Forums › OBU Forums › Word count – Report and SLS (Self-reflection)
- This topic has 170 replies, 46 voices, and was last updated 5 years ago by GillianM – OBU Registered Mentor.
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- September 21, 2014 at 3:42 am #195730
But in resubmission when marker failed you first time in E&A giving the reason that Narrow Range of Sources were used and rectify that problem. Then marker will only check Narrow Range of sources problem or marker can Fail on another thing this time (Can marker give a new reason for failure)?
September 21, 2014 at 9:27 am #195760The Assessment criteria (Appendix 1) for failing for E & A are:
“Descriptive and lacking in analysis. Inaccuracies. Little or no critical evaluation”
And for Information Gathering & Referencing:
“Very few and / or irrelevant information sources used. Referencing is mostly absent or unsystematic”
In your case it would be a matter of whether you have made an attempt at some reasoned analysis, rather than just making obvious statements and comments from the annual report. If you have shown in places that you thought about the causes of the changes in the trends / linked your SWOT or PESTLE to the financial analysis then you will have met at least the very minimum criteria for a pass (Some analysis but a tendency towards description rather than analysis and evaluation).
‘Narrow range of sources’ means over reliance on company information and that in turn can often mean that the quality of the analysis does not go deep enough and most of the ‘explanations’ are too superficial (mainly describe rather than look at the real causes behind the figures) i.e. the analysis is insufficient to meet the criteria. As I have said in my article on Evaluation in our home pages, where I cite the Information Pack – you have to do something with the information you have gathered not just make obvious statements. It is not just a case of using sources but using them well to demonstrate that there is “some analysis” as per the criteria for a pass.
Note: on results day OT is going to publish a post called ‘Marker speak – Understanding what your marker probably meant in the feedback’ as markers tend to use some set phrases in their feedback which, although they think their feedback is clear, from queries posted on our forums it is obvious that many students do not really understand. The idea is that I will try to interpret what I think the marker was getting at to help everyone who is facing a resubmission.
September 22, 2014 at 8:11 pm #195961Hi,
I am currently writing my RAP on topic 6. But my part 1 is already above the set 1000 words by ACCA. Pls any penalty for this?
Thanks
October 2, 2014 at 4:36 pm #203276@Fashtheo – this has been covered in the FAQ section which can be found on our home page
https://opentuition.com/obu/October 18, 2014 at 6:18 pm #204856Hi,
I have a few questions
1) Since list of references and appendix are not included in word count should I make them in a separate ms word document or should I keep adding them in the same document as the RR?
2) if I create a separate document for them then how do I put them in the table of contents?
Please help
October 20, 2014 at 10:22 am #2050861. you are expected to load the Ref list as a separate Word doc. File for submission
2. You don’t have to include the Ref list in the table of contents for the RAP
Note: the reason OBU wants it separate is otherwise they can’t see the word count instantly. It then means a marker would have to highlight the text to find it – and this would take time and probably therefore annoys the marker – something you don’t want to do! 🙂
October 20, 2014 at 1:18 pm #205110Thanks for your reply trphena. What about the appendix? Do they need to be a part of the RAP or they can be uploaded separate too? If so then do we need to include them in the table if contents?
October 20, 2014 at 9:23 pm #205167@sadsingh – the Appendices are all loaded as separate files and don’t have to be included in the table of contents
October 20, 2014 at 9:47 pm #2051691) Thank you
2) Thank you again and
3) Thank you very much.October 22, 2014 at 6:43 pm #205456AnonymousInactive- Topics: 0
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It is said in the info pack that words in graphs are included in the word count. I have used “column charts” made in excel, in my ratio analysis. They are not counted by MS Word. What should i do ?
also are the numbers in the chart also words or just the actual words like axis names or titles should be counted ?
would appreciate a reply.October 22, 2014 at 7:55 pm #205476@aneeq7 – don’t worry about it. 🙂 !!! I have it on good authority that unless they suspect serious embedding this is the method OBU use.
To find out what is included highlight the graph and chart and see what comes up in the MS wordvount . Obviously for a total word count first save your document and then start at the first word of the title page highlight and scroll through to the last word of the conclusion/recommendations and see what cones up. (The reason I suggest saving first is in case when you hightlight you accidentally delete – done it myself – this way should you mess up close immediately without saving and recover the last saved version – or better still of course you should be backing up regularly!) Use the word count that comes up as your stated word count.
