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Word limits in A level coursework

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
We have a 2500 word limit for our english coursework, I've got just over 2000 so far and I just need to wrap it up and talk abit about the end of the play. This will give me just over 4 pages on word at most (using regular font and size). There are people in my class who have written over 4000 words and have done 7+ pages! Our teacher hasn't seen them all yet but I'm just wondering how strict the word limits are in A level coursework, my sociology one is quite strict and I have to do as close to the limit as possible (1200). Do you lose marks for going too far over the limit?
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm not sure because it will obviously vary, but at our uni we were generally expected to be within 10% either side of the limit. Sometimes marks would be deducted for going seriously outside of it. 4000 words for a 2500 limit is clearly massively excessive and I think they should expect to lose out for it, as they are not completing the assignment.

    Part of the skill that limits are trying to teach you is the ability to be succint, and put your arguments across without rambling. If they give you a certain limit, then the expectation would be that you can give a comprehensive, objective-meeting, answer within that limit.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    On the other hand, my English Language coursework was double the limit at 6600 words. I think the limit was 2000-3000. HOWEVER my tutor let me submit it in it's entirety because it was all completely relevant to what I was discussing and therefore ok. Probably best to check with your tutor.

    Oh and is this AS? Because the above was my A2 coursework, we did an exam rather than coursework for AS.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm quite impressed with myself for being within the limit (i'm not going to write 500 more words) yet they're bragging about having written novels and I'm thinking, they must have rambled loads because we don't need to use that many words or they've retold the story. There weren't really any limits in our GCSE coursework and there was someone who did 40 pages in coursework (can't remember what subject). Maybe they're not understanding that less is more at A level? I guess i'll find out when our teacher comments on them. This is English Lit AS btw, if it makes a difference. And it's on Shakespeare.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ah right. I didn't do lit, just Language on it's own.
    If they have gone majorly over the limit and you have stuck within it then that's fine for you, and I wouldn't worry about them bragging about it. I presume your teacher gets to look over it with you before formally marking it so that you can make changes? Because they will probably be told to edit lots out but you won't have to :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I think they tend to accept a 10% tolerance on word counts in English, though I know in some subjects they're really strict and won't actually mark anything over the specified word count. But to get round it, I sometimes state my word count to be 100 or so words less then what it actually is, because I'm sure no examiner is going to sit there and count the number of words in an essay. But they do have pretty good judgements, so if you're going to lie a bit don't go more than about 100 out.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You can also make your font into 11, or 11.5 rather than 12 to cheat it a bit!
    At my uni, the limit is +/- 10%, and it's strict to that. If you go over that they stop marking at the upper limit.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ballerina wrote: »
    I'm quite impressed with myself for being within the limit (i'm not going to write 500 more words)


    dont be put off by people bragging about writing loads. I remember doing geography at A2, used to write within word limits, and get the same top grades as a girl who wrote twice as much every time.

    it's much better to be succinct as possible in my opinion :) just think of the poor teachers marking all the double-length waffle!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    One of the major skills in writing essays and doing assignments is being able to express yourself concisely.

    At my uni it's the 10% either way rule.

    I'm sure you'll be fine.
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