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Teaching Guidance

The One-Minute Paper

A one-minute paper is simply that: students are given 60 seconds—either at the end of a section of work, or at the end of a lecture period—to jot down on paper some anonymous responses to an aspect of that day's class session. They drop these responses into a box at the front of the class, which you then take to your office. Then you read the responses to get a sense of what the students have learned, where there might be gaps in their knowledge, what aspects of your teaching practice they are responding to, and so on. The function of this exercise is solely to get a ‘dipstick’ measurement that you can respond to in a subsequent class session, by email, or on Blackboard.

Bearing in mind that the students only have one minute to write a response, you might provide prompts like the following:

Write down the three key things you learned in today's lecture.
In your own words, tell me what you understand about [ insert concept here ].
What was the most confusing point in today's class?
How useful was the group exercise that we did in class today? Please give details.

A yes or no answer does not help you much, so it is a good idea to word your question so that it elicits as much detail as possible. If you wish to explore the one-minute paper technique further, please feel free to get in touch with us .

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One-Minute Paper

INTRODUCTION: A “one-minute paper” may be defined as a very short, in-class writing activity (taking one-minute or less to complete) in response to an instructor-posed question, which prompts students to reflect on the day’s lesson and provides the instructor with useful feedback. This strategy was originally developed by a Physics professor at the University of California, Berkeley (cited in Davis, Wood, & Wilson, 1983), then popularized by Cross and Angelo (1988) as one of a wide variety of quick “classroom assessment techniques” (CATs)—designed to provide instructors with anonymous feedback on what students are learning in class. For example, students write a one-minute paper in response to such questions as, “What was the most important concept you learned in class today? Or, “What was the ‘muddiest’ or most confusing concept covered in today’s class?”

While the original purpose of the one-minute paper was to assess student learning at the end of a day’s lesson, I have adapted the one-minute paper, shortened its name to “minute paper,” and used it for other purposes. In particular, I use minute papers less as a content-centered, instructional feedback strategy, and more as a student-centered reflection strategy designed to help students discover their own meaning in relation to concepts covered in class, and to build instructor-student rapport. Furthermore, I do not have students write minute papers anonymously and I do not employ them exclusively at the end of class; I give them at other times during the class period as well.

The following sections of this article are devoted to a description of (a) the types of questions I ask as prompts for minute papers, (b) the times during a class period when I use minute papers, and (c) the advantages I have found to be associated with minute papers.

QUESTIONS USED AS MINUTE-PAPER PROMPTS

Over the years, I have used a wide range of questions as prompts for minute papers. Below, I have listed some of my most frequently used minute-paper questions and attempted to categorize them in terms of what cognitive or affective dimension of the student’s learning experience they are designed to prompt.

*Without looking at your notes, what was most memorable or stands out in your mind about today’s class? *What was the most surprising and/or unexpected idea expressed in today’s discussion? *Looking back at your notes, what would you say was the most stimulating idea discussed in today’s class? *For you, what interesting questions remain unanswered about today’s topic?

*In your opinion, what was the most useful idea discussed in today’s class? *During today’s class, what idea(s) struck you as things you could or should put into practice? *What example or illustration cited in today’s class could you relate to the most?

Attitudes/Opinions:

*Would you agree or disagree with this statement: . . .? Why? *What was the most persuasive or convincing argument (or counterargument) that you heard expressed in today’s discussion? *Was there a position taken in today’s class that you strongly disagreed with, or found to be disturbing and unsettling? *What idea expressed in today’s class strongly affected or influenced your personal opinions, viewpoints, or values?

*What did you perceive to be the major purpose or objective of today’s class? *What do you think was the most important point or central concept communicated during today’s presentation?

Conceptual Connections:

*What relationship did you see between today’s topic and other topics previously covered in this course? *What was discussed in class today that seemed to connect with what you are learning or have learned in other course(s)?

More recently, I have attempted to define and classify the major forms of higher-level (higher-order) thinking processes that we intend to promote in higher education, and tried to design a set of minute-paper questions to prompt each of these forms of thinking. I am now attempting to use this classification system to help me become more intentional and systematic in my selection of thought-provoking questions for minute papers.

TIMES DURING THE CLASS PERIOD WHEN MINUTE PAPERS ARE PROMPTED

There are three times or junctures during the class period when I use minute papers: (a) at the end of class, (b) at the start of class, and (c) in the middle of class.

Most frequently, I use minute papers at the END of a class to have students reflect back and think more deeply about the most important concept discussed in class that day. This provides a meaningful sense of “closure” to the class session and focuses student attention on the major point or issue addressed, thereby increasing the likelihood that they will “consolidate” it into long-term memory. A number of research studies indicate that, if students engage in a short review of material presented to them at the end of a class period, they retain almost twice as much of its factual and conceptual content when tested for it at a later point in time (e.g., two months later) (Menges, 1988).

I also use minute papers at the START of class to activate (“turn on”) ideas and feelings students may already have about the material to be covered in the upcoming class. For example, if the topic is “Stress,” I may ask them: “When you hear the word ‘stress,’ what immediately comes to your mind?” Or, “In 3-4 sentences, tell me what you know about ‘stress’?” This type of anticipatory question serves to activate students’ prior knowledge and beliefs about the topic to be covered, prior to coverage of it, which readies the brain to make connections between the ideas they are about to encounter and the ideas they have already stored in their brain. As an instructor, it also provides me with early feedback about what prior knowledge or misconceptions students have about the topic, so I can attempt to build on their knowledge or dismantle their misconceptions.

Periodically, I will also ask for a minute paper DURING the class period, especially right after discussion of a key point. This serves to trigger student reflection on that point before another point is introduced, and it also serves to interrupt or “punctuate” class with an exercise that has students act on and do something in response to the ideas they are hearing. I believe that this mid-class interruption of discourse with an action task keeps students more alert and more mentally active during class, and intercepts the natural attention “drift” that takes place after they have been receiving (hearing) information for an extended period of time. Research indicates that student attention and comprehension are strengthened by short pauses that encourage mental activity in the middle of class presentations—for example “Tear out half a sheet of paper and write your reaction to the presentation thus far” (Bligh, 2000).

ADVANTAGES OF THE MINUTE PAPER

I have found that minute papers have multiple advantages, some of which I anticipated in advance and others that I discovered serendipitously while in the process of implementing them. These anticipated and unanticipated advantages are listed below.

1. Minute papers can provide a “conceptual bridge” between successive class periods. For instance, at the beginning of class, a quick review of student responses to a minute paper answered at the end of a previous class can provide and effective segue between successive class sessions.

2. Minute papers can improve the quality of class discussion by having students write briefly about a concept or issue before they begin discussing it. I have found that this gives the more reflective students a chance to gather their thoughts prior to verbalizing them, and benefits students who are more fearful of public speaking by giving them a script to fall back on (or build on) and use as a support structure for communicating their ideas orally.

3. Minute papers are an effective way of involving all students in class simultaneously. It ensures equal participation of each and every class member, including anyone who may be too shy or fearful to participate orally. It sends a message of high expectations—namely, each and every student is expected to participate and has something important to contribute—no matter what their cultural background or prior level of academic preparedness. To further ensure equal opportunity for participation, I sometimes ask for a minute paper in response to the following question: “During our class (or small-group) discussion today, what thoughts came to your mind that you did not get the opportunity to share verbally?

4. Minute papers can be used to stimulate and facilitate discussion of diversity. Sometimes, I’ll look for thematic or distinguishing patterns in the minute-paper responses of students of different age, gender, ethnic background, or national citizenship. I’ll report these patterns to the whole class at the start of the next session, and ask the class how they might interpret or explain the differences (and similarities) in the responses of various groups.

5. Minute papers can promote class attendance and attentiveness. I award points for completed minute papers that count toward students’ final course grade, and I do not allow students to make-up missed minute papers. I do allow students two “free” or “forgiven” minute papers for the term, so if they are absent on two days when minute papers are assigned, they will not lose those points. I adopt this forgiving policy simply because students are people, and people can get sick (physically and mentally) and have responsibilities (personal and familial) that sometimes compete with their scholastic commitments. Students who are in class for all minute papers are allowed to “bank” extra credit for the two “free” minute papers that they were entitled to, but did not use.

