assignment word count university

Skip to Content

Massey University

• Search OWLL
• Handouts (Printable)
• Pre-reading Service
• StudyUp Recordings
• StudyUp Postgraduate
• Academic writing
• Intro to academic writing
• What is academic writing?
• Writing objectively
• Writing concisely
• 1st vs. 3rd person
• Inclusive language
• Te Reo Māori
• Assignment planning
• Assignment planning calculator
• Interpreting the assignment question
• Command words
• Organising points
• Researching
• Identifying academic sources
• Evaluating source quality
• Editing & proofreading
• Apostrophes
• Other punctuation
• Active voice
• American vs. British spelling
• Conditionals
• Prepositions
• Pronoun Reference
• Sentence fragments
• Sentence Structure
• Subject-verb agreement
• Formatting and layout

Word limits and assignment length

• Commonly confused words
• How assignments are marked
• Marking guides
• Getting an A
• Levels of assessment
• Using feedback
• Professional emails
• Forum posts
• Forum netiquette guidelines
• Sharing personal information
• Writing about personal experiences
• Assignment types
• What is an essay?
• Essay planning and structure
• Introduction
• Thesis statement
• Body paragraphs
• Essay revision
• Essay writing resources
• What is a report?
• Report structure
• Analysing issues for a report
• Business report
• What is a business report?
• Business report structure
• Inductive vs. deductive reports
• Other kinds of business communication
• Business report format and layout
• What is a lab report?
• Lab report structure
• Science lab report writing resources
• Psychology lab report writing resources
• Lab report body paragraphs
• Literature review
• What is a literature review?
• Writing a literature review
• Literature review structure
• Literature review writing resources
• Research proposal
• Writing a research proposal
• Research proposal structure
• Other types
• Article critique
• Book review
• Annotated bibliography
• Reflective writing
• Oral presentation
• Thesis / dissertation
• Article / conference paper
• Shorter responses
• Computer skills
• Microsoft Word
• Basic formatting
• Images, tables, & figures
• Long documents
• Microsoft Excel
• Basic spreadsheets
• Navigating & printing spreadsheets
• Charts / graphs & formulas
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Basic skills
• Advanced skills
• Distance study
• Getting started
• How to study
• Online study techniques
• Distance support
• Reading & writing
• Reading strategies
• Writing strategies
• Grammar resources
• Listening & speaking
• Listening strategies
• Speaking strategies
• Maths & statistics
• Trigonometry
• Finance formulas
• Postgraduate study
• Intro to postgrad study
• Planning postgrad study
• Postgrad resources
• Postgrad assignment types
• Referencing
• Intro to referencing
• What is referencing?
• Why reference?
• Common knowledge
• Referencing styles
• What type of source is this?
• Reference list vs. bibliography
• Referencing software
• Quoting & paraphrasing
• Paraphrasing & summarising
• Paraphrasing techniques
• APA Interactive
• In-text citation
• Reference list
• Online material
• Other material
• Headings in APA
• Tables and Figures
• Referencing elements
• 5th vs. 6th edition
• 6th vs. 7th edition
• Chicago style
• Chicago Interactive
• About notes system
• Notes referencing elements
• Quoting and paraphrasing
• Author-date system
• MLA Interactive
• Abbreviations
• List of works cited
• Captions for images
• 8th vs 9th edition
• Oxford style
• Other styles
• Harvard style
• Vancouver style
• Legal citations
• Visual material
• Sample assignments
• Sample essay 1
• Sample essay 2
• Sample annotated bibliography
• Sample book review
• Study skills
• Time management
• Intro to time management
• Procrastination & perfectionism
• Goals & motivation
• Time management for internal students
• Time management for distance students
• Memory skills
• Principles of good memory
• Memory strategies
• Note-taking
• Note-taking methods
• Note-taking in lectures
• Note-taking while reading
• Digital note-taking
• Reading styles
• In-depth reading
• Reading comprehension
• Reading academic material
• Reading a journal article
• Reading an academic book
• Critical thinking
• What is critical thinking?
• Constructing an argument
• Critical reading
• Logical fallacies
• Tests & exams
• Exam & test study
• Planning exam study
• Gathering & sorting information
• Reviewing past exams
• Phases of revision
• Last-minute study strategies
• Question types
• Short answer
• Multi-choice
• Problem / computational
• Case-study / scenario
• Open book exam
• Open web exam or test
• Take home test
• In the exam
• Online exam
• Physical exam

Assignment length requirements are usually given in terms of numbers of words.

Unless the lecturer tells you that these limits are strict, it is normally acceptable to be 10% above or below this word limit (so, for example, a 2000 word assignment should be between 1800 and 2200 words). If the assignment uses the words “up to” (as in “up to 2500 words”) that usually means that you cannot go above the limit.

Use the tool below to calculate the acceptable range for an assignment (based on +/- 10%).

Unless the lecturer tells you otherwise, the word limit does not include ‘administrative’ sections of the assignment: the cover or title page, table of contents, table of figures, reference list, list of works cited, bibliography, or any appendices.

The word limit that you are given reflects the level of detail required . This means that if your assignment is too long, you're either taking too many words to explain your point or giving too many / too detailed examples. If your assignment is too short, either there is more to the answer than you have written or the assignment has not gone into enough detail about the answer.

• Don't try to remove single words from your assignment. It is unlikely to reduce the assignment's length significantly, but it may confuse your argument . Instead, aim to remove or condense whole sections of your assignment.
• You should not include something just because it is a fact, or just because it is included in your course materials. Include something only if it is relevant to your argument.
• Be direct. State your point rather than writing many paragraphs to ‘lead up’ to it.
• Go back to the question . Which sections relate to the point and which are secondary?
• Go back to the plan . Which paragraphs fit in the overall structure? Which paragraphs overlap and can be combined?
• Remove sections where you
• Over-explain your point
• Over-specify your point
• Repeat yourself
• Write off-topic or ramble
• Remove multiple examples where one or two are sufficient.
• Remove hedging language that adds little to the argument (e.g., it would seem that, it is possible that).

If you are often over the word count you should look at your writing style. See writing concisely for more.

Explain your argument fully

• Make sure every argument in your head and in your plan is on the page.
• Would a general (i.e., non-specialist) reader understand your point? Have someone else read over your assignment and ask you questions about it. What do they think is missing?
• Are there gaps in your argument?
• Does each point logically follow the last one, or do you jump over important points?

Look for the ‘hidden’ answer

• What theories do you think the marker expects?
• How does this relate to the materials from lectures and study guides? Use the course information in your answer to the assignment question.
• Are there complications or contradictions in the argument or in your research? Explain them and explore them.

Flesh it out

• Define any special terminology you've used that a general reader would not be familiar with.
• Illustrate with more examples and/or quotations.
• Contextualise and explain the quotations you use. How do they relate to your argument?

Page authorised by Director - Centre for Learner Success Last updated on 12 December, 2018

• Academic Q+A

Have a study or assignment writing question? Ask an expert at Academic Q+A

Live online workshops

• StudyUp (undergraduate)
• Campus workshops
• Albany (undergraduate)
• Albany (postgraduate)
• Albany (distance)
• Manawatu (undergraduate)
• Manawatu (postgraduate)

Upcoming events

• All upcoming events
• Academic writing and learning support
• 0800 MASSEY | (+64 6 350 5701)
• [email protected]
• Online form

• Current students
• New students
• Returning students
• Support for current students
• Semester and term dates
• Policies and regulations
• Online learning tools
• Your feedback
• Studying off campus
• Results and graduation
• Student Portal
• Student handbook
• Student news

Planning your assignment

Introduction.

Read our guide on planning your assignment, from understanding and breaking down your question, to useful examples on how to manage your word account.

Understanding the question

Before you start your assignment, it is important that you understand what you have been asked to do.

You do not want to fall into the trap of putting a lot of your effort into your assignment only to find out that you are answering the question incorrectly.

