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Definition of coursework

Examples of coursework in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coursework.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1890, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near coursework

Cite this entry.

“Coursework.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coursework. Accessed 11 May. 2024.

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• Explained course material clearly and concisely

Understanding your discipline well is not the only prerequisite for teaching it effectively to students. For one thing, that deep understanding can actually blind you to how you should explain things to students who lack a background in the discipline.

In a face-to-face course, take one of your course concepts and explain it in your online learning management system instead of presenting it in class. Create a page (or more) that explains the concept in writing and includes graphics, videos and other material as appropriate. Creating this one-way, instructional message will force you to think through what is missing, what questions students might have about the content, and how best to present the information for someone consuming it without the ability to ask you questions immediately. Follow this up with an in-class activity that requires students to use or apply what they learned from your online content. This exercise can not only provide a good learning experience, but it can help you identify weaknesses in your regular way of explaining material.

Remember that this is just an example of how to get started with this Teaching Method.

Series Editors: Michael Theall, Youngstown State University; Derek Bruff, Vanderbilt University; Amy Gross, IDEA Author: Mary Deane Sorcinelli, University of Massachusetts Amherst

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Explaining course content so that students understand the material taught is critical to effective learning. Research bears this out. Studies on college classroom behaviors have coded more than 20 separate instructional dimensions important to student learning, suggesting the multi-dimensionality of teaching. At the same time, studies have identified characteristics of teaching most strongly related to student achievement. Without fail, two dimensions stand out—teacher clarity and preparation/organization. For example, an in-depth meta-analysis and a multi-institutional study of student responses to instruction indicated that of all instructional dimensions identified, teacher “clarity and understandableness” and “preparation and organization” had the highest correlations with student achievement (1, 2).

Further, studies suggest the specific teaching behaviors that define high teacher clarity and highlight the linkage between teacher clarity and learning, especially for undergraduate students. For example, behaviors such as putting an outline on the board or computer projector, signaling transitions between key points, using relevant and multiple examples during explanation, repeating difficult ideas, stressing important points, and reviewing material are consistently shown to have a positive influence on student learning outcomes (3). Similarly, lecture cues that are written or oral dramatically improve undergraduate students’ notetaking, and the organizational points recorded in students’ notes are positively related to their learning from lectures (4). Studies also have found that teacher clarity has a positive and significant relationship with students’ motivation, affective attitudes toward the teacher and course, and cognitive learning (5).

While there are a range of behaviors related to high teacher clarity and studies on the topic in various disciplines, taken together they point to the importance of communicating subject matter to students in a way that makes the content intelligible and thus enables their learning. Item 10 correlates strongly with Item #3 (scheduling course work that lets students keep up), Item #6 (making clear how course topics fit together), Item #12 (gave tests, projects, etc. that covered the most important points of the course), and Item #17 (provided timely and frequent feedback on tests, reports, projects, etc. to help students improve). These relationships reinforce the importance and interconnectedness of teaching skills in planning, organizing, sequencing, clarifying, and assessing instruction.

Presenting and explaining course material clearly and concisely can encourage students to more effectively process and retain course content. Since this item focuses on teachers’ explanations of material, the following hints are phrased in terms of lectures. However, these hints can apply to other instructional formats such as managing group work, the publication of study guides or notes on course web pages, and technology-based presentations, particularly in distance learning.

Don’t make assumptions about what students know . Gather information about the students in your class such as their year in school, major, related courses and prerequisites they have completed. Administer a short diagnostic pretest or background knowledge survey to identify what topics or skills students already have mastered (6, 7). After preparing class notes, review them carefully and ask yourself what might students find hard to follow and what examples might make a concept clearer. You might highlight the parts of your presentation that students are likely to find difficult and make a special effort to make those points very clear.

Define what you want students to learn . Let students know in advance what you expect them to do with the information presented. Some faculty preview learning goals by posting them online before class or on a PowerPoint slide at the start of class. This provides students with an outline or list of questions or problems that will be focused on during class.

Define new concepts and terms . You cannot assume that students will know or remember concepts and terms from prior courses. If you use a term for the first time, define it. If it is not defined or defined poorly in your paper or electronic textbook, look at three or four other sources to find the clearest definition and give it to students. Handouts or slides also should include new terms, complex formulas, and the like.

Use metaphors and analogies . Well-chosen metaphors and analogies can help relatively abstract course content become more concrete for students. They also help students connect new ideas to ideas they already understand. For instance, you might say that the atmosphere of the Earth is like a windshield—it lets in certain kinds of energy (like visible light) while blocking potential dangers (like meteoroids in the case of the atmosphere, bugs in the case of the windshield) (8).

Stress a few major points per class . A key to explaining clearly is to limit the amount of material covered in a single class meeting. Undergraduates, particularly lower-division students, do not need to be exposed to the subtleties and complexities of a discipline. This will only confuse them. Be selective. It is helpful to focus on three to five main points. Since repetition leads to learning, repeat major points several times in different words or with different examples.

Signal transitions . Include explicit transitional statements and signposts. For example, when introducing theories of how people learn, the instructor might state, “Now in the second point I will discuss the theory of deep learning.”

Select suitable examples . Choice of examples is important; students tend to remember examples that connect to their prior knowledge, and that are relevant to their interests and everyday life. Search for examples that clearly illustrate the concept at hand—from the popular press as well as professional journals.

Use multiple modalities. Since different modalities (verbal, visual, written, aural, and so on) activate different parts of the brain, when students encounter new material in several different ways, they’re in a better position to make sense of it (9). Consider how modalities not commonly used in your discipline might enhance your students’ understanding.

Ask students to test their understanding . Stop the class session every 10 or 15 minutes. Ask students to work with the concept or idea presented by solving a problem, analyzing a scenario, or generating questions or related examples.

Summarize key points . Summarize major points at the end of class or ask students to do so. Immediately after class, write comments on your class notes about what didn’t seem clear to students. Use the notes as guides for revision the next time you offer the course.

As noted above, lectures are not the only aspects of a course in which explanations are important, but explanations are key ingredients in a good lecture. In an online environment, a “lecture” might look very different than in a face-to-face environment. Instructors can provide videos of themselves lecturing much as they would in a physical classroom, but there are other ways to provide students with explanations of course material. Textbooks and other readings play this role in some online courses, whereas others feature slideshows with audio narration, “screencast” videos of instructors solving problems on virtual whiteboards, or short (3-to-5-minute) videos that explain small “chunks” of information. Regardless of the format of the online “lecture,” the helpful hints provided above are just as pertinent.

Given the often asynchronous and distributed nature of an online course, students are in particular need of a clear organizational structure. Many of the aforementioned suggestions can be adapted to online courses. In addition, resources developed by faculty teaching online courses on my own and other campuses provide helpful ideas for structuring an online course, creating community, and assessing student learning (10, 11). Suggestions relevant to teacher clarity include the following. Divide the course syllabus into discrete segments, organized by topic so that students can master one unit before moving forward in the course. Break your assignments into chunks with “touch points” that require students to come back to the course website often, helping students keep up with the work. Use a table of contents design to help first time online students understand the structure of the course. Finally, structure your online discussions to capitalize on the threaded discussion format. Use “lecture” materials as described above, followed by instructor-guided activities and threaded postings for active learning.

Students can provide great help in determining the extent to which you’ve explained course material clearly. There are a number of specific strategies and approaches that allow students to assess their understanding of teacher explanations (12). One place to start is by guiding student note taking. Pause several times during a class session and ask students to paraphrase what they have written in their notes in their own words, restating definitions, key points and examples. Prompt students to elaborate their notes by recalling similar problems and analogous examples. Such paraphrasing and elaborating help clarify material and make it meaningful. Another strategy for assessing clarity is to pose questions during class for students to answer. After explaining a concept, you can ask students to look at an example and tell you why it illustrates the concept. Or after solving a problem, you can ask students to try to work through a similar problem to make sure that they have mastered the concept before going on. When students try to answer questions on their own, they often discover that concepts are not as simple or obvious as they thought. At that point, they may be ready to ask you questions for clarification. Many instructors use course-based assessment tools to continuously measure significant learning of knowledge and skills. Perhaps the most widely known are the “minute paper” and “muddiest point” (6). In both techniques, take five minutes at the end of a class to ask students to identify the most important concepts learned during the class, the important questions that remain unanswered, or the least clear or “muddiest point.” Collect the responses, review them, and respond to students’ questions or confusion during the next class meeting. (These questions can also be posted online.) When used several times during the semester, these processes encourage students to listen actively, insure that student’s questions will be raised and answered in time to facilitate further learning, and help the instructor to diagnose in timely fashion what students are finding confusing, unclear or difficult to learn.

Presenting Material in Multiple Ways

Students receive and process information in a variety of ways. Lecturers may help students understand course material more effectively by varying the ways they present material and offering multiple entry points for complex concepts. In this video, Bob Kegan describes the range of tactics he uses to teach students in his large-enrollment lecture course.

Learn more and see related resources about this Instructional Move from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education.

References and Resources

• Feldman, K. A. (2007). Identifying exemplary teachers and teaching: Evidence from student ratings. In R. P. Perry & J. C. Smart (Eds.). The scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education: An evidence-based perspective. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.
• Pascarella, E. T., Salisbury, M. H., & Blaich, C. (2011). Exposure to effective instruction and college student persistence: A multi-institutional replication and extension. Journal of College Student Development, 52(1), 4-19.
• Rodger, S., Murray, H.G., & Cummings, A.L. (2007). Effects of teacher clarity and student anxiety on student outcomes. Teaching in Higher Education , 12 (1), 91-104.
• Titsworth, B.S. (2004). Students’ notetaking: The effects of teacher immediacy and clarity. Communication Education , 53(4), 305-320.
• Comadena, M.E., Hunt, S.K. & Simonds, C.J. (2007). The effects of teacher clarity, nonverbal immediacy, and caring on student motivation, affective and cognitive learning. Communication Research Reports , 24(3), 241-248.
• Angelo, T.A., & Cross, K. P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. See 119-158.
• Nuhfer, E., & Knipp, D. (2003). The knowledge survey: A tool for all reasons. In C. Wehlburg & S. Chadwick-Blossey (Eds.). To improve the academy, 21. Bolton, MA: Anker Publications.
• Cameron, L. (2002). Metaphors in the learning of science: A discourse focus. British Educational Research Journal , 28(5), 673-688.
• Nilson, L. (2010). Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors , 3rd ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• Poe, M. & Stassen, M. (2002). (Eds). Teaching and learning online. http://www.umass.edu/oapa/oapa/publications/online_handbooks/Teaching_and_Learning_Online_Handbook.pdf
• On the Cutting Edge . (2011). Teaching geoscience online. An NSF-sponsored comprehensive faculty development project for geoscience educators. http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/online/index.html
• Erickson, B.L., Peters, C.B., & Strommer, D.W. (2005). Teaching first-year students . (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Related IDEA papers

• IDEA Paper No. 24: Improving Instructors’ Speaking Skills , Goulden
• IDEA Paper No. 46: Effective Lecturing , Cashin
• IDEA Paper No. 51: Using Graphic Organizers to Improve Teaching and Learning , Kiewra

Related Resources from Magna Publications

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• Found ways to help students answer their own questions
• Helped students to interpret subject matter from diverse perspectives
• Encouraged students to reflect on and evaluate what they have learned
• Demonstrated the importance and significance of the subject matter
• Formed teams or discussion groups to facilitate learning
• Made it clear how each topic fits into the course
• Provided meaningful feedback on students’ academic performance
• Stimulated students to intellectual effort beyond that required by most courses
• Encouraged students to use multiple resources (e.g., Internet, library holdings, outside experts) to improve understanding
• Related course material to real-life situations
• Created opportunities for students to apply course content outside the classroom
• Introduced stimulating ideas about the subject
• Involved students in “hands-on” projects such as research, case studies, or real-life activities
• Inspired students to set and achieve goals which really challenged them
• Asked students to share ideas and experiences with others whose backgrounds and viewpoints differ from their own
• Asked students to help each other understand ideas or concepts
• Gave projects, tests, or assignments that required original or creative thinking
• Encouraged student-faculty interaction outside of class

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Meaning of coursework in English

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• academic year
• access course
• Advanced Placement
• asynchronous
• immersion course
• on a course
• open admissions
• the national curriculum
• work placement

Examples of coursework

Translations of coursework.

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a unit for measuring the loudness of sound

Varied and diverse (Talking about differences, Part 1)

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[ kawrs -wurk , kohrs - ]

• the work required of a student in a particular course of study; classroom work .
• curricular studies or academic work .

/ ˈkɔːsˌwɜːk /

• written or oral work completed by a student within a given period, which is assessed as an integral part of an educational course

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Word history and origins.

Origin of coursework 1

Example Sentences

Derek Dodson is practicing with the Georgetown University soccer team for a rescheduled season while preparing for the resumption of senior coursework next week.

