When you are writing a paper with a word limit do you...

[dug777]

I usually go over, then trim back, unless i have very little to say on the matter and have to be as verbose as possible to get close to the word limit

 

[Promethply]

Applying for a new job are we matey -- but well, it really depends on your style:

I too usually write as much as I could to cover as much of the points as possible, and then

trims it back to fit the word limit

 

[olds]

<--- Writes it then edits it.

 

[cjgallen]

I hate writing, so I usually write until I'm at the limit, then stop.

 

[cy7878]

I have never exceeding the limit. If it's a 10 page paper, I'll be luck to turn in 6 (big font, big margins and triple spaced). If it is 2 pages, I'll turn in 1 and 2 lines......

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: cjgallen
I hate writing, so I usually write until I'm at the limit, then stop.

What if you hit the word limit mid-sentence?

Would you just leave it at (for example) "The United States of America was attacked by" and be done with it?

:Q

 

[maddogchen]

i usually don't have enough to say and need to repeat my BS.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: cjgallen
I hate writing, so I usually write until I'm at the limit, then stop.

 

[Mallow]

I trim later

 

[nageov3t]

if it's a page limit, I usually take it as a suggestion and write 3-5 pages beyond that (unless the professor explicitly states that he wants it to be x number of pages. I had one professor who would only let us write 1 page essays. probably one of the hardest things I ever had to do in college... it's hard to come up with a well thought out, insightful, A-material essay with only 1 page. usually, 1 page = just my introduction).

for word limits, I make an outline based on the maximum space I have, write the essay without thinking about the word limits, and then go back and trim / fill if necessary.

 

[LtPage1]

i just write what i want to say until i hit the limiter, and then thrash out a conclusion.