Breaking down your question

One approach that you can use to break down your question is the Topic, Focus & Instruction (TFI)  method:

• Topic - What is the question generally about?
• Focus - What specific aspect do you have to concentrate on?
• Instruction - What are you required to do?

Why should I use the TFI method?

The TFI method allows you to understand the main areas that you should be exploring within your assignment.

• The topic of your question should relate back to the wider content being covered within your module.
• With the focus of your question, you will be able to concentrate your search for literature to help you answer the question.
• The instruction of your question will enable you to distinguish the most appropriate approach to answering the question.

Show me some example questions

Breaking down some example questions:

1. Critically evaluate the social impact of global warming. Topic - Global Warming | Focus - Social Impact | Instruction - Critically Evaluate 2. Identify the factors that determine the distribution of welfare within households. Topic - Distribution of Welfare | Focus - Households | Instruction - Identify 3. Explore the impact of running on mental health. Topic - Mental Health | Focus - Running | Instruction - Explore

Consider a response

Before you begin researching, consider what your response to the question may be. The question that you have been set should link back to some of the concepts that you have explored within your lectures and seminars.

So it is worth taking the time to think about the knowledge that you have acquired through your teachings and how it may be applicable to the assignment.

Make the task more manageable

When you are approaching your assignment, your word count can be quite intimidating. So you might find breaking down your word count a useful way of making your assignment more manageable.

Unless you have been given specific instructions, you can allocate 10% to your introduction, 80% to your main body and 10% to your conclusion.

Show me an example of how you manage the word count

Example: Explore the impact of running on mental health

The total word count is 2000 words, which breaks down to an introduction of 200 words, main body text of 1600 words and a conclusion of 200 words. 

The main body text can be further broken down into:

Theme 1 = Stress Management  (400 words total)

• Paragraph 1: Time to be alone with your thoughts (200 words)
• Paragraph 2: Increase concentrations of norepinephrine (200 words)

Theme 2 = Prevents cognitive decline  (400 words total)

• Paragraph 3: Improve memory (200 words)
• Paragraph 4: Increase in cognitive flexibility (200 words)  

Theme 3 = Improvements to sleep  (400 words total)

• Paragraph 5: Improve sleep quality (200 words)
• Paragraph 6: Increase sleep amount(200 words)

Theme 4 = Improvements in mood  (400 words total)

• Paragraph 7: Builds self-confidence (200 words)
• Paragraph 8: Reduces anxiety (200 words)

Study support

Writing an introduction and conclusion

University home | Studying | Research | Business and community | Working here | Alumni and supporters | Our departments | Visiting us | About us

• Intranet Home
• About the Faculty
• Information about staff
• Information for staff only
• 2. You and the College of Humanities
• 3. Academic support
• 4. Your wellbeing
• 5. Your programme
• 6. Your modules
• Degree classifications
• Marking scheme
• Draft essay policies
• Double-marking and moderation
• Assessment procedures for students with dyslexia or learning difficulties
• Cheating and plagiarism
• Submitting work
• Extensions, Deferrals and Mitigation
• Going over the word limit
• Calculating your word count
• Missing an Individual Assessed Presentation
• Missing an Assessed Group Presentation
• Missing an exam
• Illegible handwriting
• Assessment procedures for disabled or ill students
• Assessment procedures for overseas (incoming exchange) students
• Using a dictionary in exams
• Ethics clearance
• Failing your module
• Receiving results
• Re-taking an assessment
• External Examiners
• Study Abroad Mark Conversions
• Referencing
• Assessment criteria for Humanities coded modules
• 8 Employability matters
• 9. Useful terms
• Undergraduates
• Postgraduate taught
• Postgraduate research
• Year Abroad

7.11 Calculating Your Word Count

You are responsible for including an accurate word-count on the cover sheet for each piece of work you submit. Failure to be honest in this respect will itself be penalized under the University’s cheating and plagiarism regulations.

The word count specified for assessments will include footnotes, quotations and in-line references, but exclude the titles, bibliography and appendices. The exception to this are modules taught within History; please see the History Subject Handbook for their guidelines. 

Some assessment tasks ask for diagrams, tables, maps, and/or visual images which are either placed together in an appendix or placed at appropriate points in the essay. These are normally labelled, for instance as Fig. 1, Fig. 2, etc. Such visual material should be clearly captioned; the captions do not count towards the overall word count. Unless module handbooks or departmental guidance explicitly allow otherwise, appendices should not normally contain writing other than captions or writing that is integral to diagrams, etc.: in other words, an appendix is not the place to argue a point. 

Academic staff will check the declared word count on the cover sheet against the word limit specified for that assessment; where the word count exceeds the specified word limit, the appropriate penalty will be applied.

Where academic staff suspect that you have not declared the word count honestly, and that the piece of work is over the specified limit, staff will ask the Humanities Education Team to check the word count in order to determine the appropriate penalty to be administered.

• 301 Academic Skills Centre
• Study skills online

Academic writing

Strategies and advice on how to communicate your ideas using an appropriate academic register

Introduction to academic writing

Producing written work as part of a university exam, essay, dissertation or another form of assignment requires an approach to organisation, structure, voice and use of language that differs from other forms of writing and communication.

Academic writing is a language that no one is born speaking. Understanding more about the conventions of your discipline and the specific features and conventions of academic writing can help you develop confidence and make improvements to your written work.

Academic writing is part of a complex process of finding, analysing and evaluating information, planning, structuring, editing and proofreading your work, and reflecting on feedback that underpins written assessment at university.

Here we focus on the key principles of academic writing as a way to communicate your ideas using appropriate language, structure and organisation. 

301 Recommends:

Our Academic Writing Essentials workshop will explore the challenges of writing in an academic register and provide a range of strategies that can be used to develop your academic voice. The workshop will cover the use of language, structuring your writing and critical writing to take a holistic view of the writing process from a blank page through to a completed piece of work.

Try out our Academic Writing Interactive Digital Workshop  to explore the key principles of good academic writing.

Our Paraphrasing workshop will explore the roles of paraphrasing, quoting and 'para-quoting' and provide strategies for formulating and referencing paraphrases.

Join our 301 Writing Club sessions which include three 25-minute blocks of silent writing time, plus time to share your writing goals and progress with others. This is not a workshop, please bring an piece of academic writing to work on.

Academic language

Academic writing is defined by conventions rather than rules. This means that they are flexible and adaptable at least some of the time.

The point is not for you and your peers to produce identical pieces of work, but to provide a shared framework of communication that allows specialists within a field to access information, ideas and concepts quickly and easily.

It goes without saying that academic writing uses a more formal register than everyday communication. The following are four important conventions to follow that will help you to hit the right level of formality in your writing:

Use formal language

Academic writing tends to adopt formal language derived from Latinate, rather than Anglo-Saxon roots. This distinction is particularly evident in the use of verbs in academic language.

In general, phrasal verbs are used when speaking (eg in presentations), whilst Latinate verbs are used in academic writing (eg essays). Phrasal language is more informal, whilst Latinate verbs sound 'posher' and more formal.

Phrasal verbs tend to come in two parts: they use a  verb  together with an  adverb  or preposition.

There is often a one-word equivalent, which usually comes from Latin root, reflecting the origins of formal English among educated Romans and the Church.

Examples include: 

Carry out = perform

Talk about = discuss

Look up to = respect

Why is this useful? Latinate verbs use fewer words, so can help you develop a more concise writing style.

Latinate verbs can also be more specific than their phrasal equivalents, for example, the phrasal verb 'set up' has several Latinate equivalents: 

Set up a room: I’m going to  arrange  the room for the meeting.

Set up an experiment: The experiment was  prepared.

Set up an organisation: The NSPCC was  established  in 1884.

You may wish to use a mixture of phrasal and Latinate verbs in your writing, and to tailor it to your assignment. For example, if writing a more informal blog post, you may want to use more phrasal language.

Some common examples of academic verb use include:

Carry out: Perform "The experiment was carried out/performed..."

Find out:   Investigate "The aim of this project is to find out/investigate…"

Leave out: Omit "Therefore this was left out of/omitted from the analysis..."

