AIBU to think a word limit is the actual word limit?

[iloveruby]

I'm currently doing an MSc and (perhaps naively) thought that the word limit was exactly that - the point where the examiner would stop reading the assignment.

However, when talking to other students it would appear that in past assignments they have exceeded the limit by approximately 10% without comment or it being reflected in the mark.

I'm going to clarify the rules tomorrow but AIBU to have assumed that the word limit was to be strictly adhered to? Interested to hear what others who are academics / students or who have experience in this area think.

AIBU - i am being unreasonable to think essays and assignments should not exceed the word limit and that it isn't unusal for there to be leeway.

AINBU - word limits are there to be followed.

You can be 10% under or 10% over

@iloveruby Sounds like either would be a compromise. Not a good idea to buy in a rush.
If it were me, I'd sell and rent - give myself 6 months to find something, and be in a stronger position as no chain. Get my name down and have a rapport with local agents.

This is embarrassing! I was on a totally different thread, yet my post appeared here! As you were....

I voted yabu, because this information will be in the student handbook / essay marking guide for your course, probably along with info about referencing etc.

Sorry - just seen your latest post.

Hello again, so the assessment guide says the university doesnt operate a 10% policy and will therefore judge only up to maximum word count.

As a previous poster has also experienced, rather frustratingly this doesn't seem to have been applied consistently. I'm not sure whether to raise it or let it go, but it does seem rather unfair!

Although in my institution the limit is +10% the penalty differs between faculties and year group as to whether it is an automatic penalty or a warning on the first occasion and what the penalty is (loss of marks/ stop reading so miss the conclusion etc.). I have to remember which faculty I am marking in to apply the appropriate penalty. You might therefore find the guidance in a faculty or module handbook.

I’ve just completed two modules with the OU, one of which was an arts & humanities module and had a 10% leeway (which is standard in A&H with the OU). My second module did not have this leeway - the word count was a LIMIT. Different ‘school’ within the OU so different rules. Always best to check.

Following your update I would raise it as a query with the course coordindator. It might be that there has been some flexibility but not on the final thesis.

10% has always been standard in HE.

It'll be in the handbook. But honestly if you stick to the word limit your essay will be better anyway. It's really good discipline for your writing skills.

Why would you raise it, to cause problems for other students?

I supply it depends. I had assignments where we had to write in word count!!! But I do agree with other posters: it should be more of a guideline.

Maybe 10% is a lot.... 5% seems better.... unless you REALLY can't reduce. Personally I would feel like justifying to the professor going that much over the limit. Talking about how my research has unveiled a lot of different ideas.

Actually I was always very good at being concise. And that it a great skill to have

@iloveruby

Hello again, so the assessment guide says the university doesnt operate a 10% policy and will therefore judge only up to maximum word count.

As a previous poster has also experienced, rather frustratingly this doesn't seem to have been applied consistently. I'm not sure whether to raise it or let it go, but it does seem rather unfair!

Sorry missed this. It is annoying but you should concentrate on your own thing and not get distracted by word count quibbles. Better for you in the long run however irritating it is.

Do they count references? Some unis will allow you to remove references from the total word count.

Done various undergrad and post grad qualifications. All had 10% leeway on word limit. Very normal.

Strange that it’s not being applied clearly or consistently. I’d definitely contact the course administrator and raise it.

I'm doing a MSc too. 10% plus or minus is the tolerance. If they ask for 2000 words they are expecting 1800 to 2200. Under or over that, they won't even mark it. And you can't get away with bunging loads of content in appendices either.

However in the "real world", as a writer, if I'm asked for a 500 word article, or a 2000 word article I have to be as close to that as possible, or someone else has to edit it down to that. Because it needs to fit in a specific space.

@Orf1abc

Why would you raise it, to cause problems for other students?

No not to cause problems for other students but to clarify the policy.

@theplantsitter

Yes, you are probably right not to focus on it too much but it is difficult when you've made decisions about removing content in order to stay within the word limit.

Completely agree that you need clarity @iloveruby and it's not unreasonable to ask for that.

I've studied at 2 different universities and both had the +/- 10% rule.

I’ve studied at multiple universities and they had different rules.

One uni: go over and it’s a certain number of marks off for each % over
Another uni: 10% leeway

Always check! But never heard of anywhere where they would stop reading!

10% has always been standard in HE

Has also been the standard in GCSE subjects with a 'word count limit' for the last few years.

And even then, not because the examiner will 'stop reading' after the word count + or - 1=%, but because they think the word count (in tandem with the time limit for the exam) that they think is the right one to achieve the highest marks in that particular exam.

The problem is (or at least this was how I felt at uni 20 years ago) that you end up automatically adding the extra 10% on when you start. So if you had been set 1000 you went to 1100 automatically and so on. So you end up cutting out content anyway.