What is the easiest writing assignment have done so far?

As you think about making up writing assignments, use these five principles: Tie the writing task to specific pedagogical and course goals. Note rhetorical aspects of the task, i.e., audience, purpose, writing situation. Break down the task into manageable steps.
Explanation:

# H o p e it helps

New questions in English
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How to Start an Assignment
Last Updated: January 5, 2023 References
This article was co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD . Michelle Golden is an English teacher in Athens, Georgia. She received her MA in Language Arts Teacher Education in 2008 and received her PhD in English from Georgia State University in 2015. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 91,298 times.
Getting started on an assignment or homework can often times be the hardest step. Putting off the assignment can make the problem worse, reducing the time you have to complete the task and increasing stress. By learning how to get started and overcome the urge to procrastinate, you can get your assignments done on schedule and with less stress, opening up more free time.
Restructuring Your Assignment

- For example, you might research areas of a report that you find most interesting before moving on to other areas.
- If your math assignment has different types of questions, try doing those that you enjoy the most before moving on to the others.
- You might also try tackling smaller or easier tasks first so you can cross a few items off your list. Seeing that you've already made progress may help you feel motivated to continue.

- Promise yourself that you will meet your goal of working for five minutes on the assignment.
- Once you get started, you may find that you don't want to stop working. Otherwise, you can take a break and come back to the assignment, knowing you're at least five minutes closer to finishing than you were before.

- Try to set reasonable periods of time that you know you can meet. For example, you might set aside two hours on a Friday to dedicate to your assignment. If you don't have that much time all at once, try to carve out a few 20- or 30-minute blocks.
- You may or may not wish to continue working after your time limit has gone by.
- Have a realistic understanding of how fast you can write and plan your schedule accordingly.

- It can help to read the assignment as soon as you get it and then ask any questions you might have.
- If you're not sure if you understand the assignment, try rewriting it in your own words or explaining it to someone else. If you find you can't or have a lot of questions, you may need more information.
- You should have an overview of the assignment, understand the main task, and understand the technical and stylistic requirements.
- Look for important words in the instructions to understand the assignment. These words might include define, explain, compare, relate, or prove.
- Keep your audience in mind and write a paper that would best deliver information to them.

- Goals that are too big or not well defined can be difficult to start working towards.
- Smaller and well defined goals can seem easier to achieve than larger ones.
- For example, you could break a research paper down into several smaller tasks: 1) do preliminary research, 2) write an outline, 3) draft an introduction, 4) draft body paragraphs, 5) write conclusion, 6) revise. Each of these is much more do-able on its own.
Changing Your Focus

- You might want to go for a quick walk after working for a set amount of time.
- Try reading a website or book that you enjoy for a few minutes after working.
- Alternatively, try a quick burst of exercise before setting to work. Exercise releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins and can also help boost your memory. [8] X Research source

- Instead of dreading your work, focus on how good it will feel to make progress. You won't have it hanging over your head. You can actually enjoy the weekend instead of feeling guilty.
- Keeping your eye on long-term rewards can help you stay motivated to finish your assignment.

- Avoid moving your workspace constantly.
- Don't get lost on tangential research.
- Don't take constant breaks to get a snack.

- For every hour you waste procrastinating, you can limit how much television you watch that night.
- If you waste too much time procrastinating, you might deny yourself a favorite snack later on.

Community Q&A

You Might Also Like

- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/solving-unsolvable-problems/201408/4-steps-stop-procrastinating
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/friendship-20/201405/the-surefire-first-step-stop-procrastinating
- ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/procrastination/
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
- ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/understanding-assignments/
- ↑ https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/ab22ff64-3358-4387-9761-8c58878a6b84/resource/3ee38320-17e4-46f9-b24f-c95f9f345eb9/download/ipp7.pdf
- ↑ http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/07/how-exercise-can-help-us-learn/
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/happy-life.html
About This Article

