Essay word count excluding references
Paste or upload your essay, toggle off the reference list and anything else that doesn't count, and get the exact word count your marker will use — for free, in your browser. CountMyPaper does the part Word won't.
🎯Why your reference list shouldn't count
Most UK universities exclude the reference list from the word count, and the rest usually allow a 10% margin either way. A full reference list runs 200–500 words easily, so on a 2,000-word essay that's a tenth of your limit. Count it by accident and you'll cut argument you didn't need to lose, or sweat over a limit you were never close to.
🗂️What else your rubric probably excludes
References are rarely the only thing left out. Check your assignment brief, but these usually don't count either — and you can toggle each one off:
- Bibliography and works cited
- Appendices
- Footnotes and endnotes
- Tables and table content
- Figure captions
- Headings and subheadings
- In-text citations
✅How to get your real count
- Paste your essay into CountMyPaper, or upload the .docx or .pdf
- Toggle off whatever doesn't count — references, appendices, footnotes, in-text citations
- Read your adjusted word count, updated as you go
It all runs in your browser. Your essay never leaves your device and nothing is stored.