If any embedding is suspected then they scrutinise the doc more carefully I believe…..
October 22, 2014 at 8:40 pm #205486AnonymousInactive- Topics: 0
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oh thank you! although do elaborate on what you mean by embedding in this case ?
October 22, 2014 at 9:23 pm #205491@aneeq7 – embedding in this context is putting a lot of information in tables and / or using a lot of tables and pasting them as images to deliberately avoid the word count. The odd one would probably be ignored but if the marker thought the student was using imaged tables as a trick to get around the word count then I think they would most likely manually count the words in such tables and add them back to get the total word count. Don’t worry with the graphs as the number of words each time is negligible and presumably there is no intention to deliberately deceive…..
October 23, 2014 at 6:58 am #205505Hello,
I want to paste my tables and graphs as pictures. Does this mean that I have to count the words first in order to comply with the required word count limit?
Many thanks
Kind Regards
AmarainOctober 23, 2014 at 9:00 am #205533@Amarain – don’t worry about the words in graphs 🙂 Do not use lots of tables for T8 – graphs and bar charts etc are better as they show the trends instantly. Do not have any tables that go over a page.
As I have said there’s no problem with small tables but longer ones should be avoided for T8. And DON’T do your applied SWOT in one as these are really annoying for the reader who has to keep scrolling up and down to read it all (the basic grid is fine for theory).
If you start to annoy the marker then that’s when they start to dig deeper and get annoyed by other things (the missed reference, labels from graphs and a few statements of the obvious and if they think you are trying to fool them over the word count the killer instinct will take over…..) As I’ve said lots of times give them what they want: nicely presented work they can read and follow easily with clear graphs, good explanations and that ticks the routine boxes (referencing, wordcount and self-reflection in the SLS etc) and they will be happy…. hack them off and they will bite hard!
October 28, 2014 at 6:20 pm #206453AnonymousInactive- Topics: 0
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Is the table of contents and list of abbreviations not included in the word count ?
October 28, 2014 at 6:31 pm #206454@aneeq7 – yes they are if they are both in the report but you can load the Abbreviations as a separate file (not the contents page though). In fact arguably it is better to have abbreviations separately as the reader could flick between files rather than having to scroll back and forward in the report each time they want to look something up and this would be quicker 🙂
November 8, 2014 at 2:47 pm #208419Hello there,
I want to ask if it is compulsory to make a contents page to make it easier for marker to find stuff?
Because contents page adds nearly 200 words whereas i am already a little above limit and trying to reduce word count.Also there is a way to make contents page using SmartArt in Microsoft word where words won’t be counted but it looks exactly like a contents page.
November 8, 2014 at 3:48 pm #208425Table of contents does not count in your allowed word limit of 7500. You should give a read to OBU info pack and guidelines within.
November 8, 2014 at 4:02 pm #208428as per OBU info pack
“The word limit includes everything from the start of the title page to the end of the
conclusion It is important to note that words included in tables, graphs and pictures
within the body of the report are included in the word count, appendices including
financial statements and the list of references are not included in the word count.
Your Title Page should include your full registered name and ACCA number.”Apparently i made contents page right after title page to make it easier for marker.. where does it say that table of contents is not counted in total word count? please refer
November 8, 2014 at 4:04 pm #208429The 7,500 word limit includes everything from the start of the title page, the table of
contents, to the end of the conclusions; it does not however include the List of
References and the Appendices.Apparently it does count in total word count, you should read Info pack again xD
November 9, 2014 at 11:40 am #208553Hello Trephena,
Plz advise,
Yea its true , today I have learnt that The word limit includes the title page, table of content and everything upto the conclusions. But I have also included an acknowledgement part which is just after the content page, So is the acknowledgement part counted in it also. I Have already exceeded the word limit. What to do now? I ws thinking of submitting today.November 9, 2014 at 12:05 pm #208556Everything is included in word count, you should just remove the acknowledgement
November 9, 2014 at 12:16 pm #208559But still, the word limit is exceeded by the content page. So must I reduce words from my RAP itself?
November 9, 2014 at 12:20 pm #208561Yes you should. try to reduce the word count by using abbreviations ( don’t overdo it ).
Or try to just convert your tables ( if any prepared using word ) to excel.Exceeding 7500 word count won’t necessarily result in a failure however according to INFO pack they will stop reading your RAP after 7500 words.
I would suggest you to reduce your word count to 7500 by rephrasing your ratios maybe
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