To start an assignment, try working on the most enjoyable or easiest parts of the assignment first to get the ball rolling. Even if no part of the assignment seems enjoyable or easy, set a timer and try to make yourself work for at least 5 minutes, which is usually enough time to build momentum and overcome procrastination. You can also try breaking your assignment up into smaller, more manageable tasks and scheduling yourself regular breaks so it doesn't seem as overwhelming. To learn how to stay positive and avoid procrastination while working on your homework, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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The 20 Best Assignment Writing Services in 2023
When you are doing homework late at night with matches holding your eyelids, you need to know one thing. There is a way to do it faster and easier. Even if you now feel desperate and lonely, you need to know that you are not alone. Somewhere out there, on the other side of your laptop screen (or maybe even on the other side of the planet), there is an expert writer who may save you.
Assignment writing services were invented for students who may lack time for doing tens and hundreds of papers teachers are thoughtlessly throwing at them. Who cares if you have other things to do? Who cares if you juggle work and study and have been sleep deprived for months? It is up to you to worry about your health and find the best ways to optimize your study process. In that regard, 24/7 online writing services can be a universal solution to myriads of homework problems.
At the same time, you need to be careful when choosing an appropriate service provider. The main criteria for your choice should be confidentiality, security, and quality guarantees. These parameters have been considered for compiling the following list of top 20 most reliable assignment writing services, selected and recommended by students.
1. ExtraEssay.com
The website claims that their assignment writing service is paradise of excellence for students. The mission of this company is to enhance your academic achievements and career. The reputation of clients is the main priority of this service. For this reason, the company employs only the best-accredited writers and editors. With this company, students are eligible for free unlimited amendments and money back guarantee.

Pricing : Prices range from $9 to $59 per page, depending upon quality standard, deadline and type of paper.
Customer Reviews :
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“The writers at ExtraEssay are the best of the best and so easy to reach via phone or chat. They make it a point to give individual attention to each and every student. Service is the motive for sure.” – ANGIE M.
2. AssignmentWriting.Services
In the years of their experience in this niche, this company has witnessed the evolution of writing services. They are continuously upgrading and improving the quality of their services. The company offers the innovative features and freebies, which make your cooperation with them effective and unforgettable. Their main characteristics are professionalism and perfection, which are highly rated and approved by their repeated users.

Pricing : Pricing depends upon academic level. Particularly, undergraduate students can enjoy papers at $11 per page, while PhD writing costs $18 per page, and admission help costs $34 per page.
“My assignment had to be very good because my departmental head was a famous economist and it was very hard to make any impression on him. I struggled throughout the year until a desperate search led to AssignmentWriting.Services. The reference assignment they provided was meticulously written and proved extremely helpful. I owe my master’s success to assignment writing services.” – Tony R.
“I trust these guys because no matter what topic or kind of paper I had, they have done their best to deliver perfect assignment. Only couple of my papers were returned for revision by professor. But it absolutely didnt change my opinion about the website.” – Evelyn S.
3. UniPapers.org
The company offers assistance of expert academic writers with various types of academic assignments. The service emphasizes their intention to deliver papers within the chosen deadlines. Additionally, the company provides flawless writing at affordable prices. The delighted feedback of their happy clients is the best proof of their quality services.

Pricing : The main parameters used by the website price calculator include assignment type, urgency and number of pages. The price of a fourteen-day essay of standard quality is $12 per page. Meanwhile, an urgent PhD dissertation costs $35 per page.
“I was feeling completely exhausted after writing so much without a break, I wished if someone could help me write and there was this UniPapers company online. They finished my assignments and the best part was that they gave me an introductory discount. I’m completely satisfied with their writing service.” – Sean Mayor
“A breath of fresh air for a change! I’ve had some bad experiences with other writing services in the past who always delayed my assignments. I’m sticking with you guys from now on.” – Alastair
4. MyAssignmentHelp.com
My Assignment Help is a reputable online writing service that can help with any problems in assignment writing. As one of the top writing companies in Australia, this website helps students from all over the world. The company employs over 3000 expert writers, holding PhD or other degrees. Writers’ knowledge, experience and creativity are central characteristics, which make this service one of the best in its niche. The company guarantees the best price possible.

