Working out the word count of your assignment
Your assignment will often have a word limit. Read your assignment brief carefully:
If you cannot find an assignment overview or brief, there should be a summary of it in your module handbook:
You are allowed exceed to your word limit by up to 10%, this means if your word limit is 4000 words, you maximum word count cannot exceed 4000 + (4000x 0.1) =4,400 words.
If your official limit is 1000 words, your maximum word count cannot exceed 1000 + (1000 x 0.1) = 1,100 words. Use the word count functionality in MS Word or Google Docs to check the number of words in your submission.
You may be penalised for exceeding your word count!
When marking, staff can stop reading when they reach the maximum word count, leaving your work only partially marked.
You will not be penalised for writing less than the word count, however if the length of your submission is significantly less than that of the word limit, check if you have adequately responded to the assignment brief.
Can I or my lecturer see my word count?
In Turnitin Assignments
Yes. Once submitted, you/ your lecturer can view your word count by clicking on the name of your file in the Assignment dashboard.
This opens your file in the submission in the Feedback studio, click on the i symbol in the left-hand toolbar. The word count appears in the info panel. This figure will be the total word count (including references etc.) and may differ slightly from the word count in MS Word or Google Docs.
In Blackboard Assignments
Yes. If you type straight into the submission box, you can see your word count beneath the submit window this will be total word count including references etc.
If you attach your file, Blackboard will not automatically provide a word count, unless Turnitin is enabled.
Then you (and your lecturer) can view the word count. Open your submission in the Blackboard assignment drop-box and click on the similarity score.
This will open the Turnitin interface, the total word count appears in the bottom left-hand corner, again this number includes references etc. and should only be used as a guide.
Remember, you or your lecturer can download the file and perform an accurate word count in MSWord or Google Docs.
Related Links
Centre for Digital Learning Enhancement
ulster.ac.uk/learningengancement/cdle