Awareness of how and when to use different registers of language can help to improve the level of formality of your writing. 

Avoid contractions and abbreviations

Academic writing tends to avoid the types of contractions and abbreviated language that you might use in other forms of communication.

In some cases, this is obvious, but in other cases, where abbreviations have become commonly used forms of words, it can be more difficult to spot.

For example:

Are not/is not: Aren't/isn't

Quotation: Quote

UK: United Kingdom

However, some commonly used abbreviations or acronyms relating to the discipline will often need to be used to enhance the clarity of your writing and reduce the word count.

In these cases, it is important to use the full form of the abbreviated name or phrase in the first instance, including the abbreviation in parentheses.

A key role has always been played by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)...

World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations state...

The use of an Electrocardiogram (ECG) is recommended...

Certain extremely commonly used acronyms have become part of common usage and do not require further explanation within a text. For example, AIDS, laser, radar, scuba. 

Write objectively

Academic writing tends to strive for an appearance of objectivity.

Although you will no doubt have an informed opinion or theory that you are trying to get across in your writing, it is important to build a compelling objective case for your ideas using evidence and data.

Secondary sources should be used to build a foundation of background thinking, ideas and theories to support your approach.

All secondary sources (books, journals, webpages, conference presentations, films, audio recordings, etc.) should be referenced using the standard system recommended by your department.

A bibliography of all referenced works should be included at the end of your assignment, ordered alphabetically and formatted using the recommended standard system. 

Visit the  library referencing pages  for more information, examples and tutorials.

Primary sources include any information or data that you have found, collected or generated to illustrate your arguments or explore your hypotheses. Primary sources may include texts that you are analysing, survey responses, experimental data, artefacts and much more.

When writing about primary and secondary sources, it is usually better to avoid using the first person ('I' or 'we' forms), as your focus should be on an objective interpretation of that evidence. 

The first person is most commonly used to indicate where you are going beyond an objective analysis to put forward your own informed opinions, for example as part of a discussion section or conclusion. 

Some principles of using the first person include:

Avoid overusing the first person (I) and use passive forms where possible: "the experiment was conducted..."; "evidence suggests..."; "a sample was taken..."

Watch out for adjectives that imply a value judgement: fantastic, brilliant, rubbish, interesting, good, etc.

Avoid using cliched phrases: "a hot topic..."; "the other side of the coin..."; "at the end of the day..."; "the fact of the matter..."; "in the current climate..."

Avoid overstatement. Make cautious use or avoid the following altogether: extremely, very, really, always, never, a lot, the most, the least

Note: always check department guidelines   on the use of first-person forms in your writing.

301 Recommends: Manchester University Academic Phrasebank

The Academic Phrasebank is a repository of the most commonly-used phrases in published academic work, organised according to purpose and function. Explore the Phrasebank for ideas on how to express yourself using established academic language.

Paragraphs and flow

Paragraphs are the building blocks of your written work, and a good essay or assignment will organise the content clearly at a paragraph level.

However, in a piece of academic writing paragraphs can be tricky to structure due to the complexity of ideas that you are likely to be working with.

The following structure is not the only way to write a paragraph, but it is a common model that is used in academic writing to build sources and evidence into your writing in a critical and analytical way. 

Writing good paragraphs: structure

Most paragraphs of academic writing tend to follow a similar organisational structure:

The topic sentence:  States the main idea or area to be covered by the paragraph.

Explanation or definitions (optional):  Can be used to clarify any difficult or uncertain terminology introduced in the topic sentence.

Evidence and examples:  One or more sentences introducing key ideas, sources, quotes, case studies, evidence or data.

Comment:  Explores what the evidence means, how it can be summarised or whether it needs to be challenged.

Concluding sentence:  Relates the paragraph to your overall argument and links forward to the next paragraph.

The final sentence is often the most important part of a paragraph as it clarifies your interpretation of the topic area and identifies how it contributes to your overall argument.

Watch this short  study skills hacks video  for more information. 

Writing good paragraphs: unity

A paragraph will usually discuss only one idea as outlined in the first sentence, the  topic sentence . If you find a paragraph drifting away from this controlling idea, it is time to split it into more than one paragraph:

The opening sentence of paragraph should outline the main idea (topic sentence).

Every supporting sentence should directly explain, refer back to, or build on the main idea using specific evidence and examples where possible.

Use the final sentence(s) to refer back to the topic sentence and lead into the following paragraph.

Writing good paragraphs: flow 

The skill of structuring your writing and building effective connections between paragraphs is one that will allow you to develop and sustain a compelling argument in your written work.

By setting out your ideas and evidence with a natural flow, you will make your work much more readable.

This important technique will help you work towards higher levels of attainment in assignments and help to improve the quality of your everyday writing.

Paraphrasing and quoting

When you are producing a piece of writing at university, you will often want to talk about what someone else has written about the topic.

There are four distinct ways of doing this.

Quoting:  directly including in your work the published words or other data you have found in a source

Paraphrasing:  expressing in your own words the ideas, arguments, words or other material you have found published elsewhere

Para-quoting:  paraphrasing an idea or area but retaining one or more important words and phrases from the original in quotation marks

Summarising:  providing a top-level overview of a single larger area of work or multiple sources

There are many reasons for quoting or paraphrasing in your own work, but essentially these techniques allow you to show your understanding of current knowledge about the topic you are studying and respond to that knowledge in your work.

Remember that you will need to cite and reference all of the sources that have informed your work.

It is a complex linguistic skill to incorporate others’ work smoothly and efficiently into your own by quoting or paraphrasing.

Skilful use of sources and selective quoting and paraphrasing are important elements of the critical writing process, which is in greater detail on the critical thinking pages – see  Legitimation Code Theory  for more ideas.

It is also a key skill of academic writing that will help to ensure that your work does not include elements of plagiarism.

For more information on unfair means and plagiarism, including suggestions on how to avoid it, see the following  resource .

As with other aspects of working with sources, it is important to  follow your department's specific guidelines about these skills.

When to quote and when to paraphrase

You should direct quote

if you are referring to a formal definition in which the specific language is important

if you are quoting an opinion (with which you do not necessarily agree)

if you are reporting direct speech, eg the reactions or experience of someone actually involved

if you wish to highlight specific features of the author's writing style

 You should paraphrase

to elaborate on or explain a concept or definition to your reader

to engage critically with an opinion or source and demonstrate that you understand it fully

to summarise the reactions or experience of one or more individual

if the general concept is more important than the specific language used

Writing to a word count

If you find you often go over the word count on an assignment, there are several possible causes and solutions.

In this online resource, we will think about the purpose of the word count, the reasons why we might go over it, and strategies to tackle it.

Why is there a word count?

Word counts are part of the challenge of academic writing for several reasons:

To suggest a level of detail: with one topic, you could write a 100-word summary, 1,000-word essay, 10,000-word dissertation, or a 100,000 word PhD thesis. The word count gives an indication of the level of depth you are expected to go into

To ensure fairness: each student has the same number of words to show the marker what they know. 

To test your communication skills: being able to keep within a word count requires a concise writing style and excellent communication skills – it helps you get straight to the point.

To demonstrate your critical thinking skills: to stay within word counts, you need to focus on what is most important and select the best examples and case studies. It puts critical thinking into practice

As a matter of practicality: markers only have a finite amount of time to mark work.

Why do we go over the word count?

First of all, it is important to remember that being over the word count is better than having a blank page. The ideas are down on the page but might need refining. There are several reasons why you might have exceeded the word count: 

Still developing an effective structure: Do you have a clear plan and have you stuck to it? If not, can you map out an overall structure for your essay and identify areas where you have departed from it?

Fear of missing out on something important: try to be selective with examples and arguments. What is your mission statement or key argument, and how does each section help you make it?

