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College dilema

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
Ok, quick dilema.

My English Literature AS coursework is worth 30% of my final mark, my tutor- being a bit of a useless waste of space has looked at my first draft, and has suggested things, only he wouldn't look at it again. The final hand in date is tomorrow, I have made a few changes, but I didn't want to make major changes incase they were wrong, my word length is 1,173, out of a possible 2,000. My question: will tutors examiners mark me down as I haven't used that many words?
Post edited by JustV on

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It depends on the exam body, most dont like you going over/under by about 10-15% of the total word count. But the most you would lose is a couple of marks (Its comes under the spelling/puntuation/grammar part of the marking I think) I had to pad one of my Engligh Lit essays out and I kinda cheated. (I.e. paraphased a section out of the poetry book we used. Bad Marie) I dont advise you do it. I always used to much, not too little.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    your-babe wrote: »
    My question: will tutors examiners mark me down as I haven't used that many words?

    Yes. Especially at such a large gap. 50 or 60 words below or above is alright. Anything more then it becomes a problem.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bollocks, that was what I was worried about! Better get writing then! Trouble is it's about Twelfth Night, and I'm shite at Shakespeare, I was going to say fuck it, but at 30% of my final grade, maybe not lol.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yerascrote wrote: »
    Yes. Especially at such a large gap. 50 or 60 words below or above is alright. Anything more then it becomes a problem.

    Not really. Although I'd agree they may mark you down for being over 800 words down, I don't think 50 or 60 is realistic unless they've said so. My Extended Essay was a 4000 limit, and I wrote 3,822 (I think...) my Philosophy coursework was 1,074/1200. I would say it depends what the word limit is. I'd say 10% under, don't go over though...

    I'd say aim for at least 1,700 if your max is 2000 :yes:.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Cheers Franki, *frantically gets out shitty Shakespeare notes to write more in!*
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    littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    The average rule is 10%. They don't mind if you are 10% over or under your word limit. So, if your limit is 2000 then anything between 1800 and 2200 is acceptable.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    my AS coursework doesn't have to be in til easter time - and i've been working on it since january! That's shakespeare too but it's hard.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    your-babe wrote: »
    Ok, quick dilema.

    My English Literature AS coursework is worth 30% of my final mark, my tutor- being a bit of a useless waste of space has looked at my first draft, and has suggested things, only he wouldn't look at it again. The final hand in date is tomorrow, I have made a few changes, but I didn't want to make major changes incase they were wrong, my word length is 1,173, out of a possible 2,000. My question: will tutors examiners mark me down as I haven't used that many words?

    I thought a word count was 10% either way
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    We don't have the 10% rule here.

    If we were that far under though, there would have been something we would have definately missed. There is a word limit for a reason. Its usually what they expect and its usually because you need to write that many words to get everything in.

    I'd write a bit more tbh, say 1800 words?

    I'm always over the word count :grump:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    at uni we have a 10% either way rule (i once got a word allowance wrong, thought it was 2000 but it was 1000. i wrote in the region of 2000 and got told it was 'one of the worst things you can do'. it was a good essay but they were forced to only give me a 40). and i'm sure we had the 10% thing at college, too. so i would advise going upto about 1800.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    *Snow White Queen* wrote: »
    We don't have the 10% rule here.

    If we were that far under though, there would have been something we would have definately missed. There is a word limit for a reason. Its usually what they expect and its usually because you need to write that many words to get everything in.

    I'd write a bit more tbh, say 1800 words?

    I'm always over the word count :grump:

    Theres a word count for a reason. Its a good skill adhering to it as well. I find it easy to write way more but its just waffle mainly. I remember my college once forced me to take an essay away and cut down 300 words. I thought no chance, but I surprised myself.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I didn't know about the 10% rule! Thankyou everyone!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ok, just finished the coursework. I've written 1,800 words, and I can't find anything else relevant to write about, but I can how I missed out important themes, character points, dramatic effects of the play etc, which I've now added in :)
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