Word Limits (1 Viewer)

[Mountain Megz]

Isn't it pathetic how we are given a world limit and warned that if we go more than 10% over, marks will be deducted?

We spend hours perfecting it and cutting things out that could have scored marks but others just write and write and couldn't care about a limit.

Well,how come in english, people got high marks for going over the word limit by 100%? and how come the people who spent ages perfecting it got lower marks?

The thing is insane really, like equal marking? hello, same marker and all but for some reason,the elite get the marks.

I know we need word limits but the outcomes we need to meet in some are just impossible to do in 500 words with three texts.


Has anyone else been a victim of word limits?

 

[kaz1]

I have been, but for writing too less lol.

 

[dp624]

Er, there's a word limit? since when? for 08 there never was one

 

[cem]

Your school may set a word limit for assessment tasks and should then enforce them equally for the task.

There is a recommendation of the number of words/pages that students should be writing for the HSC but they won't be mandated. In other words the BOS is going to say that the National Study essays for Modern History (25 marks) should be about 8 exam pages or xxx words (can't remember off the top of my head) but they are also saying that students won't be penalised for going over that limit. This is to come in in 2010. It is a guide for students.

 

[Gdaddy]

We were given an english assessment with a 1000 word limit but 1 hour to write in class: it doesnt make sense.

 

[petite chimiste]

The thing is insane really, like equal marking? hello, same marker and all but for some reason,the elite get the marks.

Yeah, that's coz they're elite

I know we need word limits but the outcomes we need to meet in some are just impossible to do in 500 words with three texts.

Euh... 500 words, yep that's pretty horrible for 3 texts.

Generally teachers only impose word limits on assesments as a guide to what they expect you to write in the external exams. And isn't it impossible to give a word limit on an in-class assessment anyway? It's not like you're going to have time, in the 40 minutes or 1 hour or whatever, to write a complete essay, then count all the words, and then chop/ add to it...

 

[alcalder]

It's good to get used to writing to word limits +/- 10%. At Uni they are enforced and you lose mega marks for not doing it correctly.

Anyway, there is a great function in Word that can help you lessen your words - Summary Function.

But if you have too few words, obviously there is more to be said.
If you have too many you can either simplify what you said, you've missed the mark and it's just waffle, or you have tried to cover too much in one essay.

Word limits can be difficult when you are not used to them, but Senior years are the times that are supposed to be a training ground for Uni (because that is what the HSC what supposed to be for in the dim dark ages).

 

[petite chimiste]

Anyway, there is a great function in Word that can help you lessen your words - Summary Function.

This sounds aaawesome!! Searching for Summary Function NOW!

 

[dp624]

Summary function is not good for english, it's much better to cut it down yourself.

 

[wixxy2348]

Summary function is majorly ghey.
Always leaves out relatively good points.

Word limits are good, in that it MAKES you be concise, stops you from waffling on, and is pretty cool in terms of making sure you don't spend too long physically writing.

Yeah.

 

[-may-cat-]

We were given an english assessment with a 1000 word limit but 1 hour to write in class: it doesnt make sense.

? one hour should be more than enough time to write a 1000 word essay? or did you mean the opposite, that its too much time?

 

[alcalder]

The idea is to use Summary Function as a help. Don't let it do it for you.

Let it highlight what it thinks can stay and what can go. Then, go through it yourself and edit using that as a guide. It certainly is fantastic for English and any other essay you want to write. It can pinpoint the extraneous points you are trying to make and distill an essay and written work into something that is tighter and better written.

Let me repeat that, DO NOT let the summary function do the work for you, let it be a guide and a tool.

 

[yummy-cookies]

I think word limits are designed to help you control how much you write, so in exam situations yo won't go overtime. By making you practise to write more concisely, you're in a far better position. Keep to the word limit!

Or, it could just be that the teacher can't be bothered to do that much marking