Applying Scalability to Meet Word Count Requirements in Written Assessments

Abstract

Using the concept “scalability,” the authors examine the difficulties university students face meeting word count requirements in assessments and explore the approaches students use to address this challenge. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with students on a Business Management degree at a UK university. It was found that students gain experience of producing large word count assignments in a variety of ways, but miss opportunities to benefit from scalability to increase output more efficiently. Indicators of where teaching staff might support students more fully emerge from the study. This study provides an original focus by considering scalability as an approach adopted by students to meet word count requirements in university written assignments. It is anticipated that the findings will delineate an issue that staff had not considered before and develop practices that will improve students’ performance in written assessments.