Typical assignment lengths
| Piece | Typical length |
|---|---|
| Secondary school essay | 500 to 1,000 |
| Undergraduate essay | 1,500 to 2,500 |
| Undergraduate dissertation | 8,000 to 12,000 |
| Master's dissertation | 15,000 to 20,000 |
| Journal article | 6,000 to 8,000 |
| Conference abstract | 250 to 300 |
Word counts, not characters. Confirm against your own brief, which always overrides a general figure.
What usually counts
- The ten percent rule
- Most departments accept ten percent either side of the stated length. It is a convention, not a law, so check your brief.
- In-text citations
- Usually counted. An author-date style therefore costs you words that a numeric style does not.
- Reference list
- Usually excluded. Paste only the body text here if your marker excludes it.
- Footnotes, tables and appendices
- Varies by department more than any other item. Ask rather than assume.
Questions
Does the word count include references?
Usually not. Most departments exclude the reference list and include in-text citations, but the rule varies, so the brief decides.
How much over the limit can an essay be?
Ten percent either side is the common convention, and the panel shows that band against your chosen target. Beyond it many departments apply a penalty, and some stop marking at the limit.
Why does this differ from the count in my word processor?
Word processors count the whole document including headers, footnotes and the reference list. Paste only the body text here to compare like with like.