3rd year students! Can you pass with a dissertation that is under word limit?
Can any 3rd year students/ graduates who have done a dissertation that is under the word limit shed some light please? I dont want to to be rambling on in my dissertation as i feel like ive already repeated myself loads of times...
Yes you can submit one under the word limit. Don't worry about it. Your supervisor would much rather read a shorter diss that isn't rambling than a repetitive one that hits the word count
Yes. Quality not quantity. Some of the best sample dissertations I've seen have been on the short side.
Original post by Anonymous
Can any 3rd year students/ graduates who have done a dissertation that is under the word limit shed some light please? I dont want to to be rambling on in my dissertation as i feel like ive already repeated myself loads of times...
How far under the word limit are you?
Original post by PhoenixFortune
How far under the word limit are you?
Over a thousand words, the people on my course seem to believe you can be under as mich as you want but can't be over at all. We were showed a precious dissertation that was 500 under the word count and it still got a first. I've gone through notes, lectures and the dissertation guide to add anything and everything to the word count but its not making a difference. I just want it to be over now tbh coz I need my sanity morw than I need to pass right now 😶
Original post by Anonymous
Over a thousand words, the people on my course seem to believe you can be under as mich as you want but can't be over at all. We were showed a precious dissertation that was 500 under the word count and it still got a first. I've gone through notes, lectures and the dissertation guide to add anything and everything to the word count but its not making a difference. I just want it to be over now tbh coz I need my sanity morw than I need to pass right now 😶
Take a look at your university's regulations. It will tell you at what number of words under or over you would start getting penalised. You may be okay being under by about 1000.
The length doesn't really matter, it's what you say regarding your topic.
Mine was an open-ended topic and i did 16,200 words. A classmate had a very specific topic and she did about 7500. I expect our marks to be within 5% of each other.
They key to a good dissertation is be as thorough as possible while taking a specific angle on the topic, and not repeating yourself.
Mine was an open-ended topic and i did 16,200 words. A classmate had a very specific topic and she did about 7500. I expect our marks to be within 5% of each other.
They key to a good dissertation is be as thorough as possible while taking a specific angle on the topic, and not repeating yourself.
This is the first time I've been under the word count by so much. I thought the rule was you could be over or under by 10% but the first (and last time) I was over by approximately 10% in an essay last year, I was failed lol. So I really don't know if the rules of my particular college are difffent as none of the lecturers have ever given a clear answer in the almost 3 years Ive been in uni. I had a crappy supervisor who took time off and all the meetings I had with her were unproductive as she would just confuse me instead. She literally did the bare minimum on a draft. I'm just sick of this whole process tbh ..finding myself venting on here 😑
Original post by PhoenixFortune
Take a look at your university's regulations. It will tell you at what number of words under or over you would start getting penalised. You may be okay being under by about 1000.
Original post by Anonymous
This is the first time I've been under the word count by so much. I thought the rule was you could be over or under by 10% but the first (and last time) I was over by approximately 10% in an essay last year, I was failed lol. So I really don't know if the rules of my particular college are difffent as none of the lecturers have ever given a clear answer in the almost 3 years Ive been in uni. I had a crappy supervisor who took time off and all the meetings I had with her were unproductive as she would just confuse me instead. She literally did the bare minimum on a draft. I'm just sick of this whole process tbh ..finding myself venting on here 😑
You need to find out what the exact rules are. Go to your university's library or study skills or student support to find out. Presuming what the rules are is never a good way to go where marks are concerned. What is the recommended word count?
Why do you think you're under? Have you run out of points to make/literature to consult? Without knowing what you're studying it's hard to say.
I have actually found a document called 'word count policy' on blackboard. It doesn't state any percentages. It says students who submit work that is below the word limit will not be penalised. This is because students will not have taken full advantage of the word limit available to them, which in itself may constitute a penalty. It also says you lose 3 marks for lying about your word count lol (which I was thinking of).
Recommended is 8000 words. I'm nearly at 7000. I've gone through every section making sure I've included what is supposed to be there by looking at the guide and lectures. I think I just dont know how to add to the points already made without repeating myself so I will add the 'optional' sections. Although the dissertation guide states you dont necessarily get marks for adding these optional sections. I have an appendix section which is not included in the word count...I was told I have to have one...If that was in the word count I would be well over 7000...its so annoying because the whole point of it is not to use up the word count.
Anyway I have an essay due in days so I'm just gonna submit and hope for the best.
Recommended is 8000 words. I'm nearly at 7000. I've gone through every section making sure I've included what is supposed to be there by looking at the guide and lectures. I think I just dont know how to add to the points already made without repeating myself so I will add the 'optional' sections. Although the dissertation guide states you dont necessarily get marks for adding these optional sections. I have an appendix section which is not included in the word count...I was told I have to have one...If that was in the word count I would be well over 7000...its so annoying because the whole point of it is not to use up the word count.
Anyway I have an essay due in days so I'm just gonna submit and hope for the best.
Original post by Anonymous
Can any 3rd year students/ graduates who have done a dissertation that is under the word limit shed some light please? I dont want to to be rambling on in my dissertation as i feel like ive already repeated myself loads of times...
hey, you usually get 10% under the word count so it depends how much you are under??
Sophia
Update (not that anyonone asked lol): I passed and the marker didnt mention the word count. I had more impoetant things to worry about like freaking missing words/typos!
Original post by hallamstudents
hey, you usually get 10% under the word count so it depends how much you are under??
Sophia
Sophia
(Just seen the typo my update 😶)
Just interested to find out who actually buys their cap, gown and hood instead if renting for graduation.
Instead of* renting***
Original post by Anonymous
Just interested to find out who actually buys their cap, gown and hood instead if renting for graduation.
I know of a few people who bought their cap, but nothing else (instead of buying a graduation teddy or whatever). I personally don't see the point, as you'll never wear it again - unless you want to do an external photo shoot - and the cap is pretty awkward to store properly.
The OP has been answered but just to agree with everyone else - a limit is a LIMIT it isn't to be exceeded.
My dissertation had a word limit of 10k words - mine was 5,500 (admittedly with a lot of diagrams/charts/graphs/maps etc) and I comfortably got 65% for it. And there was a typo on the first page
Markers don't want to spend their time trawling through waffle to find the meaning. As long as your writing covers everything important and flows clearly through the topic you don't need to worry about the specific word count.
In the world of work brevity in writing is valued far more than being able to knock out thousands of words.
My dissertation had a word limit of 10k words - mine was 5,500 (admittedly with a lot of diagrams/charts/graphs/maps etc) and I comfortably got 65% for it. And there was a typo on the first page
Markers don't want to spend their time trawling through waffle to find the meaning. As long as your writing covers everything important and flows clearly through the topic you don't need to worry about the specific word count.
In the world of work brevity in writing is valued far more than being able to knock out thousands of words.
I was wondering the same thing. I submitted 7000 words, and the dissertation was supposed to hit 10.000 😳😳 I am wondering if any of you experienced this and if you gor marked down(a lot or not) for it.
Original post by notaboutit21
I was wondering the same thing. I submitted 7000 words, and the dissertation was supposed to hit 10.000 😳😳 I am wondering if any of you experienced this and if you gor marked down(a lot or not) for it.
Read the post before yours
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