If an essay exceeded its word limit, what is the worse that can happen to the grade?

Question

An essay, with a 1000 word limit (and they allow 10% either way), ends up being around 1500 words. Is it reasonable for that essay to be capped at D-, or even be given an F?

Answer 1

Not likely, but it all depends on the teacher. Most teachers put a Word Limit for two reasons:

1) To set a standard of what they expect out of the paper. Anyone can throw together a 100 word paper easily. To write a good 1,000 word paper takes a bit more time and effort (but still not a lot, try writing a 10 page paper over night >.<).

2) The teacher doesn't want to spend all day/night writing papers that are too long. Imagine you have 10 students and you tell them that the word limit is 1,000. If each one wrote a paper with 1,500 words, that's equal to an addition 5 students.

Overall, it depends on the teacher. Your grade may be harmed or it may not. It is VERY unlikely that  you'll drop a letter grade because of this.

A side of advise: The shorter the paper, the less the mistakes for points to be docked from ;)

EDIT - Now when it comes to a page limit, if you were to write a 3 page paper and hand in a 10 page paper, you can get you score knocked down pretty bad.

Answer 2

If it's a piece of coursework sent off to be examined the examiner will stop reading at the word limit and not mark anything past it. It's only 400 words, I had to get rid of over 1000 for a piece of coursework, I'm sure you can cut back by 400.

Answer 3

I don't think it would be reasonable for it to drop down to that level just because of the word limit. However, if it was a bad essay anway, than it would be okay to get a F. Just edit the essay and cut the worthless parts out of replace words with a word.

Answer 4

You lose a certain amount of points.  It can mean that you drop down a grade ie, if you got 72% which would give you a 1, losing 5 points will put you down to a 2.1.  Part of having a word limit is to prove that you can express yourself clearly and most essays should easily be answered with a 16,000 +10% essay.

Answer 5

its not that hard to keep under a word limit if you can write that much all you need to do is summarise the main points. but yeh in my college they take of 2 marks for every 10 words above the limit. so i guess u would get a pretty bad grade even if its a good essay

Answer 6

most probably the fat asses(proffesors) wont care....and if you exceed it too much........u'll get your marks deducted also u'll spoil your impression for the nxt questions.....this happens in language.......you have to make the proffessor happy

Answer 7

It depends on the teacher completely. I've known teachers to do the following:

1) Not accept it at all and give a 0%/Fail

2) Only read the first 1100 words and grade you on those

3) Cap the grade at C, D or E

4) Accept the whole thing

Answer 8

Well it shows that you can't read or acknowledge whats being asked which is why you will get marked down :)

Answer 9

In college, yes some professors will fail you for that. Other just won't finish reading the paper and grade on what they read. In high school they'll probably pass you.

Answer 10

Since you've been given 10% leeway, I'd suggest you start editing. You've exceeded  the limit big time.