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Word limits are specified for some assessed work in order to maintain fairness between all students doing the same assessment.
 

Your module leaders must clearly communicate information on word limits to you in the assessment brief.
 

Assessed work should not exceed the prescribed word limit. You may be subject to a sanction if you exceed that limit.

Providing an accurate word count

For written work, you must provide an accurate word count for each piece of work you submit. This will normally rely on the word count system within Microsoft Word.
 

The word limit specified for written assessments excludes:

  • Assessment Title

  • Tables (tables may not include large amounts of text)

  • Graphs

  • Equations

  • Footnotes

  • Bibliography

  • Appendices (appendices may contain diagrams, tables or visual images but not large amounts of text)

 

Excess use of any of the above may result in the word count being checked and a sanction being applied.
 

Markers will check the declared word count on the cover sheet against the word limit specified for that assessment. If the word count exceeds the specified word limit, the appropriate sanction is applied and this will be reported to the School Assessment Board.
 

Work is marked normally and the overlength sanction is applied to the raw provisional mark. This applies when marking first attempt work or reassessment work.
 

If it is suspected that you have not declared the word count honestly, and that the work is longer than declared, the word count may be checked, and a sanction applied. The School Assessment Board may reserve the right to refer a student for consideration under the University's Academic Misconduct Policy.

Sanctions for overlength work

Percentage over the word limit

Sanction

Up to 10%
Deduct no marks, but note in feedback
Between 10% to 24%
Deduct 5 marks*
Between 25% to 49%
Deduct 10 marks*
More than 50%
Eligible only for the capped pass mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Or given a capped pass mark, whichever is greater. For example, a raw mark of 42 would be capped at a mark of 40 for an undergraduate student if the work was 20% over the word limit.

 

Find out more information on agreed sanctions and the Academic Misconduct Policy Code of practice for assessment

Sanctions applied for a first attempt

Use the table below to see details of situations where the following sanctions are applied for an assessment first attempt.

 

Please note that:

  • '24 hours' runs for the 24 hour period following the deadline. For example, for a submission on Friday at 12.00pm noon, the 24 hour period is until 12.00pm noon on Saturday.

  • A 'working day' runs from 12.00pm noon to 12.00pm noon, excluding weekends, bank holidays, and University closure days at Christmas, but including Monday to Friday through vacation periods.

Deducted 5 marks or a capped pass applied

In the following case, an assessment component will be deducted 5 marks, or a capped pass will be applied if deducting 5 marks reduces a passing mark to a failure mark. If the raw mark is a failure, then a late sanction is not applied.

  • Work submitted after the assessment deadline, but within 1 hour of the published deadline or approved extension deadline
Deducted 10 marks or a capped pass applied

In the following cases, an assessment component will be deducted 10 marks, or a capped pass will be applied if deducting 10 marks reduces a passing mark to a failure mark. If the raw mark is a failure, then a late sanction is not applied.

  • Work submitted between 1 hour and 24 hours after the assessment deadline or approved extension deadline.
  • Arriving up to 1 hour late for a scheduled assessment without exceptional circumstances. For example, attending a presentation, viva or so on, on the same day after the allotted time. This does not apply to examinations. Note: it may not always be possible to reschedule an assessment if a student is late.
  • Work for a 'timed assessment' submitted after the assessment deadline but within 1 hour of the published deadline
Capped pass

In the following cases, an assessment component will be capped at the pass mark if the work is of passing standard. If the raw mark is a failure, then a late sanction is not applied.

  • Work submitted between 24 hours after the assessment deadline or approved extension deadline and up to 5 working days.
  • Arriving between 1 to 3 hours late for a scheduled assessment without exceptional circumstances. For example, attending a presentation, viva or so on, on the same day after the allotted time. This does not apply to examinations. Note: it may not always be possible to reschedule an assessment if a student is late.
  • Work for a 'timed assessment' submitted over 1 hour after the assessment deadline but within 3 hours of the published deadline
Receives a mark of zero

In the following cases, an assessment component will receive a mark of zero:

  • Work submitted after 5 working days of the published deadline or approved extension deadline.
  • Work not submitted after 5 working days of the published deadline or approved extension deadline.
  • Work not submitted, or submitted after 3 hours of the published deadline, for a 'timed assessment'.
  • Non-attendance for an examination without approved exceptional circumstances.
  • Non-attendance for a scheduled assessment without exceptional circumstances, for example a presentation, viva and so on.
Keywords: over-length work, word count, sanction, penalty, over-length