Referencing with the Harvard System

Catseyez

Morning,

When working out the word count for an essay we are told "not to include references". Now I know this means not to include the reference list/bibliography in the word count, but what about references throughout the essay?

For instance, should:

According to Wallis (2006), there are....

be counted as 5 or 6 words?

holstar

I have always counted them, as its far too difficult to not count them. I doubt a lecturer could reasonably expect you to not include them.

I would say they are part of the essay itself, as you are referring to their work. If you didn't cite them in the essay, the essay would be much poorer.
so, include those within the work itself, as you've exampled there, but not the list at the end

MercilessKiller

Hmmm if you dont include them you could get done for plagerism for saying something but not saying where you got it from rofl!

Strange

Catseyez

MercilessKiller wrote: »

Hmmm if you dont include them you could get done for plagerism for saying something but not saying where you got it from rofl!

Strange

I think I've been misunderstood. I'm not asking if it is OK to exclude references from the essay, I am asking if it is OK to exclude the references (such as the year, name of author) from the final word count.

I was talking to a friend the other day and she told me that when she has finished an essay, she adds up the number of references - but only the information in brackets, ie, (Wallis, 2005) - and deducts it from her total word count.

melancholly

i think it's usual for people to exclude the references list at the end, but not the citations in the essay..... you usually have 10% above the limit anyway. it's so much easier to just use the word count and not have to go through it to find an extra 100 words to use!!

best thing to do is email your head of undergraduate affairs and see what they say - it's better to be sure if it's coursework!

pudding06

I got through 2 degrees and I counted them. Its difficult if you use a computer which doesnt distinguish between your text and a citation. No-one commented, and I always struggled to get mine down to within 10%. Perhaps I shouldnt have counted them and then it would have been easier.

Oh and it didnt affect my class of degree either = rest assured- I got an upper 2nd the first time for my BSc and a first the second for my BA.

pudds

Tallulah22

i generally bold the reference and word count the ordinary text, it takes a while as you have to highlight it bit by bit, but you get an accurate account.

Ytaya

I tend to exclude the reference list and include the in-text citations. I've never been pulled up on this yet, and believe me, my lecturers would have done if it was wrong!

Moon~Shadow

I've been doing my degree for 5 years and have always excluded the references list at the back from my wordcount as we are told the rest is part of the essay/report word count.

HTH

Tallulah22

Ohh i didn't know that, i could have added so much more to my word count!!

SamMoffatt28

I have had this debate with my tutor and how I understand it is this ..

The quote "blah blah blah, whatever, etc" is counted in the word count however the reference i.e (Watkins:1996: P 23) is not included in the word count but should be properly referenced in the bibliography at the back. Bibliography is also not included in word count.

I hope this makes sense ?

Good luck xxx