Waffling (using 200 words when 100 will do): work on developing a concise academic writing style. Even if you’re not over the word count, this leaves you more words for your critical analysis and discussion

Writing to a word count involves careful planning and organisation to make sure that you get your main points across. The following points might help you to stay within the parameters that you are aiming for:

• Plan what your key points are, and what percentage of your word count to spend on each. Are any sections disproportionately long?
• Avoid repeating arguments – try reading your work backwards (paragraph by paragraph, not word by word). This can make it easier to spot ideas that are repeated, as you are viewing each paragraph individually rather than your argument as a whole
• Use topic sentences at the start of each paragraph. This can help you (and the marker) to identify what key point you are trying to make. Are there any paragraphs that are making the same point? Can you link them?
• It might be tempting to show all of the reading you have done, but select the most important case studies, and explain why you have chosen them. This can be evidence of critical thinking (eg whilst many studies have examined X, a key paper is Y because…)
• Are you using 200 words where 100 will do? One way of testing this is to calculate your  Fog Index  to find out how clear and concise your writing is.

Remember: Having a more concise academic writing style gives you more words to use on things that are important, eg critical analysis and discussion. It’s not just about cutting the odd word here and there to get you under the word count.

The following are some simple tips to make sure you stay within your word count:

Find out what counts towards your word count (for references, footnotes, abstract, captions, tables, text boxes…)

Consider combining related sections or cutting irrelevant sections.

Focus on condensing your key arguments.

Use a concise academic writing style, eg avoid excessive hedging, remove redundant adjectives.

Lie about your word count.

Cut sections just to meet the word count.

Focus on removing individual words – this will be extremely time consuming and will make little impact on your overall count.

Use contractions to meet the word count (eg isn't, doesn't, shouldn't) – this is not academic.

Useful resources

Internal resources.

University of Sheffield Library –  R esearch and Critical Thinking Resources

Digital Learning - Using Turnitin  (login required)

English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) –   P araphrasing

External Resources

Manchester University –  Academic phrasebank

UCL Institute of English –  Word count

Gunning Fog Index Calculator –  Online tool

Purdue Online Writing Lab –  Quoting, paraphrasing and summarising

Wisconsin Writing Centre –  Paraphrasing vs. quoting

Using English for academic purposes –  Writing paragraphs

Related information

Academic Skills Certificate

Dissertation planning

Scientific writing and lab reports

Essay Structure and Planning

Be the first to hear about our new and upcoming workshops!

The 301 Academic Skills Centre newsletter is a fortnightly email for study skills, mathematics and statistics.

Be the first to find out about our:

• new and upcoming workshops,
• special events and programmes, and
• new and relevant online materials and resources.

Sheffield is a research university with a global reputation for excellence. We're a member of the Russell Group: one of the 24 leading UK universities for research and teaching.

Ask Us: Academic Skills Team

What is included in the word count, before starting your work, please refer to your module handbook or contact your tutor for guidance on word counts, as requirements may differ slightly..

Generally speaking, the word count will include the following:

• All titles or headings that form part of the actual text.
• All words that form the essay (the main body of text).
• All words forming the titles for figures, tables and boxes, are included but this does not include boxes or tables or figures themselves
• All in-text (that is bracketed) citations
• All directly quoted material

It will not include:

• All words that form the title page
• All words that form the reference list
• Captions added to visual material (i.e. diagrams, tables, maps, and/or images)

• Academic Writing
• My assignment
• Last Updated 22 Jun, 2023
• Views 24113
• Answered By Academic Skills team

FAQ Actions

• Share on Facebook

Comments (0)

Need more help?

Your Information

Your Question/Comment

Please enter your question or comment below.  If you have a question or are reporting a problem please give us as much detail as possible.

• MyAucklandUni
• Student Services Online
• Class search
• Student email
• Change my password
• MyCDES+ (job board)
• Course outlines
• Learning essentials
• Libraries and Learning Services
• Forms, policies and guidelines
• New students
• Enrol in courses
• Campus card
• Postgraduate students
• Summer school
• AskAuckland
• Student Hubs
• Student IT Hub
• Student Health and Counselling
• Harassment, bullying, sexual assault and other violence
• Complaints and incidents
• Career Development and Employability Services (CDES)
• Ratonga Hauātanga Tauira | Student Disability Services (SDS)
• Rainbow support
• Covid-19 information for our community
• Emergency information
• Report concerns, incidents and hazards
• Health and safety topics
• Staff email
• Staff intranet
• ResearchHub
• PeopleSoft HR
• Forms register
• Careers at the University
• Education Office
• Early childhood centres
• University Calendar
• Opportunities
• Update your details
• Make a donation
• Publications
• Photo galleries
• Video and audio
• Career services
• Virtual Book Club
• Library services
• Alumni benefits
• Office contact details
• Alumni and friends on social media
• No events scheduled for today You have no more events scheduled for today
• Next event:
• Show {0} earlier events Show {0} earlier event
• Event_Time Event_Name Event_Description
• My Library Account
• Change Password
• Edit Profile
• My GPA Grade Point Average About your GPA GPA not available Why can't I see my GPA?
• My Progress
• Points Required Completed points My Progress Progress not available All done!
• Student hubs
• Health and counselling
• All support
• Health, safety and well-being

Breadcrumbs List.

• Auckland Law School
• Current students
• LLB students
• Academic information
• You are currently on: Word limits

Word limits

Word limits apply to all written assignments. Refer to the Canvas page for your course for details.

Word limits also apply to supervised research papers and Honours seminar papers (10,000 words), and Honours dissertations (15,000 words).

Penalties for exceeding word limits

Word limits are fixed subject to a 5% leeway above the limit, and students will be penalised for exceeding the limits at a rate of 5 marks for every 10% (or part thereof) over the limit. Penalties are strictly applied to ensure fairness across courses and among students. However, no student will fail an assessment because of a penalty for exceeding the word limit.

The 5% leeway is in place so that students are not penalised for accidentally exceeding the limit by a few words. Moreover, often the word limits are an integral part of the assessment requirements. We recommend students err on the side of caution to avoid being penalised by sticking closely to the given limit rather than using all the words up to the 5% leeway.

There is no penalty applied for an assessment falling under the word limit.

How the word count is calculated

Microsoft Word is used to calculate the word count; students must ensure the ‘Include textboxes, footnotes and endnotes’ box is ticked for each assignment when calculating their word count.

The following are included in the word count:

• All text in the body of the document, including all titles, the text of the assignment question if included, tables in the text, and headings of sections of the text. (There is often no requirement to put a heading or title in the assignment.)
• Footnotes: a footnote is defined in the OED as ‘A note, reference, or additional piece of information printed at the bottom of a page, used to explain or comment on something in the main body of the text on the same page’.

The following are NOT included in the word count:

• Headers and footers (footers does not include footnotes, which are included in the word count, but does include page numbers)
• Bibliography
• Acknowledgement
• Table of contents
• Table of cases
• An appendix which contains material referred to in the main text

NOTE: Except in the case of Honours dissertations, Honours seminar papers, supervised research papers, or unless specifically instructed to do so by the course director, students should NOT include a bibliography, title page, acknowledgement, table of contents, table of cases, abstract or appendix.

Word limits and academic integrity

Students should not attempt to circumvent the word limit applicable to an assignment through manipulation of the word count by deceptive means—for example, by using invisible hyphens to hyphenate words in the text or footnotes. This kind of practice is detectable through Turnitin. Moreover, the Law Faculty regards it as a breach of academic integrity, which may result in a finding of academic misconduct.

IOE Writing Centre

What does the word count mean?

You may be told the word count at the UCL Institute of Education in one of the following ways:

2000 words : this means you need to write 2000 words, plus or minus 10% leeway. This means you need to write a minimum of 1800 words and a maximum of 2200 words. Generally, the more successful students will write more, rather than less, and will end up trying to reduce the word count to meet the limit. This is because they will have discussed the issues in more detail, given more examples and counter-examples, and used a significant amount of referencing and hedging language. 

1500-2000 words : here, you need to write within the word count stated. There is no 10% extra leeway.

