English EE Word Count

[Alix]

My first draft of my EE is due in a couple of weeks, and I'm panicking a little as I still have to write another section of my EE, the intro, and the conclusion but the word count is already around 10000 words which I know is just crazy. I am comparing the use of dramatic irony in A Doll's House and The Crucible and what I did was show all the uses of dramatic irony in each act, so I have so many words because of all the uses of dramatic irony so I'm cutting out all the smaller examples of dramatic irony but what I'm worried about is that the examiner will think I have a limited understanding of the books and did not research enough as I'm not examining all the uses of dramatic irony. Do you think the examiner will take the word limit in account and not mark me down for not showing all the uses of the dramatic irony? Was anyone else way over the word limit and really successful in cutting it down without being vague?

Thanks for listening to me completely panicking!

[sweetnsimple786]

Oh wow!

First, no I'm sure you won't be penalized for not including every single example. If you have so many, then perhaps you notice a further similarity throughout the play & novel? I've studied Miller's work, but not A Doll's House.

Here's a wonderful thread for your case: Word Count

[Peachez]

Oh yes, definately look over that thread! I really do not think that you should have so many examples, focus on the very main feature on what you are talking about have have 5-8 examples/quotes for each of your arguments, try to be brief, but at the same time you should be able to say eerything you need.

[deissi]

If you're that much over your word count, perhaps you could compare a specific style in which dramatic irony is used; then you would not have to go over so many things. Also, your RQ would become more focused, right now it's a tad too broad in my opinion.

How about something like "The differences between the use of X (and Y) in creating dramatic irony in the plays..."

[Hyperbole]

I definitely think you need to narrow your topic down! Maybe you can isolate a certain type of instance where it is used in both plays, or something like that, and then use only those instances? Twisting the RQ would add points both to the RQ criterion and to the depth criterion, so it is definitely a good idea.

It does sound like a very interesting EE, though. Good luck with it!

[Alix]

Thanks for the advice, I think you guys are right, it is really broad. I have so much material for each book that I actually have enough just to do it on one book. So maybe I could analyze the dramatic irony in just The Crucible and how it impacts the plot. If I just do it on one book then it means I could go more in-depth. Good idea or bad idea?

[Ruan Chun Xian]

I think it's still better if you compare. IBO likes comparative literature essays. Maybe focus on how dramatic irony creates tension in the plot, or just take a particular part of the plot and focus on it.