In San Diego, and throughout the state, an unconscionable number of students are failing or haven’t completed their coursework.

She took a full load of classes in the spring, summer and fall, and in November completed all the coursework for an undergraduate degree in psychology.

Pevzner, who took over the program in 2017, still heads into the field—though day to day he focuses more on developing coursework and swapping insights with similar programs around the world.

Although most schools have increased their offerings of online coursework, the number and sizes of in-person classes vary widely, as does the density of students in on-campus housing.

Digital art coursework at the Rhode Island School of Design simultaneous with an English Ph.D. at Yale?

Her pre-college education had been weak, and Leo was utterly unprepared for the academic part of the coursework.

An obsession with college preparation permeated all of our coursework.

The ad-hocs spent their time badmouthing the profs and tearing apart their coursework.

Example sentences course material

And it sounded like old course material trotted out.

Students are expected to study the course material on their own before attending four-day intensive seminars.

The new course promises students free online access to course material and lectures from its faculty and panel discussion groups.

More course material from degree programmes will be published online for easy access by students but will also be available to people interested in the subject anywhere in the world.

As a student you have access to video lectures in bite-sized chunks, plus further course material , including texts, and you can complete assignments to improve retention.

Definition of 'course' course

Definition of 'material' material

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Definition of coursework noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• Coursework accounts for 40 per cent of the final marks.

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Find out which words work together and produce more natural-sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

Instructional materials are the content or information conveyed within a course. These include the lectures, readings, textbooks, multimedia components, and other resources in a course. These materials can be used in both face-to-face and online classrooms; however, some must be modified or redesigned to be effective for the online environment. The best instructional materials align with all other course elements, including the learning objectives, assessments, and activities.

Why is it important?

Instructional materials provide the core information students will experience, learn, and apply during a course. They hold power to either engage or demotivate students. This is especially true for online courses, which rely on a thoughtful and complete collection of instructional materials that students will access, explore, absorb, and reference as they proceed in a course.

Therefore, such materials must be carefully planned, selected, organized, refined, and used in a course for maximum effect. The planning and selection of instructional materials should consider both the breadth and depth of content to optimize student learning.

How to put it into practice?

Consider these questions as you select instructional materials for your course:

• Are the scope and coverage appropriate?
• What will learners read/explore?
• What will learners view/hear?
• What could learners experience/create?
• Will you find or create this material?
• Do materials and media support and align with the stated learning objectives?
• Is there sufficient interactivity and engagement?

Note:  Select the plus sign or headings to reveal additional content.

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Lectures resembling traditional instruction are acceptable in the online classroom; however, the instructor should ensure that they serve a unique purpose among the other instructional materials. Lectures, whether they are video- or text-based, should not be so lengthy as to monopolize the learner’s time spent in the online classroom, and they should complement the other instructional materials. Instructors are advised to “chunk” or organize shorter segments of lecture material logically throughout the course.

Tips on developing lectures

• Consider the appropriate scope and coverage of the content to convey; exclude irrelevant or unnecessary information.
• Pacing is very important during lecture recordings.
• Invite guest speakers to add variety.
• Integrate interactivity and opportunity for engagement wherever possible.
• Ensure lectures are accessible by providing transcripts and captions for all video content.
• Avoid long video lectures, as most students don’t finish watching them; mini-lectures from five to ten minutes are more engaging.

Digital media

Digital media encompasses all of the audio, video, and visual content, including lectures that instructors might want to put in their courses. This type of instructional material engages multiple learner senses, including sight, sound, and sometimes touch, where the media is interactive.

Selecting digital media for a course requires that instructors consider certain aspects, such as technical feasibility for both the creator and the audience of the media. Other aspects to consider include how to provide accessible content and whether to find existing materials or create content (and the associated time-cost-benefit analysis).

Types of digital media

• Images or screen captures
• Videos or computer screencasts to demonstrate math, business processes, or art techniques
• Narrated PowerPoint presentations or other mini-lecture recordings using computer software to record video and audio
• Movie clips to provide examples of concepts or metaphors for discussion
• Audio recordings of instructor explanations (i.e., podcasts)
• Videos or audio recordings of guest expert presentations or interviews
• On-location videos to demonstrate real-world settings or processes
• Learner-created video or audio materials

Open educational resources (OER)

Open Educational Resources (OERs) are a fantastic instructional materials because they are free to reuse, adapt, and share. Moreover, they have been created and curated by educational professionals. OERs might take the form of lesson plans, quizzes, online articles, digital media, databases, simulations, and much more. OERs can be found in large collections or through search engines. OERs range from individual images to entire courses.

The following are eight steps to OER integration

• Find an OER that will help support course or module-level objectives.
• Assess the quality of the OER .
• Check for license compatibility
• Eliminate extraneous content within the OER.
• Identify areas of localization.
• Remix the OER with other educational materials, if applicable.
• Determine the logistics (including providing clear instructions) of using the OER within the lesson or module.
• Devise a method to evaluate if the OER was effective and contributed to learning.

Source: OER Handbook for educators.  https://wikieducator.org/OER_Handbook/educator.

More information about open educational resources is available through the following open educational resources:

• University of Wisconsin Libraries: Open Educational Resources
• Search among the multitude of Open Educational Resources .
• Open Washington:  Learn OER 
• BC Campus Open Education Textbook:  Faculty OER Toolkit

A course syllabus is a vital instructional resource as it can succinctly convey all the important information that students need to know regarding:

• Course learning outcomes/objectives (required)
• Number of credit hours associated with the course
• How credit hours are met by the course (required)
• Course organization and content
• Technical support
• Course expectations and policies
• Grading criteria (including for online discussions)
• Online participation expectations
• Major deadlines
• Instructor communication expectations and contact information
• Required texts or materials

Tips for creating syllabi for online courses

• Make any necessary adjustments to a syllabus previously used in a face-to-face course to ensure that it accurately represents the requirements for the online environment.
• Communicate all expectations and deadlines about every aspect of the course as you would on the first day of a face-to-face class.
• Explicitly state online participation expectations. This includes any guidelines you have for logging on, posting in the discussion board, participating in group work, and being present for webinars or real-time chats.
• Have in mind the crucial information that is necessary for the syllabus to be of real use to online students. If possible, ask someone else to review it to ensure that the expectations and assignments are clearly explained.

For a complete set of syllabi recommendations, including required syllabus elements, please download and review the UW-Madison syllabus template .

For more details, review the course syllabi information on the Teaching and Learning website.

Accessibility and universal design

Per university, state, and federal policies and laws, all instructional content must be accessible to all students. Most critically, this includes all students with disabilities, which can be visual, auditory, physical, and/or cognitive in nature. Fortunately, accessible design that is implemented in the pursuit of such mandates has the secondary benefit of helping all students learn on a more equal footing.

This secondary benefit is the idea behind Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which assumes that good design is inherently beneficial for all learners regardless of ability or background. To this end, there are simple steps that online instructors can take that have a major impact on the accessible design of their courses.

Tips for designing accessibility into online courses

• Use templates provided by campus learning management systems (LMS) such as Canvas, as they have already been developed for accessibility.
• Carefully follow all directions in the LMS and include all requested information, e.g., image descriptions for blind or visually impaired students using screen readers.
• Use tools such as Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Word that can make tagged PDFs.
• Save and use original digital documents rather than using scans of documents whenever possible, as they are not intelligible to screen reader software. If necessary, contact the  McBurney Center’s Document Conversion Service .
• Provide alternative means of access to all multimedia content in a course such as transcripts and captions. If necessary, contact the McBurney Center’s Media Captioning Service .
• Include accessibility statements (or a statement to the effect that none could be found) for all technologies required in a course.
• Select textbooks early – and ask about accessibility options for purchasers – to allow time for conversion when accessible versions aren’t available.

Resource: Review UW-Madison’s complete guide to creating and selecting accessible course materials .

Tips for using existing content without violating copyright law:

• Determine if the material is in the public domain, which automatically includes U.S. Government works and works created before 1923 (among others).
• Use material associated with a license that allows for a particular use that is applicable to the online course; e.g., library-licensed materials, materials licensed via a department purchase, or Creative Commons-licensed materials.
• Perform a fair use analysis of the material, which necessarily takes into account: 1) the purpose and character of the use; 2) the nature of the copyrighted work; 3) the amount and substantivity of the portion taken; 4) the effect of the use upon the market or the potential market.
• Obtain permission from the copyright holder for a particular use of the material. (However, this raises a number of potential issues including locating the rights holder, paying for rights, or getting declined.)
• Link to web resources rather than embedding them.

If this seems a bit overwhelming, the library is a great place to go to select resources before you’ve found the exact item that you want to use. In fact, it is recommended that instructors schedule a consultation with a librarian to go over the specific questions and options they are looking at in terms of reusing instructional material.

Librarians can help locate permissions, determine fair use criteria for a resource, and provide a list of resources and databases that are generally cleared for copyright and/or accessibility. The UW Libraries Course Reserves department can also put items aside for the class either in physical or digital form.

Copyright Resources

• Review UW-Madison Library  copyright and fair use resources .
• The Copyright Status Tool is a step-by-step guide to help you determine if a work is protected by copyright or in the public domain.
• Review Online course content and copyright materials.
• Designing online courses
• Course planning
• Learning outcomes and alignment
• Student Assessment Approaches
• Course activities and learner interactions

How to Write a Coursework

Coursework projects do not resemble essays, research papers, or dissertations. They are the combination of all three. Students spend less time writing coursework than on making a term paper, but this type of work requires more time and efforts than an ordinary essay - it is made of several essays. Thanks to our guide, each student can discover how to write coursework. If you are running out of time or lack experience to complete the specific coursework, we recommend using our coursework writing services to hire professional academic writers.

What is Coursework and Why Does It Matter?

Coursework definition: General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) coursework is a typical academic assignment, given in the course of study to evaluate the student’s knowledge, skills, and identify the final grade. Many students face this type of writing in the US colleges. One of the examples is a coursework UTD (The University of Texas at Dallas) - the requirements of this institution are strict, and many students fail to submit their papers and pass the corresponding courses.

Such type of assignment helps to have the ‘detective’ hat on: a student observes, examines, and evaluates the chosen topic using credible, up-to-date, and relevant sources. Working under controlled conditions is important. Participating in every school class will help to prepare good coursework by the end of the term. Take a look at the examples of what students of various profiles may face:

• English Composition - English coursework is an extended essay in most cases. A student has a right to pick the topic. The tutors provide their students with the list of recommended titles to choose from, sources to observe & analyze, and a format (e.g., a comparison between different relevant articles)
• Sciences - coursework for science is a complicated assignment. Such type of work appears in the form of a scientific paper to test what a writer investigates and reports independently.
• Geography - geography coursework is about collecting, reporting, and explaining information to reply to a certain geographical question or offer solutions to the problem. One idea is to explore the usage of a shopping mall or analyze the recent tornado. No matter whether you have to prepare a coursework Columbia or such paper for other educational institutions, keep in mind these differences!

Types of Coursework Explained

English Language coursework is the most common type of this assignment. At advanced GCE level, the student will be expected to write a couple of essays, totaling 3,000 words. Every assignment is 20 marks maximum.

An analytical essay : Evaluate, compare, & contrast 3 different sources of data interconnected by a common theme; written /spoken / multimedia content. Discuss different uses for targeting various audiences. Learn more on our blog.

Original essay with a supportive commentary : A student will have to come up with a single piece of media writing in the observed modes (written, spoken, or multimodal). Add a supporting piece with details about the aspects of English language. English Language & Literature coursework is a bit different. The basic requirements are the same, and the parts are:

An analytical study : Sharing an analysis of the chosen piece and its relation to the related content. It will show how well the writer understands the original piece. Tutors grade such works based on the:

• Use of the proper terminology and the coherence of the written words;
• Understanding & evaluation of the way a structure, form, and language create the written & spoken word;
• Opportunity to observe relationships between various pieces of writing.

Creative writing & commentary : Produce a creative piece that imitates the style of the assessed text. Share comments to backup your understanding. The goal is to show the knowledge, prove the competence, and use appropriate language skills in communicating with the target audience. You will also need a relevant coursework resume (review) in both cases. Keep on reading to learn how to write coursework of A level.

How to Write a Coursework: Guide for Students

Several factors may lead to the coursework being disqualified. It is a serious matter! The risk factors include:

• Plagiarism - it is the worst thing that could happen to any type of academic assignment. Lots of relevant information is available on the world wide web today, and the tutors are strict about the issue of plagiarism. Write everything in your own words! If you decide to insert the quotes from the sources, apply the suggested citation format and develop a list of references. Sign the declaration claiming it is your original project. If you're unsure about how to approach this, seeking professional help by choosing to write my coursework can be a wise decision.
• Word count - do not ignore the specific requirements concerning the length of the coursework. Specify if the footnotes, appendices, & references are included in the word count.
• Topics - go through the list of available themes. If there is an examination planned on the specific topic, try to pick another idea for the coursework.
• Tutor’s assistance - do not ignore the help of your instructor, ask them to provide guidance on what to write. Ask the questions to learn more details, but keep in mind they can go through the 1st draft once and just offer some general recommendations.