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“I ordered my English and Philosophy assignments from them last week. I received the solutions on the promised dates. Most importantly, the solutions were perfectly written. I found all the required information there. I was very tensed about the plagiarism issue. But these guys delivered me 100% plagiarism-free help material. I got A+. I am very happy. Their experts are just awesome.” – Olivia J.
5. EssayService.com
This US-based assignment writing service offers affordable prices on writing assistance of premium quality. With this website, your privacy and satisfaction with the quality are guaranteed. Their live chat is available 24/7 and it allows placing even the most urgent assignments with them. All papers received from this company are plagiarism and error free.

Pricing : Prices start at $11.7 per page and can go as high as $17.55 per page if you decide to choose rush 6-hour delivery.
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6. BritishAssignmentWriters.co.uk
This online writing service offers invaluable help to anyone who has homework troubles. They complete every paper within the deadline and write every paper from scratch to comply with your individual requirements. The company provides original content and focuses on your result and complete satisfaction. Additionally, this company offers editing and proofreading services that may boost the quality of your projects.

Pricing : The two main parameters that influence the price are deadline and quality standard. The cheapest service is 2:2 standard one week essay ($8.99 per page), while the most expensive one is 24-hour delivery of a first class paper ($27.99 per page).
“Sometimes Im not able to complete off work regardless of receiving extensions because of facing unexpected illness, I have taken help from British Assignment Writers has often aided such college students in such regards and has provided them impeccable assignment aid and guidance.” – Jordan L.
7. HomeworkHelpGlobal.com
Homework Help Global is one of the leaders in custom writing services. They serve students worldwide, making their lives easier and academic careers more successful. The website has no limitations in subjects and study levels. Their writers team is reliable and highly specialized. The service has high writing standards, which ensure proper quality and originality of the projects you receive.

Pricing : Pricing depends upon deadline and academic level. Prices start from $24.99 per page and can go up to $59.99 per page, depending upon deadline and study level.
“I am very glad to find out about Homework Help Global. Their team is very professional and helpful. Service and work they provide is exceptional. It has helped me to advance in my academic career as well. Their services are highly recommended to students all around the world who need help and would like to succeed in their academic career. Thank you for the great work you do, always happy to use your services.” – Mamie
8. InstantAssignmentHelp.com.au
Affordable prices are one of the biggest advantages of this online writing service. Moreover, the website offers a variety of seasonal and personal discounts, which make cooperation with them even more pleasant. Expert consultations from this writing company are free. The website has already completed over 15000 student projects so far. This instant assignment writing company is one of the most popular student choices in Australia.

Pricing : Pricing starts at $8.87 per page, while a one-day quality paper can cost $31.54 per page.
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“Thanks a bunch fellas, I just had so much stuff going on… just couldn’t do this book report on my own.” – Lewis
9. AllAssignmentHelp.com
This professional assignment writing service can help you with any trouble with your homework. They promise you complete satisfaction with the quality of writing product you receive. If you are interested in good grades without making too much effort, this service is for you. Located in United States, this company offers help to students all over the world. Along with their reasonable prices, they offer a variety of special discounts, which decrease pricing even more.

Pricing : Pricing depends upon number of pages you order and the deadline you choose.
“Amazing service, genuine work, timely assistance and reasonable prices. Job well done.” – Jake Mackellar
“I probably should have written this earlier but anyway, I just finished reading the essay you sent me and I gotta say I am very glad I decided to hire your services. I’m definitely coming back to you for more.” – John B.
10. GPALabs.com
The main advantages of this writing service include affordable prices and professional writers. This website is similar to an assignment writing lab, where only the best ingredients are used for creating papers of superior quality. Writers use an individual approach to every order and ensure clients’ satisfaction and delight. Urgent deadlines are available and affordable.

