If your feedback says "you need to stick to the word limit"
If you write more than the word limit beyond a certain point it won’t be read or marked.
Answer
If you struggle to stay in the word limit, there are two things you can do to help:
- Make a plan beforehand
- Edit after you have written it
When completing your assignment, consider if you have done the following:
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Focused on the assignment brief - What are you being asked to include. Is there anything there that is not directly relevant to the assignment? Could you cover the same content with fewer examples? Be careful when taking large sections out of your assignment that you are not taking out something essential
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Made a plan - Give yourself a word limit for each section and stick to it. If you have already written the assignment you can still make a plan and it can help you identify where you can make cuts. See the "Understanding the assignment title and getting started" toolkit.
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Focused on your writing style - have your written in a wordy style? Think of the most direct way to put your points across. Don’t use two words when one will do. Avoid using redundant phrases that do not add anything
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Focused on the way you use evidence - Can you summarise it in a shorter way? Do you actually need a direct quote? If two sources say the same thing, write one sentence summarising and then reference both. See the "writing concisely" interactive guide.
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Eliminated repetition - read through your assignment and identify any where you have repeated points. If you have said something more than once, where is the most logical place to make that point in the assignment.