Choosing a Topic for Your Project

Dedicate enough time to this extra important question. Select the field of your interest if it is possible to relate it to the course. That is the golden rule of choosing a coursework topic - keep in mind the rest of the hints:

• Analyze the offered list of topics or develop yours
• Pick a topic from the area of your expertise related to the studied subject
• Select the topic you are interested in
• Choose the topic you’ve started to observe in the past
• Check how much relevant, up-to-date information is available on the Internet about each of the topics
• Pick what you can measure, change, & control (they call it a ‘fair test’)
• Use the ideas of previous researchers and students
• Do not choose a topic with a vast scope - you risk struggling to research it correctly

10 Good Coursework Topics

• Non-traditional Forms of Poetry with TC Tolbert
• Documentary Foundations: Usage of Oral Histories with Beth Alvarado
• Traditional Forms of Poetry
• Hermit Crabs: Type of Fiction
• Writing the Autobiographical Poem
• Creative Non-Fiction on the Examples of New Journalists
• Authors without Borders
• Writing the Sticky Stuff
• Socially Engaged Literary Arts
• Common Vocabulary

Research & Data Collection

Research is an integral part of coursework. Have you written research papers before? If yes, you will find it easier to select proper primary & secondary sources and gather the necessary information (evidence to support the main point - thesis). Depending on the required paper format, cite & reference the following sources:

• Books & e-Books

Base the project on a specific hypothesis. The research must start with minimum one hypothesis. The research stage for some topics may consist of visiting websites to collect information. Leave another time for collecting the data as it is the heart of the research. Three methods of data collection are known:

• Direct personal investigation : The one an author does individually (using literature and findings from previous studies);
• Interview/Questionnaire : The researcher should gather the data from the respondents asking questions regarding required data;
• Discussion with community leaders : Community leaders are approached to fetch information for the necessary data.

In case a student works on a scientific experiment, they should pay attention to planning the analysis with the help of rigorous scientific methods (keeping in mind the Health & Safety precautions you take). Review background information and theories. Take notes to express what you expect to occur to compare & contrast it to what happened in real life. In the write-up stage, one has to evaluate and present the findings.

Writing a Coursework Outline

The writing process follows the research. Do not start it without preparing an action plan and scheduling the work - a paper pin for English coursework is based on an extended essay . An outline will look different for the science coursework projects. The goal of creating a plan is to prevent a writer from being disorganized and waffling.

Let us explain coursework outline on the specific example - a project on the global pursuit of lower costs and the role of human rights.

Start with the brief introduction explaining why it might be a topic of interest for many people. Mention those vast corporations like Wal-Mart abuse human rights by choosing and using child labor in the factories.

Provide an overview of the problem . Define human rights and costs. Pick the definitions from the official dictionaries and cite them properly when inserting in the text. Try to explain the terms in your own words.

Develop a body of the coursework , start with the case for & against ethical business practices. Using evidence and examples, list the arguments supporting ethical business practices and another side of the coin. Include a business case for ethical practices after the opening body paragraph.

Move to discussing ethical responsibilities ; explain why business organizations should care about the ethical aspects of their activities. After three sections of the body, one can conclude the paper. It can be a good idea to share a fact or statistics stressing the importance of research problem in the essay conclusion. End up with the reference list that may look this way:

• Klein N (2000) No Logo (Flamingo, London)
• Marcousé I, Gillespie A, Martin B, Surridge M and Wall N (2003) Business Studies 2e (Hodder Arnold, Oxon)
• Royal Dutch Shell (2006) 4th Quarter Financial Report at (site example)

Additional Elements

Supporting materials and pictures are a must! The sciences & geography projects require tables, charts, graphs, and other types of images to illustrate the complicated topic. Not only should you add the pictures - it is essential to interpret and reference each of them. A separate part of the coursework where the student list and explains every visual element is Appendix , and it is an optional part. The presence of appendix increases the chances to earn an A+.

How to Write an Introduction for Coursework?

Most of the students underestimate the role of introduction & conclusion when it comes to writing an essay. An eye-catchy introduction is a key to success. The primary purposes of a coursework introduction are:

• To grab the reader’s attention
• To introduce the topic
• To explain the research importance
• To come up with a compelling thesis statement

The opening paragraph shows the depth of the writer’s acquaintance with the topic. Look at the expert tips below. They will help to learn how to write a coursework introduction to make the tutor want to read your entire paper.

What Is an Introduction?

The introduction of GCSE coursework is the opening paragraph that aims to interpret the central questions and purposes of the entire paper. It should have several elements to be effective. Those are:

• A hook sentence
• Background information
• Problem significance
• Solid thesis statement

Advice from our Experienced Writer

How to write an introduction to coursework? The quality of this part predetermines paper’s success. Look at some common mistakes writers do while working on the coursework introduction - try to prevent them!

Ignoring the prompt. Many students tend to neglect the tutor’s instructions. It is critical to read the prompt several times, highlight the main points, research question, rules, and grading rubric details.

Missing a plan. The prompt does not always say to develop a coursework outline. Without a plan for every separate section, it is impossible to write a flawless piece step-by-step. No matter whether you have to write a term paper, research paper, dissertation, or C3 coursework, get ready with the detailed plan. Once you understand how to write an introduction, it will be easier to develop the rest of the paper.

For those who need a helping hand in ensuring their work meets all the standards and deadlines, don't hesitate to buy coursework from trusted professionals.

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What is Coursework? An Ultimate Guide to Coursework Writing

Coursework is the most significant part of academic writing that requires so much time and effort. You should consider the guidance of your teachers and your seniors who have similar experiences in writing a coursework. This makes the process of working faster and more effective, which leads to the best outcomes. This guide will help you to understand what coursework is and how to write coursework effectively. 

What is Coursework?

Coursework consists of all basic assignments given to students to evaluate their level of understanding. It includes following types of assignments, such as essay writing , research papers, discussion boards and written reports. To get excellent grades and grade point averages (GPA), students must understand the basic concepts of their courses.

Coursework is difficult to define, even though it is usually important to complete a specific program. This kind of assignment can be completed in a wide range of formats.  If you require any coursework help, you may contact Nerdpapers . 

Importance of Coursework

Coursework is the most common type of assignment that teachers give students to understand their level of learning on a specific topic or subject. Moreover, it shows how well a student understands and uses the topic in various contexts. Through coursework writing, students may improve their research abilities, increase their understanding of a subject, develop their analytical skills, and apply the knowledge they have discovered to use independently. Furthermore, students learn to summarize the topic with key arguments and then draw conclusions from it. 

Types of Coursework

Do you need a "do my coursework writing services"? But do you know that coursework has different types? Five different types of coursework are given to students to write:

Analytical Coursework

Analytical Coursework presents a thesis statement or claim and demonstrates how to study different things. It usually focuses on the literary style of the text rather than the synopsis.

Supportive Commentary

Supportive Commentary helps students to create a single piece of media writing. Coursework should be written in an experimental mode, such as written, spoken, or multimodal. Students must also include a supporting statement that contains all the information and aspects. 

Journal Coursework

Writing journals for coursework is regarded as an act that promotes casual writing as a regular activity. This can take many different forms and is useful for multiple purposes. It can be both creative and personal. In order to organize their thoughts, compose their ideas, and respond to them, students are always expected to keep journals as part of their coursework.

Analytical Study

Analytical study is the process of sharing an analysis of the chosen work and how it relates to the relevant material. It also shows how well the writer understands the entire process of writing. Students should use proper vocabulary and must maintain word consistency. Also, understand the structure and format of writing.  

Commentary and Creative Writing

In commentary and creative writing coursework, students are asked to generate creative content that reflects the tone or style of the assessed text. It also helps to share comments to support the knowledge. Additionally, the major purpose of creative writing and commentary is to demonstrate knowledge, test skills, and engage the target audience through various languages.

Coursework Writing Tips

There are some key points that you should keep in mind while writing coursework. 

It is the worst possible scenario for any kind of academic writing assignment. Today, the internet has tons of relevant information, and professors become rigorous in the context of plagiarism. Your own words should be used in all writing! Use the advised citation style and make references list if you choose to include quotations from the sources. Claim that it is your own project and sign the declaration.

Keep in mind the precise guidelines for the coursework's length. Specify whether the references, appendices, and footnotes are counted as part of the word count.

Browse the possible topics. Try to pick a relevant coursework topic that is similar to the subject of the upcoming exam if one will be held on it. 

Get Help from Tutor

Never ignore your teacher's advice; ask for their guidance on your topic. Also, to learn more, ask questions, but remember they may only read the first draft once and give general suggestions.

Perfect Coursework Writing Structure

The precision required for coursework writing depends not only on the writing process but also on the design. Even if you produce a stunning and thoroughly researched paper for the professor, poor design will still result in bad grades. We have chosen the most significant components to build a flawless coursework structure for you after reviewing many coursework standards. The structure consists of the following main components:

Introduction or Opening

The first step is to write the coursework introduction after choosing a topic. This introduction section needs to be extraordinary to catch the reader's attention. Make sure to include all essential details, and keep it brief or precise. 

Include any background data about the topic you have chosen. Write down your goals as well. This section should contain your thesis statement. Also, write the introduction in such a way that it serves as the reader's guide.

Main Body 

Your hard work and dedication will be reflected in this section. In the body section, you should add every minute detail you discovered on your research journey. Additionally, this section will be written in the past tense with an informative tone. 

Readers may find research findings boring because they are just stats and figures. Therefore, this section should include appealing tables, graphs, infographics and charts to make it interesting. Mention each statistic as it is; do not change any findings. 

Summarize your whole coursework in this section. The conclusion needs to be short while covering all the details. You might mention the essential takeaways from the coursework.

How to Write a Coursework: Step-by-Step Guide

It's time to start researching and writing once you've chosen a topic that excites you. 

Research is the most crucial part of any writing project. A lot of effort and time is required, but it is worthwhile because it serves as the core of your work and helps establish and defend your point of view.  You can find the necessary information from many primary and secondary sources. Always double-check the information you get online because not all of it is reliable, and some of it can be out of date. Make notes on each source you consult while researching, including the definition, quotation, or information you discovered. Make a table with citations or links to web sources. It is also very helpful to utilize such a table while writing the bibliography section.

Planning 

At the planning phase, it is advised to make a rough outline of your coursework, decide which information you will add, and what points you should add in each section. Making a plan first and then sticking to it is very helpful.  For example, create a table and include all steps of your work with the dates when you want to work on them. This is a fantastic method for time management and a great way to quit delaying things so you can finish them before the deadline.

Drafting 

It could be challenging to write the initial draft of a lengthy article. However, there isn't much you can do about it. In this scenario, the sole piece of guidance that is appropriate is to start writing. Once you start putting together your coursework, you'll observe that there aren't a lot of differences between your paper and other typical written assignments. The section for which you have the most information should come first. These academic papers are never written according to the structure's order. The opening portion of your paper is where you can begin writing because it is more general than the rest.  You can pick out some interesting, pertinent coursework examples or reports to discuss in your writing so your reader will better understand the issue you are gradually focused on. You can go on to terms and situations that are more precise after acquiring the background information.

The last step is to edit and polish your document. While proofreading, it's crucial to focus on consistency problems, stylistic errors, and grammar and punctuation errors.

Many tools, including Grammarly , are available to help you with grammar. You should use these tools because you might miss some errors. No software can help you fix your writing style and logical structure mistakes. However, you can turn to a team of expert writers and editors for a high-quality editing service and a properly polished document.

Verify the word count and formatting specifications provided by your educational institution. Before submitting your work for review to your professor, you should also allow time for the editing phase, so plan accordingly.

Formative vs Summative Coursework Assessments

Formative assessment assesses students' understanding of a subject by offering them practice in essay creation and structure. It assists students in evaluating their strengths and weaknesses and focuses on areas that require improvement. Moreover, formative assessments help instructors in identifying students' areas of difficulty and taking prompt action to resolve issues

Summative assignments, on the other hand, evaluate students' knowledge at the end of the semester. Summative assessment includes mid-term exams and final-year project. When completing courses, it is vital to understand the type of review you are submitting to. If you understand the coursework meaning and finish your assignments on time, you might obtain an A+.

Get Coursework Help from Experts

If you want to write your coursework successfully, follow all the steps mentioned above. If you still have difficulty writing coursework, you can get our coursework writing services with one click. We have a group of experienced writers who can offer you timely, cost-effective coursework help online. 

