Most Effective Start for a 1200-Word Essay

On average, each paragraph must have around 100 to 200 words. Your introduction and conclusion paragraphs each constitute 10% of your total word count. Your body paragraphs will serve as the other 80% bulk of your essay. The key lies in identifying a 1200 word essay structure.

There’s no hard set rule that dictates the number of paragraphs essays have. The only rule pertaining to essay length and paragraph count is that essays must have at least three paragraphs.

• Introduction paragraph
• Body paragraph
• Conclusion paragraph

While some people may argue that there must be at least five paragraphs, such a rule is extremely limiting. You don’t have to follow this rule unless you’ve been instructed to do so.

This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t plan our essays ahead. It’s less about the word count and more about the distribution of your content. Writing an essay [or any content, for that matter] is a matter of exposition. Nobody wants to read a massive wall of text, thus necessitating the use of several paragraphs.

Breaking down your main topic into smaller digestible sections is the key to keeping your readers engaged and interested in your essay. Such is the rationale behind essay structures and outlines.

The Importance of an Essay Structure

Structure is an important aspect of writing because it allows writers to plan the manner in which their piece reveals information. It provides a sense of progression and helps writers connect one idea to another. It reveals the best approach to your ideas and makes it possible to establish a logical flow.

Moreover, an essay’s structure allows writers to focus their efforts on compartmentalized sections. Sections allow us to limit the scope of relevant ideas. This ensures we are better able to tell a story or share information without the risk of redundancy.

Introduction Paragraph

Body Paragraphs

Conclusion Paragraph

To determine the number of paragraphs, you must first identify the key topics you want to cover and assign each topic a paragraph.

For example:

To explain the different rights of ownership under Roman Law, you’ll first need to enumerate them. 

The right to:

• Use (Jus Utendi)
• Possess (Jus Possidendi)
• Enjoy the fruits (Jus Fruendi)
• Dispose or Sell (Jus Dispodendi)
• Consume (Jus Abutendi)
• Recover (Jus Vindicandi)
• Accessories (Jus Accessiones)

You can then determine the number of paragraphs you need to sufficiently cover all these topics. Let’s apply this example to a 1200 word essay structure. 

1200 Word Essay Structure

Introduction Paragraph [10% of total word count ~ 120 words]

Body Paragraphs: [80% of total word count ~ 960 words / 131 – 135 words per paragraph]

• Use (Jus Utendi) 
• Possess (Jus Possidendi)
• Enjoy the fruits (Jus Fruendi)
• Dispose or Sell (Jus Dispodendi)
• Consume (Jus Abutendi)
• Recover (Jus Vindicandi)
• Accessories (Jus Accessiones)

Conclusion Paragraph [10% of total word count ~ 120 words]

In Summary

The key to any form of writing is to plan your piece ahead and to come up with a structure. Following a structure allows writers to simplify complex topics into digestible bits. Planning out your academic paper will allow you to write more potent sentences and focus on answering important questions.

Remember that outlines are critical to the writing process. They ensure that our minds are focused on the key topics of the article as well as our main argument. Writing outlines and organizing ideas are skills that every student must learn if they want academic and professional success.