Remember that in academic writing, once you start adding referencing, hedging, and critical commentary, you need many more words to say the same thing. The word count will probably start to seem short by the time you have got used to writing in this way.

IOE Writing Centre Online

Self-access resources from the Academic Writing Centre at the UCL Institute of Education.

Still need help? Ask and answer questions on academic writing on our Moodle forum: Q & A Forum

Anonymous Suggestions Box

Information for Staff

Academic Writing Centre

Academic Writing Centre, UCL Institute of Education Room 602, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL +44 (0)20 7612 6723 [email protected] Twitter:   @AWC_IOE Skype:   awc.ioe

Formatting your work

General advice.

The format of your assignment (eg margin size, font size, word count, line spacing) will vary module by module. Please consult your module handbook (via Blackboard ) or ask your module tutor for advice.

Library staff have produced a sample essay in the UWE Harvard style (PDF)  you can refer to and guidance for using figures and tables (PDF) in your work.

Formatting Appendices

What is it.

An appendix includes additional information that provides useful background and context for your topic. This must be relevant and aid the reader in understanding your work. This could include your own research data or information from other sources. If you are using more than one appendix, you would refer to them as appendices.

What to include in your appendices

Supporting information for your work from other sources, for example data or diagrams. If you have conducted your own research, it is a good idea to include your raw data for example: interview transcripts, surveys, correspondence (emails, letters etc.), statistics. Additionally, consider putting images or graphs in an appendix, whether your own or from another source.

Where are they?

They are located at the end of your work after your reference list or bibliography.

What do they look like?

• To make it clearer for your reader, consider breaking down long appendix into separate ones.
• Keep information in a single appendix within a particular focus area, for instance interviews on a topic with participants.
• Label each new appendix alphabetically, for example appendix A, appendix B.
• Give each appendix a meaningful title.
• Start each appendix on a new page.
• Refer to individual tables or sources within the appendix as numbered items. This ensures you can easily refer to these individual sources within your body of work. Order the appendices as they are referred to within the main body of the text for the first time. If your work includes a contents page, add appendices to the table of contents.
• Continue page numbers from the end of your main body of work.

How to refer to appendices in your work

All appendices should be mentioned in your work.  You could do this in the following ways: The data I gathered on this topic suggests there’s a correlation (see appendix A). Appendix B suggests … If your appendix contains more than one information source, refer to it in the following way: (see appendix A1) As shown in appendix B3 … If your appendix refers to your own research or data you do not need to provide a reference. However, if your appendix refers to the work of others, provide an-text citation in the appendix and add the full reference to your reference list. For instance, if you’ve created a table using someone else’s work, underneath the table it could look like this: (Table author’s own, data from Greig, 2021.)

Quoting other works in your assignment

You are expected to acknowledge the books, journal articles and other sources of information that you use when preparing and completing your university work. This is known as referencing .

You will often find you need to quote  from your sources of information. Use your own judgement to make sure that the layout and flow of your writing is logical, and that use of quotations is clear and easy to follow as well as being consistent throughout your assignment.

(The following guidance applies when referencing using the UWE Bristol Harvard  style only.)

Quoting one or two lines

Put quotation marks around the quote and include within a standard-format paragraph of your text. Include any italics and errors of spelling or punctuation found in the original. Example: As Pearson et al . state (2007, p.72), "The basis of evidence-based practice is, of course, evidence".

Quoting more than two lines

Indent the quotation in its own paragraph and leave out the quotation marks. Include any italics and errors of spelling or punctuation found in the original. Example: Pearson et al . (2007, p.74) summarise the issue as follows:

Critical appraisal is a difficult component of the systematic review process, and a good understanding of research design is required. The major aim of critical appraisal of any type of evidence is to establish the validity of the evidence for practice. Validity refers to the soundness of the evidence; in other words, it is about the degree to which we can accept the evidence as trustworthy and believable.

Editing a quote

You can make minor changes to a direct quotation as long as you don't change the meaning and indicate where you have made changes:

• If you insert your own words, or different words, into a quotation, put them in square brackets [ ]
• To draw attention to an error in a quotation (for example a spelling mistake) do not correct it, but write [sic] after the error
• To emphasise something in a quotation, put the emphasised words in italics, and state that the emphasis is your own

"Mobile-learning (m-learning) is learning in which mobile technologies play a central role" (Davis, 2011, p.125, my italics)

Omitting text within a quote

If you wish to omit part of a quote, indicate the omission by inserting a space, three full-stops, and another space. Example: Pearson et al . (2007. p.74) conclude that "Critical appraisal is a difficult component of the systematic review process ... The major aim of critical appraisal of any type of evidence is to establish the validity of the evidence for practice."

Single or double quotation marks

When quoting from other works you can use single or double quotation marks. If your source of information is quoting direct speech, use the two types of quotation marks to differentiate them. Check with your module tutor if you need advice and be consistent with the use of single or double quotation marks throughout your piece of work.

• In-text citations and quotations are included in your assignment's word count.
• References, bibliographies and footnotes containing references are not included in the word count, unless it is clearly stated in the coursework instructions that the module is an exception to this rule.

Please consult the UWE Bristol Policies  for further advice (includes the Assessment Content Limit policy).

Library study skills support

There are a number of ways you can get support from the library, such as talking to us at helpdesks, using our online chat service, booking 1:1s or attending workshops.

Get feedback on your writing

Find out different ways to get feedback on your writing before you submit your work.

Get feedback

You may also be interested in

Academic information

Advice on academic-related issues and what to do if something happens which affects your studies.

College study support

College-specific online study support and one-to-one help tailored for your subject.

Research skills

Online advice and tutorials to help you develop your research skills.

Section 3: Coursework

3.1 about this section.

In this section, you will find information on:

• Submission and preparation of coursework;
• Penalties that may be applied to coursework that is submitted late or incorrectly;
• Academic integrity and academic misconduct.

3.2 Preparation of Coursework

3.2a referencing.

Referencing refers to acknowledging the sources used in producing a piece of work. Referencing correctly allows you to:

• Demonstrate how widely you have researched the topic;
• Show the basis of your arguments and conclusions;
• Acknowledge the work of others;
• Avoid plagiarism.

3.2b Referencing Style

For modules in Leeds University Business School students should use the official University of Leeds version of the Harvard referencing style.

Guidance on how to source citations within the text and how to reference different types of material is available on the referencing pages of the Library website.

Marking of all submitted coursework will be informed by this guidance and will correspond to the style outlined on the Library’s referencing website pages.

3.2c Group Work

If you are working in a group but are expected to submit an individual piece of work, then the coursework you submit must be your own work, even if the group shares the data or ideas obtained as part of a team.

Copying or paraphrasing another student’s work constitutes plagiarism.

Supporting documents for Business school students can be found on the Forms Guidance & Coversheets page of the Leeds University Business School online Student Guide.

3.3 Submission of Coursework

3.3a coursework deadlines.

Deadline times are set to ensure that you can submit your work well within office hours. Your teaching School will avoid, wherever possible, setting deadlines on:

• Fridays, the last day of term and the first day of the formal assessment period.

When you submit your work electronically, the time of submission is automatically logged.

It is your responsibility to ensure that work arrives by the deadline.

The deadline for submitting work is normally by 12 Noon UK time on the specified day.

3.3b Declarations of Academic Integrity

You must complete a Declaration of Academic Integrity for all assessment submissions. The statement reminds you of the University’s definition of academic integrity and the consequences of academic misconduct.

3.3c Submission of Coursework

Students should check the work that they submit carefully and are responsible for ensuring the correct work is submitted. The School will only accept the coursework which is submitted by the deadline, regardless of whether a student accidentally submits the wrong coursework or an incomplete draft.

Students should ensure that their uploaded assignments have the standard front cover sheet, available from the Forms Guidance & Coversheets page of the Leeds University Business School online Student Guide.