Table of Contents

Persuasive essay topics – how to choose one for you, how to write a persuasive essay- expert tips.

Introduction to Open Educational Resources

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

• Provide a definition of open educational resources.
• Explain the difference between OER and other free educational materials.
• Describe the challenges and benefits of using OER in a class.

The purpose of this handbook is to get you involved in the adoption, creation, and use of open educational resources (OER). In this chapter, we will introduce you to the concept of OER and the benefits and challenges of using them.

Attribution: “An Introduction to Open Educational Resources” by Abbey Elder is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 International license .

The open education movement was originally inspired by the open source community, with a focus on broadening access to information through the use of free, open content. As Bliss and Smith explain in their breakdown of the history of open education:

“much of our attention focused on OER’s usefulness at providing knowledge in its original form to those who otherwise might not have access. The implicit goal was to equalize access to disadvantaged and advantaged peoples of the world – in MIT’s language, to create ‘a shared intellectual Common.’” [1]

Following the rise of open education in the early 2000s, growing interest in MOOCs, open courseware, and particularly open textbooks catapulted the movement to new heights; however, there are still many instructors who have never heard of open educational resources (OER) today. [2]

What is an OER?

Open educational resources (OER) are openly-licensed, freely available educational materials that can be modified and redistributed by users. They can include any type of educational resource, from syllabi to full courses.

• Openly-licensed: You can read about this more in the Copyright & Licensing  chapter.
• Freely Available: The resources must be freely available online with no fee to access. Physical OER may be sold at a low cost to facilitate printing.
• Modifiable: The resource must be made available under an open license that allows for editing. Ideally, it should also be available in an editable format. [3]

The most comprehensive definition of OER available today is provided by the Hewlett Foundation:

“Open Educational Resources are teaching, learning and research materials in any medium – digital or otherwise – that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions.” [4]

With a definition so broad that it includes any educational material so long as it is free to access and open, it might be easier to ask, “What isn’t an OER?”

What is Not an OER?

If a resource is not free or openly licensed, it cannot be described as an OER. For example, most materials accessed through your library’s subscriptions cannot be altered, remixed, or redistributed. These materials require special permission to use and therefore cannot be considered “open.” Table 1 below explains the difference between OER and other resources often misattributed as OER.

Note : Although some materials are free to access for a library’s users, that does not mean that they are free to access for everyone (including the library). Similarly, while some open access resources are made available under a copyright license that enables modification, this is not always the case.

Check Your Understanding

Consider the free materials you currently use in your classes. Do these materials meet the definition of OER? Why or why not?

Benefits of Using OER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=y7xBPJR7vgU

Attribution: “AIM Highlight Reel” by San Fransisco State University [Youtube] is available under a Standard Youtube License.

Benefits for Students

One of the first aspects of OER to be praised by the general public was the cost savings that they could bring to students. As Figure 1 shows, the price of college textbooks has risen greatly over the past 35 years, outpacing all other consumer goods in the Consumer Price Index by a great margin.

The cost of textbooks has a profound impact on college students, many of whom must wait to purchase their course materials until well into the semester or choose not to purchase them at all. [5]

The cost of textbooks might not be a major issue on its own, but it can be an insurmountable hurdle for students already struggling to get by. As a recent survey found, 36% of college students are food insecure. This number is even higher for community college students, 42% of whom reported food insecurity. [6]

The problem of food and housing insecurity among college students cannot be fixed by adjusting the price of textbooks alone. There are a wide variety of reasons why these problems are in place. [7] However, the unexpected additional cost of textbooks can make the difference between a student persisting in college or dropping out.

Access to a Quality Education

When you choose to share course materials openly, you are providing students with the opportunity to engage with your content before, during, and after your course. Because OER are always free to access online, students who are interested in taking a course you teach can read up on the course ahead of time and ensure that they are ready and interested in the material. Moreover, students who have already taken your course can be safe in the knowledge that their course materials will not evaporate at the end of the semester and that they can continue to review the materials you provided to them for years to come.

The students who benefit from access to OER are not just the ones in your classroom. Unlike affordability initiatives like course reserves, OER are free for anyone in the world to access, whether they have a college affiliation or not. [8] This encourages aging learners and students in the Global South to explore educational content without having to commit the time and money they might not have to attend college. [9]

Benefits for Instructors

Although cost savings are a major talking point in favor of adopting open educational resources, instructors can utilize OER effectively without replacing paid resources at all. [10] In fact, the freedom to adapt OER to instructional needs is often the most attractive aspect of OER. Since OER are openly licensed, educators are free to edit, reorder, and remix OER materials in many ways.

Use, Improve, and Share

• Adapt and revise resources that have already been created to fit your course syllabus.
• Create an updated second edition of an existing OER.
• Tailor resources to fit your specific course context (e.g., translation, local examples).

Network and Collaborate with Peers

• Access educational resources that have been peer-reviewed by experts in your field.
• Create a new open educational resource with a team of your peers.
• Explore user reviews for a more in-depth understanding of the resources available.

Lower Costs to Improve Access to Information

• Enable all students to have equal access to your course materials.
• Provide students with the opportunity to explore course content before enrolling.

In the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast below, Dr. John Stewart, Assistant Director for the Office of Digital Learning at the University of Oklahoma, talks about his experience with OER.

Using Open Educational Resources in Your Teaching

Challenges of Using OER

There are many benefits to using OER in the classroom; however, there are also some drawbacks. The biggest challenge that instructors face when adopting OER is best encapsulated by the phrase “availability may vary.”

Subject Availability

Many of the largest OER projects funded over the past fifteen years targeted high cost, high impact courses to save students money. Because of this, most of the OER available today are for general education courses such as Psychology, Biology, and Calculus.

This does not mean that there are no OER available for specialized subject areas or graduate-level courses; however, there are more resources to choose from for instructors who teach Introduction to Psychology than for those who teach Electronic Systems Integration for Agricultural Machinery & Production Systems .

Note: This is beginning to change as more institutions begin publishing OER through regional and institutional grant programs.

Format & Material Type Availability

As with subject availability, the format and types of OER that have been developed over time have largely been targeted at high enrollment courses which could see substantial cost savings for students. There are many open textbooks available today, but fewer options for ancillary materials. You can find lecture slides, notes, and lesson plans online, but ancillary content such as homework software and test banks are harder to find. [11]  

Time & Support Availability

Although the other challenges to OER use are inherent to the resources themselves, this final drawback is a concern for you as a user and creator. It takes time and effort to find OER that might work for your course, and if you want to create and publish new resources, that takes exponentially more time.

Time constraints are always going to be an issue for instructors who want to try something new in their course. Luckily, there are resources available to help you locate, adopt, and implement OER. Contact your local OER expert on campus or your subject librarian if you need support.

This chapter has provided a brief overview of what OER are, why they are used, and the movement surrounding them. In the next chapter, we will review some items you should keep in mind when adopting or creating an OER for the first time.

• Bliss, T.J. and Smith, M. "A Brief History of Open Educational Resources." In Open: The Philosophy and Practices that are Revolutionizing Education and Science, edited by Rajiv Jhangiani and Robert Biswas-Diener, 9-27. London: Ubiquity Press, 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/bbc.b. ↵
• Weller, Martin. The Battle for Open: How Openness Won and Why it Doesn't Feel Like Victory . London: Ubiquity Press, 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/bam ↵
• Although all OER are openly licensed, many are released in formats that do not easily allow for adaptation. ↵
• William & Flora Hewlett Foundation. "Open Educational Resources." Accessed June 15, 2019. https://hewlett.org/strategy/open-educational-resources/ ↵
• Florida Virtual Campus. 2 018 Student Textbook and Course Materials Survey: Executive Summary , 2018. Accessed June 15, 2019. https://www.flbog.edu/documents_meetings/0290_1174_8926_6.3.2%2003a_FLVC_SurveyEXSUM.pdf ↵
• Romo, Vanessa. "Hunger and Homelessness are Widespread Among College Students, Survey Finds." NPR: The Two-Way,  April 2018. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/04/03/599197919/hunger-and-homelessness-are-widespread-among-college-students-study-finds ↵
• Goldrick-Rab, Sara and Cady, Clare. Supporting Community College Completion with a Culture of Caring: A Case Study of Amarillo College , 2018.  https://hope4college.com/supporting-community-college-completion-with-a-culture-of-caring-a-case-study-of-amarillo-college/ ↵
• Although OER are free for anyone to access, this access is still limited by who has access to the Internet. Still, since OER can be freely redistributed, some individuals have printed OER for dissemination in areas that do not have Internet access as well. ↵
• Hodgkinson-Williams, Cheryl and Arinto, Patricia B. Adoption and Impact of OER in the Global South . Cape Town & Ottawa: African Minds, International Development Research Centre & Research on Open Educational Resources, 2017. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1005330 ↵
• Attribution : The Benefits for Instructors section of this chapter was adapted from the SUNY OER Community Course , licensed CC BY 4.0. ↵
• Open textbooks have not always been the most common content shared or marketed as OER. One of the first OER projects, MIT OpenCourseWare, started offering lecture notes, syllabi, and other instructional content openly in 2001. ↵

Free educational materials that are openly licensed to enable reuse and redistribution by users.

The OER Starter Kit Copyright © 2019 by Abbey K. Elder is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

What Is a Coursework and How to Write a Paper: A Simple Guide

• 24 August 2023
• 13 min read

Academic writing is an essential activity in high education and comes in various forms. Basically, one of these forms is coursework writing, where instructors assess students’ level of understanding of a course during a semester. In this case, unlike other papers, coursework assignments evaluate students’ understanding of the course and not just a topic in the class. Moreover, various forms of coursework writing include essays, term papers, theses, dissertations, and report projects. Hence, students need to learn what is a coursework assignment and how to write such a paper.

What Is a Coursework Paper

College and university students undertake different kinds of academic exercises, with writing projects taking a significant portion. Basically, one of these exercises is the writing of coursework, an assignment that they submit at the end of the semester. Ideally, this kind of work assesses students’ understanding of a particular field of study within a single semester. In turn, instructors rarely require students to write a coursework assignment for things they learned during the previous semester.

For writing your paper, these links will be helpful:

• Essay Writing Service
• How to Write a Research Paper
• How to Write a Research Proposal
• How to Write a Term Paper
• How to Write a Case Study

Definition of a Coursework

By definition, a coursework assignment is an academic project that students undertake in the course of study and which they must submit before the closure of the semester. For example, such an assignment aims to evaluate students’ level of knowledge and skills acquisition, meaning the work contributes to students’ final grades. Ideally, coursework is what students learn during a semester, and such an assignment is meant to measure how well they have understood the subject matter. Moreover, students use reliable and relevant sources to study, examine and evaluate the chosen coursework topic. Therefore, a coursework assignment is very similar to other writing assignments, such as essays, reports, thesis writing , and dissertations.

Differences With Other Papers

In the course of their classes, students write different types of papers , including essays and reports. Basically, the major difference between coursework writing and these papers is that it assesses students’ understanding of what they have discovered throughout the semester. In contrast, essays and other papers assess students’ understanding of a specific topic, concept, result , or theory. Moreover, students may need to address an issue in their coursework that they might have addressed in an essay assignment sometime during the semester. As such, a coursework assignment is broad in scope than other papers.

Expectations

Like essays and other papers, a coursework assignment varies from one area of study to another. For example, there is a coursework for the English subject and another for the sciences. Therefore, students are expected to complete their coursework assignments according to their instructor’s or department’s instructions. In most cases, this expectation includes presenting the assignment in an essay format, where they select a title of their choice. Depending on the subject, some coursework assignments expect students to collect, examine, infer, and report data when answering a specific question.

When it comes to the grading of academic assignments, instructors look at how well a student has attended to all the requirements and expectations. For instance, these requirements include writing about a choice of themes or text excerpts in a given format. In this case, students must use an approach that they believe is likely to give them a higher grade, meaning an approach that helps them to answer the question methodically, logically, and critically by using relevant information. In essence, these are three dimensions for grading a coursework assignment.

Constructing a Paper: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Write a Coursework Assignment

Like an essay, a coursework assignment takes a particular structure. Basically, students should understand the core components and make sure that they address them in their academic writing . In this case, the most significant issue for students is to ensure a logical flow of ideas. Moreover, developing a thesis statement is essential to provide high-quality essays with a guideline on focal issues. Primarily, these issues are the concepts and theories that the student has learned in a specific course during the semester.

Step 1: Preparation

Planning or preparation is the first step in writing a coursework paper. For instance, the essence of any form of academic writing is to measure a student’s level of understanding about a particular area of study. Since the coursework measures what a student has learned in a given course, it is paramount for each person to prepare well when executing the assignment. Here, learners have to choose a topic that they are comfortable with, one that they are passionate about. Additionally, they should generate ideas about their coursework by deciding what is relevant and what is not. In this case, the reasoning that guides this decision is the expectation outlined in assignment instructions. Lastly, students should understand their audience – consumers of their work or readers. Like any other assignment, the audience is course instructors. Hence, writers should ensure coursework satisfies a curiosity of readers.

