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Dissertation Word Count Breakdown by Chapter
Enter your total word count and get a target for each section: introduction, literature review, method, results, discussion and conclusion. It also shows the usual range, so you can see when a chapter is running long.
Break down my word count
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These are typical shares, not rules. Your department, supervisor or handbook decides, so always follow their guidance.
How the breakdown works
The tool shares your total across the usual sections of a UK dissertation, using the shares most departments and supervisors expect. It then rounds each target to the nearest ten words, so the targets add up to your total. The usual range shows how far a section can reasonably run either side.
What usually sits outside the word count
Check your handbook, because it varies. In many UK dissertations, these are not counted:
- The reference list or bibliography.
- Appendices.
- Tables and figures, but not their captions in some courses.
- The title page and contents page.
How to use your targets
Treat the targets as a planning tool. Write rough notes for each section, then check the length against the target. If your literature review is running at half your total, your project is probably too broad, or the review needs to be more selective.
Literature-based dissertations
If your dissertation has no data of its own, choose "Literature-based". There is no results chapter, so most of the words go on the main review and the discussion.
Need more than a tool?
A good plan helps, but writing still takes time. Our guide to UK dissertation structure explains what goes in each chapter, and our dissertation help can give feedback on your own drafts. To plan your time, try our assignment deadline planner.
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Trusted sources and further reading
These independent sources are worth a look alongside this page. TutorSuite is not affiliated with them, and the links are here for further reading only.
- University of Westminster Library: planning your dissertation (opens in a new tab). Work back from the deadline and plan the stages, with advice on Gantt charts.
- Academic Phrasebank, University of Manchester (opens in a new tab). A bank of phrases for academic writing, sorted by the part of an essay.
Dissertation word count breakdown — your questions
How many words should a literature review be in a dissertation?
For many quantitative or mixed projects, about 25 to 30% of the total. In a 10,000-word dissertation, that is roughly 2,500 to 3,000 words. Qualitative and literature-based projects often give it more space.
How should I split a 10,000-word dissertation?
A common split is about 1,000 words for the introduction, 2,800 for the literature review, 1,400 for the method, 1,800 for results, 2,000 for the discussion and 800 for the conclusion. Choose the type above and enter your own total to see yours.
Does the abstract count towards the word limit?
It depends on your university. Many exclude it, and some include it. Untick the box if yours is not counted.
What if my supervisor gives different numbers?
Follow your supervisor and your handbook. The tool is a starting point, and every department has its own expectations.
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