I have found that students are more likely to come to class if they know they are going to gain points, even if those points are not awarded every single class period. I do not assign minute papers in every class period; so, in effect, they function as a type of “pop quiz” that can be given in any class at any time. For readers familiar with Skinnerian principles of behavioral reinforcement, periodically assigning minute papers in this manner serves to reward students on a “variable schedule of reinforcement,” which is known to produce high response rates—in this case, high attendance rates.

Furthermore, students are rewarded for actually doing something in class, rather than merely “showing up.” Thus, students are rewarded for their involvement, and since attendance is a precondition or prerequisite for this involvement, they are also indirectly rewarded for coming to class. In contrast, most class-attendance policies do not positively reinforce student attendance; instead, they use negative reinforcement by penalizing students for missing class—i.e., points are taken away (subtracted).

In addition to promoting student attendance and involvement, minute papers can also be used to increase the likelihood that students will remain in class for the full duration of the class period. One faculty colleague of mine began using minute papers at the end of his biology labs, and this practice had an immediate impact on reducing the number of students who left before his 3-hour laboratory period ended. Another colleague has used minute papers at the very start of class to encourage punctuality and discourage tardiness. If the student is not in class at the time the question is asked, they cannot answer it and gain the points associated with it.

6. Minute papers are a more efficient way to promote writing-across-the curriculum than the traditional term paper. A minute paper is a shorter, more focused, writing-to-learn assignment that promotes greater reflection and deeper thinking in the classroom than the writing which takes place when students engage in rote recording of lecture notes.

Student receive full credit (usually five points) for the minute paper, no matter what they write, because the question does not ask for correct or incorrect answers; instead, it solicits their personal perceptions and experiences. The only thing I insist on for students to receive full credit is that they write complete sentences. Before their first minute paper, I point out that one purpose of this exercise is to develop their writing skills, because writing and thinking are strongly interrelated. When I read their papers, I correct spelling and grammatical errors, but do not subtract points for such mistakes. I will, however, subtract points if students do not attempt to use complete sentences. I do not subtract points on their first “offense;” instead, I point out that what they should do next time. A “repeat offender” is reminded one more time about not using complete sentences, and is warned that full credit will not be awarded for a third offense. This practice has effectively encouraged students to put effort into their in-class writing, without causing them to feel unduly threatened or unfairly penalized in the process.

7. Minute papers can function as an ongoing learning log or learning journal for the course. I have students complete successive minute papers on the same piece(s) of paper, so by the end of the term, they have a consecutive series of entries that approximates a learning log or journal. This also allows students to conveniently view their previous responses, along with my responses to them, which can sometimes help students see connections across course concepts and help them prepare for exams.

8. Minute papers can be used to personally validate students. It is not uncommon to find an example or experience cited in a student’s minute paper that powerfully illustrates a point I intend to make in class. I’ll jot down that student’s response on a post-it sticker and quote the student when I get to that point in class. (Naturally, I select quotes that are poignant and powerful, but not personal.). Students are often touched by this practice, because it validates their contribution, and more importantly, validates them as individuals. Sometimes, when I get a particularly eloquent or insightful response from a student, I include the student’s quote and name on an overhead transparency and project it at the start of class. This has turned out to be a particularly potent way to validate students; I’ve noticed that they often seem to be visibly flattered by being publicly recognized, and seeing their name and words “published” in print and showcased on screen.

9. Minute papers can help instructors identify course concepts that are most important or significant by encouraging them to step back and ask, “What is the most important idea or message that I want students to think about before they leave class today?” Minute papers have encouraged me to think more carefully about how to prioritize course content and to identify “core” concepts that I want students to examine deeply.

10. Minute papers can help the instructor learn student names if students are asked to come up to the front of the room individually to turn in their minute papers at the end of class session, and if students are called by name to come up individually and retrieve their papers at the start of the next class session. I use minute papers more frequently at the beginning of the term, not only to get students in the habit of regularly coming to class, but also to help me learn their names more rapidly. At the start of the term, I intentionally assign minute papers at the very end of class and allow students to leave when they finish writing. Individual students invariably finish their papers at different rates, so they do not all exit the room at the same time. When each student comes up to hand-in his or her minute paper, it give me the opportunity to view each student’s face and name (on the minute paper) simultaneously, which expedites my learning of student names. Moreover, at the start of the following class session, I call students by name to come up individually to pick up their minute papers from me, which further strengthens my memory of their names faces and faces.

11. Minute papers serve to build instructor-student rapport. When students get their minute papers back, they see that I have responded personally to them. I always address the student by name in my written response, and I sign my name at the end of my comments, so that the communication approximates or simulates that of a personal letter. This enables me to build instructor-student rapport, particularly because the minute paper solicits student responses that involve students’ personal perceptions or experiences. Such responses are conducive to my providing a personal response in return, rather than responding with evaluative comments on the validity of their answer or why they received a particular grade. For instance, recently I was discussing the concept of defense mechanisms, and I gave a minute paper at the end of class that asked students if they had ever witnessed or experienced any of the defense mechanisms discussed in class today. Many of the responses involved sharing their personal experiences or those of close family members, and I responded by expressing my appreciation of their willingness to share this information with me and, in a number of cases, I wrote back and shared a similar experience of my own. In some cases, I write back with a short question about their shared experience, asking them to elaborate a bit on it when they submit their next minute paper. I have found that minute papers allow me to communicate with students on a more personal, humanistic basis, which improves the warmth and depth of the learning experience for both parties. (On several occasions over the years, students have used the minute paper to convey a “call for help,” which enabled me to connect them with a relevant support service or support person.)

Use of minute papers does not have to be a time-consuming or labor-intensive practice. For instance, they do not have to be used in very class session to be effective. I have been able to reap the benefits associated with minute papers by using them in about 30-40% of the class meetings for a given course. Also, your written remarks in response to students’ minute papers do not have to be extensive. On average, I spend about one minute responding to each student, and if I am pressed for time, I provide short responses to half the class (e.g., students with last names from A-M) and provide more extensive responses to the other half of class (last names from N-Z). On the next minute paper, I reverse the process and provide more extensive responses to the half of students who received shorter responses on the previous minute paper.

In short, I have found the minute paper to be a very efficient and versatile instructional strategy, whose multiple advantages traverse cognitive, affective, and social dimensions of the teaching-learning process.

Bligh, D. A. (2000). What’s the use of lectures? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Cross, K. P., & Angelo, T. A. (1988). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for faculty . Ann Arbor, MI: National Center for Research to Improve Postsecondary Teaching and Learning.

Davis, B. G., Wood, L., & Wilson, R. C. (1983). ABCs of teaching with excellence . Berkeley: University of California.

Menges, R. (1988). Research on teaching and learning: The relevant and redundant . Review of Higher Education, 11, 259-268.

Since first attending one of the summer retreats in 1997, I’ve held nine On Course workshops for our college, and I plan to offer more.

I have never before felt a workshop I attended helped me to teach. This one will!

This workshop should be required for all faculty, staff, and administrators.

I’m a better instructor because of On Course.

This workshop transformed my professional and personal life.

I am going back to campus more empowered and energized.

This was an awesome experience for an educator who was burning out!

I am so impressed with how well thought out and integrated every aspect of the workshop is!

The On Course Workshop was the most productive learning experience I have had in years.

Our college needs to offer this workshop for all faculty, full and part-time.

Our Mission

One-Minute Papers: A Way to Further Design Thinking

Connecting design thinking to your area of expertise.

Many of us have sat through long lectures believing the material did not connect to us at all. This should not be the case with design thinking, a process that involves rethinking and reframing problems to make things easier, more streamlined or different. However, many people view design thinking as an insular activity that does not mesh with their specific domain of expertise . This should not be the case. Design thinking can relate to any topic.

This post offers a step-by-step description of how using the "One-Minute Paper" learning technique can enable educators to connect design thinking with their area of expertise quickly and effectively. One-Minute Papers, as described by Thomas A. Angelo and K. Patricia Cross , involve asking one or two probing, open-ended questions on the material covered. This task takes about one minute to complete. The hope is that, through these questions, students will be able to self-assess their learning while in turn the teacher gauges student understanding.

What is Design Thinking?

