I'm well below the word count for my dissertation

My dissertation is due tomorrow afternoon and on a total word count of 4,900 (which includes words from the the reference, first few pages etc). My word limit is 6,000 and I'm obviously no where near there. This main reason for this is that my project had to end abruptly due to insufficient time and so I don't have a lot of results. If I continue writing to 6,000 words I'll only be repeating myself unnecessarily, derailing my thesis and waffling. There really isn't anything else to write and I'm unsure what to do. I think it's unfair that word counts are generalised because some groups will have more to write than others.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1

brownbearxo

Its the absolute maximum, not a hard and fast rule. There should be a margin though, so like try to stop between 5000 and 5500. For you, Id say try to fit just one more point in. Thats what I'd do. If you really have done the topic justice then hand it in. I prefer the less is more approach lol.

Btw, so jealous of your limit, mines 10,000.

Reply 2

User1014865

Original post by brownbearxo

I was told it could only be 10% above or below the word count.

I've made my work as concise as possible but I've compromised the word count.

It's an SPF and they're usually about 6,000 words :tongue:

Reply 3

brownbearxo

Original post by Iamyourfather

Ahh yes thats what i meant by margin lol. Its late, forgive me :biggrin:

Youre gonna need to add a bit more to put in within the lower 10% then.

Reply 4

User1014865

Original post by brownbearxo

Ahh yes thats what i meant by margin lol. Its late, forgive me :biggrin:

Youre gonna need to add a bit more to put in within the lower 10% then.

But there's honestly nothing else to write. My thesis is on a factor not very well researched and so there's little literature for what I'm trying to figure out. Had I completed the experiment, I'd have more to write.

Reply 5

brownbearxo

Just to say: In my uni, you cant be a single word above though, so I think thats why they are quite lenient. Ive given in 2000 word essays when the limit was 2500 before.

will you be penalised for being out of that 10%? Theres always something to add...just waffle no? Lol i do a humanities subject so the concept is incomprehensible to me :-p

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 6

username991125

As long as the content is all there, it should be fine. Mine was a 12,000 word limit and recommended between 10,000 - 12,000 words. I only had about 8800 words including references, contents, etc, but got a first class grade for it.

However, if your uni is really strict on word count and actually says they will penalise you... that's a different story.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 7

User1014865

Original post by yennibubs

No they're not very strict - If they did they'd probably me send my word back asking to add more stuff. But I highly doubt they'll go out of their way to count our words (unless visibly, it's excessively long or really short). But because it's a dissertation, I want to be careful...

Reply 8

New- Emperor

I had a 10k word count and that was hard as a rule I write snap and to the point so I had to waffle to reach the 0k but I got it done

Reply 9

Ripper-Roo

1100 words under doesn't sound that bad, as long as you have everything you want to argue in. Sometimes it's difficult to extend it

Reply 10

jonathanemptage

Mine was 10,000 with 10% either side but I herd about 1 uni Derby if memory serves me correctly where of you were even 1 word under or over you got zero because if it was over you were waffling and under you hadn't done enough

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Reply 11

ageshallnot

Original post by jamesgray6

If you continued to write your dissertation instead of searching for an answer here, perhaps you could've made it. 1000 words for a day is not a lot and perfectly possible, so stop complaining and just do it...