A typical empirical dissertation spends about 10% of its words on the introduction, 25% on the literature review, 15% on methodology, 20% on results, 23% on discussion and 7% on the conclusion: in 10,000 words that is 1,000, 2,500, 1,500, 2,000, 2,300 and 700. Enter your own word limit and structure, then work out how many words a day it takes.
| Section | Share (%) | Words | ≈ Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | 1,000 | 4 | |
| Literature review | 2,500 | 10 | |
| Methodology | 1,500 | 6 | |
| Results / findings | 2,000 | 8 | |
| Discussion | 2,300 | 9.2 | |
| Conclusion | 700 | 2.8 | |
| Total | 100% | 10,000 |
These shares are a common starting point, not a rule. Your department’s handbook and your supervisor decide, and the reference list and appendices usually do not count towards the limit.
How many words a day it takes to reach the word limit above by your deadline.
Pick your submission deadline to see the pace.
The empirical structure above, worked out for the usual word limits. Each column adds up to its total exactly.
| Section | 6,000 words | 8,000 words | 10,000 words | 12,000 words | 15,000 words |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction (10%) | 600 | 800 | 1,000 | 1,200 | 1,500 |
| Literature review (25%) | 1,500 | 2,000 | 2,500 | 3,000 | 3,750 |
| Methodology (15%) | 900 | 1,200 | 1,500 | 1,800 | 2,250 |
| Results / findings (20%) | 1,200 | 1,600 | 2,000 | 2,400 | 3,000 |
| Discussion (23%) | 1,380 | 1,840 | 2,300 | 2,760 | 3,450 |
| Conclusion (7%) | 420 | 560 | 700 | 840 | 1,050 |
A PhD thesis spreads the words over more chapters. This split has three results chapters; use the calculator to change it.
| Chapter | 60,000 words | 80,000 words | 100,000 words |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction (8%) | 4,800 | 6,400 | 8,000 |
| Literature review (14%) | 8,400 | 11,200 | 14,000 |
| Methods (10%) | 6,000 | 8,000 | 10,000 |
| Results chapter 1 (15%) | 9,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 |
| Results chapter 2 (15%) | 9,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 |
| Results chapter 3 (15%) | 9,000 | 12,000 | 15,000 |
| General discussion (16%) | 9,600 | 12,800 | 16,000 |
| Conclusion (7%) | 4,200 | 5,600 | 7,000 |
Published guidance differs a little. The University of Birmingham’s study guide suggests about 10% of the word limit each for the introduction and the conclusion, while Scribbr advises that a conclusion should not take more than 5 to 7% of the total. The default split here uses 10% and 7%. What decides is the marking criteria: spend words where they earn marks, usually the analysis and the discussion, and cut the description that a reader does not need.
It depends on the structure and your handbook, but a common starting split for an empirical dissertation is about 10% introduction, 25% literature review, 15% methodology, 20% results, 23% discussion and 7% conclusion. In a 10,000-word dissertation that is 1,000, 2,500, 1,500, 2,000, 2,300 and 700 words.
About 1,000 words, which is 10% of the total. Some guides suggest a little less for a very short dissertation and a little more when the topic needs background.
Short: about 5 to 7% of the total, which is roughly 500 to 700 words in a 10,000-word dissertation. A conclusion that grows past that usually contains discussion that belongs in the chapter before it.
At most universities the reference list does not count, and appendices usually do not either, but footnotes, tables and captions vary. Your handbook is the only answer that counts, so check how it defines the word count before you plan the chapters.
Some universities allow a small margin and others penalise any excess, so do not rely on a margin you have not seen in writing. Plan to finish a little under the limit and use the spare words where an examiner would look for evidence.
Take the words still to write and divide by the number of days you will actually write, after holidays and a revision buffer at the end. The planner above does that and rounds up, so the plan never falls short.