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Very quick question on the history RSR.

  • 10-04-2012 12:56PM
    #1
    Viken
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭


    And here it is:
    Are 2353 words too many?

    Here's the breakdown:
    -237 words, Outline Plan.
    -508 words, Evaluation of Sources.
    -1470 words, Extended Essay.
    -138 words, Evaluation of Research process.

    Do you guys think it's necessary to bring it down another 2-3 hundred words?

    I've already brought it down from 3700. Length has been my problem all along [yes, "that's what she said", so funny rolleyes.gif], I'm sick of trying to be more concise. At least it's made me decide that I never want to become an editor.


Comments

  • #2
    Canard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,572 ✭✭✭Canard


    If you havent written it up yet I'd try to shorten it a bit, just in case. No need to remove information, just choose more compact wording. :) My sister's RSR is only 1000 words and one of my friends' is like yours, I dont think the examiner cares all that much. You could just write 1470 on it but thats a bit risky and sneaky.


  • #3
    Viken
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭Viken


    According to my history teacher [and hist.ie], you should have at least 1800 words at HL. I'm quoting from Hist.ie directly here; "The word length should be 600-800 words for Ordinary level students,and 1200-1500 words for Higher level students." - and that's just the extended essay! If we go by percentages [60%=1200 words] then it's a total of 2000 words, but you probably don't have to write as much for the evaluation or outline plan, hence the estimate of 1800.

    Are you sure that you and your sister shouldn't be writing a bit more!? I don't want to sound like a douche, but 1000 words seems a tad short. Then again, that was only a guideline, and I guess it's quality over quantity.

    Anywho, in the meantime I'll continute to try and make the wording more compact, but the more you cut it down, the harder it gets. It's just a painstaking process. Good luck with your project.


  • #4
    DepoProvera
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 404 ✭✭DepoProvera


    My History teacher said that examiners said at a conference that they refused to go counting words. However mine is around 4,000 words so I'll be needing to cut down a lot.


  • #5
    Canard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,572 ✭✭✭Canard


    Viken wrote: »
    According to my history teacher [and hist.ie], you should have at least 1800 words at HL. I'm quoting from Hist.ie directly here; "The word length should be 600-800 words for Ordinary level students,and 1200-1500 words for Higher level students." - and that's just the extended essay! If we go by percentages [60%=1200 words] then it's a total of 2000 words, but you probably don't have to write as much for the evaluation or outline plan, hence the estimate of 1800.

    Are you sure that you and your sister shouldn't be writing a bit more!? I don't want to sound like a douche, but 1000 words seems a tad short. Then again, that was only a guideline, and I guess it's quality over quantity.

    Anywho, in the meantime I'll continute to try and make the wording more compact, but the more you cut it down, the harder it gets. It's just a painstaking process. Good luck with your project.
    ..Thats odd, any other history students I know have taken that 1200-1500 to mean in total, I'm pretty sure that is actually what its referring to? The outline plan and evaluation of sources arent counted in the word count! My RSR is around 1300 so I'm not too far off the maximum, I could have written more but it wasn't too relevant - I thought I was over the count originally because I had counted all the sections, but I'm almost 100% sure its just the extended essay and review they want a count on.
    And yeah I kinda thought that but it was on something really complicated, so complicated her teacher wont ever let anyone else do it :L

    I wasnt even thinking when I read your OP - your actual word count is only around 1600 words. I googled it and if you look at this post and even a few of the other posts in the thread, only the essay and review count. So you're actually fine, if you can fit it all in :D (thats what she said once again haha)


  • #6
    Viken
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29 ✭Viken


    "My History teacher said that examiners said at a conference that they refused to go counting words. However mine is around 4,000 words so I'll be needing to cut down a lot. "
    I don't envy you, cutting down the word count is really frustrating. My one tip would be to read everything afresh with your RSR title in mind, and just cut out anything that isn't directly related to it. You can remove entire paragraphs at a time with this approach, and replace them with a single sentence. [In my case, rather than rattling on about Sean MacEoin's political career for a whole paragraph I instead brought it down to just: "he then began a successful political career, even running twice for presidency" - as my project is based on his role in the War of Independence].

    Good luck anyway, thanks for the insight.
    ..Thats odd, any other history students I know have taken that 1200-1500 to mean in total, I'm pretty sure that is actually what its referring to? The outline plan and evaluation of sources arent counted in the word count! My RSR is around 1300 so I'm not too far off the maximum, I could have written more but it wasn't too relevant - I thought I was over the count originally because I had counted all the sections, but I'm almost 100% sure its just the extended essay and review they want a count on.
    And yeah I kinda thought that but it was on something really complicated, so complicated her teacher wont ever let anyone else do it :L

    I wasnt even thinking when I read your OP - your actual word count is only around 1600 words. I googled it and if you look at this post and even a few of the other posts in the thread, only the essay and review count. So you're actually fine, if you can fit it all in biggrin.gif (thats what she said once again haha)
    That's great, we're all safe then :) Thanks for putting my fears at ease. I guess it's long enough after all (heheheheheheeheh).


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  • #7
    Namlub
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,298 ✭✭✭Namlub


    DepoProvera wrote: »
    My History teacher said that examiners said at a conference that they refused to go counting words. However mine is around 4,000 words so I'll be needing to cut down a lot.

    They don't have to, you put your word count on the front of the booklet

    And yeah, the word count includes review of process so I don't where that 1800 is coming from...


  • #8
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 27,467 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    In fairness, for any of you that might take your study of History further, 'select and reject' is a really important skill. I suppose they are just trying to reflect that and encourage people to say as much as they can but without being long-winded.


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