Step 2: Setting Up

After preparation, students should set up the stage for coursework writing. Basically, the first preoccupation is to find sources relevant to the assignment prompt – those that are more likely to provide enough evidence and support needed claims. As students review credible sources , they should take notes to provide a strong argumentation in their coursework. Then, another activity involves deciding on the coursework outline, which should help answer the assignment prompt logically and critically. Lastly, learners should create an annotated bibliography, a summary of each source they intend to use as the basis of their arguments in the coursework.

Step 3: Writing the Coursework

After preparing and setting up the stage, students should start writing the coursework assignment. In this case, armed with notes taken during the review of reliable sources and the outline they have created, students should start with the first draft, where they develop a thesis statement. Basing all opinions and arguments on the thesis, writers should answer the assignment prompt methodically, logically, and critically. Moreover, the thesis statement should ‘hook’ the audience and make them interested in reading the substantial part of the paper – the body. In essence, the body is where students use all the evidence they have gathered about the topic, while the thesis informs the audience of what individuals have focused on in the paper.

Step 4: Wrapping It Up

It is normal for a writer to make mistakes when writing an academic document. For example, these mistakes include inconsistent arguments, irrelevant content, punctuation errors, and countless grammatical mistakes. Therefore, after completing the draft, students should read it through, at least twice, to identify these mistakes and correct them. Basically, the processes of correction include revising and editing the paper. Regarding revisions, students should give their work to a friend or mentor to read it through. In their feedback, these individuals are likely to point out areas where authors should make corrections for the paper to be logical and interesting to read. Concerning editing the paper, students should proofread their work to ensure it is free of spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and other grammatical mishaps.

Step 5: Developing Body Paragraphs

The body paragraph of any academic text, including a coursework assignment, utilizes several features to make the paper logical. Basically, the first feature is the topic sentence that opens up each paragraph. Also, the purpose of this feature is to strengthen the central idea captured in the thesis statement. Then, the rest of the paragraph structure backs up this claim using evidence gathered from different sources. In turn, another feature is a concluding sentence, which closes each paragraph. For instance, the goal of this aspect is to connect the topic sentence with the thesis statement. Finally, another feature is a transition – words and phrases that help readers sense a logical flow of ideas throughout the paper. In short, writers use transitions within and between paragraphs to create a logical flow of information and ideas.

Step 6: Referencing Format and Peer Reviewing

Besides ensuring the paper is written methodically and logically, students should see that it meets the highest academic writing standards. In this regard, they should ensure it follows after a particular format – APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian. In most cases, the assignment prompt dictates the format that learners should use. Moreover, the referencing format informs about the structure of the paper and the format of citations. In turn, another essential activity that students should perform is to commit the paper to peer review. Here, authors give coursework papers to distinguished scholars, such as a professor or classmate, to assess the validity and quality of information used, including sources.

Step 7: Writing the Final Draft of a Coursework Paper

After subjecting the first draft to vigorous scrutiny through revisions, editions, and peer review, students should start writing the final draft of a coursework paper. Basically, this draft should be thoroughly polished, meaning it should be free of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical mistakes, as well as inconsistent arguments and irrelevant sentences. Moreover, it should indicate an effective use of transitions in the body paragraphs. In short, the final draft is an improved version of the first draft because writers have revised and edited it and incorporated feedback from a friend, mentor, or professor. However, they still need to read through the final draft, at least once, to ensure it is perfect before submission to the department. In turn, if students note several mistakes, it means another revision is necessary. Hence, the student’s focus should be the content, organization of ideas, style of writing, and format.

Types of Coursework

Given that coursework assignments test students’ level of understanding about a course’s content in a given semester, it means that it takes several forms. For example, these include a term paper, a Master’s thesis , a dissertation , or a report project. Ideally, the coursework is an essential requirement for a student to complete the course successfully. It also means the coursework is essential to be awarded a degree. In turn, the only difference between these types of coursework assignments is that they take a different approach to examining and analyzing a course content, with each subject taking a unique approach.

Coursework Writing Techniques

The dream of every student is to pass any assessment and attain a higher grade. In a coursework assignment, students can utilize different techniques to ensure they attain higher grades after assessments. As indicated earlier about the grading of coursework, learners should use an approach that they believe answers the assignment prompt methodically, logically, and critically. As a result, every technique they use must allow them to answer the question in a way that satisfies these three grading dimensions.

1. Compare and Contrast Technique

A compare and contrast essay technique is about analyzing two subjects, ideas, concepts, or theories by comparing them, contrasting them, or doing both. Basically, the purpose of answering a coursework assignment through this approach is that students must not state obvious things. Instead, they need to shed light on the subtle differences or unexpected similarities between subjects, ideas, concepts, or theories.

2. Cause and Effect Technique

A cause and effect essay technique allows writers to develop their paper’s body by analyzing the reasons for and the consequences of a decision, action, or event. When organizing a paragraph, students adopt a structure that allows them to arrange the causes and effects in a chronological or reverse chronological order. Alternatively, authors can present their arguments through emphasis, starting from least important to most important aspects, or vice versa.

3. Investigation Technique

An investigation technique involves undertaking an in-depth examination of a topic, idea, concept, or theory. Basically, this technique’s primary goal is to demonstrate that students have gained a thorough knowledge of the subject, which is indicated in their methodical, logical, and critical analysis and presentation of information. In this case, ensuring that research findings are interpreted and presented in an organized manner throughout the essay is critical. Ultimately, the technique enables writers to demonstrate their articulate understanding of the various viewpoints about the issue under investigation. 

How to Present Strong Arguments

For an academic paper to capture the audience’s attention and interest, students must not only develop a thesis statement but also ensure they use strong arguments to back up the central idea in the statement. Basically, the “they say, I say” technique is the simplest method to present arguments properly. In this regard, the information that the student uses in answering the coursework assignment prompt should be free of plagiarism. For instance, they need to cite sources properly. Then, another way to ensure that the writing is persuasive is to confirm that they have attained the required word count without counting footnotes, endnotes, references, and appendices. Ideally, selecting a topic that one is comfortable with and passionate about enables the writing to be high-quality in terms of argumentation. Also, students should discuss alternatives with their mentor or instructor. Finally, the thesis statement should not be complicated.

Major Mistakes in Courseworks

Students make different kinds of mistakes when writing academic texts. For example, a common mistake in coursework writing involves a scope, where students fail to focus on one area of the topic and instead tries to be broad in their argumentation. In this case, the problem with this approach is that they waste space talking about irrelevant material, leaving them with little space to write about the core idea. Also, the solution to this problem is to develop a thesis statement that sets out the paper’s specific agenda. In doing so, students can realize every time they go off-topic.

Another common mistake involves colloquialism, where students use a language that is not standard for academic writing. Basically, this problem is particularly common with students who become excited about the topic and try to express their ideas creatively. Moreover, the problem is that the coursework shifts from being evidence-based to a document about the student’s opinion. In turn, the solution to this problem is to pick a topic that is exciting and critically discussed in the literature. As a result, they can identify several sources that discuss the topic to use as bases for evidence of their claims and arguments about the topic.

Sample of a General Coursework Outline

The coursework paper adopts a typical outline, as indicated below:

• Table of Contents
• Abstract or Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Body Paragraph(s)
• Reference list

Reason for Similarity of a Coursework Assignment With a Research Paper

Ideally, the outline of a coursework assignment is similar to that of a research paper. In this case, an abstract serves as a brief overview of a research paper and informs readers of the writer’s focal points. More importantly, the coursework outline has a body, where writers use different paragraphs to make an argument about the topic. Also, each of the paragraphs begins with a topic sentence and ends with a concluding sentence. Like research papers, body paragraphs of a coursework assignment serve to cement the writer’s claims and arguments, which are linked to the thesis statement.

Summing Up on What Is a Coursework Assignment and How to Write a Paper

A coursework assignment is among the writing assignments that students in colleges and universities undertake in preparation for their degree. Unlike other papers, this assignment assesses students’ understanding of what they have learned in a course in a given semester. As such, students must complete and submit it before the semester closes. Moreover, the different types of coursework include essays, term papers, theses, dissertations, and report projects.

Students should master the following tips when it comes to writing a coursework assignment:

• Choose an exciting topic and stick to it. Basically, students come across tons of exciting information about their topic. However, to avoid going off-script, they should focus on their core subject and avoid the temptation of using data that may prove irrelevant.
• Use evidence (quotes and statistics) selectively. In this case, relevancy is a significant indicator of a high-grade paper. As such, where students are not going to refer to some data directly because it adds no value to their argument, they should avoid dwelling on it in their paper.
• Cite sources correctly. When citing sources, students should note the standards of the format in use – APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago/Turabian – as each has a unique approach.
• Revise, edit, and proofread the paper. In turn, high-quality coursework writing should be free of inconsistent arguments, irrelevant sentences, and spelling, punctuation, and grammatical mistakes.

To Learn More, Read Relevant Articles

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Faq: copyright ownership & online course materials.

Authors Alliance is grateful to Harry Levin and Elise Widerlite, student attorneys at Georgetown Law practicing D.C. law pursuant to D.C. App. R. 48 under the supervision of Amanda Levendowski and Nina Srejovic, for researching and authoring this FAQ.

Many universities’ policies and customs provide that professors have full copyright ownership in the traditional academic materials they create, such as syllabi and lesson plans. However, this arrangement may differ for online course materials. For example, universities may assert ownership over copyrights in materials that are created for online presentation outside of the confines of the traditional classroom or academic term. As such, materials produced for an online class, a hybrid course taught over the summer, or for a project with a third-party provider may be subject to different rules. Since the shift to a virtual learning environment brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted faculty at many universities to create new course materials to facilitate distance learning, many faculty authors have questions about who owns the copyrights in these materials. Because the allocation of copyrights affects how course materials can be used, modified, and shared, it is important for faculty to have clarity about copyright ownership in the materials they create.

This FAQ answers common questions faculty may have about how to determine who owns copyrights in the materials they create for online courses, as well as whether and how uses of those materials may be limited. It is for faculty who have created or will create online course materials and want to understand their rights under their faculty contracts, university policies, and other agreements with their institution. It provides faculty with the information they need to navigate the terms that govern copyrights in the online course materials they create and provides resources for learning more about the copyright issues involved.

This FAQ addresses U.S. copyright law. It does not address other areas of law, including privacy, trademark, and state law issues. This FAQ is not legal advice nor does using this FAQ create an attorney-client relationship. Please consult an attorney if you would like legal advice about your rights, obligations, or individual situation.

This FAQ has three parts. Part I provides an introduction to online course materials and copyright as it relates to those materials. Part II explains how course agreements can shape how you and your university can use, modify, and share online course materials. Finally, Part III provides additional guidance and resources. To get the most out of the FAQ, you may wish to have your institution’s intellectual property policies, your employment contract(s), and any project-specific contract(s) in hand.

For a pdf version of this FAQ, please click here .

Part I: Online Course Materials & Copyright

For purposes of this FAQ, the term “online course materials” refers to any original expression created by a member of an institution’s faculty and fixed in some form that facilitates online learning. Online course materials may include, but are not limited to:

• Written materials (e.g., syllabi, lesson plans, and slides);
• Recorded lectures;
• Recorded group discussions;
• Interactive materials (e.g., polls, surveys, and quizzes);
• Computer code and online tools.

Universities may define “online course materials” in the agreements that govern copyrights in the online course materials you created. To find out which types of materials are covered by your institution’s policies and/or your contract(s) with your institution, look for phrases in these documents such as “online courseware,” “content for web-based learning,” or “materials created for the online course.” In general, “online course materials” is a broad term that will cover any copyrighted work created in connection with an online course. For example:

• “All copyrightable works, of whatever kind and created as part of the development of the above-referenced course or project.”

Even contractual clauses that provide examples of materials that are “online course materials” are likely to be non-exhaustive, meaning that other, similar types of copyrighted materials that are created in connection with the online course but are not explicitly included in the list likely are included in the definition. To determine whether a contractual definition of online course materials is non-exhaustive, look for language such as “including,” or “including but not limited to.” For example, a non-exhaustive definition of online course materials may say something like:

• “Course materials shall mean materials provided by the Instructor to be used in connection with the Course. Course materials may include lecture notes, syllabi, study guides, assessments (tests and quizzes), bibliographies, visual aids, images, diagrams, multimedia presentations, web-ready content, and educational software.”

