Help! Zotero is radically modifying my word count in Microsoft Word 2010

herve.viens

Hi guys,
I know this forum is usually quite useful but I can't find an answer that will solve my problem.
I'm writing a master thesis and neeeeeed an exact word count. Zotero is of course rendering the bibliography and quote management amazingly smooth. But it also f*cks up with my word count... I have tried inserting field code (numword), or pressing ctrl+shift+G on the selected text... but nothing works... I have to use an (author, date) format, so no possibility to use footnote...
Any solution for me??? help!!

bwiernik

Is the word count accurate when you click on the Word Count button (not just look at the number at the bottom of the window)?

If not, save a copy of your document, then click the Remove Field Codes button. This will transform your Zotero codes to plain text so you can get an accurate count (but also disconnect your document from Zotero, so make all subsequent changes to the original version).

adamsmith

(not that this helps -- what bwiernik suggests are the best workarounds/options -- but this is really a Word bug: clearly things that aren't visible in the text such as Word Fields shouldn't be part of the word count).

DWL-SDCA

This has been long recognized in Word forums with complaints coming from users of numerous software. It seems that this shouldn't be too difficult to fix. Even Microsoft-inserted fields are counted. I added that last comment lest someone suggest that this was intentional to discourage plug-ins.

Gurdas_Sandhu

On a different note: I must say the use of "f*cks" is most unsightly and best avoided. Surely, there is another more polite word in the language that will convey the same meaning.

herve.viens

@bwiernik: Ok great. Thanks a lot!
@adamsmith & DWL-SDCA: Noted. I will drop a line on word forum if I can
@gurdas: Apologies, didn't meant to offense... was just a little rushed in writing the text and didn't think it twice.