Python dictionary function isn't found

Question

Depending on where the code is run I receive different errors. The Treehouse test can't find my function 'word_count()'.

Second my dictionary is not being returned when I run this function in console. It throws:

NameError: name 'dict_of_words' is not defined

word_count.py

# E.g. word_count("I am that I am") gets back a dictionary like:
# {'i': 2, 'am': 2, 'that': 1}
# Lowercase the string to make it easier.
# Using .split() on the sentence will give you a list of words.
# In a for loop of that list, you'll have a word that you can
# check for inclusion in the dict (with "if word in dict"-style syntax).
# Or add it to the dict with something like word_dict[word] = 1.

def word_count(instring):
    dic_of_words = {} #Create the dictionary
    instring = instring.lower() #Lowercase the string
    wordlist = instring.split(' ')#Split the string into an array for iteration
    for word in wordlist: 
        if word in dic_of_words: #Check if dictionary entry exist and += 1 
            dic_of_words[word] += 1;
        else:
            dic_of_words[word] = 1; #Otherwise create the entry
        return dict_of_words #Return the dictionary <-- Getting a error that this dictionary isn't defined.

Answer 1 · 2016-02-28T19:21:18Z

February 28, 2016 7:21pm

The last line has a typo.

# Should be
return dic_of_words 
# not 
return dict_of_words

It's the same error in both cases. If there is a syntax error in you code, the function does not get created and thus can not be found.

Edit: Also, the return statement is indented too far and causes a return at the end if the first loop iteration.

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Albert Reel

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Python dictionary function isn't found

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Chris Freeman

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Albert Reel

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