The Student Room Group

dissertation word count?

I have just submitted one of my dissartations, which is set at 8000 with the possibilty of going 10% higher or lower. However, when I checked it over again I realised that word never counted my footnotes like it normally does, as that option was switched off for some reason. It now stands that I'm 300 words over the limit, which I obviously cannot change as my work has already been handed in. Do you think the examiner will notice, or even bothers counting the words? What are the general penalties for going over a word limit? I'm scared :eek:
Reply 1
Michael McDermott
I have just submitted one of my dissartations, which is set at 8000 with the possibilty of going 10% higher or lower. However, when I checked it over again I realised that word never counted my footnotes like it normally does, as that option was switched off for some reason. It now stands that I'm 300 words over the limit, which I obviously cannot change as my work has already been handed in. Do you think the examiner will notice, or even bothers counting the words? What are the general penalties for going over a word limit? I'm scared :eek:

They won't notice.
Reply 2
I thought that any words used as footnotes did not count anyway, maybe it depends on the college/uni?
Clearly, 300 extra words is within 10%. Unless you mean you were already at 8,800 and with footnotes you are at 9,100?
I thought footnotes didn't count?
Yeah, my word count stands at 9,099, hopefully it won't be noticble, and the examiner will be lenient with dissertations if it's not overblown in terms of words. I don't know, what generally is the penalty for going over?
Also, I think it does depend on the uni, as mine does count footnotes. However, hopefully they will let it slide when they realise the piece without footnotes isn't above the count, and are not sad enough to count them :smile:
Reply 7
Sabsbabs1
I thought that any words used as footnotes did not count anyway, maybe it depends on the college/uni?

I was told that this was the case at A level but that in general universities do count them (to stop people trying to subvert wordcount by putting bits in there that should really be in the essay).

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