| It is funny how what one person would consider to | | | | However, what these same people fail to appreciate |
| be little more than a minor inconvenience can become | | | | is that there is actually very little difference between |
| a major problem and even a significant worry for so | | | | the strategies that you should be adopting for writing |
| many others. This seemingly 'small thing' can soon | | | | 2,000 words when you are then asked to write |
| take on a life of its very own as something quite | | | | 10,000 words. This is because whilst many of you |
| major until it is playing on a person's mind and | | | | may just be able to rattle off 2,000 words you may |
| haunting their very existence until they have little or | | | | actually be costing yourselves marks if you do not |
| no real conception of how to proceed without | | | | take a moment to think (of course ignore what I am |
| guidance. Fortunately, however, help is at hand in the | | | | saying if you are already getting top grades for |
| form of this article because whilst the problem of an | | | | everything you write because you obviously know |
| essay word count may be something of a minor | | | | something that I do not and I would love to know |
| concern for many students it is something that | | | | your secret!). Therefore, when it comes to producing |
| should not be taken for granted as it is only not a | | | | any piece of work according to an essay word count |
| problem if you know how to handle it effectively | | | | I would advise you to have the following word in |
| when it comes to the essay writing process. | | | | mind - 'PLANNING'. |
| Therefore, this article will look to provide you with a | | | | Well, when thinking about the planning of any of your |
| brief overview of some of the things that you should | | | | work I would look to consider your essay strutures |
| look to deal with when considering the problems you | | | | as being an essential aspect of this aspect of your |
| may have with your word count. With this in mind, | | | | essay writing and so I would advise you to first ask |
| one of the first things that I would do is consider | | | | yourself the following five questions - |
| what actually 'counts' towards your essay word | | | | (a) What am I being asked to do? |
| count by looking in the guidance that you have | | | | (b) What does this mean to me? |
| received from your institution and your individual | | | | (c) How will this effect my writing style? |
| assessor to check what they expect of you. | | | | (d) What do I already know about what I have been |
| Now many of you may think 'Well, I don't to do that | | | | asked to write about? |
| because every word I write should count towards | | | | (e) Where can I find more information? |
| my essay word count so I need to structure my | | | | Then, depending on the nature of the subject that |
| essay accordingly' - WRONG!! | | | | you have been asked to write about you may be |
| More often than not only the words you write in the | | | | required to undertake a great deal of research or the |
| main body of your work will count towards your | | | | information may already be available to you (i.e. if |
| essay word count. As a result, this means that your | | | | you are writing about law then you are clearly going |
| footnotes, title (i.e. main heading/question), subtitles | | | | to need to refer to court decisions and legislation as |
| subheadings, and bibliography will NOT count towards | | | | well as other people's views allied to your own, but if |
| your essay word count because they are not part of | | | | you are writing about a play then you may still refer |
| the main body of your work and, with regards to the | | | | to other people's views but your own view is likely |
| footnotes and bibliography, are meant to give your | | | | to become all the more significant for the reader so |
| work greater credibility and legitimacy by showing | | | | think about what the reader/assessor requires from |
| that you are able to utilise other people's views in | | | | you). |
| your work and critique them. | | | | But how does this effect the essay word count? |
| Sounds simple doesn't it? | | | | The answer is it should get you thinking about the |
| If it only it was that easy . . . | | | | structure of your work which you can then detail in |
| The unfortunate reality is that very often you will be | | | | the first paragraph by way of an abstract |
| told your footnotes WILL count towards your essay | | | | (particularly for a dissertation or thesis) or you may |
| word count and so you will have to make allowances | | | | refer to it in the way that I do for an essay as the |
| for them and look to abbreviate where necessary | | | | 'Introduction to the Introduction' (see my book via |
| possible to save words for the main body of your | | | | my website at the bottom of this article for more |
| work according to an academically acceptable system | | | | information) because you are using this to tell the |
