Do references count in word count?
Usually no — most universities leave your reference list and bibliography out of the word count, but in-text citations and footnotes are trickier, so check your assignment brief before you assume.
📋What almost always gets left out
Most universities keep these sections out of the official count:
- Reference list — the sources you cited, listed at the end
- Bibliography — everything you consulted, cited or not
- Works cited — the MLA version of the same thing
- Appendices — tables, transcripts, and other supporting material at the back
🔖Do in-text citations count?
Yes, almost always. The (Smith, 2023) or [1] markers sitting inside your sentences are part of the body text, so they get counted. A few departments strip them out, but don't count on it. If your style puts citations in footnotes instead — OSCOLA and Chicago do this — whether those count depends entirely on your institution.
📝And footnotes?
Footnotes are the grey area. If a footnote is just a citation, it's usually excluded. If it carries actual argument or commentary, plenty of universities count it — and some count every footnote regardless of what's in it. This is the rule students get burned on most, so read your brief twice.
⚡Get the number your marker will see
CountMyPaper counts your text with references excluded — or included, if that's what your brief says. Paste your draft or upload the document, pick which sections to count, and you'll get the figure your marker will actually grade against.