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Follow this step-by-step guide to assignment writing to help you to manage your time and produce a better assignment.
This is a general guide. It's primarily for research essays, but can be used for all assignments. The specific requirements for your course may be different. Make sure you read through any assignment requirements carefully and ask your lecturer or tutor if you're unsure how to meet them.
- Analysing the topic
- Researching and note-taking
- Planning your assignment
- Writing your assignment
- Editing your assignment
1. Analysing the topic
Before you start researching or writing, take some time to analyse the assignment topic to make sure you know what you need to do.
Understand what you need to do
Read through the topic a few times to make sure you understand it. Think about the:
- learning objectives listed in the course profile – understand what you should be able to do after completing the course and its assessment tasks
- criteria you'll be marked on – find out what you need to do to achieve the grade you want
- questions you need to answer – try to explain the topic in your own words.
Identify keywords
Identify keywords in the topic that will help guide your research, including any:
- task words – what you have to do (usually verbs)
- topic words – ideas, concepts or issues you need to discuss (often nouns)
- limiting words – restrict the focus of the topic (e.g. to a place, population or time period).
If you're writing your own topic, include task words, topic words and limiting words to help you to focus on exactly what you have to do.
Example keyword identification - text version
Topic: Evaluate the usefulness of a task analysis approach to assignment writing, especially with regard to the writing skill development of second language learners in the early stages of university study in the Australian university context. Task words: Evaluate Topic words: task analysis approach, assignment writing, writing skill development Limiting words : second language learners (population), early stages of university (time period), Australian university (place)
Brainstorm your ideas
Brainstorm information about the topic that you:
- already know
- will need to research to write the assignment.
When you brainstorm:
- use 'Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?' questions to get you thinking
- write down all your ideas – don't censor yourself or worry about the order
- try making a concept map to capture your ideas – start with the topic in the centre and record your ideas branching out from it.
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How to Write an Assignment – 10 Tips for Pro-Level Writing
Published by Ellie Cross at January 26th, 2023 , Revised On October 11, 2023
Writing an assignment is not a simple task. It requires extensive research, critical thinking and strategic planning. However, it is an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the subject matter and to develop your analytical skills.
When you’re given an assignment, your first thought “ how to write an assignment ” or “what do I need to write?” But before you begin writing, consider the following things.
How to Start an Assignment?
There are many ways to start an assignment , but here is a list of some of the most common methods.
Write an introduction – This is where you introduce yourself and your topic. It should be about a paragraph long and should include your assignment topic.
Provide background information – The next step after writing an introduction is providing background information to support your assignment. This can include definitions, examples and anecdotes.
Make an argument – Now that you have provided background information, it is time to make your argument! First, you need to explain why you believe what you believe and why others should agree with you (or not).
What is the Assignment Format?
The assignment format is a standardised way of writing out assignments. The assignment format aims to ensure that all students have a clear understanding of what the assignment entails and the expectations of their work.
The assignment format may vary depending on the type of assignment and the purpose for which it is being written.
Assignment Guidelines Example
The assignment format is based on the number of pages or words you have written. the assignment should be double-spaced, with 1-inch margins and a 12-point font size. the first page should include a title page, abstract, table of contents (with page numbers), introduction, conclusion, main body paragraphs and any references used in your paper., hire an expert writer.
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Dissertation blogs: Dissertation writing guidelines , How to write dissertation introduction , Abbreviation list in dissertation .
Assignment Writing Tips
Assignments are a big part of your studies, but they can also be one of the most stressful aspects. If you’re not sure how to write an assignment that gets a good grade, here are some assignment-writing tips prepared through evaluating multiple professional assignment writing services available online.
Planning the Assignment
Before you start working on an assignment, it’s important to plan it out. Ask yourself these questions:
How much time do I have?
What resources are available? (e.g., library , internet, friends)
What type of assignment is it? (e.g., essay , report)
What am I being asked to do? (e.g., compare/contrast two novels)
Once you know what you need to do and how long you have to do it, you can start planning your work more effectively.
You Can’t Write an Assignment Without Knowing What you’re Supposed to do .
The first step is to find out what you’re supposed to write about and how long you have to do it. Find out from your lecturer, the course notes, the textbook, your friends, the internet, or whatever. Then write down what you need to know about the topic so you don’t forget anything.
Know your Audience
This is good advice for any writer, but it’s especially important when writing an assignment. Because if you don’t know who will be reading it, how do you know whether they’ll understand it?
Get Started as soon as Possible
Many students find it difficult to start writing assignments because they are unsure exactly what they should write about. This can lead to procrastination and missed deadlines.
Use a Planning Sheet Before Starting an Assignment
This helps you organise your thoughts and make sure that everything is in place before you start writing up your final product.
Read it Carefully
Read through the assignment instructions carefully to know exactly what is required of you. Then, ensure you understand all the requirements before beginning work on any aspect of the assignment.
Ask Questions if Necessary.
Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand or ambiguities in the instructions provided by your tutor or professor.
