Work out chapter word allocation instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
Allocating a word budget prevents the common failure of a bloated literature review starving the analysis chapters. Eighty thousand words with 20% for framing leaves 64,000 across six chapters - about 10,667 each, with 8000 apiece for the introduction and conclusion. Treating these as hard ceilings during drafting saves painful cuts later.
Framing allocation
framing = total words x introduction and conclusion share
Per chapter
words = (total - framing) / number of chapters
Roughly, for balance, though a methods chapter is often shorter and the main results chapter longer. Wild imbalance usually signals a structural problem.
Cut it rather than borrowing from later chapters. Overruns compound, and examiners notice a thesis that loses momentum.