Design thinking uses a structured approach to solve problems (Coley, 2013). There are many flavors of design thinking, but for the purposes of this conversation, we'll talk about the following eight phases. (For a full description, please see my previous post, Design Thinking in the Classroom: Free Inspiration from the Ad Award Winners .)

Define the problem
Research the problem
Analyze the situation
Redefine the problem

However, as Helen Walters (2011) points out, design thinking is not a magic wand, but holds real value when working with difficult, challenging and chaotic problems.

What Are One-Minute Papers?

One-Minute Papers, as mentioned above, are a learning and teaching strategy where the learners are asked one or two quick but deep questions on the material covered. Angelo and Cross (1993) recommend asking questions designed to make a student think critically and not just repeat what is in his or her notebook. Typically, the questions take a form similar to:

What was the most challenging aspect of today's activity?
Give an example that relates to the topic of the day.

How Can We Connect Design Thinking to Subject Expertise?

The easiest way to connect design thinking to our subject expertise is to ask ourselves simple questions modeled after the one-minute paper learning technique for our students. Below are some examples:

What is the purpose of design thinking?
What is the most challenging aspect of design thinking?
Give an example of where design thinking would be useful in your area of educational expertise.

These questions require an educator to be actively engaged. But even more, they act as a prompt for educators to give their opinion, analyze their learning and create connections. If teachers ask themselves these types of questions when learning about design thinking, the results could be amazing.

How Long Will It Take?

These questions should take about one minute to complete, as the name implies. The questions should act as a quick and easy way for getting instant feedback to see whether you understand the design thinking process.

Why is All of This Important?

Design thinking is so powerful that teachers should harness their knowledge of it and apply it their area of expertise. In many cases, we do not discuss design thinking with regard to more traditional subjects such as mathematics, history and physics. My hope is that, through these questions, we can reframe and rethink the way we approach our subject expertise to be more innovative in our classrooms. Design thinking methodology could be the perfect way to tackle specific classroom issues such as student memory lapses in history class, boredom with routine exercises in mathematics, or apathy in physical education.

Angelo, T.A. & Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques (2nd ed.) . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Coley, S. (2013). "Here's to the crazy ones: Simon Coley on design thinking." StopPress . Retrieved July 8, 2013. Walters, H. (2011). Design Thinking Won’t Save You. Retrieved from Helen Walters' blog .

One-Minute Paper: Assess Through Student Expression

Written by Jori Marshall November 25, 2019 • 2 minute read

You’ve wrapped up your lecture and now you begin to pack up as students are leaving your classroom. You can’t help but feel the material you presented in the lecture was pretty extensive as images of your students’ blank stares during your lecture play back in your mind. You grab your bag and close out the classroom, meanwhile, none of the students have come up to you to ask follow up questions about your lecture.

Now you wonder, did my students understand the lecture? Did they make connections to course objectives? How did my students feel about today’s class and topic? Are my students actually learning? An effective way to answer these questions consist of a quick assessment of what your students know at the end of a lecture or class with the use of a One-Minute Paper .

The one-minute paper is a classroom assessment technique created by Charles Schwartz of the University of California Berkeley in the early 1980’s and popularized by Thomas Angelo and Patricia Cross in their well-known book, Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. This technique is a great tool that can provide you with a snapshot of what your students are learning in your class.

Why Should I use a One-Minute Paper?

Not only do one-minute papers serve as a form of feedback but also as a form of assessment, allowing for a brief and simple mode that can help you gauge student learning and response. The one-minute paper is a formative tool that can improve both teaching and learning by monitoring student comprehension, giving you a glimpse into the strengths and weaknesses of your own teaching methods, and aid you in modifying your classroom’s learning experience. Giving students the ability to provide input into the teaching/learning process can promote healthy collaboration and a sense of meaning to a student’s learning experience.

A survey study completed on students' perception of learning gains demonstrated that students reported gains in linking primary class ideals with other knowledge and the implementation of knowledge to separate situations as a result of one-minute papers. Other demographic factors had no significant impact, such as age or discipline, on student perception of learning gains. With the use of one minute paper in your classroom, you can also have the ability to establish dialogue and form connections with students outside of the discussion by responding to each paper via email. Although this requires more time commitment, Gale M. Lucas of Northwestern University writes that this gives you the ability to initiate student-teacher contact by personalizing your responses and can lead to in-depth conversations on a given subject matter. This lets your students know that you are available and eager to communicate and can create a motivation to learn by making students feel “safe” and heard; especially students who tend to be more introverted.

How Do I Incorporate a One-Minute Paper?

Including the one-minute paper into your classroom pedagogical practice is quick, easy, and efficient. You can start by ending class two to three minutes early and request that students pull out a paper (or provide them with a template) to answer the following questions:

"What was the most important thing you learned during this class?
"What important question remains unanswered?"
Optional: “Additional Comments”.

You can then give students one to two minutes to answer these questions.

Below is a step by step guide on incorporating the one-minute paper courtesy of Angelo and Cross.

Draft minute paper prompts that are relevant to your course and students and test it on a colleague of teaching assistant.
Plan to save five to ten minutes of your class time to use the one-minute paper and discuss the results with your class.
During or before class, write out and display your prompt questions for the paper.
Provide your students with index cards or an outline to complete the one-minute paper.
Give students the option to remain anonymous unless it is important for them to write their names.
Communicate to students how much time they have, the type of answers you desire (short sentences, words, or phrases), and when to expect feedback.

Asking students to reflect on their own learning using the one-minute paper can improve teacher-student collaboration and bridge gaps in learning.

How Do I Use One-Minute Papers in Remote/Online Teaching?

Download our how-to guide of using one-minute papers in remote/online teaching from Google Docs.

Synchronous Application Examples

To guide students to actively apply and build upon their knowledge in a synchronous session:

Introduce the task: Provide the questions you want students to answer in your lecture slides or on Canvas, either as a text entry submission or a discussion board.
Continuity across class meetings: Use one-minute papers as an activity at the beginning of class to have students reflect on previous meetings and recall any questions they have about the material.
Use as a knowledge check: Between ending a lecture and taking a class break, ask students to submit a quick one-minute note about what was just discussed in class.
Use as an exit ticket: Give students time at the end of class to submit and set a deadline (such as by the end of the day or immediately after session).

Asynchronous Application Examples

To guide students to actively apply and build upon their knowledge using asynchronous activities:

Create an assignment as a check-in for completion of asynchronous tasks: Students can submit their one-minute papers by a deadline to ensure they watched your asynchronous lecture or completed their homework prior to class.
Post to a Canvas discussion board: Ask students to post their one-minute papers onto a discussion board and reply to their classmates — they can answer each other’s questions and share with the class an interesting point others may not have considered. As the instructor, consider participating on the board with students.
Send your questions in a Canvas Announcement and ask students to reply before class

Preparation Tips

Make sure questions are posted on Canvas or are otherwise provided to your students.
Be intentional about what you are asking your students to address — do your questions check for understanding, and/or will they inform your future course preparations?

Facilitation Tips

Use a text-entry assignment on Canvas so students don’t need to figure out uploading a short document and if you want your students to be specific in their comments about understanding the concept.

Who's Doing This?

Faculty Insight: One-Minute Paper Assessments

Dr. Kelly L'Engle, an associate professor in the School of Nursing & Health Professions, shares her knowledge on how she pivoted her formative assessments for remote and online teaching, including creating one-minute papers and opportunities for web discussions.

Are you or someone you know finding success with using one-minute papers? If so, we’d love to hear from you! Email [email protected] to share your story.

Suggested Educational Technologies

Whether you don’t know where to start or have a particular educational technology in mind, we are here to help! To learn how to apply educational technologies to your course, request an Instructional Design consultation .

Canvas Documentation: What are Discussions?

Contact Instructional Technology & Training to schedule a training session and access self-guided training materials on educational technologies supported at the University of San Francisco.

Resources and Research

On-Course Workshop: One-Minute Paper
Tufts University Center for the Enhancement of Learning & Teaching: The Minute Paper Template (PDF)
TeacherReady: 8 Questions to Ask Students While Completing the Minute Paper
University of Glasgow: One Minute Paper Guide
Classroom Assessment Technique Examples (Angelo & Cross, from Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Educators ) [PDF]
Initiating Student-Teacher Contact Via Personalized Responses to One-Minute Papers (Lucas, 2010, College Teaching)
One-Minute Paper: Student Perception of Learning Gains (Anderson & Burns, 2013, College Student Journal )
Stay in touch, won’t you? Using the one-minute paper (Kloss, 1993, College Teaching )
The One-minute Paper as a Catalyst for Change in Online Pedagogy (Campbell & Lucio, 2019, Journal of Teaching in Social Work )

Teaching for Learning @ McGill University

Discussing what matters in higher education.

