Typing for the EPQ and A level essays: a practical guide for sixth-formers
If you are taking an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), you will probably type more in sixth form than at any point so far: a dissertation-style EPQ is typically around 5,000 words, plus a production log, notes and several drafts, and many A level subjects add a non-exam assessment (NEA) of a few thousand words on top. Learning to touch type, with all ten fingers and without looking at the keys, will not improve your argument, but it removes friction between thinking and writing, so more of your time goes on reading, planning and editing. The best time to learn is early in Year 12, before the heavy drafting starts.
This guide is general information for sixth-formers in England and Wales. Your exam board's specification and your school's deadlines always take priority over anything here.
How long is an EPQ, and what does it involve?
The EPQ is a Level 3 qualification offered by several exam boards. The details differ, but the shape is the same: you choose a topic, plan and manage the project, research it, produce an outcome, keep a record of the process and give a presentation. The specifications we checked allocate 120 guided learning hours in total. The written element looks like this:
| Exam board | Written report or dissertation | If your outcome is an artefact, performance or similar | Process record |
|---|---|---|---|
| AQA (7993) | Aim for about 5,000 words | A research-based written report of at least 1,000 words | Production log |
| OCR (H856) | Dissertation of approximately 5,000 words | About 1,000 words alongside an artefact; about 1,500 to 2,500 words for other outcomes | Project Progression Record |
| Pearson Edexcel | Dissertation unit estimated at 5,000 to 6,000 words | Separate units for investigation/field study, performance and artefact, each with its own written evidence | Planning and progress records (see the unit specification) |
| WJEC / Eduqas | At least 5,000 words for a dissertation or field study | Project outcome notes of at least 1,500 words | Candidate assessment pack |
Exact names and figures can change between specification versions, so always check the current documents your supervisor gives you, such as the AQA specification, the OCR specification or Pearson's and WJEC's own qualification pages. Two things are common to every board: the process is assessed, not just the final product, and almost everything you produce will be typed, from the proposal and the log to the final report and the presentation slides.
How long is A level NEA coursework?
Many A levels include an NEA, and its length depends entirely on the subject and the board. To take three AQA examples, the English Literature A comparative critical study is 2,500 words, not counting quotations or the bibliography; the History historical investigation is roughly 3,500 to 4,500 words; and the Geography independent fieldwork investigation is 3,000 to 4,000 words. Other boards and subjects set different limits, and some, such as Computer Science or art-based subjects, are not mainly essays at all, so ask your teacher for the exact figure.
Put an EPQ next to one or two of those and the total typed output of Year 12 and Year 13 easily runs into tens of thousands of words once you count drafts. For the general rules on typed coursework, spell check, AI tools and labelling each page, see our guide to typing your NEA coursework.
Which drafting habits save the most time?
Raw speed matters less than a workflow that never makes you type the same thing twice. The habit that saves most pain is writing the production log as you go. Short, dated entries after each supervisor meeting or research session take minutes; reconstructing months of decisions in the final week takes days and reads like it.
When it comes to the report itself, draft ugly and edit later. Getting a complete first draft down before polishing paragraphs is where touch typing helps most, because you can keep pace with your own thinking instead of losing the thread while you hunt for keys. Set up the structure on day one, too: if you use your word processor's heading styles for the introduction, literature review, methodology, discussion and conclusion, you can jump between sections and generate a contents page automatically.
Save versions as you go, either as dated copies or through version history. Supervisors often ask what changed between drafts, and that record is itself evidence of your process. Finally, a handful of shortcuts, such as copy, paste, undo, find and jumping word by word with Ctrl and the arrow keys, each save a second or two that adds up over a long project. Our list of keyboard shortcuts covers the basics.
How do you keep referencing under control?
Most EPQ supervisors expect a consistent academic style such as Harvard, and NEAs such as AQA's English Literature study require academic referencing too. A few habits prevent the last-minute panic:
- Record the full reference the moment you read a source: author, year, title, publisher or URL, and the date you accessed it.
- Keep quotations and your own notes visibly separate, for example with quotation marks and the page number, so you never plagiarise by accident.
- Use a free reference manager (your school or local library can recommend one), or at least a single running bibliography document.
- If your school allows AI tools and you used them, acknowledge them following your centre's policy. The work you submit must be your own.
How much time can touch typing save on an EPQ?
There is no standard figure, so here is an illustrative calculation only. Suppose that across your EPQ you type about 15,000 words in total, counting notes, the log, a proposal, two or three drafts and the final report; that total is an assumption for the example, not a measured figure. At 20 words per minute, typing 15,000 words takes 750 minutes, or 12.5 hours. At 40 words per minute it takes 375 minutes, a little over six hours.
In this example, doubling your speed saves around six hours of pure typing on the EPQ alone, before you count one or two NEAs, university applications and everyday homework. Real writing time is dominated by thinking and reading, so treat this as an upper bound on what typing alone can save. The less visible benefit is that you stop looking down at the keys, which makes it easier to stay inside an argument. To find your own starting point, take a free typing test.
When should you learn touch typing in sixth form?
Schools run the EPQ on different timetables, so adjust this plan to your own deadlines.
Year 12, autumn term: learn the skill
Practise touch typing for 15 minutes a day, five days a week. Start with finger placement and the home row, and do not look at the keys even when it feels slow. Most learners need several weeks before it feels natural. Take a baseline test now and repeat it every few weeks.
Year 12, spring term: start the project
Choose your topic, write the proposal and start the log. Keep two or three short practice sessions a week going, focusing on accuracy, numbers and punctuation, since brackets, apostrophes and quotation marks appear constantly in referenced work.
Year 12, summer term and holiday: research and first draft
This is often when the bulk of reading and drafting happens, and when fluent typing pays off most. Aim to finish a complete first draft before Year 13 begins if your school's schedule allows.
Year 13, autumn term: redraft and NEAs
Redraft the EPQ while your subject NEAs ramp up. Keep version history and update your bibliography after each session.
Year 13, spring term: finish and present
Finalise the report, complete the log and prepare your presentation. Leave proofreading time before your school's internal deadline, which is usually earlier than the board's.
Where Kluppy fits
Kluppy is one option for the autumn-term practice. It runs in the browser, including on Chromebooks, with nothing to install and no adverts. The typing test (1, 3 or 5 minutes) and typing exercises work without signing up. A free account covers the finger-placement level and levels 1 to 7 of the free typing course, with no card required; paid plans from level 8 add AI-generated exercises built from your own errors. Paid plans for individuals in pounds are coming soon in the UK; the UK pricing page shows what is available today. Thinking further ahead, our guide to typing for university in the UK covers essays, lecture notes and dissertations at the next stage.
Frequently asked questions
How long is an EPQ?
For a dissertation-style EPQ, the exam boards give around 5,000 words, and Pearson's dissertation unit estimates 5,000 to 6,000. If your outcome is an artefact or performance, the written element is shorter, but you still keep a process record and give a presentation. Check your board's current specification.
Can I type my EPQ production log?
Usually yes, and most students do, but follow your centre's instructions: some schools use printed or online versions of the exam board's log forms.
Is it too late to learn touch typing in Year 13?
No, but avoid relearning during your busiest drafting weeks, because you will be slower at first. A quieter half-term is a better moment, or the summer before university.
What typing speed do I need for the EPQ?
There is no required typing speed for the EPQ or for A level coursework. Any improvement in speed and accuracy simply frees time for research and editing.