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How long should a short answer be?
I understand that there is no word requirement for short answer responses but I was wondering if there was a rough guideline or anyone's teachers had given them advice on this. I think I always write much more than I need to but it feels wrong to write less! What are your thoughts?
1 Answer
- LaurieLv 73 years ago
"Short answer" can mean different things. It can mean one word ("What is the opposite of wet?"), or a phrase ("What is the Golden Rule?"), or a sentence or two (Give two reasons it is important to save money in your twenties and thirties for one's future retirement?").
Read -- carefully -- the question, and note keywords:
Does the question ask, "What is one/the main/a reason xxxx?" If so, you should provide ONE reason.
Does the question ask for the main "reasonS" (plural)? Then you will need to supply at least two, and maybe more, according to what was stressed in class.
Does the question ask for YOUR viewpoint? If so, you need to provide your viewpoint and one-three supporting reasons.
The idea is to FOLLOW DIRECTIONS, and answer what is asked, but no more. No teacher wants to read multiple-paragraph answers if one or two words or sentences will answer the question. When students over-respond, it comes across as though the student doesn't know the answer and is just grasping for straws.
Educated people are able to be accurate AND concise.