Strategy Bites: One minute paper

At Teaching and Learning Services , we regularly receive questions from instructors asking for ideas to enhance their teaching and improve students’ engagement in class. So, we’ve recorded 2-3 minute video bites that describe how to implement some strategies we’ve chosen based on relative ease of implementation, suitability for different class sizes, and their representation of a variety of interaction types. We’ll be s haring these strategies in the Teaching for Learning @McGill University blog over the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Strategy: One Minute Paper

Sometimes, students need time to digest new information. The One Minute Paper offers them the opportunity to reflect on what they’re learning.

Why use this strategy?

In my experience, attending a lecture usually involved showing up, listening and going home to independently study. I can’t remember a time where I was asked to reflect on the course content other than while writing a paper or an exam. I remember using clickers to demonstrate our comprehension of the material, however, through this, our voice was never heard. Are there more effective ways to incorporate more depth reflections of the content? Yes. An effective teaching strategy you may consider is the One Minute Paper. It’s a short, in-class—or online—writing activity that students do in response to an instructor prompt. While often used to assess learning at the end of a class, the strategy can also be an opportunity for instructional feedback, as well as student reflection on learning.

Give students a prompt. Allow them a minute or two to think about what they would like to write. Then give students a minute to write down their response. Their writing may be submitted anonymously or not, depending on what type of feedback you would like to provide after reading it. The writing can also be submitted electronically. It’s worth noting that it might not be necessary to provide feedback on everything students write. Part of the value is simply getting students to reflect. You can sample the submissions and decide what to comment on.

The versatility of the strategy actually allows for it to be used at the beginning, middle or end of a class. At the beginning, just before you start your lecture, you can ignite the thought process with a prompt such as: What comes to mind when I say the word _____. In the middle of the class, you might ask: What connections can you make between this new concept and the ideas we talked about last class? At the end of the class, you might ask: What was the most imp ortant concept of this lecture? or What concepts remain unclear at the end of this lecture? You might also pose questions that stimulate deeper thinking – Do you agree/disagree with this statement? Why? or What connections can you make with what was discussed in today’s class and other courses you are taking?

An outcome of this strategy that I appreciate the most is that it places importance on involvement and moving beyond that task of just having to show up for class. By asking each student to share with you their thoughts, you are giving them a louder voice in their learning experience and a greater drive to be fully present – in mind and body.

Would you like to know more?

Ideas for getting students to reflect on their learning
Three Ideas for Implementing Learner Reflection
Ever thought about having students do audio reflection assignments ?

Check out the other posts in the Strategy Bites series:

Strategy Bites: Student-generated questions (3/26/2019)
Strategy Bites: The muddiest point (3/14/2019)
Strategy Bites: Brainstorming (2/19/2019)
Strategy Bites: 4 corners (2/7/2019)
Strategy Bites: Exit cards and closing summary (1/17/2019)
Strategy Bites: Concept mapping (1/10/2019)
Strategy Bites: One minute paper (11/20/2018)
Strategy Bites: Think-pair-share (11/13/2018)
Strategy Bites: Jigsaw (11/6/2018)
Strategy Bites: Critical debate (10/23/2018)

How do you get students to reflect on their learning? To think about what they don’t know? Share your ideas!

Jasmine Parent is an M. Sc. g raduate from the program of Global and Community Nutrition in the Department of Dietetics at McGill University . She is currently enrolled in the M . Ed. Technology Program at the U niversity of B ritish C olumbia and works as an Assist ant Online Course Developer at McGill’s Teaching and Learning Services . Her greatest passions include cooking and exploring healthy recipes, practicing yoga , and spending time in nature. 

Featured Image photo credit: Victor Tangerman

Jasmine Parent

Jasmine Parent is an M.Sc. Graduate from the program of Global and Community Nutrition in the Department of Dietetics at McGill. She is currently enrolled in the Masters of Education Technology Program at UBC and she works as an Assistant Online Course Developer at TLS. Her greatest passions include cooking and exploring healthy recipes, practicing yoga and spending time in nature.

Jasmine Parent https://teachingblog.mcgill.ca/author/jasmineparent/ Exploring assessment-related learning technologies
Jasmine Parent https://teachingblog.mcgill.ca/author/jasmineparent/ New academic year: Consider varying your instructional strategies!
Jasmine Parent https://teachingblog.mcgill.ca/author/jasmineparent/ (Re)Designing a course through the lens of a teacher and a learner
Jasmine Parent https://teachingblog.mcgill.ca/author/jasmineparent/ Strategy Bites: Student-generated questions

Advantages of one-minute write

Provides immediate and useful feedback with minimal time or effort.
Preparation is quite easy and takes no to very little time.
Can be used to collect information about specific topics, readings, or activities, as well as larger units like a whole class period. Can be used in any course at any level.
Requires students to self-assess. Students must mentally review everything they have heard before they can decide what is most important, and they must evaluate their own understanding before they can decide what questions to ask.
Allows students who may be reluctant to speak up in front of the class to have a voice and ask questions.

Steps and tips for using one-minute write

Pose the question that you wish students to answer. Some of the more common forms of questions include:
What was the muddiest point in today's class (or reading, discussion, etc.)?
What questions do you have that remain unanswered?
What was the most important thing you learned during this class (from the reading, activity, etc.)?
What was the main point of the in-class activity/experiment?
Give students one or two minutes to write their responses. You may also want to consider giving students some time to discuss their responses with a classmate; students are often surprised to find that their perceptions are different, or similar, to those around them.
Collect the responses and review.
Respond to student comments. If there is a concept or issue that several students all mention as a problem, that can be an indication that the instructor needs to spend more time on that topic. With large classes, it generally works best to collect responses at the end of one class period and spend a few minutes at the beginning of the next class discussing them. Some instructors will randomly draw a student response from the pile and respond specifically to that comment.

Challenges of the one-minute write technique

It is important for the instructor to let students know that their responses have been read and that the instructor is trying to address their concerns; otherwise, they will have no incentive to provide honest feedback the next time. However, doing so can take previous class time, particularly if your discussion elicits additional questions from students. One option is to respond on-line, via email or a class website, or only to respond to the most common point of confusion.

The first few times the instructor asks students to identify the muddiest point, or to pose unanswered questions, students may have difficulty articulating what they do not understand. Also, the instructor needs to be prepared to read their responses with an open mind; instructors are often surprised and frustrated to find that students are unsure about a concept that the instructor believes was explained clearly.

References, further reading, and sources for examples of think-pair-share

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1 minute speech topics

150 just a minute topics, plus sample speech outlines and speeches

By: Susan Dugdale

One minute speeches. That's sixty seconds to inform, to persuade, or to entertain using between 130 to 150 or so words.

How succinct can you be? Can you get the point quickly and effectively?

Giving impromptu * 1 minute speeches teaches us about talking smarter, not faster!

* Impromptu - without preparation time or rehearsal

I'd like to call on Joe to say a few words

Our lives present many occasions calling for someone, perhaps us, to say 'a few words'. Whether in our work place, family, social or community setting, the ability to do that confidently and competently is highly valued.

Practicing preparing and delivering one minute speeches is an ideal way to gain the skills needed.

What's on this page

150 one minute speech topics.

You'll find 150 impromptu 1-minute speech topics, split into 3 groups:

50 one minute speech topics for children from middle school age and up
50 business/work/career themed 1 minute speech topics more suitable for adults
50 fun/nonsensical/absurd just a minute speech topics for adults

But wait, there's more! You will also find ...

Sample just a minute speech outlines & speeches with audio

In addition to the 1-minute speech topics there are three example speech outlines that have been worked into speeches: one from each group of 50 topics.

I've included them because a 1-minute speech is just like any other. To be effective it needs structure.

The danger of opting to go 'free form' is that you're quite likely to serve up a meandering splurge of information leaving the people listening to it wondering what the exact point was you wanted to make.

