Academic writing · Local processing

Word count without citations

Compare the full word count with a conservative adjusted count. Choose what to exclude, then inspect the exact text behind every subtraction. Your writing is processed in this tab, not uploaded.

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Private by designYour text is analyzed only in this browser tab. It is not uploaded, saved, or written to browser storage.

Paste or type your text The original text stays unchanged in this field while the count updates.

Exclude from the adjusted count

Parenthetical author–year citationsExamples: (Smith, 2020) and (Smith & Lee, 2020, p. 14). A bare year such as (2020) is left alone. Numeric bracket citationsExamples: [4], [2, 7], and [12–15]. Brackets containing words or four-digit years are left alone. Footnote/endnote markersRecognizes pasted superscript digits and dagger marks. It does not guess whether an ordinary baseline number is a note. References, Works Cited, or Bibliography sectionOff by default. Removes an exact heading and everything after it; inspect this broad exclusion carefully.

Count and audit

Adjusted count 0

Total words 0

Words excluded 0

Paste text to see an exclusion audit.

Check your institution's rule. Universities, departments, assignments, and style guides differ on whether citations, notes, captions, and reference lists count. This is a transparent estimate, not an official ruling.

What the adjusted count does

The total counts every run of letters or numbers as a word, with an internal apostrophe or hyphen kept in the same word. The adjusted count replaces only selected, detected ranges with blank space before counting again. It never rewrites the text you pasted.

Author–year: requires a parenthetical group with a named author or organization followed by a comma and a year (or n.d.). Narrative citations and ambiguous parentheses remain.
Numeric brackets: requires square brackets containing only one- to three-digit numbers, ranges, commas, or semicolons. A bracketed year such as [2020] remains.
Note markers: recognizes Unicode superscript digits and dagger marks, while avoiding common single-letter exponents and measurement units.
Reference section: requires a line whose complete heading is References, Works Cited, or Bibliography. When selected, the heading and everything after it are excluded.

These deliberately narrow rules reduce accidental removal. They will miss some valid citation formats. Open every exclusion in the audit before relying on the adjusted number.

Frequently asked questions

Does this remove every kind of citation?

No. It only removes enabled patterns it can identify conservatively: parenthetical author–year citations with an author and year, numeric citations made only of numbers and separators inside square brackets, supported footnote/endnote markers, and a references section that begins with an exact supported heading. Review the exclusion list before using the adjusted count.

Is my essay uploaded or saved?

No. Your pasted text is processed in this browser tab. The tool does not upload it, save it, or place it in browser storage. Clearing the field or closing the tab removes it from the page.

Should the references section be included in an academic word count?

It depends on the university, department, assignment, and citation style. The references-section option is off by default. Check the rules supplied for your work, and treat this adjusted count as an estimate rather than an official ruling.

Why can this count differ from Word or Google Docs?

This tool counts runs of letters or numbers and keeps internal apostrophes and hyphens in one word. Word processors and institutions can treat hyphenated terms, numbers, URLs, equations, and formatted note markers differently. Use the required submission system as the final authority.