most professors who actually care about these limits just count the number of lines.

All the effort that goes into this makes me think professors should just go back to word counts.

As for how much they get cut, I agree - that's why I said 10% was the good ones. The bad ones, or the ones with a space limit were basically cut as much as was needed.

I'm assuming Mill is a reasonable writer, but most of the under-grad type stuff I was looking at was so bloated it wasn't funny.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: BurnItDwn
You could also, use one space ofter the end of sentences rather than two, and you can start paragraphs with just 2 or 3 spaces, rather than tabs ... but that may result in a bad grade due to improper use of spacing/indentation.

you should only be using one space between sentences anyhow.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Why wouldn't I have been allowed to?

And I regularly cut stories by over 50%. Like I said, there's only so much you can do before it starts changing the story.

Back to the OPs question, I just opened an essay of mine in Word, switched the font size to 14 and line spacing to double and was able to fit 265 words on the first page.

I decreased the margins by 0.1 on the sides and 0.15 on the top and bottom, switched the font to Arial Narrow, condensed character spacing by 0.25 points, and decreased line spacing to 1.8. Without changing the font size, I was able to fit 365 words on the first page.

You could only do that because you controlled the format of the paper, is what I mean.

Decreasing line spacing is dubious, because most professors who actually care about these limits just count the number of lines.

All the effort that goes into this makes me think professors should just go back to word counts.

As for how much they get cut, I agree - that's why I said 10% was the good ones. The bad ones, or the ones with a space limit were basically cut as much as was needed.

I'm assuming Mill is a reasonable writer, but most of the under-grad type stuff I was looking at was so bloated it wasn't funny.

Yeah...word count would make a lot more sense.

 

[middlehead]

I'd just stop typing at 4 pages. Mid-sentence if I ha

 

[paulxcook]

Originally posted by: Mill

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
Decrease the margins
Decrease the line spacing
Decrease the font (to something unnoticeable like 13.8 )
Decreae the character spacing
Use a font without serifs
Decrease the tab size
Switch justification to justified

How much time does ATOT spend trying to fit an extra 30 words on a page?

This sounds like a tough assignment to be so efficient with, but it's much, much more beneficial to really learn how to write than to learn the intricacies of formatting a Word doc.

Amendment, Constitution, , Gideon v. Wainwright, Johnson v. Zerbst, and the other 20 or so cases I had to cite take up room, and do not really say much. This is easily the most concise paper I have ever written.

Doing all the tricks everyone told me left me about a 3/4 page for the last question. About what I needed. Thank you all.

BTW, I had edited a bunch, but I found a few more sentences and things I could take out. Still sucks.

Congrats, I'm glad you fit it all in.

 

[fishface313]

http://www.break.com/index/really_useful_paper_tip.html

you're welcome...