| and this can be made all the more complex where | | | | reader about your approach to the subject matter |
| your computer does not know the difference | | | | and in what order this will be undertaken. Then the |
| between the main body of the essay and the | | | | next paragraph will be your 'actual' introduction that |
| references so make sure to BE AWARE! | | | | serves to present the main issue that is to be |
| What about when you are asked to use a form of | | | | discussed and its importance to the particular aspect |
| 'in-text' referencing like Harvard Referencing? | | | | of the subject area you are studying. |
| Again, you must check to see whether these | | | | From there the rest of your work should be looking |
| reference will be included in your essay word count | | | | to consider matters related to this issue so that, for |
| because it is all too easy to assume that they will be | | | | example, if you are asked to consider the |
| just because they are included in the same area of | | | | 'Effectiveness of the Youth Justice System in the |
| your work as your discussion and analysis. Therefore, | | | | UK' you may begin by saying why this issue is so |
| where they are not included it is usually a good idea | | | | important before then looking at what successes |
| to keep a tally of the words that you use for your | | | | their have been and the efforts made to deal with |
| Harvard References so that you can subtract them | | | | any problems. This can be effectively achieved by |
| from your total at the end and get the right word | | | | looking at the effectiveness of practices including the |
| count. | | | | use of anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOS), cautions |
| Why is it so important to get the right essay word | | | | and exclusion order. Then, finally, you should be |
| count? | | | | looking at concluding with a summary of the key |
| Getting the right essay word count is essential | | | | points derived from your discussion relating to the |
| because whilst many of you may have heard the | | | | overall subject matter that you have been analysing |
| 'mythical' view that most institutions only check the | | | | so as to draw the work to a close. |
| word count for one out of every dozen essay | | | | In terms of the word count itself I have found that |
| papers that they receive, what with technology's | | | | it is generally a good idea to not write less than |
| ongoing advancement, can you really afford to take | | | | seven lines and/or three sentences and NOT much |
| the chance. This is because the unfortunate reality is | | | | more than 250 words per paragraph so that you |
| that very often if you are even ONE SINGLE WORD | | | | keep your arguments and analysis as part of your |
| over you could lose anything up to 20% of your | | | | discussion clear and concise without proving too |
| overall mark that could be the difference between an | | | | detriment to your essay word count. |
| 'A' and a 'C' grade or even a 'PASS' or a 'FAIL'. | | | | With this in mind, I generally also like to look to work |
| Of course you may be at one of those institutions | | | | to the following four basic rules with regards to the |
| where there is a 5% excess, but DO NOT take this | | | | content of each paragraph - |
| for granted - make sure that you know what 5% of | | | | (a) First, make a point that you consider to be |
| your word count is from the moment you starting | | | | important. |
| writing (simply divide your word count by 20 on a | | | | (b) Second, explain why that point is important. |
| calculator) and DO NOT go over it! | | | | (c) Third, offer any supporting evidence from other |
| But how do I manage essay word count when it | | | | people's work and show why it supports what you |
| comes to actually writing the work in practice? | | | | are saying. |
| You should see some of the many panicked faces | | | | (d) Fourth, consider whether there is anything that |
| that I have seen when you tell a student that, after | | | | conflicts with what you are saying and then use that |
| having written a number of 2,000 words (or less | | | | to move into your next paragraph so that the flow |
| essays), they will now have to write 4,000 words | | | | of your work is enhanced. |
| and - dare I say it - even a 10,000 word dissertation! | | | | Of course these rules may need to be adapted |
| The reason why most people start to worry is that | | | | depending on the nature of the work that you have |
| they get fixated on the number for obvious reasons | | | | been set, but in principle these are just some of the |
| because '10,000' is a lot bigger than '2,000' - I know | | | | thoughts that go through my head when thinking |
| that this may be a bit 'Noddy' for some of you but | | | | about the essay I am writing and the essay word |
| bear with me as I am getting to my point. | | | | count that is available for that work. |