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If the word limit for an essay is 3000 and i go over by 80 words is that ok?

EffingKrazy

1

If the word limit for an essay is 3000 and i go over by 80 words is that ok?????? or what is ok??

Reply 1

Segat1

16

Hmm, in my experience you get penalised for going over the word limit.

Reply 2

contractador

1

you dont get penalised they just cross out every word over 3000.

Cut it down. It is possible

Reply 3

sarah_18

1

Some courses/exam boards or whatever allow you 5% over or under. I have experienced that before.

What is the essay for? There are ways to say things without using up a word limit.

Reply 4

all red and ermine

ooo really? i always use 10% lol :P that's what my teacher's usually go by anyways :biggrin:

Reply 5

LouE3D

80 words to be honest is negligable! For my dissertation, the word limit was 7,500 which tbh is peanuts!! I spoke to my tutors (inc the head of my course) and they all said that if the content was relevant then it was acceptable, if it was waffle then I woud be penalisd. The approximate final word count of my dissertation was 10,000 words not including my appendices... no penalty.

As a rule, throughout university we were allowed a 1-200 word grace, unless otherwise stated.

Reply 6

Two Tone

9

Shouldn't make much difference.

Reply 7

Scubar

I think it's usually 10% unless it's otherwise stated

Reply 8

Ynox

11

ask. Only way to find out.

For what its worth I was told 14k tops for my dissertation, I wrote 21k. Didn't get penalised :smile:

Reply 9

jovialtom

2

totally depends on the lecturer.... normally 10% is ok, but some are v.strict.
80 words they wont notice, just lie on the word count!

Reply 10

bunthulhu

14

So...do they sit there and count the words? It won't look any different to 3000 with just 80 extra words. :confused:

Reply 11

BlackpoolCraig

11

I've been told various rules. The first is the 10% rule. But some of my tutors are very lax about it, but the general rule is:

"Don't go grossly over the word limit. As long as you're not taking the mick, (i.e. 500 words over) then they'll be fine. so 80 words over shouldn't be much of a problem. That's only a few sentences.

Reply 12

F1 fanatic

16

bunthulhu

So...do they sit there and count the words? It won't look any different to 3000 with just 80 extra words. :confused:

exactly, assuming you hand in a paper version then 80 words is nothing. I'm sure there must be regulations somewhere about limits. It really depends what it is you are doing. If it is an official essay that is marked towards exams then maybe email, or at the very least follow the 10% rule, if not then I wouldn't worry about it at all for 80 words.

Reply 13

scruffs

1

They don't count (not unless they're REALLY nerdy)....80 extras in a 300 word essay is small potatoes, I'm sure you'll be able to sneak 'em through. But if you're that worried, surely it's possible to take just 80 words out?

Reply 14

silence

16

it depends on the lecturer, but 80 words over 3000 is nothing; it's less than 3% over.

i was fearful about going over the limits last year on two occasions and emailed lecturers about it. one said that 80 or so words over 1500 was fine, the other said that 1 word over 3000 wasn't.

Reply 15

Pseudomuse

1

They have to give leeway for these thing. it would be stupid if you had to write 3000 exactly

Reply 16

BlackpoolCraig

11

silence

it depends on the lecturer, but 80 words over 3000 is nothing; it's less than 3% over.

i was fearful about going over the limits last year on two occasions and emailed lecturers about it. one said that 80 or so words over 1500 was fine, the other said that 1 word over 3000 wasn't.

Yup. It depends on the tutor. The 10% rule is generally an unofficial rule. I don't think many tutors do have an official policy, but if they rae wanting to do a word count, they sometimes ask you to submit it electronically. (Although this is usually just so they can run it through plagiarism detection software, so only the uber-pedants will worry about going over the word count ever so slightly.)

Reply 17

CheesyBeans

1

I'm sure you'll be fine with only going 80 words over but if you're really bothered you should ask your lecturer or whoever. Some of mine have said 10% under or over is fine while some have said you only get penalised for going over. Then again thats still if over 10%.