Almost all online course materials are eligible for copyright protection. The instant an original, creative work is created and fixed in a tangible medium of expression, the work is automatically protected under U.S. copyright law. For example, if you jot down some notes about course design, write a syllabus, record a lecture on Zoom, or create a graphic for a presentation, you almost certainly will have created a copyrightable work. The work does not need to be formally registered with the U.S. Copyright Office in order to be eligible for protection, but registration provides benefits in some circumstances. Copyright protections also last beyond the author’s death . This means online course materials may be protected by copyright even after the author passes away . More detailed information on copyright duration is available on in the U.S. Copyright Office’s circular on copyright duration.

Copyright protection is not unlimited in scope, which means that some online course materials may not be protected by copyright. An important category of things that are not copyrightable are facts—even if those facts are obscure or were difficult to collect. However, the selection, coordination, and arrangement of a “compilation” of facts may be protected. For this reason, a course reading list may be copyrightable as a compilation of suggested readings that have been selected, coordinated, and arranged. Ideas are also not eligible for copyright protection . Therefore, your idea for a class activity cannot be protected by copyright, though the specific way you express the concept for the activity in writing may be protected. Finally, short phrases and titles are not protected under U.S. copyright law. For example, a course name, such as “Introduction to Economics,” is not copyrightable.

There are a variety of contracts and policies that may have bearing on copyright ownership in online course materials. Some common places to find the terms that govern the copyrights in the online course materials you created are employment contracts, university intellectual property policies, and agreements concerning a particular course or courses. Copyrights in the online course materials may be discussed in more than one of these documents, and some contracts or policies may cross-reference each other, so it is important to identify all of the documents that implicate your copyrights in order to understand your ownership rights in online course materials.

A general contract, such as an employment contract or a signed job offer letter from your institution, may discuss copyright ownership in course materials generally and/or online course materials specifically. It is not uncommon for an employment contract to incorporate a university intellectual property policy by reference. When an employment contract incorporates an intellectual property policy by reference, the policy functionally becomes a part of the contract, even though the contract itself does not include the same language. University intellectual property policies can go by many names, including “Policy on Intellectual Property Rights,” “Policy on Online Courseware,” “Copyright Guidelines for Electronic Course Content,” “Mediated Courseware Policy,” and “Copyright Ownership Policy.” Sometimes, a university’s intellectual property policy may be included in a faculty handbook. A contract that incorporates a university intellectual property policy by reference might saying something like:

• “The Author will own the copyright to the extent permitted by University Policy on Ownership of Course Materials.”

Alternatively, especially if you teach an online class outside of the scope of your normal teaching duties, you may be asked to sign a new contract that allocates rights for the online course materials you create for that course, which may also incorporate university intellectual policies or other agreements by reference. These course agreements may cover only materials produced for a specific class, or may cover a group of materials produced for distance learning in general. Agreements for a specific course may include language like:

• “This agreement includes the development of online course materials for the Course identified above.”
• “This is to set forth our understanding of the terms and conditions by which you will develop the distance version of Econ 101 (‘the Course’).”

You may not have a contract, university policy, or other agreement that deals specifically with online course materials because some universities do not require faculty to sign new contracts before teaching an online course, or may not have policies that distinguish regular course materials from online course materials. In this case, contract terms or policies governing course materials generally may be broad enough to apply to online course materials.

If you cannot find the contract or policies that govern copyrights in online course materials, you might consider talking to your institution’s human resources department, a librarian at your university who specializes in copyright, or a designated copyright advisor within your institution. For additional resources on places to go to help you understand your rights and responsibilities regarding online course materials you created, please see Question 20.

Copyright law gives authors six exclusive rights . Typically, the “author” is the individual or individuals who created a work, but in some cases the employer or commissioning party is considered a work’s author under the “work made for hire” doctrine. Please see Question 6 to help you evaluate whether this doctrine applies to the online course materials you created.

The six exclusive copyrights are the rights to (1) reproduce the work, (2) make derivative works, (3) distribute copies of the work, (4) publicly perform the work, (5) publicly display the work, and (6) perform the work through digital audio transmission (for sound recordings). By way of example, the exclusive rights give the author of a PowerPoint presentation the right to do any of the following:

• Reproduce or create a copy of the presentation by uploading it to the university’s online course page;
• Create a derivative work by adapting the presentation into an asynchronous lecture by adding audio;
• Distribute copies of the presentation to students;
• Publicly perform the work by replaying the recorded lecture; and
• Publicly display the presentation on a personal webpage or on social media.

Copyrights may be granted to others and split up in a multitude of different ways, either by assignment or through exclusive or non-exclusive licenses. When one party holds the exclusive right to exercise certain rights, others are unable to exploit these rights without infringing the owner’s copyright, unless the use falls under a limitation or exception to copyright. The questions and answers that follow explain how a copyright owner may grant some of the exclusive rights (or a part of an exclusive right) to others.

No. Faculty do not own the copyrights in the online course materials they create if the materials are a “work made for hire” or if the faculty member assigns their copyrights in full to another party. Additionally, even if faculty own the copyrights in the online course materials they created, they may not control all of these copyrights if they co-own the copyrights, or if they license or assign some of the rights to another party.

Sometimes, copyrights in a work will automatically vest with a person or entity other than the individual who created the work. Under the “ work made for hire ” doctrine, the employer (or commissioning party) owns the copyrights from the point of creation. In the academic context, this means that a university-employer would automatically own copyrights in materials created by the faculty-employee from the moment of creation. Please see Question 6 to help you evaluate whether this doctrine applies to the online course materials you created.

Authors may also transfer copyrights to another party through assignment, the permanent transfer of some or all ownership rights under copyright to another party. When an author assigns one or more of her exclusive rights under copyright, the author no longer owns the parts of the copyright that were assigned and can no longer exercise those rights or license them to someone else. Unlike a license, which allows other parties to use, but not own, particular rights under copyright, an assignment transfers the ownership interests in those rights. Please see Question 7 to help you evaluate whether you assigned the copyrights to your online course materials.

Even if you determine that you do own the copyright in the online course materials you created, you may share this ownership with another party or parties, and this can affect what you can do with the materials. For more information on how to determine whether this situation applies to the online course materials you created, please see Question 8.

In copyright law, a license is an agreement that allows a party other than the copyright holder to exercise certain, delineated rights under copyright. Even if you are not the copyright owner of the online course materials you created, you may still have a license to use these materials. Likewise, if you are the copyright owner of the online course materials, you may grant a license to others to use the materials. For more information on these situations, please see Question 9 and Question 10.

Works made for hire are created either by (1) employees within the scope of their employment, or (2) as a commissioned work with a signed contract. If online course materials are “works for hire,” copyright ownership vests with the employer or commissioning party, not the faculty member who created the online course materials. If you are not an employee of the academic institution, and you do not have a signed contract, you have not created a work made for hire.

First, under current copyright law, if an employee creates materials within the scope of her employment, the employer typically owns the copyright as a work made for hire. However, courts disagree about what counts as the “scope of employment” in academia, and, in any case, this rule is often upended by custom, policy, and practice in the academic context. As a result, many institutions do not claim ownership of traditional course materials, and this may be made explicit in your contract, university policy, or other agreement. For example, in the following university intellectual property policy, the university clarifies that it does not seek to claim ownership of course materials:

• “This policy is not intended to disturb the customary relationship between the University and the Author of works of traditional scholarship, including course materials and artistic works. In general, the University does not claim ‘work made for hire’ status for these works.”

That said, customs, policies, and practices at each university may differ, as does the treatment of online (versus traditional) course materials. It is therefore important for faculty to understand whether or not online course materials are treated as works for hire at their institution. For example, while some universities may not claim work made for hire status for most course materials, they may view faculty-created material as a work made for hire if the faculty use “significant university resources” in the preparation of the material. “Significant university resources” are typically those beyond customary library facilities, office space, and administrative support provided by the university, but may include the extra technical and production support required to produce some online course materials. Although the university does not need to make the work made for hire status clear in a contract or agreement for a work to be deemed a work made for hire, sometimes these documents will make this clear for the avoidance of doubt. For example: 

• “The Author agrees that any copyrightable works that the Author may create for the online course shall be regarded as ‘works made for hire’ under the United States Copyright Act.”

Second, a work made for hire can be commissioned by a signed writing if it is one of nine types of commissioned works (such as instructional texts, tests, and answer material for tests). The complete definition of a commissioned work made for hire is provided in the Copyright Act and discussed in this short Copyright Office guide . Because a signed writing is required under the Copyright Act for a commissioned work made for hire, an unsigned university intellectual property policy that is not incorporated by reference into a signed contract is very unlikely to create a commissioned work made for hire on its own.

Look for a signed contract with your institution. Under the Copyright Act, to assign a copyright, the copyright owner must have a signed writing . You may have an employment contract with your institution that discusses intellectual property rights and assignment, or you may have signed a course agreement that deals with these topics. University policies that are not signed by individual faculty members, cannot, on their own, assign a copyright, although an unsigned university intellectual property policy may be incorporated by reference into a signed contract or course agreement and therefore effectuate an assignment.

If you have assigned the entire copyright in your online course materials to someone else, like your university, you have given this other entity all of your exclusive rights under copyright. An assignment clause may say something like:

• “The Author hereby assigns and transfers any copyright interest in the Works to the University.”

Under the Copyright Act, more than one author may share ownership of the copyrights in a work from the moment of creation. These works are called “ joint works .” To evaluate whether you are the co-owner of copyrights with another party or parties based on the fact that the work is a joint work, you will need to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the creation of the work. Under copyright law, when two or more authors have prepared a work with the intention that their contributions be merged into a single work, that work is a joint work. For example, if you and a colleague co-teach a course and prepare the syllabus together, the syllabus may be considered a joint work. A university could also be considered a co-author that jointly owns a copyright if both you and the university contribute material with the intent that the content is merged into a single work. For example, if the university provided a PowerPoint template, and you used the template to create slides for an online course, the slides may be a considered a joint work over which the university may claim co-ownership. However, co-ownership of a joint work is a complex, fact-intensive inquiry that may depend on the state where you work. For more information, consider consulting one of the resources in Question 20.

Owners of a joint work own the copyright jointly and equally unless there is an express agreement otherwise, meaning any co-owner can exercise any or all of the six exclusive rights under copyright law. As a co-owner, you can also transfer your ownership interest in the work through an assignment, or you can grant others non-exclusive licenses to make specific uses of the work (because the other joint owners can also exercise exclusive rights under copyright, you cannot unilaterally grant an exclusive license in this situation). Consent from all owners is needed in order to grant an exclusive license or assign the copyright in its entirety to a third party, and you can generally withhold consent from such arrangements as a co-owner.

Part II: Using, Modifying & Sharing Online Course Materials

Maybe. Copyright owners can grant exclusive or non-exclusive license s to other parties, including to the person who created the materials. These licenses allow the licensee to exercise certain, delineated rights under copyright, and can be granted expressly in a written agreement. Non-exclusive licenses can also be granted by implication through the parties’ behavior.

An exclusive license permits only the licensee to exercise a particular right. For example, book authors may grant an exclusive license to a publisher for the right to distribute the books. This means the publisher can distribute copies of the book, but others, including the copyright owner-author, may not distribute copies. If your university is the copyright owner of the online course materials that you created, it is unlikely that it will grant you an exclusive license to use the online course materials. This is because when the copyright owner grants an exclusive license to another party, the owner loses the ability to exploit the relevant right(s) and may not grant permission to others to use the materials. Because the university has an interest in continuing to use the online course materials, it likely will be reluctant to grant you an exclusive license.

If your university is the copyright owner of the online course materials that you created, it is much more likely that it will grant you a non-exclusive license to use the online course materials. When the copyright owner grants a non-exclusive license for a particular copyright, the owner can still exploit that right, and may be able to grant other licenses authorizing the use of the same right, depending on the terms of the license. Here is an example of a contract term that grants a non-exclusive license to the creator of the online course materials where the university owns the copyright as a work made for hire:

• “The University hereby grants to the Author a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use any works created within the scope of employment.”

Your university may also expressly grant you a non-exclusive license in a university intellectual property policy or course agreement. Copyright owners may also grant implied non-exclusive licenses through behavior. For example, if you request the university PowerPoint template to make slides for your online course, and the university sends you the template in response to the request, the university likely grants an implied license to you to distribute the slides in connection with your class. For more information about implied licenses, visit our Implied License blog post.

Maybe. Copyright owners can grant exclusive or non-exclusive license s to other parties. These licenses allow the licensee to exercise certain, delineated rights under copyright, and can be granted expressly in a written agreement. Non-exclusive licenses can also be granted by implication through the parties’ behavior.