Write Clearly
Use short sentences and paragraphs. Avoid passive voice (except in case of official documents like reports); avoid long sentences with multiple clauses if possible; use personal pronouns (“I”, “we”, etc.) instead of the third person (“he”, “she”, etc.) when referring to yourself; use action verbs rather than adjectives; avoid using too many adjectives or adverbs in one sentence or paragraph (too many modifiers will make your writing unclear). It’s best to stick to one adjective per noun or verb phrase (“The blue car” vs “The small blue car”).
Check for Spelling Mistakes and Grammar Errors.
Use spelling, grammar, and punctuation checkers before submitting your assignment. It will not only make your answers easier to read, but it will also help prove that you’ve done your research properly.
Pay Attention to the Structure.
Always pay attention to structure: introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion, etc.
Be Organised and Use the Heading.
Use headings, subheadings, and bullets where appropriate (but don’t overdo them). This makes it easier for them to follow along with your ideas without missing any important details or losing interest.
Use Simple Language
Use simple language that everyone can understand. Avoid jargon or technical terms whenever possible. Don’t use slang or informal expressions that are not suitable for academic papers or formal writing style in general (e.g., “I think” vs “In my opinion”).
Check your Sources
Make sure the information you use is from reliable sources (such as books, journals and websites). It’s also important to acknowledge all of the people whose ideas or research you used in your assignment.
Set yourself a Deadline
Set yourself a deadline for when your assignment must be completed by, and stick to it! If your professor gives no deadline, consider setting one yourself – even if it’s just one day before.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to write an assignment.
To write an assignment, start by understanding the task, researching, outlining, drafting, and revising. Use credible sources, follow guidelines, and proofread for clarity and correctness.
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- Designing Essay Assignments
by Gordon Harvey
Students often do their best and hardest thinking, and feel the greatest sense of mastery and growth, in their writing. Courses and assignments should be planned with this in mind. Three principles are paramount:
1. Name what you want and imagine students doing it
However free students are to range and explore in a paper, the general kind of paper you’re inviting has common components, operations, and criteria of success, and you should make these explicit. Having satisfied yourself, as you should, that what you’re asking is doable, with dignity, by writers just learning the material, try to anticipate in your prompt or discussions of the assignment the following queries:
- What is the purpose of this? How am I going beyond what we have done, or applying it in a new area, or practicing a key academic skill or kind of work?
- To what audience should I imagine myself writing?
- What is the main task or tasks, in a nutshell? What does that key word (e.g., analyze, significance of, critique, explore, interesting, support) really mean in this context or this field?
- What will be most challenging in this and what qualities will most distinguish a good paper? Where should I put my energy? (Lists of possible questions for students to answer in a paper are often not sufficiently prioritized to be helpful.)
- What misconceptions might I have about what I’m to do? (How is this like or unlike other papers I may have written?) Are there too-easy approaches I might take or likely pitfalls? An ambitious goal or standard that I might think I’m expected to meet but am not?
- What form will evidence take in my paper (e.g., block quotations? paraphrase? graphs or charts?) How should I cite it? Should I use/cite material from lecture or section?
- Are there some broad options for structure, emphasis, or approach that I’ll likely be choosing among?
- How should I get started on this? What would be a helpful (or unhelpful) way to take notes, gather data, discover a question or idea? Should I do research?
2. Take time in class to prepare students to succeed at the paper
Resist the impulse to think of class meetings as time for “content” and of writing as work done outside class. Your students won’t have mastered the art of paper writing (if such a mastery is possible) and won’t know the particular disciplinary expectations or moves relevant to the material at hand. Take time in class to show them:
- discuss the assignment in class when you give it, so students can see that you take it seriously, so they can ask questions about it, so they can have it in mind during subsequent class discussions;
- introduce the analytic vocabulary of your assignment into class discussions, and take opportunities to note relevant moves made in discussion or good paper topics that arise;
- have students practice key tasks in class discussions, or in informal writing they do in before or after discussions;
- show examples of writing that illustrates components and criteria of the assignment and that inspires (class readings can sometimes serve as illustrations of a writing principle; so can short excerpts of writing—e.g., a sampling of introductions; and so can bad writing—e.g., a list of problematic thesis statements);
- the topics of originality and plagiarism (what the temptations might be, how to avoid risks) should at some point be addressed directly.
3. Build in process
Ideas develop over time, in a process of posing and revising and getting feedback and revising some more. Assignments should allow for this process in the following ways:
- smaller assignments should prepare for larger ones later;
- students should do some thinking and writing before they write a draft and get a response to it (even if only a response to a proposal or thesis statement sent by email, or described in class);
- for larger papers, students should write and get response (using the skills vocabulary of the assignment) to a draft—at least an “oral draft” (condensed for delivery to the class);
- if possible, meet with students individually about their writing: nothing inspires them more than feeling that you care about their work and development;
- let students reflect on their own writing, in brief cover letters attached to drafts and revisions (these may also ask students to perform certain checks on what they have written, before submitting);
- have clear and firm policies about late work that nonetheless allow for exception if students talk to you in advance.
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