Hey everyone,
I’m finalizing my research paper, but I’m 400 words over the 3000-word limit. Should I trim it down or just submit as is? What actually happens if a paper is too long or too short?
Hey! If you're 400 words over a 3000-word limit, it's worth trimming it down. Most instructors allow a margin of ±10%, but beyond that, you risk grade deductions or the impression that you can't write concisely. Going too long might mean your main points get buried, while going too short could signal underdevelopment. Try tightening your arguments, removing repetition, or cutting any tangents. Staying within the limit shows discipline and respect for the assignment criteria https://www.customwritings.com/howtowrite/post/sociology-essay-guide/ Better to be safe and submit a focused, polished paper that meets the guidelines!
At my uni, we’re allowed ±10%, but anything beyond that gets penalized — either deductions or being asked to revise. If you’re 400 words over, try cutting repetition or overly detailed sections. Being concise is a skill, especially in research writing.
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I’ve been in the same situation, over word count and too tangled in the text to see what to cut. Taking a short break helped — I tried an online iq test https://www.worldiqtest.com and the mix of puzzles actually cleared my head. When I came back, I spotted the unnecessary parts right away and trimming them felt easy. Sometimes a quick mental challenge outside your topic makes all the difference
