Perhaps "complete" is not the right adjective -- something along the lines of "appropriate" might be more fitting. I was driving at "complete" with respect to the purpose of a given assignment.
I think that the article makes a strong case, which meshes with my personal experience as both student and teacher, that word count ranges aren't always a good way to convey the expected scope. If you're a regular contributor to a magazine, with a well-defined and professional style, then a target length can be a reasonable metric. For students in their formative years, such a metric can lead them astray.
I think that the article makes a strong case, which meshes with my personal experience as both student and teacher, that word count ranges aren't always a good way to convey the expected scope. If you're a regular contributor to a magazine, with a well-defined and professional style, then a target length can be a reasonable metric. For students in their formative years, such a metric can lead them astray.