An exclusive license permits only the licensee to exercise a particular right. For example, book authors may grant an exclusive license to a publisher for the right to distribute the books. This means the publisher can distribute copies of the book but others, including the copyright owner-author, may not distribute copies. If you are the copyright owner of the online course materials that you created, you may have granted your university an exclusive license to use the online course materials. If you have, you may not have the right to use the online course materials that you created. This is because when the copyright owner grants an exclusive license to another party, the owner loses the ability to exploit the relevant right(s) and may not grant permission to others to use the materials. That said, universities typically have an interest in continuing to use the online course materials, but no interest in excluding your use, making it unlikely that a university would insist on an exclusive license. Moreover, granting the university the exclusive right to the online course materials you created would limit your ability to use the materials. For these reasons, exclusive licenses are not typical for online course materials.

If you are the copyright owner of the online course materials that you created, you may have granted your university a non-exclusive license to use the online course materials. When the copyright owner grants a non-exclusive license for a particular copyright, the owner can still exploit that right and may be able to grant other licenses authorizing the use of the same right, depending on the terms of the license. In some cases, it may be in your interest to grant the university a non-exclusive license. For example, a non-exclusive license could allow the university to select a new instructor to use the online course materials to teach the course in the event you were unable to continue teaching in the middle of the semester. Non-exclusive licenses can be granted expressly in a contract, a university intellectual property policy, or another agreement.

An agreement granting the university a non-exclusive license from your copyright may say something like:

• “The University shall enjoy a permanent non-exclusive, royalty-free license to make all traditional, customary, or reasonable academic uses of the immediate content of that course.”
• “The Author hereby grants to the University a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free license with the right to copy, distribute, perform, display, modify, and create derivative works in all mediums either now known or developed in the future.”

Copyright owners may also grant implied non-exclusive licenses through behavior. For example, if the university requests PowerPoint slides for a student resource kit and you send your PowerPoint slides in response to the request, you likely grant an implied license to the university to distribute the slides in connection with the resource kit. For more information about implied licenses, visit our Implied License blog post.

Yes, as long as you are the copyright owner and do not convey a right that you do not actually own. You may also be able to grant others permission to use the online course materials if the university is the copyright owner but has granted you a license that permits granting permissions. If you own a particular right under copyright and have not already given an exclusive license to another party to exploit that right, you can typically grant permission, or a license, for someone else to exercise that right. In fact, many faculty members share their teaching materials within the academic community because they think it strengthens academic resources. Some faculty members who own the copyrights in their works release their course materials under open access licenses, which typically allow others to use the materials as long as they attribute the work to the original author (potentially with other conditions of use, as dictated by the particular open access license selected by the faculty member). For more information on open access licenses, see our Open Access Resources and additional information about Creative Commons licenses .

As a rule, you cannot convey a right that you do not have. This occurs most often when the author is not the copyright owner because the work is a work made for hire, or if the author has already assigned or exclusively licensed that right to someone else. Imagine you create online course materials and share them with your colleague. If these online course materials are works made for hire owned by the university, then unless you have a license do so, you cannot authorize your colleague to use them in her course because the university is the copyright owner and you therefore do not own distribution or display rights. In fact, unauthorized sharing with a colleague could constitute infringement of the university’s copyright in the online course materials, so you should take care to ensure you are not exercising or licensing a right you do not control. On the other hand, if you are a co-owner of a copyright, you can grant others permission to use the online course materials you created in the form of a non-exclusive license. For more information on co-ownership of copyrights, please see Question 8.

In certain circumstances, another party may be able to use your online course materials without a license. Other parties, such as the university or a third party, may not need a license if the use is permitted by fair use . Whether fair use applies depends on the (1) purpose and character of the use, (2) nature of the copyrighted work, (3) amount of the work used, and (4) effect on the potential market for the work. In general, fair use is a fact-sensitive determination, so consider reviewing our Fair Use Resources or talking to a librarian at your institution who specializes in copyright issues to learn more.

Yes. The copyright owner can, in addition to licensing particular, delineated rights under copyright, grant a license that allows only particular, delineated uses of a work. Licenses limited to particular uses can be exclusive or non-exclusive. For more information on the rights a copyright owner can grant using a license, please see Question 4. Note that all rights not granted by a license remain with the copyright owner.

If you are the copyright owner, contractual terms governing the rights to your online course materials may give your university a license for limited uses. For example, these terms might permit the university to make derivative works only for the purposes of making the content compatible with new technology, translating it into foreign languages, or making the material accessible to students with disabilities. This kind of license is more restrictive than a non-exclusive license to make derivative works because derivative works can only be created for the three stated purposes. In this example, the right to make others types of derivative works would remain with the copyright owner. The license may say something like:

• “The license includes the ability to make derivative works when reasonably necessary in order to make Course Materials compatible with the Platform, to translate materials into a foreign language, or to make materials accessible to people with disabilities.”

As another example, the terms might give the university the right to provide access to your online course materials, but may limit this access to certain scenarios. Such a license may say something like:

• “Any access to archived recordings shall be for private scholarly purposes only.”

A university-copyright owner can also use a license to permit certain uses of the online course materials that a faculty member who created the online course materials can make, but prohibit others. For example, a university that is the copyright owner may grant a faculty creator a license to reproduce online course materials for scholarly purposes , but retain the right to reproduce the materials for commercial purposes .

Because a contract can divide up copyrights through licenses and assignments in myriad ways, it is important to carefully read the terms governing rights to the online course materials you created in order to understand what rights you and the university have in the online course materials (and in what contexts they can be used).

Maybe. If you created online course materials for instruction at one university and later begin teaching at another university, you may want to use the original online course materials to teach the same class at the new university. To do so, you would likely need to engage in activities that implicate a copyright owner’s exclusive rights, like the rights to reproduce, distribute, and publicly display the materials. Therefore, you would either need to be the copyright owner or have a license to use the online course materials in this way (unless the use is otherwise permitted under an exception or limitation to copyright, such as fair use). Depending on how these rights were allocated in your contract, university policies, or other agreements, you may not be able to use the online course materials for an online course at your new university. For example, a contract that prohibits the use of the materials at a different university may say something like:

• “The Author will not use, copy, distribute, display, perform, license, or make derivative works of the Work in connection with the delivery of online courses offered by any third party.”

Yes. It is possible that a contract, university policy, or other agreement includes language that restricts a faculty member’s ability to use third-party materials in her online course materials. Some contracts, policies, and other agreements prohibit faculty from relying on an exception to copyright like fair use when incorporating third-party material into online course materials and instead require that authors always secure permission or a license. More commonly, an institution will require that an author comply with specified copyright clearance policies when using third-party materials to avoid unintentional infringement.

Even if your course agreement does not specify whether you can rely on fair use or what steps you must take to avoid infringing third-party copyrights, your contract, university policy, or other agreement may require you to warrant that the online course materials do not infringe another’s copyright. The contract may say something like:

• “The Author hereby warrants that all work produced is original to the Author and has not been copied or adapted from any other source in violation of the intellectual property rights of any third party.”

The contract may also require the author to indemnify the university for any claims of copyright infringement related to the use of the work. An indemnification clause may require the author to reimburse the university for any cost it incurs related to an infringement lawsuit. An indemnification clause may say something like:

• “To the extent permitted by law and policy, the Author agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the University against any claim, demand, suit, action, proceeding, recovery, or expense of any nature whatsoever arising under this Agreement, including claims of infringement of copyrights or proprietary rights resulting from the University’s use, publication, and distribution of the Work.”

Maybe. Using the online course materials you created in a future version of the course would involve activities which implicate a copyright owner’s exclusive rights, such as distribution and display rights. The institution likely has the right to use the materials in future versions of the class if it owns the copyright outright, but if the university does not own the copyright, it would need a license from the owner in order to use the materials in future versions of the course (unless the use is otherwise permitted under an exception or limitation to copyright, such as fair use).

A license that grants the university the right to distribute the online course materials may say something like:

• “The Author hereby grants to the University a non-exclusive license to distribute the Work.”

A license may also be more specific about uses in future classes and say something like:

• “The License also shall include a right in the University to offer the course, or to develop and offer derivative courses of instruction, in both conventional and non-conventional settings.”

Maybe. In general, the copyright owner can prevent others from modifying material to the extent that the modification creates a derivative work . For example, a version of online course materials that have been translated into another language is an example of a derivative work that may infringe the copyright owner’s right to create derivative works, absent a license authorizing this use or an exception to copyright. If you are the copyright owner and your contract, university policies, or other agreements do not have language that allows your university to update or modify the online course materials, your university may be limited in its ability to do so.

That said, even if the faculty member is the copyright owner, many contracts, university policies, or other agreements permit the university to update or modify the online course materials. A clause that allows the university to update or modify the online course materials you created may say something like:

• “Either Author or University may initiate substantial updates to the Work.”
• “The Author hereby grants to the University a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty free, irrevocable license to modify the Work.”

On the other hand, your contract, university policies, or other agreements may prohibit modifications of the materials by anyone other than the faculty member who created the online course materials, unless the faculty member gives their consent. In this case, the clause may say something like:

• “The materials shall not be modified without the consent of the creator(s).”

Sometimes, a contract, university policies, or other agreements will give the faculty member the first option to update the online course materials but permit the university to make these updates should the author decide not to undertake the revisions. Such a clause may look like:

• “The University may request periodic revisions of the materials. Should the Author elect, upon invitation, not to make the requested revisions, the University may engage a qualified expert for this purpose.”
• “The Author will have the first option to create any substantial content updates to the Work.”

Minor modifications, like changing a data table on one of your slides from horizontal to vertical, are unlikely to create a derivative work, and may even be explicitly allowed under the agreement. For example:

• “Minor updates to the Work will be made at the discretion of the University.”

Finally, some online course agreements provide the right to disassociate when significant updates are made to the materials. The clause may say something like:

• “In the event that the Work is substantially updated by the University in collaboration with a party other than the Author, Author at his or her election may choose to disassociate him or herself from the revised Work or portions thereof.”

Not necessarily. As the creator, you are not necessarily the copyright owner of the online course materials, and possession of files containing the materials (or lack thereof) does not change copyright ownership. For example, if you write a manuscript, hand the physical copy of the manuscript to your publisher, and assign the copyright in the work to the publisher in your publication contract, the publisher now owns the copyright. If the publisher returns the physical copy of the manuscript to you, just because you now possess the manuscript, this does not mean you are the owner of the copyright. Similarly, even if you possess the only copy of the online course material, the university may hold rights to it as a copyright owner or licensee.

Sometimes. You can restrict access to your materials when you hold the exclusive right to distribute the materials, either as a sole copyright holder or exclusive licensee. In the first scenario, because the copyright owner has the exclusive right to distribute the materials, the copyright owner may restrict access by limiting distribution. However, if the copyright owner is a co-owner or grants a distribution license to others, it will be difficult to unilaterally restrict access, since co-owners and licensees will also be able to distribute the materials. An online course agreement that grants the university a license to distribute the online course materials may say something like:

• “The Author hereby grants to the University a non-exclusive license with the right to distribute the Work in all mediums now known or developed in the future.”

Just because a license grants another party the right to distribute materials, it does not mean that party is required to continue to distribute the materials. However, a license can give the copyright owner the right to terminate distribution rights in the event the online course materials are no longer being made available. For example:

• “The University reserves the right not to distribute the Course, or after the Course has been distributed, to discontinue distribution of the Course, for any reason at its sole discretion. If the University chooses not to distribute the Course, it will inform the Author, and Author will have the right to terminate the license immediately by providing written notice.”

Part III: Further Resources

If you want to learn more about the rights related to the online course materials you created, you might start by asking your human resources department to help you identify the contracts, policies, and other agreements that govern the rights to these materials. You might also approach someone at your institution who specializes in copyright issues, often affiliated with the academic library. These individuals, sometimes called Scholarly Communications Officers or Copyright Librarians, can help you learn more about copyright law in general and provide additional resources to address your specific needs. Finally, someone in the administration, sometimes called the Campus Copyright Officer or Copyright Counsel, may be able to provide additional information about the terms of the contracts, policies, and agreements at your institution.

It depends on your specific needs and goals. In general, it is prudent for faculty to pay careful attention to how rights are allocated in their contracts, university policies, or other agreements. Some rights that faculty may prefer to retain include:

• The right of attribution, so that their name is associated with the course materials in the future;
• The right to distribute their materials to enable sharing with colleagues and use at another university;
• The right to update the materials to control how new scholarship is reflected in their work;
• The right to present, particularly for recorded lectures;
• The right to distribute materials for commercial use by third parties to control commercialization.

That said, rights to online course materials can be sliced and allocated in an infinite number of ways, and there is no correct way to allocate rights.

Collective action with other faculty members, either by union or through the Faculty Senate, is one way to try to retain or modify these rights. Most universities have a faculty governing body, sometimes called the Faculty Senate, Faculty Congress, or Academic Senate. These bodies are often responsible for crafting academic policies and advising university leadership on a range of issues. In some cases, they may be able to provide resources or advocate on behalf of faculty. For example, recently, a group of faculty successfully convinced one university to reconsider terms that limited faculty ownership. The university had adopted a new university intellectual property policy that stipulated that the university owned all copyrights in courseware and online modules, even in the absence of a formal ownership agreement. A group of faculty members urged the university to revise the policy, and the university ultimately clarified that it would not “reuse or commercialize” copyrighted materials without a faculty member’s written consent. Further, the university clarified that faculty would continue to own “instructional copyrighted works,” including lecture notes, syllabi, lab instructions, problem sets, and exams.