Detailed advice about how to submit can also be found on the Leeds University Business School online Student Guide Assessment section

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they leave sufficient time to complete the online submission process, as upload times can vary. Accessing the submission link before the deadline does not constitute completion of submission. Students must click the ‘ CONFIRM ’ button before 12 noon for the assignment to be classed as submitted on time. If the deadline is not met students must submit to the Late Area and the assignment will be marked as late.

Students must click the download icon to download a digital receipt. Students are advised to save the receipt in a safe place as this is the only accepted proof of submission.

From within the document viewer, click the “Download” icon to download your digital receipt.

Save your receipt in a safe place as this will be the only accepted proof of submission.

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure the correct file is uploaded to Minerva, and that it has been uploaded successfully.

3.3d Penalties for Exceeding Word Count

All coursework assignments that contribute to the assessment of a module are subject to a word limit, as specified in the online module assignment brief in the relevant module area of Minerva.

The word limit is an extremely important aspect of good academic practice and must be adhered to.

Unless stated specifically otherwise in the relevant module handbook, the word count includes everything that is included in the main body of the assignment including summaries, subtitles,  tables, and supportive material (whether this is in the form of footnotes or in-text references) It does not include the main title, the reference list and/or bibliography and any appendices.

It is not acceptable to present matters of substance, which should be included in the main body of the text, in the appendices as this is deemed appendix abuse. In addition, it is also not acceptable to attempt to hide words in graphs and diagrams; only text which is strictly necessary should be included in graphs and diagrams.

You are required to adhere to the word limit specified and state an accurate word count on the cover page of your assignment brief. Your declared word count must be accurate and should not mislead.

Making a fraudulent statement concerning your submitted work could be considered as academic malpractice and investigated as such.

If the amount of work submitted is higher than that specified by the word limit or that declared on your word count, this may be reflected in the mark awarded and noted through individual feedback given to you.

3.3e Penalties for Late Submission of Coursework

If you submit your work past the deadline, penalties will be applied.

The penalty is deducted from the mark for the individual piece of work that has been submitted late. For every period of 24 hours or part thereof that your assessment is overdue, you will lose 5% of the total marks available for that assessment component. This includes weekends, Bank Holidays and University closed days. The deduction is applied before any conflation with other marks (i.e. with other assessment components for the module) to give the overall result of the module. If your assessed work is over 14 days late, the submission will be deemed to have failed for non-submission (a day being a single 24-hour period).

Online Time Limited Assessments with a duration of 48 hours or less must be submitted within the time period stated. Late submissions will not be accepted in any circumstances.

If you have not left sufficient time to submit, you may have to submit your work to the Late Area in Minerva and you will incur a late penalty.

If you have not received a receipt for your coursework submission, this may be because your submission has not successfully uploaded. If this is not rectified before the deadline time, you will incur a late penalty. Please see section 3.3c for further information about timely submission and obtaining a receipt.

If you fail to ensure that you have uploaded the correct file to Minerva, it will be deemed that you have not submitted and if this situation is not corrected before the deadline, you will incur a late penalty.

3.3f Penalties for Academic Misconduct

The University takes all forms of academic misconduct very seriously. You may be excluded from the University without award if you present coursework in breach of the University’s rules on academic integrity.

The Academic Misconduct Procedure is available on the Student Cases website page .

3.3g Proofreading

The University policy on proofreading provides definitions of proofreading in the University of Leeds context, and guidance to help avoid contravening the policy, and possible consequences of doing so.

You are required by the University to proofread your own work. Guidance on proofreading is available from the University Library website .

3.4 Academic Integrity and Academic Misconduct

Academic integrity is a commitment to good study practices and shared values, which ensures that your work is a true expression of your own understanding and ideas, giving credit to others where their work contributes to yours. This University definition of academic integrity recognises that each individual has a responsibility to contribute honestly within our academic community.

Breaching academic integrity standards can lead to serious penalties.

Guidance on Academic Integrity and Academic Misconduct can be found on the For Students website pages .

Definitions of specific integrity breaches can be found in the Academic Misconduct Procedure on the Student Cases website page.

3.4a Academic Integrity Tutorial and Test

There is a compulsory online academic integrity tutorial and test for all students.

The tutorial comprises a series of short units and an associated end of tutorial test explaining good study habits (e.g. good note taking and referencing) as well as practices that undermine the integrity of academic work (e.g. plagiarism, collusion and third-party authorship).

If you are new to study at the University, you must complete all the units and correctly answer all questions in the associated test. You should complete this within your first few weeks of teaching, following the timetable specified by your School, and before submitting any formative or summative assessed work. Completion will be monitored by your School.

Further details are available on the Minerva Support website page .

3.4b Academic Integrity Education

All taught programmes provide specific advice regarding academic integrity and good practice in writing and, where appropriate, the production of other forms of academic work. You will also be directed to information that explains how and why such forms of behaviour are not consistent with academic integrity, and the consequences of academic misconduct, such as plagiarism, collusion, reliance on others to do your work for you and unauthorised use of artificial intelligence. The compulsory online academic integrity tutorial will provide advice and guidance on these topics. The Library also provides detailed guidance and training materials related to academic integrity in the Academic Skills section of the Library website.

Leeds University Business School has an Academic Integrity Officer who is a nominated member of academic staff responsible for ensuring consistency within the Faculty in relation to the implementation of plagiarism procedures and practice and the investigation of suspected cases of plagiarism.

The role of the Business School’s Academic Integrity Officer is to ensure equity of treatment of all students. The role holder is also responsible for plagiarism education, including raising staff and student awareness of plagiarism issues.

Leeds University Business School takes plagiarism education very seriously. Good academic practice advice is embedded into induction sessions for all students. Students are directed towards the Academic Integrity Tutorial and Test (see 3.4a above) and are directed to the LUBS Referencing & Presentation Guidance information at the start of their programme.

All students have access to study skills sessions directly via skills@library

Guidance on academic referencing is integrated into selected modules on every taught programme.

Further information about referencing can be found on the Skills@Library referencing pages .

3.4c Re-using Your Own Work

Submitting or re-submitting the same work or part of the same work, in exactly the same form, to satisfy the requirements of more than one assessment is considered misconduct, even if the work is for a different module or qualification. This is because it is unfair to reward the same work twice.

This includes work that you may have completed at school, college, or at another University before coming to Leeds. There may, however, be exceptions to this rule where an initial submission is intended to help you to develop a second, usually larger, piece of work. You will receive specific instructions where this is the case.

If there are other instances where you feel that a further exception is justified, you must have specific written permission from the University staff concerned.

34d Advice from Staff

It is your responsibility to work with academic integrity. Where the School agrees that you can submit a draft for initial advice and feedback, if evidence of academic misconduct is found in the draft, staff will advise you on academic integrity, but it is not their responsibility to identify and highlight academic misconduct in draft work.

Whether or not you have submitted a draft, and whether or not the School has identified academic misconduct in the draft, you remain responsible for the submissions you make.

3.4e Draft or Erroneous Submissions

You are responsible for assessment submissions. If, after making a submission, you claim that you mistakenly submitted a draft or the wrong version, your original version will be treated as the submission.

If the School finds that it contains academic misconduct, it will attract penalties.

3.4f Cheating

Cheating in University examinations is taken very seriously by the University. If you are found to have breached the University’s rules governing the conduct of examinations , you are likely to be permanently excluded from the University with no award.

3.4g Artificial Intelligence in Assessments

Content generated by artificial intelligence assistance tools and presented as your own work does not comply with the University’s definition of academic integrity and would be considered an academic misconduct offence. You will be clearly advised when it may be appropriate to make use of artificial intelligence assistance tools and you will need to clearly acknowledge when you have made use of artificial intelligence tools in developing your work.

The latest statement of principles of academic integrity and good study practices is available on the For Students website pages .

3.5 Checking for Academic Misconduct

The School uses a number of ways to check for academic misconduct, including manual checks from the staff marking your work as well as electronic tools.

3.5a Explanation of Turnitin

The University uses an internet-based text-matching service called Turnitin to provide evidence of originality of electronic coursework submissions. The tool compares text submitted with a wide range of electronic material, including journals, websites and student work from current and previous years, from Leeds and other UK universities.