Pricing : Pricing is defined, taking into account the chosen deadline and study level. For instance, a high school essay with a two-week deadline costs $10 per page, whereas an urgent PhD project costs $49 per page.
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11. GreatAssignmentHelp.com
This US-based assignment writing service is extremely popular with students from UK and Canada as well. The website promises to provide you with a thoroughly researched and neatly formatted paper within the deadline you choose. By sharing their expertise, this writing company will provide you with assignment help of superior quality. The writers team have access to the top rated databases with the latest resources.

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This online writing company is well known for its premium quality of writing. Original papers received from this writing service can boost your academic performance and mood. With their international team of writers who live in the different corners of the world, the service is available 24/7. Plagiarism is out of the question, as every paper passes through careful plagiarism check procedure.

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“I had completely forgotten about my essay assignment until the very last day! I was so worried and did not know what to do! I used Buyassignment.com to write a custom paper for me and I got my paper delivered to me in time. It was a perfect paper!” – Elizabeth
13. AssignmentPrime.com
This assignment writing service helps Australian students face their academic challenges. This company has over 150 academic consultants who have PhD degrees. The service provides original content, created especially to meet your individual requirements. The company promises to improve your GPA and academic reputation. Along with meeting your individual needs, writers will make sure that your document follows the guidelines of your university.

Pricing : Pricing depends upon deadline and chosen writing standard. Particularly, the lowest standard with the deadline longer than 7 days costs AUD 9.51 per page, whereas the best writing standard delivered overnight costs AUD 35.70 per page.
“I was assigned Computer Science assignment from my university professor. I was not very adept at my coding skills and hence, was in a perplexed situation regarding completion of the work. It was then I decided to take online assignment help from Assignment Prime to submit an effective Computer Science assignment. Their expert team really helped me out and I was able to score great remarks from my professor.” – Paul A.
14. AssignmentMasters.co.uk
This service offers professional writing help with various assignment types, including those of essays, dissertations, courseworks etc. The company has a wide range of free features, such as outline, bibliography, formatting and unlimited amendments. The service guarantees privacy and security, which are extremely important for successful assignment writing. The website offers 24/7 live support.

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“One great service to get your assignments done. Good quality and whats more important – good communication with you during all the process. That really makes orders better – you have a possibility to change some details just on the run. I recommend!” – Steve Payne
15. CustomAssignment.com
An individual approach to every project and customized writing materials are one of the biggest advantages of this writing service. When you buy assignments from this company, you may feel safe that you will receive original materials, free of plagiarism. The website offers homework services to all tastes, including coursework, term paper, dissertation and other types of assignment help. The service is available 24/7 to battle all your problems and homework worries.

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16. Grademiners.com
With over 1000 expert writers employed by this company, Grademiners provide professional writing help to anyone who may need it. All clients are eligible for free unlimited revisions. Additionally, the website offers a money back guarantee, which is rarely if ever used by the clients. No registration is needed, so that you may feel safe, as you don’t need to share your personal information. The service sends email and text message notifications whenever your order status changes.

Pricing : The main parameters that influence the total price are study level and deadline. The minimum price is $11.30 per page for a high school paper with the maximum deadline. The maximum price is $44.95 per page for a three-hour PhD project.
“Covered the points well, but the English grammar was not superb. I have waited to give the feedback after i receive the notes and comments from my professor and it’s quite GOOD. At the end I’m happy to know I could get an assistance from you, when I need to write a paper ASAP.” – Nick G.
17. PeachyEssay.com
Fast and cheap essay writing help is a good tradition with this online company. All academic materials provided by this service are custom made and plagiarism free. The service guarantees clients’ confidentiality and satisfaction. Every client is eligible for free unlimited revisions. Urgent projects are available with this website.

