Hello @joneson
Thank you for contacting the Canvas Community. We're sorry to hear you've been experiencing issues with word count in speedgrader. That is certainly abnormal behavior. As standard, you should always try clearing your cache and cookies or trying another browser when things load intermittently and incorrectly like this:
In Chrome
On your computer, open Chrome.
At the top right, click the three dots
Click settings
On the left, choose Privacy and Security
Then, clear browsing data
At the top, choose a time range. To delete everything, select All time. I suggest at least 4 weeks
Next to "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files," check the boxes.
Click Clear data.
However, over the past week or so, Canvas has seen an influx of issues regarding Word Count in the Speedgrader. You should contact them directly and open a case - they can attach it to the upcoming fix.
Because of the complexity of the issue, and the concerns for privacy, it would be best if you contacted Canvas Support directly to pinpoint the source of the issue and provide a resolution:
https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Canvas-Basics-Guide/How-do-I-contact-Canvas-Support/ta-p/389767