The software highlights if you have submitted the same or similar text as another student, or published material, or if you have submitted the same or similar text for more than one assessment.

3.5b Use of Turnitin

Your School will provide you with an introduction to Turnitin during your first semester of study to support your understanding of academic integrity.In your first year as a Level 1 Undergraduate or Taught Postgraduate you may be allowed one opportunity to see a part of a Turnitin originality report, based on an example assignment. You may also be allowed one opportunity to see an originality report for a draft assignment you have written, as long as this is under academic supervision.

At level 2 and above, you will not be provided with an originality report.

3.5c Turnitin and Academic Misconduct

Whether or not the School has used Turnitin routinely for a particular assessment, if the person marking your work is suspicious of academic misconduct, that piece of work will be submitted to Turnitin.

3.5d Originality Reports

The originality reports created by Turnitin are considered for possible academic misconduct as part of a review of a submission. However, it is your School, and not the software tool, that will decide whether or not academic misconduct has taken place; Turnitin is just one element of the evidence used to make this decision.

Your School will check all originality reports for work submitted electronically through Turnitin for plagiarism, regardless of the percentage match indicated by the similarity index.

Leeds University Business School checks all assessed coursework for plagiarism using the Turnitin software. The Module Leader is generally responsible for undertaking this check. Where this process identifies sufficient concerns about the originality of content within a piece of work, an investigation will be initiated to explore the academic integrity of the work. The mark and feedback will be withheld until the investigation is complete. In cases where the outcome of that investigation is suspicion of plagiarism or academic malpractice, the student will be required to attend a meeting with the Plagiarism Panel.

3.6 completion of Coursework

You are expected to submit all coursework associated with modules, including formative assessment. If you persistently neglect your studies or repeatedly fail to submit coursework within a reasonable time, the School may begin disciplinary proceedings which could result in you being excluded from assessments and/or required to withdraw from the University.

The School will follow the University’s formal procedures for this.

• For students

Word Count Limit Policy for Assignments

This policy applies to all students following programmes of study leading to a St George’s, University of London award. For programmes run through an institutional agreement with another institution, this policy applies to the modules taught and assessed by St George's, Univesity of London.

Word limits in assignments

A maximum word limit is set for most assignments. Students are advised that when a word limit is set, they should ensure any work submitted does not exceed this limit. The maximum word limit is stipulated in module/course handbooks and advised to students at the time the assignment is set.

The significance of adhering to a word limit

Writing to agreed and stipulated word limits is a skill which students are expected to develop and demonstrate. Submitting an academic paper or a funding application requires an adherence to word limits. There are also many non-academic contexts where word limits are applied to permitted submissions. 

The “words” that should be counted

The word count is defined as any and all words included in the text of the assignment  [1] . The word count will include all text, including (but not limited to):

• the main body of text (including headings)
• all citations (both in and out of brackets)
• footnotes and endnotes
• questions set by the Module Leader*

(*Where the assignment has to include specific questions set by the Module Leader, the word limit will have been set to allow for inclusion of the specified questions.)

The “words” that should not be counted

The only words excluded  from the word count will be:

• assignment title
• tables and graphs
• figures and diagrams
• the reference list/bibliography
• appendices (including multimedia)
• headers and footers
• the abstract (if applicable).

Specific guidance for any particular assignment on word count restrictions

For each assignment, specific guidance on restrictions, as required, will be outlined in the relevant module handbook. Students requiring additional clarification should seek this from the Module Leader.

Stating the word count

Students should state the word count in accordance with the instructions issued by the programme.

Examples of instructions which may be issued include (though are not limited to):

(i) Students will be asked to state the word count in the header of any assignment they submit

(ii) Students will be asked to declare the number of words on an assignment cover sheet

(iii) Students will be asked to confirm that they have not exceeded the stipulated word limit for that assignment.

Verifying the word count during the marking process

All submissions will be eligible to have their word count verified. Where there is any concern that a word limit has been exceeded and/or inaccurately declared, the word count of that submission will be checked. Word counts will be verified from the electronic file submitted for marking (the electronic file may be only part of the submission requirement, which may include hard copies).

Markers should check the word count of a submission by downloading the work from the submission package (e.g. Canvas). Markers should be aware that electronic word counting tools can count words differently. Markers must ensure that any checked word counts reflect the words to be counted listed in The "words" that should be counted section above. 

Failing to provide a word count or providing an inaccurate word count

Where students fail to provide a word count or are found to have provided an inaccurate word count, St George's reserves the right to invoke the Disciplinary Procedure on the student.

Where a student has clearly abused the spirit of the word limit restriction, the assignment will be treated in the same way as if the word limit in the assignment had been exceeded (see below).

Assignments which are significantly below the word limit

Assignments which are below the word limit set for an assignment will not attract a specific penalty.

Assignments submitted which are significantly below the word limit are unlikely to meet all the assessment requirements or cover all of the points expected by the examiners.  Although a formal penalty is not applied, they are normally self-penalising and this will be reflected in the grade awarded for the assignment.

Where a range has been defined for the word limit for a given assignment (e.g. ‘between 2000 and 3000 words’), it is deemed unlikely that a student will be able to write adequately on the topic of the assignment in less words than the lower end of the stipulated range. As above, such assignments are normally self-penalising and this will be reflected in the grade awarded for the assignment. 

Assignments which exceed the word limit

Students who exceed the prescribed word limit will have their work marked but markers will stop marking when the word count exceeds the maximum word count set for that assignment. Markers will indicate on the text [2] the point at which the limit is reached which is, by definition, where they have stopped marking. Hence, any words written beyond the stipulated limit will not be read by the examiners: no marks will be awarded and no feedback provided for any text beyond the prescribed limit. Although a formal penalty is not applied, a mark will be awarded only for the content up to this point.

Overall responsibility for policy: QAEC.

Operational responsibility for policy: Academic Registrar.

[1] Students should be aware that word counting tools count words differently according to file format and submission package. Students should be clear about the words listed in The "words" that should be counted section above.

[2] The exact nature of this “text” will vary depending on the file format and software package used for assignment submission; the facility used by the marker to indicate where the word limit has been reached in the “text” will vary according to the tools available in the software, e.g using the annotation function in SpeedGrader™. 

Browser does not support script.

SBS Handbooks 2016-17 Archive

University of Manchester

Faculty – Assignment Word Count

Assignment Word Count (including the dissertation)

In accordance with the University  Policy on Marking :

Each written assignment has a word limit which you must state at the top of your first page. It is acceptable, without penalty, for you to submit an assignment within a range that is plus 10% of this limit. If you present an assignment with a word limit substantially exceeding the upper banding, the assignment will be marked but 1% will be deducted from this mark for every 100 words over the limit given. In accordance with accepted academic practice, when submitting any written assignment for summative assessment, the notion of a word count includes the following without exception: ·    All titles or headings that form part of the actual text. This does not include the fly page or reference list. ·    All words that form the actual essay. ·    All words forming the titles for figures, tables and boxes, are included but this does not include boxes or tables or figures themselves. ·    All in-text (that is bracketed) references. ·    All directly quoted material.

Certain assessments may require different penalties for word limits to be applied. For example, if part of the requirement for the assessment is conciseness of presentation of facts and arguments. In such cases it may be that no 10% leeway is allowed and penalties applied may be stricter than described above. In such cases the rules for word count limits and the penalties to be applied will be clearly stated in the assessment brief and in the submission details for that assessment.

• ← SMS – General Information – Communication with Students
• Faculty – Guidance for Presentation of Taught Masters Dissertations →

Study Support: Assignment Planning

• Using the Library
• Online Resources
• Study Preparation
• Skills Assessment
• Learning Approaches
• Digital Literacy

Assignment Planning

• Academic Writing
• Critical Thinking
• Presentation Skills
• Referencing & Citing
• Academic Research
• Academic Reading
• Evaluating Resources
• Taking Notes
• Managing Your Time
• Exam Preparation
• Mental Health
• Stress Management
• Reading 4 Pleasure

Introduction to Planning your Assignment

During your studies you will be required to submit assignments which may include essays, reports and reflective writing. It is important that you spend time planning your assignment before you begin to write your first draft which will help to ensure that you answer the question and meet the assessment criteria.  This section will provide you with information regarding understanding the assignment question, managing your time, searching for relevant academic research and writing an assignment plan.

