ICAS word count

Jetina

Has anyone got away with doing less than 3500 words? I'm doing mine on Inkwell and really struggling to get the word count up, although I think I will be covering all the mapping criteria once it's finished. Someone in my class wrote 4500 words so I guess it's just me :sad:

Jo Clark

Hello Jetina

If you are sure you have covered everything (criteria on mapping) then I would not worry too much. I think we were told that it it 4000 words and can be 10% either way... mine was a little more but tutor discretion allowed it as was relevant to the project.

You may want to check with your tutor.


JC

Jetina

Thanks Jo. I'm just having a bit of a meltdown because I need to submit on Friday and I'm completely stuck on 1500 words

Malcolm Green

Hi Jetina,

Just to confirm the target word count for the ICAS report is 4,000 words with an allowance of around 10%+/_ with an accepted minimum of normally of 3,500.

The problem most students find is actually keeping the report within these guidelines.

So if you can cover all the assessment criteria as required in 3,500 words you are doing well.

I think around 4,300 words would be quite common.

I would just recommend having another good read through you report to make sure you have fully covered all the mapping requirements.

In particular have you looked at and covered the risk of fraud to the business and graded these levels of risk, and also any training requirements you have identified and how these would need to be implemented.

For your CBA have you showed where possible monetary values (£) to help demonstrate the costs of these actions and financial benefits for the business together with covering other benefits for the business which may not have a financial value.

As these areas are often asked to be revisited for more information in students reports.

I have also attached for you a copy of the AAT ICAS guidelines. Attachment not found.

So I hope some of this will help you get your words flowing.

Finally you may find it useful to put the report to one side for a day or two and then have another look at it in order to read it afresh and not from memory.

All the best with you project submission.

oibbotson

My proposal is 9,000 words - it was ridiculous. Not intentionally but just covering the relevant bits.

Malcolm Green

I think as oibbotson has mentioned it is very easy to clock up over 9,000 words when you start to really get in to it.

The hard part as always is keeping this within the 4,000 word target set by the AAT.

However I would just add that if you have already gone to the time and trouble of setting out relevant facts and information for your project which you now find you cannot use because of your restricted word count, which is often the case.

Then if you think they are still relevant to your main report and will help add further value then I would look to include any of these sections as an appendix to the report if appropriate.

chinnick

What is the word count supposed to include exactly?

Is it just sections 3-6 (Exec summary - Recommendations) or should we include terms of reference, methodolgy etc?

Malcolm Green

Hi Chinnick,

You will need to include in your total word count terms of reference and methodology as you will be providing information how you worked on these in your report.

Just start from section 1, and go up to the end of the report.

Appendices and any other materiel after these do not count and make a good place to park any information you cannot fit in the main report to back up your project proposals.

I trust this will be of assistance and all the best with your project.