One of the most effective structural formats or templates to commit to memory and use for impromptu, short speeches is Point, Reason, Example, Point or PREP * .

I've used it in my three sample outlines and speeches. The pattern, PREP, repeats three times in each of them.

You'll find text and audio of each 1-minute speech below each topic group.

( * Find out more about 6 other useful impromptu speaking templates .)

At the bottom of the page there's a compelling explanation as to why learning to give good impromptu one-minute speeches is a brilliant action to take.

Download a printable speech outline template

And very lastly, after information about the fabulous impromptu One Minute Speech game , there's a blank printable Point-Reason-Example-Point (PREP) one minute speech outline template to download for your own use. ☺

50 one minute speech topics for kids

We should be able to choose our own bed times.
Animals have rights too.
We should never be beaten as a punishment.
My favorite foods
What is the best time of day for you?
What do you think you will you do when you grow up?
My favorite animal
The best time I’ve ever had
My most favorite subject at school
The funniest thing that has happened to me
The most exciting event in my life
The person I would most like to meet
Something I want to learn
The best thing about my neighborhood
What we do for fun in my family
My favorite film
The music I like to listen to
What I think about social media
My favorite sport
The silliest thing I ever saw
My three wishes are
If you had the power what would you change?
The most boring thing in the world
Countries I would like to visit
My favorite meal when I go out to eat
A family tradition
The best prank ever
Why apologizing when you’re wrong is a good thing to do
Words we use that we have to explain to adults
Fun games to play with friends
My favorite item of clothing
What means the most to me
What adults do not understand
The best season of the year
The dumbest thing I did when I was very little
The top three things I like most about my best friends
The best character in a book I’ve read or a movie I’ve seen
What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen?
Three things I think the US President should do
The happiest time I’ve ever had
The hardest thing I’ve ever done
My favorite place to be in the whole world
The scariest thing that has ever happened to me
Why friends are important to me
Why peer pressure can be damaging.
Why being different is OK
Why bullying is never OK
Who is a hero to you, and why?
What is your favorite holiday, and why?
The worst tasting food I’ve ever been given to eat.

Something I want to learn (Topic 13 on the list for kids)

Image: young man hypnotizing a young woman Text: Something I want to learn is to read people's minds - 150 1 minute speech topics

Here's PREP - Point, Reason, Example - in action.

The opening sentence, incorporates the topic, states the first Main Idea * or Point and serves as an introduction.

Yep, it's working hard! You don't have a lot of time, so you need to get straight to the point from the very beginning.

(The speech text without the PREP outline headings is below.)

* Main Idea and Point are interchangeable terms.

1. Main Idea or Point

Something I want to learn is to read people's minds.

- Reason

I think it would give me power over my family.

- Example

For example I’d know what my mother was planning for my birthday. If I didn't like it, I could begin a campaign to steer her in the direction of something I wanted.

2. Main Idea or Point

I would also know if people were telling the whole truth, partial truths or total lies.

That's handy for sorting out squabbles with brothers and sisters.

Jimmy did eat the last bit of cake. And despite what she says, Janelle borrowed my top and splodged tomato ketchup on it.

3. Main Idea or Point

Lastly my father would know I was on to his excuses for habitually coming home late.

- Reason - Example (I've missed both out to fit the content into the time limit, I don't feel it lessens the speech as the first two Main Ideas or Points were fully covered. Besides, the reason is implied. My knowing would/could curb my father's behavior.)

Close - Summary

Today I begin training. I've enrolled in internet guru Madame Gloria's 10 lesson mind reading course. My family will be amazed. You could try it too!

Total words : 145

1 minute speech 'Something I want to learn' text

Something I want to learn is to read people's minds. I think this would give me power over my family.

I would also know if people were telling the whole truth, partial truths or total lies. That's handy for sorting out squabbles with brothers and sisters.

Jimmy did eat the last bit of cake. And despite what she says, Janelle did borrow my top and splodge tomato ketchup on it.

And lastly my father would know I was on to his excuses for habitually coming home late.

1 minute speech 'Something I want to learn' audio

You've read it. Now you can listen to it. Click the link to hear me, Susan. (You're hearing a New Zealand accent. ☺)

Something I want to learn - 1 minute speech example

50 work/career themed 1 minute speech topics

The difference between features and benefits of a product.
The value of recognizable branding.
The wisdom of the maxim to follow your dream
The advantage of a college education
The traps of advertising
The difference between fact and opinion
Difference in pay scales due to gender
The glass ceiling
The difference between having a job and a career
Is the term ‘ethical business’ an oxymoron?
What 3 skills do you think are most valuable to an employer?
Why is working smarter, better than working harder?
Plain English is preferable to jargon.
Who do you admire most, and why?
What qualities do you want to see in a leader?
What skill do you think will help you get to where you want to go faster than any other?
Is it the people you know, or the abilities you have that gives you the opportunities you want in life?
Where does poverty begin?
Should all education at all levels be free?
What changes would you make to the current levels of state or governmental care?
What one social change do you think would alter the way we live for the better?
What one important idea has changed the way you think and act in your life?
If you could be the best version of yourself you could be, what area would you be working in now?
What does the phrase ‘living for the weekend’ mean to you?
What special qualities does a person need to have in order to be successfully self-employed?
What subject areas should schools teach more of?
How could practicing impromptu speaking improve your critical thinking skills?
What qualities do you notice particularly in good communicators?
What advice would you give a young person about choosing a career?
How does what you do now for a living, vary from the way your parents worked?
What qualities do you admire most in the people who work alongside you – your co-workers?
What habits do you find the most difficult to deal with in a shared work space?
Is a 4 day week or ‘working to live’ an unrealistic dream?
What is your favorite day of the week, and why?
What does it mean to listen well?
What book has had the most influence on your life?
Three ways to stand up for yourself
How to disagree with someone respectfully
Is it ever OK to lie?
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned so far?
If you could have dinner with whoever you chose, who would you choose?
What thing did you ever have to do that turned out to be extremely good for you?
What my work clothes say about me
Is it OK to have private conversations or to handle personal matters while at work?
Three skills my employers do not know I have
How do you know when you’ve been in a job too long?
The notion of job security is no longer safe to hang on to. What should we be doing instead?
What advice would you give someone who is appears to be in the job purely for the money?
How does tone of voice influence how you respond to someone?
What makes you think a person is trustworthy?

What my work clothes say about me -Topic 43 from the work/career list - PREP format

Image: business man adjusting his tie Text: What my work clothes say about me. 150 1 minute speech topics.

The opening sentence, incorporates the topic, states the first Main Idea or Point and serves as an introduction.

(You can see the speech text, minus the PREP outline headings below.)

1. Main Idea or Point

Clothes make the man.

Yes, we judge each other on what we wear. And have done forever.

For better, or for worse, in the western working world, nothing says dependable and professional as eloquently as a tailored grey business suit, a crisp white shirt and a pair of good shoes.

If we're sensible we understand clothing speaks louder than words ever can.

And that our choices can undermine whatever we're involved in.

For example, a funeral director wearing a silver micro mini skirt teamed with skimpy red t-shirt meeting a client for the first time could set alarm bells clanging loudly.

I'm immensely grateful to have been spared the minefield of choice by a business dress code.

- Reason

Both the risk and anxiety of getting it wrong is enormous.

- Example & close

So what my carefully selected work clothes say about me is that I'm conscientious, detail focused, ambitious and, per courtesy of my classic Cartier watch, that I understand quality.

Total words : 151

Just a minute speech: 'What my work clothes say about me'

Clothes make the man. Yes, we judge each other on what we wear. And have done forever.

For better, or for worse, in the western working world, nothing says dependable and professional as eloquently as a tailored grey business suit, a crisp white shirt and a pair of good shoes.

If we're sensible we understand clothing speaks louder than words ever can. And that our choices can aid or undermine whatever we're involved in.

For example a female funeral director sporting a silver micro mini skirt teamed with a skimpy red t-shirt meeting a client for the first time could set alarm bells clanging.

I'm immensely grateful to have been spared the minefield of choice by a business dress code. The risk, and anxiety, of getting it wrong is enormous.

1 minute speech - 'What my work clothes say about me' - audio

Click the link to listen: What my work clothes say about me

50 1-minute speech topics for fun, for a giggle, a laugh!