Your programme will require your assignments to be structured and formatted in a particular way.  You should always follow any instructions or guidance that you have been issued with, if you are unsure, please contact your Personal Tutor or Student Support Officer for advice.

Recommended Websites

Recommended Apps

• Assignment Question
• Time Management

It is important that you read the assignment question several times to ensure that you fully understand what you are being asked to do and avoid losing valuable marks.

Some students find it helpful to highlight the keywords in the assignment task including any verbs such as Assess and Evaluate.   

The Impact that the use of Electri c C ars has on the  Environment

Also carefully read the assessment criteria, find out what the word count is, the referencing style that you need to use and how the assignment needs to be presented.

If you are unsure about what you are being asked to do you need to speak to your lecturer or tutor.

It is important that you plan when you will be able to work on an assignment to ensure that you make the most of the time available and hand your work in on time. You could use an online calendar to help you manage your time and the assignment writing process can be divided into the following steps:

• Understand the assignment question
• Search for information
• Plan the assignment
• Write the first draft of the assignment
• Edit assignment
• Proofread assignment
• Submit assignment

Further information is also available from the Managing your Time page.

This stage involves searching for print and online sources that will provide you with the information that you need. You could start by thinking about what you already know about the subject.  A useful starting point could be your lecture notes and the module reading list. 

The  Online Library  website provides you with access to different resources that you can search to find both print and online resources.

Further information is available from the Academic Research section.

Assignment Plan

After you have read and made notes on the different sources the next stage is to create an assignment plan. It is important that you check the assessment criteria and the word count which will help you you to identify topics that you may need to research further.  

Most assignments follow the structure displayed in the table below:

• Assignment Plan Template

Generative AI Online Videos

The following online videos will provide you with information regarding using Generative AI tools in your assignments:

Recommended Books

• << Previous: Writing Skills
• Next: Academic Writing >>
• Last Updated: Mar 27, 2024 8:56 PM
• URL: https://bpp.libguides.com/studySupport

• My Account |
• StudentHome |
• TutorHome |
• IntranetHome |
• Contact the OU Contact the OU Contact the OU |
• Accessibility Accessibility
• Postgraduate
• International
• News & media
• Business & apprenticeships

Personal Blogs

Word limits

Few issues seem to cause more angst among some students than the issue of word counts.

Some modules have assignments that state "a maximum of X words" or "write no more than X words" but students still tend to ask if they can have 10% extra.  Some seem surprised when I say that the words "maximum" and "no more than..." mean what they say.

New comment

Could that be because students get other advice from elsewhere?  The "elsewhere" in my experience has been social science, technology, psychology, philosophy and history modules.  In all of those we have been permitted to go 10% over, no limit for going under but expected to not waffle.  I have had warnings that if we submit a TMA approaching 10% over and it has repetitious language or too many points saying the same thing, that some marks can be removed for not being concise.  But it has also been made clear that going a bit over the limit would never result in marks being removed.

I see from your blog you deal with language modules.  Could it be the absolute word-count is specific to that discipline?

Alternatively, I assume you remove marks for being one word over the limit?  If not, there is no penalty, and if there is no penalty, there is no crime.  That would also explain their reaction.

Anyway, if you are finding students are surprised at what you say, either OU students are particularly stupid, or they are getting a different message from somewhere else.  Given the angst they exhibit, that does suggest the experience of your students is the same as mine: they are getting a different message from elsewhere.

PS Ditto the mid-day deadline for TMAs.  It's midnight really since there is no penalty (just huge risk) using the 12 hour grace period.

on modules I have studied students have been told the word limit is given because all the necessary information can be given within that number of words, so, if you go over the limit you are probably including material not required,

on a personal level I have noticed that if I think about it more I can sometimes say the same thing another way using less words, just doing this on a few sentences can make quite a difference to word count,

Simon, reading the first paragraph of your comment I was surprised as none of the modules I've taken allow 10%, then I read your second paragraph and yes as you know my modules have been language modules, so perhaps it is the Modern Language Faculty policy,

In language modules, the word counts and attitudes towards them vary (and I do not think this is problematic as long as it is clear). 

My point is that sometimes the rubric says "about X words" or even "X words".  In these cases, students are allowed up to 10% extra but when the rubric is "no more than..." or a maximum of ...", it seems that this is not ambiguous and it means what it says and the 10% does not apply.

Hello Frances

I agree that in most cases, making the word limit by careful editing can vastly improve the quality of a text.  I almost never find it impossible to cut down texts that I write (eg I might have written something like "it is usually possible to reduce the length of my own texts")

hello Patrick, I did say 'on a personal level' meaning my own work, you have expressed it better and I am learning,

thank you for the noun phase link in your previous post I am working my way through Sarah North, English: A Linguistic Toolkit at the moment, Frances

Is it possible the Level 1 modules they do before the language modules do allow the 10%?

hello Simon, I'm not sure what you mean by level 1 modules before language modules as the language modules start at level 1, beginners and lower intermediate, the only level1 English module, which is now compulsory, is L161 and when I studied it 2yrs ago no 10%, this is what the assessment guide says: 

'....On the other hand, if the length of your answer is much longer than the specified length, your tutor will stop marking after the limit has been reached.'

my other 3 level 1 modules were all foreign language modules, all these modules including L161 gave a min and max word limit, I have read on forums before about this 10% and had wondered what they meant, Frances

You can also start the language degrees with AA100 The arts past and present which, although I haven't done it, I'd bet that allows the 10%.  Perhaps that could cause the confusion too.

Simon a student taking English and another language would need to already be able to speak the target foreign language at lower intermediate level 1 and a student taking one of the 2 foreign language pathways would need to be up to level 2 in at least one of the foreign languages if they used up half their 120 level 1 credits on A100, so yes if you want to and are already well versed in your target foreign languages,

infact when the compulsory L161 was brought in taking up 30 credits at level 1 a lot of language students taking 2 foreign languages complained that they would now not be able to take one of the beginners level 1 modules for their chosen languages, so I don't think they would want to spend 60 credits on A100,

and A100 is part of the humanities faculty not the languages faculty, just as the U214 module I am currently studying is not part of the languages faculty,  ok! Frances

The links on noun phrases and the one on processes might be useful for you if you later take E304.

Your question about being one word over is an intriguing one and I feel conflicted.  On the one hand, it is a very small number.  On the other hand, is it really ever possible for a student not to take off one word?  Going over by one word perhaps suggests that they are not really bothered to get things completely right. I know that if I wanted to cut one word from this shortish message, I would be able to do it easily.

I quite agree Patrick

I xxxxx agree Patrick 

See I managed to take out one word. 

A bit late too the party but better late than never eh?

I've completed a BA Honours in History with the OU and have now started a BA Honours in Creative Writing.  There is absolutely no continuity, in my own experience, in terms of word count practice.  Even if a question says 'no more' I will always ask if the 10 percent rule applies, because in both my History and creative writing degree, I have had tutors who have said, 'no more, means no more', and I have others who have said, 'no no the 10 percent rule always counts'.  Maybe the fault does not lie with the  students and maybe there needs to be greater continuity in how these rules are applied?

I think no more than means just that and that the word limit is the limit.

Thanks for the comment, Trevor.

Reducing the word count is an important skill, I think.  Occasionally my computer crashes when I am halfway through writing something and I usually find when I restart I write more concisely and effectively.  I suppose this shows how important revising a piece of writing is but we often think we do not have the time.

• Study Guides
• Homework Questions

Self-Analysis of Fan Fiction Assignment (1)

• Arts & Humanities