The essay is something you can still control, and it's open-ended.

论文是你仍然可以控制的东西，而且它是开放式的。

youdao

In that climate of uncertainty the U.S. Agency for International Development opted for a cost-plus, fixed-fee deal--a contract often used by governments to exert some control over costs and give the contractor incentive to engage in open-ended work.

FORBES: Magazine Article