Yes. There are a number of copyright resources available on the Authors Alliance website if you are interested in learning more about copyright law. In particular, our Copyright Fundamentals , Fair Use , and Open Access resource pages provide a good starting point for learning more about these topics. Also consider the American Association of University Professors’ Pandemic Resources Guide for additional frequently asked questions.

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Additive Manufacturing: Definition, Process, Uses, and Materials

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is a cutting-edge manufacturing process revolutionizing industries worldwide. It involves building objects layer by layer using digital models, unlike traditional subtractive methods. 

Additive manufacturing enables the creation of complex geometries that are challenging or impossible to achieve with conventional techniques. Moreover, it offers a wide range of materials compatibility, including plastics, metals, ceramics, and composites, providing flexibility in material selection for diverse applications. Additive manufacturing offers opportunities for the development of creative, new products, as well as improved efficiency in material usage.

This article will discuss what additive manufacturing is, its process, its uses, materials, advantages, and disadvantages.

.css-2xf3ee{font-size:0.6em;margin-left:-2em;position:absolute;color:#22445F;} .css-14nvrlq{display:inline-block;line-height:1;height:1em;background-color:currentColor;-webkit-mask:url(https://assets.xometry.com/fontawesome-pro/v6/svgs/light/link.svg) no-repeat center/contain content-box;mask:url(https://assets.xometry.com/fontawesome-pro/v6/svgs/light/link.svg) no-repeat center/contain content-box;-webkit-mask:url(https://assets.xometry.com/fontawesome-pro/v6/svgs/light/link.svg) no-repeat center/contain content-box;aspect-ratio:640/512;vertical-align:-15%;}.css-14nvrlq:before{content:"";} What Is Additive Manufacturing?

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, revolutionizes fabrication by constructing objects layer by layer, guided by 3D digital computer models. Unlike subtractive methods such as machining, which carve away material from a solid block, AM adds material gradually to form the desired shape. This innovative approach grants unparalleled design freedom, allowing for intricate geometries and customization.

AM encompasses various techniques, each offering unique advantages. Filament deposition involves melting and extruding thermoplastic materials through a nozzle, while laser sintering utilizes a laser to fuse powdered materials layer by layer. Additionally, stereolithography employs ultraviolet lasers to solidify liquid resin into precise shapes.

Historically, AM has seen applications in diverse industries, including: aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and consumer goods. Initially used for rapid prototyping, it has evolved to include production-grade components. However, the layer-by-layer fabrication can lead to potential weaknesses at interfaces, necessitating careful design considerations.

One of AM's greatest strengths lies in its customization capabilities, allowing for tailored solutions to meet specific needs. From personalized medical implants to intricate architectural models, AM empowers designers and engineers to bring their visions to life with precision and efficiency.

Who Invented Additive Manufacturing?

Chuck Hull is often credited as the pioneer of additive manufacturing due to his invention of stereolithography. However, the concept of layer-by-layer fabrication predates his work. The roots of additive manufacturing can be traced back to the 1970s. During this time, researchers and engineers began exploring various techniques for building objects layer by layer. One notable precursor to modern additive manufacturing is the work of Hideo Kodama, a Japanese researcher. 

Kodama's 1981 paper detailed the UV solidification of photopolymers for 3D object fabrication, setting groundwork despite no commercial impact. Carl Deckard, with advisor Joseph Beaman, pioneered selective laser sintering (SLS) at the University of Texas, Austin, in the mid-1980s, fusing powdered materials with lasers, advancing additive manufacturing. 

When Did Additive Manufacturing Start?

The commercialization of additive manufacturing began in the mid-1980s with Chuck Hull's invention of stereolithography. In 1986, Hull was granted a patent for this system, leading to the formation of his company, 3D Systems Corporation. Subsequently, in 1987 or 1988, 3D Systems Corporation released the first commercial 3D printer, the SLA-1. 

Around the same time, a 3D inkjet printer was developed in a skunkworks project at Exxon, although commercialization of this technology didn't occur until 1991. This early phase of commercialization saw the emergence of companies like 3D Systems Corporation and the introduction of processes such as stereolithography and inkjet printing to the market.

This breakthrough laid the groundwork for subsequent additive manufacturing techniques and technologies. Over the years, additive manufacturing has evolved significantly, with advancements in materials, processes, and applications.

What Is the Process of Additive Manufacturing?

The process of additive manufacturing involves several steps:

• Start by creating a digital 3D model using a CAD program. Save the design in the STL file format, which contains object geometry. Import the STL file into the slicer software to slice the model and generate print paths. Adjust printing parameters such as material type and speed for optimization. Convert the sliced model into G-code, the language understood by 3D printers. Finally, send the G-code to the printer, instructing it to print the object layer by layer. 
• Prepare the additive printing device by calibrating temperature, speed, and layer height settings, and downloading the G-code file to the printer.
• Load the selected material into the additive printing device. Materials that can be used for 3D printing include composites, plastics, metals, ceramics, paper, and even biological materials like cells or proteins.
• Begin printing. The printer will interpret the G-code instructions for each successive layer, depositing or curing material in the exact location where it is needed for that layer.
• Ensure proper bonding between layers. This may simply happen as part of the printing process in some techniques, such as fused deposition modeling (FDM), but for others, for example, selective laser sintering (SLS), a separate sintering or curing step may be needed.
• Allow the printed object to proceed without interruption as each layer is built up.
• Perform needed finishing tasks, including support removal, which may be necessary for designs with overhangs or complex geometries where supports are used during printing to prevent sagging or deformation. Additionally, surface refinement, machining, or additional curing may be required to achieve the final product.
• Apply any final finishing touches or treatments as needed, such as: painting, plating, or assembly with other components.

What Are the Uses of Additive Manufacturing?

Today, additive manufacturing is an integral part of the product fabrication process in many industries. It has several possible uses, including

• It facilitates the quick and cost-effective production of prototypes for design verification, functional testing, and concept validation.
• It allows for highly customized and personalized products, such as medical implants, dental prosthetics, and consumer goods.
• Additive manufacturing enables the production of intricate geometries that are difficult with traditional methods. In aerospace, turbine blades with internal cooling channels improve engine efficiency. In medicine, personalized implants fit individual anatomies, promoting faster healing. Automotive components benefit from lightweight, complex designs that enhance performance.
• It facilitates small-batch or customized manufacturing without expensive tooling, enabling agile manufacturing and reducing inventory costs.
• It is utilized in the medical sector for manufacturing custom implants tailored to patients, prosthetic devices, anatomical replicas for surgical preparation and instruction, as well as surgical guides to assist in procedures.
• Additive manufacturing is employed in aerospace and defense to produce lightweight components and complex parts with optimized performance characteristics.
• It is used for prototyping, tooling, and producing lightweight components with improved strength-to-weight ratios, and customization options.
• 3D printing can be utilized in educational institutions and research facilities for teaching, experimentation, and exploring novel applications in various disciplines.
• Offers opportunities for sustainable production by reducing waste, energy consumption, and carbon emissions.

What Materials Can Be Used in Additive Manufacturing?

Several different materials can be used in additive manufacturing, depending on the particular technique used and the application’s requirements. Table 1 below highlights some common materials used:

What Are the Different Types of Additive Manufacturing?

• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM®): Operates by liquefying plastic filaments and depositing them incrementally in layers to construct objects. The material is deposited in a predetermined pattern based on a three-dimensional digital design to create the desired object.
• Selective Laser Sintering (SLS): Utilizes a high-power laser to selectively fuse powdered materials into solid layers, typically polymers or metals. The powdered material is spread evenly across the build platform. The laser selectively sinters or melts the powder according to the required shape of the current cross-sectional layer of the design. After each layer is sintered, the build platform descends, a new layer of powder is spread, and the process is repeated until the object is fully formed.
• Stereolithography (SLA): Employs a vat of liquid photopolymer resin that is selectively cured by a UV laser to build layers. The UV laser traces the cross-section of the virtual design on the surface of the liquid resin, causing it to solidify. Once a layer is completed, the build platform moves down, and a new resin layer is spread over the previous one. SLA is known for its high resolution and ability to produce intricate details, making it suitable for applications requiring fine features and smooth surface finishes.

What Are the Advantages of Additive Manufacturing?

Some advantages of additive manufacturing include:

• Facilitate rapid prototyping by significantly reducing the time and cost of producing prototypes. Design changes can be implemented quickly and easily, accelerating product development and shortening time-to-market. Companies can quickly validate concepts, test functionality, and gather feedback early in the design process, leading to more efficient product development and innovation.
• It gives designers more freedom, making it possible to make complicated shapes and structures that would be hard or impossible to make with conventional means. Designers can quickly iterate designs and customize products without the constraints of tooling or machining limitations, leading to innovative and optimized designs.
• It uses fewer resources than traditional methods because it only consumes the raw material needed to make the item, leaving behind less waste. Complex geometries can be optimized for material usage, reducing material consumption and lowering production costs. Additive manufacturing also allows for production on request and localized manufacturing, which cuts down on the need for large stockpiles, extra transportation, and storage, which helps the environment and saves resources.

What Are the Disadvantages of Additive Manufacturing?

Some disadvantages of additive manufacturing include:

• Often has a limited range of possible materials compared to traditional manufacturing processes. While the range of available materials is expanding, certain specialized materials, such as high-performance alloys or ceramics, may be challenging to process with additive techniques.
• Parts may require additional post-processing to achieve the desired surface finish, dimensional accuracy, and mechanical properties. Depending on the printing technique and material used, parts may exhibit visible layer lines or surface defects that necessitate smoothing, sanding, or coating.
• The processes can be slower than traditional manufacturing methods, particularly for large or complex parts. The layer-by-layer nature of additive manufacturing can result in longer production times, especially for high-resolution or intricate designs, which may hinder its suitability for mass production or time-sensitive applications.

How Does Additive Manufacturing Differ From Traditional Manufacturing Methods?

Additive manufacturing differs from traditional manufacturing methods primarily in creating objects. Additive manufacturing builds objects layer by layer from digital designs using materials such as: plastics, metals, ceramics, or composites. It involves depositing material only where needed, allowing for complex geometries, customized designs, and reduced material waste.

Traditional manufacturing methods typically involve subtractive processes, removing material from a solid block to create the desired shape. Processes like milling, turning, drilling, and casting are commonly used in traditional manufacturing. Traditional methods often require extensive tooling, fixturing, and machining operations, resulting in longer lead times and higher material waste.

Furthermore, additive manufacturing offers advantages in terms of design flexibility, rapid prototyping, on-demand production, and customization. In contrast, traditional manufacturing methods may excel in mass production, high-volume manufacturing, and in yielding specific material properties. Overall, additive manufacturing represents a paradigm shift in manufacturing by enabling new possibilities for design, production, and efficiency.

Is Additive Manufacturing the Same as 3D Printing?

Yes, additive manufacturing is the same as 3D printing. The terms “additive manufacturing” and “3D printing” are often used interchangeably to describe building objects layer by layer from digital designs. Both terms refer to the same underlying technology, in which the material is added incrementally to create a three-dimensional object. 

What Is the Difference Between Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing?

The primary differences between additive manufacturing and 3D printing are:

• Terminology: "Additive manufacturing" is a broader term encompassing several techniques and processes for building objects layer by layer from digital designs. "3D printing" is a subset of additive manufacturing, typically associated with desktop or hobbyist-level printers using fused deposition modeling (FDM®) or similar technologies.
• Scope and Applications: Additive manufacturing includes industrial-scale processes like selective laser sintering (SLS), stereolithography (SLA), and electron beam melting (EBM), which are used in various industries for prototyping, tooling, and production of end-use parts. 3D Printing, on the other hand, is often associated with smaller-scale desktop printers used for rapid prototyping, educational purposes, and hobbyist projects.
• Precision and Materials: Industrial additive manufacturing processes typically offer higher precision and accuracy, and a more comprehensive range of materials than consumer-grade 3D printers. While 3D Printing may be limited to plastics and low-cost materials, additive manufacturing encompasses materials such as metals, ceramics, composites, and even biomaterials.
• Complexity and Cost: Additive manufacturing systems used in industrial settings are more complex and expensive than consumer-level 3D printers. Industrial-scale additive manufacturing machines often require specialized training, maintenance, and infrastructure to operate effectively, whereas 3D printers are generally more accessible and user-friendly.

To learn more, see our full guide on 3D Printing vs. Additive Manufacturing .

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