ISP Report - exceeding word limit (1 Viewer)

[~ ReNcH ~]

In the guidelines it says that the report should only be 1000-1200 words. Is it wise to go over that limit? Also, does the word count include and, is, or, the etc?

Coz mine is ~1900 words, but only 1295 without those insignificant words.

 

[snapperhead]

In the guidelines it says that the report should only be 1000-1200 words. Is it wise to go over that limit? Also, does the word count include and, is, or, the etc?

Coz mine is ~1900 words, but only 1295 without those insignificant words.

the aim of the ISP is to get your point across within the word limit (thats why its there!) and yes, the little words count as they are words!!! (dont let anyone tell you otherwise)

Gotta cut it back as 1900 words is way to much IMO-> could be too much description

if you have to have the information (ie description), put it in an appendix or two

 

[SarahMary]

1900 probably is too many words for a 1200 word assessment, generally 10% more or less is a good guide to the range of words

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

Hhhmm...1400?

1000-1200 is so little!

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

When you actually look at it, it doesn't look like much though.
From Intro ---> Conclusion, it's 10 pages with about 1/3 of each page filled (+ pictures, footnotes etc), and it's also 1.75x-spaced.

 

[acmilan]

If you are going passed the word limit you are probably getting way too specific and descriptive. I had the same problem but the use of an appendix, as snapperhead suggested, is the best way to go as you can refer to sources and give a little more info without it actually counting as part of the word limit

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

Apparently a guy who just did the HSC did a report of ~2000 words and managed to get away with it...he got 22/25 which isn't bad either...

I managed to cut it down a bit, but it's tough. There's information I don't want to sacrifice. I can't not be descriptive coz that's one of the "performance descriptors" for the A grade range i.e. "Employs a descriptive approach to ISP topic area". There's a fine line between being succinct and missing vital info.

Isn't the appendix meant to be for raw data and sources though?

 

[= Jennifer =]

i went over but i never lost marks in the report section mine was 400 words over i think

 

[snapperhead]

I can't not be descriptive coz that's one of the "performance descriptors" for the A grade range i.e. "Employs a descriptive approach to ISP topic area". There's a fine line between being succinct and missing vital info.

Isn't the appendix meant to be for raw data and sources though?

sorry but thats a crap descriptor for an A grade range answer. The ISP is about analytical responses to a set question .: description /a descriptive approach should be a C or D range answer.... there isnt a fine line between being succinct and missing vital info as if you are succinct, you are including vital info and nothing else!!

An appendix can be for any data/resources/information (eg description) that will detract from your report or isnt 100% vital to your actual report but is important enough for the markers to know
egs of stuff that can go in an appendix include:
stats
bibliographies
history/timelines
data from surveys etc
descriptions (technical, pictures etc)

and so on

BTW you shouldnt have pictures etc in the middle of your report...put them into an appendix. Whilst it is a report, its still a formal piece of writing .: pictures and diagrams area no-no

+ there is no such thing as 10% either side...its 1000-1200 words. That the limit but its up to the school to enforce it (which sounds like they wont if that marking descriptor is typical!!)

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

My report has analyses and evaluations, but not much else...I put a couple of lines of description to put the analyses into context and that's all...it still ends up being about 1800 words...If I cut it down much further it would seem incomplete. I'm sure it would seem obvious if my report was 2000 words of waffle, but would the marker really notice if it was 1800 words of analysis/evaluation, and barely anything else?

Just on the pictures being in a report...I did that for my Business Report, and the teacher didn't mark me down for it - in fact, the teachers actually stressed the need to include pictures in the report in order to gain extra marks.

And is it OK to state percentages in the report (i.e. from a survey), and then analyse and evaluate those percentages within the report as well? Because that's what I did, and I'm not sure that it's entirely correct.

Btw. The "description" descriptor was for Grade C....my bad

 

[snapperhead]

lol...thats ok

business reports are different to other humanities reports as they usually consist of graphs etc so pictures are OK. Humanities and true report writing style does not condone pictures. Maybe Im being too anal about it with my students but you cant do it at uni and Im trying to prep them for uni afterall!!

On the word limit. Check with the marker as you may get away with it. One of the descriptors should be that you stick to the word limit as its an important part of the ISP!!

Percentages are Ok so long as you properly acknowledge were you got them from etc so its not plagarism.

You mentioned

it's 10 pages with about 1/3 of each page filled (+ pictures, footnotes etc)

Does this mean that the bulk of your page has pictures and footnotes on it? If so, double check your word count as my version of word (office X which is = to word 2000) counts footnotes in its word count and technically, they dont count. They only way I can do a proper word count is to cut and paste the actual essay Im writing into another document then do a word count. Im sure you can set it up to work properly but I dislike Word so I cant be bothered!!

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

Well, I do have pictures in mine - the most text I put in each page is about half a page...I already took out the footnotes in my estimate of 1900 (I think it's now 1850 ) - the footnotes were about 120 words. As for the percentages in my survey...that's where almost all my footnotes came from - references to my survey.

Seeing as "sticking to the word limit" isn't really one of the descriptors, does that mean the marker technically can't mark you down for exceeding 1200 words?

Btw. In regards to uni, do they inform you of how to write in a proper report style or do they assume you learnt how to do it at school e.g. I would never really have thought not to put pictures in, until you suggested not to. But for something like economics/business reports, it would be OK to include pictures, graphs, diagrams etc right? (i.e. a lot of the things from the appendix could actually be included in the report)

In uni, they wouldn't set such a low word restriction would they? An "average" thesis would be ~5000 words wouldn't it? It's just that after having to do a damn 3000 word short story for English, anything <1500 words just seems so little, especially since my Eco. teacher also sets word limits of ~2000 words.

 

[snapperhead]

Seeing as "sticking to the word limit" isn't really one of the descriptors, does that mean the marker technically can't mark you down for exceeding 1200 words?

Depends on the markers. Even though its not a criteria, its a requirement of the task!

Btw. In regards to uni, do they inform you of how to write in a proper report style or do they assume you learnt how to do it at school e.g. I would never really have thought not to put pictures in, until you suggested not to. But for something like economics/business reports, it would be OK to include pictures, graphs, diagrams etc right? (i.e. a lot of the things from the appendix could actually be included in the report)

You would have to ask some of the current uni students as Im sure things have changed over the past couple of years. When I went for undergrad, they assumed. My post grad was mostly assumed though 1 lecturer told us what she wanted

In uni, they wouldn't set such a low word restriction would they? An "average" thesis would be ~5000 words wouldn't it? It's just that after having to do a damn 3000 word short story for English, anything <1500 words just seems so little, especially since my Eco. teacher also sets word limits of ~2000 words.

Depends on the task, course and lecturer. A thesis would be in excess of 5,000 words at a guess but Im also guessing most undergrads wont be writing thesis' as most course assessment tends to be by course work/exams! You can visit various uni course webpages to see what their assessments are like as everything is net based now if you are curious.

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

Well, there is one teacher who is kind of getting old and maybe a bit senile. Hopefully she will mark it...she might not notice the excess words