The time the joke fell flat
What’s funny depends on the individual
The biggest laugh I’ve ever had
The most successful prank I was part of
Why people laugh
My most embarrassing moment
Two sure-fire ways to get rid of your boss
How to talk your way out of having to do the dishes
How to appear very intelligent
The deepest secrets of your pet cat
Why your dog is your best friend
If I ruled the world
Three words I would ban if I could
Why I should have an instant pay rise
The significance of World Paper Clip Day
Lessons learned the hard way
How to make your favorite meal last longer
How to successfully annoy your brother, sister, mother, father
The top three reasons for not handing in homework
Why being predictable is boring
Three ways to fail successfully
How to blame other people and get away with it
How to mind read
The best seller I am writing
The top ways to get people to like you
How to lie extremely well
The worst chat up line ever
Three creative things to do with a brick
How to tell if someone loves you
What to do when you forget the birthday of someone close to you
The worst Christmas present I ever received
The most extraordinary thing that ever happened to me
How to get other people to pay for you at a bar or restaurant
Strategies for avoiding people you don’t want to talk to
Idiot things I have done unintentionally
Instructions for riding a bicycle
How to teach your great grandmother to use a mobile
How to avoid being picked out of a group to present a report
Designer camouflage for under cover parents at student parties
Three excellent reasons to give when you want to call in sick
How to get other people to willingly do your work for you
Why gossip is always so interesting to hear
Why reading another person’s emails is OK
How I explained Father Christmas to my children
Why my son/daughter thinks I am super man/woman
Why being me is so much better than being anyone else
Why dogs resemble their owners
How to interpret the shape of your hand and fingers
The art of blaming your horoscope for whatever goes wrong in your life
How to talk convincingly on subjects you know very little about

The significance of World Paper Clip Day -Topic 15 from the for fun list - PREP format

(The full text, minus the PREP outline headings, is below.)

Naturally, the significance of World Paper Clip Day is of interest to all intelligent people.

We understand the importance of keeping it together, of clipping ideas. It makes for an orderly existence.

Think of the horror of muddled thoughts. Strewn willy-nilly, with nothing to hold them. Pitiable, isn't it?

We need clips. Just as we need the paper they hold.

Both are crucial in this digital age - where ideas can vaporize with a key stroke, or a system malfunction. Entire files, weeks worth of work, can be lost, never to be restored, in a second.

Clipped papers are reassuringly tangible. They can be seen, touched and if you're into it, smelled.

Lastly we need to cherish the clip for its universality.

Wherever it is in the world, what it stands for is understood. The paper clip unites - not just ideas, but people.

- Example & close

Look around! Vive la clip!

Total words : 149

1 minute speech -The significance of World Paper Clip Day

We need clips. Just as we need the paper they hold. Both are crucial in this digital age - where ideas can vaporize with a key stroke, or a system malfunction. Entire files, weeks worth of work, can be lost, never to be restored, in a second.

Look around! Vive la clip!

1 minute speech - 'The significance of world paper clip day' - audio

Now listen to the audio: ' The significance of world paper clip day '.

Why learning to give 1 minute speeches is brilliant

The brilliance of becoming comfortable and competent with making impromptu 1 minute speeches is that you'll learn to:

distill your material - reduce it to its core essentials - selecting only what is necessary and best to meet your speech purpose and the needs of your audience.
structure your information efficiently and effectively thus mastering two important facets of good speech making: speaking to time rather than going over and, providing an easily followed sequence of ideas. Your audiences will love you for both!

Consequences, side effects and benefits

You will be a hero! I do not jest. (OK, maybe just a smidgen. ☺) However the person who can calmly, confidently, competently stand and talk in public settings is always admired, and in demand. Speak well, saying what needs to be said, and you're fulfilling a vital social service, along with super-charging your self esteem!

The next time a toast, a summary to close a meeting, or a 'few words' to welcome a visitor are called for, perhaps it will be you leaping to your feet.

(For more on the benefits of public speaking )

The one minute speech game

Do you teach public speaking, or lead a speaking group?

There is a superb impromptu speaking game, called surprisingly enough, One Minute Speeches, that I devised years ago for a bunch of 14–15-year-old students. It's been a firm favorite wherever I've taught it ever since.

Click One Minute Speeches to go to a page of 10 public speaking games. One-minute speeches is first on the page. You'll find all the instructions to play the game, plus two advanced variations. I promise you it's contagious good fun!

And if you like it, you can buy it. Everything you need to teach it is available as a download. That's instructions for all three games, hundreds of printable topics ... Follow the link to see: one minute speeches .☺

Download the printable speech outline template

Get started on your 1 minute speech right now. Click the link to download a printable speech outline template .

Banner: My brilliant one minute speech outline

How to banish impromptu speaking blues
150 impromptu public speaking topics
11 themed topic lists for impromptu speaking
Impromptu speaking topic cards to purchase, download and print - a useful evergreen resource.
Example impromptu speech outlines of 7 different structural formats each with a blank printable outline for your own use.

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How to Write a Last Minute Essay

←What If I Don’t Have Anything Interesting to Write About in My College Essay?

8 Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block→

Ooops! You waited until the very last minute to begin the college application process, and it’s probably stressing you out. But never fear – CollegeVine is here to make sure that your procrastination impacts your essay as minimally as possible.

We’ve included a guide for the 30-day essay, the 15-day essay, and the 3-day essay. If you have multiple essays to write in a short time, you can follow the appropriate guide for multiple prompts simultaneously, or offset it by a few days.

The 30-Day Essay

At this point, you want to focus on ideas. You have the freedom to spend a few days figuring out which direction your essay is going to take, so take your time to think about what you want to convey in your essay. Find four to five topics to begin with—you can ask your parents, friends, and teachers about what they find interesting about you in order to speed this process up. Try to choose anecdotes from your life that, in retrospect, you learned from, and these stories will inform your topic. Even the shortest, most insignificant moment can make a great essay if it shaped you in some way. If you are writing a “why this school” essay, make a list of reasons why you are applying. Do appropriate research to find strong reasons that show your genuine interest in the school.

Now that you have a few potential topics, think about how each one would respond to the prompt. Spend 15 minutes outlining each one, using your prompt to guide the outline. In essays that ask you to tell a story, a good topic should write itself and finding a strong essay idea will nearly always be more productive than forcing a story to respond to the prompt. For “why this school” essays, focus on the structure and connection between your reasons. Giving this step the necessary hours now will pay off later. Narrow your list of potential topics to your top one to three choices.

Now it’s time to put pen to paper. If you’re having a hard time, try writing in different environments—coffee shops, your room, or a library, for example—and alternate between topics, and remember that at least at this stage, more words is better than fewer; there will be a step to polish your writing later.

By day 14, you should have written one rough essay for every “top choice” topic you decided on during day 5. This means that you should now have anywhere between one to three potential essays for a single prompt.

If you do have more than one essay written, it is now time to choose a single essay. Out of the two or three essays you have written in the past couple days, there is probably one that speaks to you more than the rest. If you’re having a hard time, think about which of the topics you’d like to spend another two weeks with, and try to figure out which one says the most about you. Essays with twice the number of words allowed or more should be ruled out; the anecdote is probably too long, or the topic requires too much detail to be effective.

Break days! Distance is important when writing. Take a break from your essays so that you can continue to edit with a fresh mind. These are great days to give your essay to other people to edit—school faculty members who know you well, a coach/music teacher, your parents, and one or two friends. If you are over the word limit, ask specifically for these editors to help you cut down the essay.

Reading your essay with a fresh mind should help you catch big, structural edits. Your first round of edits should involve content edits; you’re looking for what the essay really says about you as a person, and whether that was what you were trying to get across. How does the sentence flow? Does the essay move itself?

Break day! Get some more distance from your writing.

At this point, you might have received some edits back from the people you handed your essay to. Go through each of the edits and decide which suggestions you plan to take, and which seem to alter your personal voice or which don’t match the essay stylistically. Try to stay objective as you review these edits—some of them will be detrimental. If you can’t see why the change was made, it’s probably best to ignore it. If multiple people give you the same feedback, however, you may want to give it some thought.

Implement the edits that you liked. Then read through the essay again and make sure that there are no structural edits or content edits that still need to happen.

These days are the middle stage of your editing process. You’re looking for words that don’t fit the style of the essay, or which could be improved, as well as sentence flow problems. Are all your sentences the same length? Is one paragraph not as well written as the rest of the essay? This should also be the time that you cut words. If you are still more than 70 words over, try to cut full sentences. Otherwise, start by cutting unnecessary phrases and words.

Start doing smaller grammatical edits. A great way to catch edits is to record yourself reading your essay aloud and then listening to the recording. As you go through this process, highlight, mark, and comment on your essay. Afterwards, go through and use your notes to fix word flow, word choice, and grammatical mistakes.

Break day! It’s close to the deadline, we know. Take a break anyway – you need and deserve it.

Last minute edits! Spend some quality time with your essay by just reading it every few hours. Try to catch any small mistakes or random sentence flow problems. (If you suddenly realize that you hate your essay, reference the 3-Day Essay below. Be sure that you aren’t being hyper-critical, though—you may just hate the essay because you’ve spent so much time on it).

Congratulations! Your essay is done! It’s time for you to catch a break.

The 15-Day Essay

Spend a few hours working on a list of ideas that could become potential essays. Choose one and make an outline.

Write your essay!

Ask a few people who you think would give constructive comments to read your essay— teachers, parents, and friends. Spend some time doing content and structure edits. Figure out what you want the essay to convey about your personality, and determine whether your essay actually gets this across.

Do some structural editing. Pay attention to sentence flow, the length of paragraphs, overall organization. If your essay is too long, try to cut down on unnecessary information. Pay close attention to the way that you have structured paragraphs and make sure each one makes sense.

Take a break!

Synthesize the comments you received on your essay. Decide which suggestions you want to use and which ones you don’t. If you can’t figure out why a particular suggestion was made, ask the person who gave it. After you’ve gone through all the feedback, edit your essay accordingly.

Cut your essay down to the word limit – ask yourself which anecdotes, details, and adjectives are truly necessary. If you’re having trouble, reference the editors that you spoke to previously.

Work on grammatical and other small edits. Look for minor things that need to be corrected, such as punctuation and word choice. This process requires a few dedicated hours. Aim to really spend some time polishing your language. Reading your essay aloud can be a productive way to accomplish this.

Take a break from your essay!

Spend the whole day with your essay. Every few hours, do a reread and see if you can catch any small last minute edits. Don’t try to change anything major—you don’t have time!

Submit the essay and take a good nap. You’ve finished!

The 3-Day Essay

Don’t panic. This is doable, but it’ll be a busy few days. Spend the morning coming up with ideas for your essay. Choose one, and use the afternoon to write it. Email this draft to teachers, and show it to your parents. Then, take a few hours off, and later at night, read it through to edit for content. Does the essay say what you intended it to?

Check your email throughout the day. When you get edits back, start incorporating those into the essay. Be picky about which ones you choose to include because you don’t want to take your own voice out of the essay. Spend the day doing structural edits. Every hour, take a thirty minute break from editing. By the end of the day, you should have an essay that fits within the word limit and also has a strong flow. The organization should be good, and you should be able to see how the essay builds upon itself.

DO NOT OPEN EDITS. If any of your readers have replied to your email, don’t open them at all. At this point, the extra edits will just freak you out, and you don’t have time to do major fixes. The name of the game today is small edits; look for grammar, word changes, and minor sentence structure changes. When you’re finally done, take a breath; you can finally relax.

The 1-Day Essay

Of course, writing a college essay the day before it’s due is far from ideal, but we know there are probably some of you out there who will find yourself in this situation. Don’t worry, it is not hopeless. Instead of trying to fit a step-by-step plan into a tight timespan, we’ve compiled some general tips to help you churn out that essay in one day.

Choose your prompts strategically.

If you already know what you’re going to write about, great! Move on to the next tip. If not, see if you might have already written an essay to any of the available prompts. Especially if the prompts are open-ended, you may have already addressed a potential topic in previous school papers. Look through your files to see if you have any essays that you might be able to recycle. The key here is recycle : it goes without saying that you shouldn’t use a previously-written essay word for word for your college submission. You should still take time to tailor it to the prompt and make sure that it conveys your message clearly, whether it’s illustrating your strengths or expressing why you wish to attend that particular college.

Make an outline.

Yes, you may feel that you don’t have time for extensive planning, and that you should just jump in and get everything on paper. Try to rein in this urge and take one hour to make a brief outline, spelling out your “thesis” and all the points you want to address. This will help keep your thoughts in order as you write, especially in such a time-constricted context.

Get that distance, re-read, and edit.

It’s always tempting to just click submit once you’re done with a project you worked long and hard on, to feel that relief when you know it’s done. However, especially given the rushed nature of a last-minute essay like this, the revision and editing process is crucial, even if it’ll be minimal. Blatant errors will reflect poorly in your application!

So when you’re done writing, set it aside for a few hours. Then, reread it, and make any necessary corrections—grammar mistakes, typos, sentence flow. When you’re sure it sounds they way you want it to, then you can submit.

Wrapping it Up

Procrastinating on your college essays isn’t the best way to go, but it can be saved. If you haven’t started applying yet, start your college essays as early as possible! Longer breaks between editing sessions will allow you to get the distance necessary to be objective, and to produce the best quality essay you can.

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

How to Write an Essay in Under 30 Minutes

Last Updated: December 19, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Arash Fayz . Arash Fayz is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of LA Tutors 123, an academic consulting and private tutoring company based in Los Angeles, California. Arash has over 10 years of educational consulting experience, managing the tutoring of students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to score higher on standardized tests and gain admission to their target schools. He has a BA in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 601,241 times.

If you’re taking your SATs this year, you may be preparing to write a solid essay within the 30 minute time limit. Or you might be trying to improve your writing speed to complete essay exams faster and more efficiently. Writing a five paragraph essay in under 30 minutes can seem daunting, but with the right planning and time management, it is certainly achievable.

Sample Essays

Planning the Essay

For example, you may get a prompt in the form of quotation: “Time has a doomsday book, on whose pages he is continually recording illustrious names. But as often as a new name is written there, an old one disappears. Only a few stand in illuminated characters never to be effaced.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [3] X Research source
You may then receive a question attached to the prompt: “Are there some heroes who will be remembered forever? Or are all heroes doomed to be forgotten one day?" Plan your response, and then write an essay to explain your views on this issue. Be sure to support your position with specific points and examples. You may use personal examples or examples from your reading, observations, or, knowledge of subjects such as history, literature, science. [4] X Research source

For example, you may brainstorm the Longfellow quote/question by thinking of personal examples of heroes who are remembered or forgotten, such as family members, friends, teachers, or peers who have acted as heroes to you or to others. Or you may focus on a historical figure who seems to be a forgotten hero or a decorated hero.
This essay question is asking for two sides of the discussion, the forgotten hero and the remembered hero. Your thesis should discuss both sides and choose one side to argue for or against.
You may choose to spotlight a historical figure who encountered opposition and challenges in her life, such as the suffragette Susan B. Anthony. Anthony worked tirelessly for decades to get the government to recognize women’s right to vote, and was often derided by the government and by individuals within her own organization. She is a good example of a hero who was not recognized as a trailblazer until late in her life, though she is now remembered as a heroine in history. Try to refer back to the quotation in the essay prompt in your thesis, if possible, to show you have read the entire question.
A possible thesis statement could be: “Though Longfellow argues that names, or heroes, may be forgotten over time, one historical figure, Susan B. Anthony, was derided in her lifetime for her beliefs but is now remembered as a heroine of her time.”

Introduction: Your beginning paragraph should contain an engaging first sentence and your thesis statement. Some writers find it easier to write create a temporary introduction and revise it once they are finished with the essay. This will ensure the introduction is cohesive with the rest of the essay.
Conclusion: This paragraph should summarize your main argument and restate your thesis. You may also want to include last thoughts around the essay question.

Writing the Essay

Step 1 Take 15 minutes to write the essay.

Try to spend two to three minutes on each body paragraph. Then, take three minutes on your conclusion paragraph and go back to your introduction. Spend the last three minutes revising your introduction so it matches the tone and perspective of the rest of your essay.

An interesting or surprising example: This could be a personal experience or a key moment in the life of the historical figure you are discussing in your essay. For example, you may discuss Anthony’s childhood as a Quaker and her later adoption of more casual dress and growing interest in social reform at the age of 26. [9] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
A provocative quotation: This could be from a source you used for your essay or one that feels relevant to your topic. For example, you may use a well known quote from Anthony, such as: “Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputation and social standing, never can bring about a reform. Those who are really in earnest must be willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation, and publicly and privately, in season and out, avow their sympathy with despised and persecuted ideas and their advocates, and bear the consequences.” [10] X Research source
A vivid anecdote: An anecdote is a very short story that carries moral or symbolic weight. Think of an anecdote that might be a poetic or powerful way to start your essay.
A thought provoking question: create a question that will get your reader thinking and engaged in your topic. For example: “Did you ever wonder how women received the right to vote in the United States?”

Step 3 Write your three body paragraphs.

Body paragraph 1: You may start by discussing Anthony’s early successes. Look at the establishment of the Women’s Loyal National League in 1863 by Anthony and Stanton. As the first national women’s political organization in the United States, it had a membership of 5000 and provided a platform for women to speak out on issues like slavery and women’s right to vote. [11] X Research source
Body paragraph 2: You may discuss Anthony’s mid career struggles. Look at the split in the women’s movement in May 1869, with the establishment of the National Woman’s Suffrage Association (NWSA) by Anthony and Stanton, and the rival American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA). Note how after the Civil War, Anthony devoted her time and life to the suffrage movement, assuming leadership of the NWSA in 1890 and continuing to advocate for women’s rights. Anthony also remained unmarried, which gave her an advantage under the law, as married women at the time were not permitted to sign official documents and had to defer to their husbands. [12] X Research source
Body paragraph 3: You may discuss Anthony’s later life, including her many speaking engagements throughout the United States on the need for women’s suffrage and equal rights. Though Anthony died in 1906, and did not live to see the passing of the Nineteenth Amendment of the Constitution, affording women the right to vote in the United States in 1920, her forty years of tireless work paved the way for the legal precedent and gave women a strong sense of empowerment and equality. [13] X Research source

Step 4 Summarize your thoughts in your conclusion.

For example, you may restate your thesis: “Throughout her life, Susan B. Anthony’s sacrificed her time, energy, and personal livelihood to advocate for women’s rights, proving that though many heroes may be forgotten, their actions will live on in history.”

Editing the Essay

Step 1 Use the last five minutes to proofread your essay.

For example, an essay on Susan B. Anthony could have the title: “An Unsung Heroine” or “Susan B. Anthony: An Advocate for Change”.

Community Q&A

↑ Arash Fayz. Test Prep Tutor. Expert Interview. 1 November 2019.
↑ https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/essay_planning/essay-planning
↑ https://resources.warburg.sas.ac.uk/pdf/emh823b2778298.pdf
↑ https://www.hunter.cuny.edu/rwc/handouts/the-writing-process-1/invention/Writing-a-Response-or-Reaction-Paper
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/
↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/test-terror.html
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/introductions/
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/should-i-use-i/
↑ https://www.rochester.edu/sba/
↑ https://repository.library.georgetown.edu/bitstream/handle/10822/553350/laCossJoanHarkin.pdf
↑ https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/susan-b-anthony
↑ https://www.britannica.com/biography/Susan-B-Anthony

About This Article

In order to successfully write an essay in under 30 minutes, you need to plan it out and work efficiently. Take a good 10 minutes to plan out the essay and come up with a thesis statement that will convey your argument and help guide your essay. It may seem like a large chunk of your time, but it will save you from having to rewrite or restructure your essay later on. Then, take 15 minutes to write your introductory paragraph, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Use the last 5 minutes to proofread your essay and look for spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. Don’t worry about coming up with a title until you’re finished. It will be much easier then. For tips about how to edit an essay you write in under 30 minutes, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Chap. 23: Timed Writing (Midterms and Final Exams)

How to use your time: the 75-minute essay, planning for the timed essay.

The most important part of writing a timed essay is time management . Study the following three-step strategy to prepare for writing the timed essay required in this course. Students may revise this strategy to accommodate their own writing style.

Step 1. 15 Minutes to Plan

Choose one of the prompts from the two provided and come up with a working thesis based on the language of the prompt
Quickly list or map the major points to develop the topic (this is the prewriting step)
Rearrange these points in a logical order on a simple outline; for example, list them in their order of importance , also known as emphatic order (this is the outlining step)
Draft a more developed thesis statement that might include an essay map

Step 2. 50 Minutes to Write

Write the essay using double spaces or, if using notebook paper, write on every other line of the paper to allow room for revision
Write carefully and legibly
Use an outline or map as a guide, but add and delete as new ideas and examples emerge

Step 3. 10 Minutes to Revise, Edit, and Proofread

Read the essay for content, and add or delete material as necessary, making certain that the paper remains legible and reads smoothly overall
Read for appropriate sentence structure and vocabulary; revise as needed
Correct grammar and spelling errors (1)

Looking at the First Step in More Detail

First, study the prompts given on the test. Choose the one that immediately strikes you as the more interesting or the one which relates the most to your life; this is your symbiotic technology kicking in and letting you know the right choice. The kind of assignment we are dealing with here is meant to generate a personal experience paper rather than an academic report, so all of the essay’s specific information is going to be based on your life and knowledge, so in this case your familiarity with or interest in the topic is going to make a massive difference.

Choose a topic—and stick to it

An important rule to remember is that once you have selected a topic based on your instincts, don’t return to the other topic . Pretend the only topic is the one you have picked so you don’t end up wasting time by questioning yourself and going back to the planning stage. Once you’ve made your choice, live with it!

Develop a basic thesis statement

Another important thing to remember is to i mmediately develop a very basic thesis statement based on the language of the prompt you choose ; this will give you a starting point for your prewriting and will ensure that you have a main idea for your paper.

For example, imagine you were given the following two prompts:

A sandwich you most regret making or A fictional character you would like to be

These topics give you language on which to build your basic thesis. You might say:

“That tuna sandwich I made last Tuesday is one I most regret..” or “Harry Potter is the fictional character I would most like to be.” Now, these thesis statements aren’t great; their language is very basic, and they sound generic. However, they can help you clarify your main idea and develop your examples. Then, after you come up with the specific information you are going to use to support these ideas, you can refine them. We’ll come back to this in a minute.

After you’ve come up with your basic thesis (and this should happen pretty quickly), it’s time to do some prewriting. Make a list of examples you will use in the essay, for example.

Once you’ve generated a bunch of ideas to support your thesis (the reasons you are going to provide that will persuade your reader of your point), you should make sure to outline your paper . This is very important. Many students will neglect to outline an in-class essay because they fear running out of time, but not outlining can actually lead to more time-related issues because you are likely to get confused as you draft without having a plan of some sort. Remember, organization is everything when you are writing academic or professional essays, and outlining makes sure you stay organized!

As you begin filling out your outline, a major decision you need to make is in what order to put your general examples to best support your thesis. In some cases, chronological order might work; for example, in the above example about the tuna sandwich, you might have come up with a number of reasons the sandwich was a regrettable choice, and those reasons might have happened one after the other. Maybe the first reason is that the bread you got out of the pantry was old and moldy. Maybe another reason is the nasty condiments you then put on the bread from the fridge, and the final reason is the cheap and sickly tuna itself that you ended up spreading on that bread. In this silly and very basic example, each element of the sandwich was added in sequential order, so you could actually take the reader through the process chronologically, ending with the final sad step when the questionable tuna was added to the concoction.

A likely more effective organizational strategy for an in-class example essay is to use emphatic order. This is when you move from your least important point to your most powerful reason. Sometimes when you are planning an in-class essay, this level of importance can be hard to identify, so ask yourself this question: about which of the main points I am trying to make do I have the most to say? If you look at your prewriting and you have developed a bunch of specific ideas about one of your major examples, it’s a safe bet that the example in question is the one that should go last.

Paragraph Typing Test - 1 Minute

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One Minute WPM Test

A one minute typing test is like a sprint. If you make a mistake it is probably best to just ignore it and keep typing the paragraphs. Of course accuracy is important, but your speed and accuracy will get better as long as you treat this as a learning exercise. Come back a few days in a row and you will start to see progress.

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