Pricing : Prices depend upon urgency and quality standard of your choice. A 24-hour paper of platinum quality costs $84 per page, while a +30 days paper of standard quality can be as cheap as $19 per page (the price is not the cheapest in the industry).
“It was my first experience with custom assignment writing service and I really enjoyed the services offered by PeachyEssay.com to me. They helped me beyond my expectations and the writer wrote a good essay for me. I received better appreciation from my professor as well. Thanks a lot. ” – Agnus Johnny
18. AssignmentExpert.com
This website provides professional assistance with all types of homework assignments. Importantly, you may expect high quality original research materials and on-time delivery of your orders. All study levels and subjects are available, including even Biology, Economics, Engineering, Finance, Nursing, Management, Marketing, Math, Physics and Programming. Even your Statistics assignment can get easier with this service. When in doubt, you may negotiate your homework problem in 24/7 live chat. Importantly, the company promises respect and privacy.

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19. IvoryResearch.com
Students who have difficulties with their essays or dissertations can make their lives easier by visiting this website and placing an order. The company offers a quick and easy to use order form. The company is registered in England and Wales and their services follow local legislative norms. All their writers have a UK degree and you may be certain that the paper you receive will follow guidelines of your university.

Pricing : The price will depend upon your requirements, deadline and complexity level. For example, dissertation topics suggestion costs $39.99 (5 topics for postgraduate dissertations or 2 topics for PhD students).
“I’ve used them only once, that was for my accounting assignment, which proved to be really difficult. I was struggling with it for days and then my friend said to me to try them – he used them 2 times before. I was rather sceptical, but decided to go ahead. they were very polite and caring – the writer asked me questions and asked for some clarifications (I even had to scan few pages from my book), but it was ok. I got my assignment on time, checked it with my supervisor and he said everything was correct.” – Stephen
20. AustralianWritings.com
The head office of this company is located in Sydney, but their custom assignment writers are ready to serve students from all over the world. Confidentiality and secure payment are guaranteed. Their expert writers are trusted by thousands of college students who tried this custom assignment writing service and recommend it to their friends. The service promises to keep their prices student friendly.

Pricing : Pricing is reasonable and it starts from $19.99 per page. Prices vary, depending upon urgency, academic level and subject.
“I have sent all my assignments to you and you have done them all with perfection. Thank you for working hard for me. I will not forget your efforts.” – Lucy Taylor
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There is nothing easier than finding an assignment writing help online. At the same time, you may have a hard time choosing a service provider that is right for you. Hopefully, this list of top 20 legit services will help you make an informed choice, minimizing risks and maximizing results.

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The Only Guide to Essay Writing You’ll Ever Need
Feel passionately about something and want to share it? Write an essay! Disagree with a popular opinion and wish to convince others to join you? Write an essay! Need to write something because the college you dream of attending is making you? Write an essay!
“Essay” is a loose term for writing that asserts the author’s opinion on a topic, whether academic, editorial, or even humorous. There are a thousand different approaches to essay writing and a million different topics to choose from, but what we’ve found is that good essay writing tends to follow the same framework.
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Below we discuss that framework and how you can apply it to your essays, whatever types they may be. But first, let’s start with the nucleus of any good essay: the topic.
Your essay needs a thesis statement
There are three things to consider before writing your essay: thesis, type, and audience. Of these, the most important by far is your thesis, or the crux of what your essay is about.
Your thesis, encapsulated in your thesis statement , is the central point you’re trying to make. The thesis of Bertrand Russell’s essay “ In Praise of Idleness ,” for example, is that people focus too much on work and don’t value time spent idly. Essays can occasionally stray and go into related tangents, but they always come back to that one core idea in the thesis.
You should always pinpoint your thesis before writing. If you’re having trouble nailing it down, ask yourself, “What’s the one thing I want my reader to remember when they’re done reading my essay?”
The best practice is to include your thesis as soon as possible, even in your topic sentence if it’s appropriate. You’ll want to reiterate it throughout the essay as well, especially when wrapping up everything in the conclusion.
The rest of your essay, then, supports your thesis. You can include empirical evidence, testimonials, logical deductions, or even persuasive rhetoric —whatever gets the job done. The point is that you’re building upon your initial thesis, not switching to completely different topics.
Types of essays
Like any form of writing, essays come in many different types. Sometimes the assignment dictates the type, as with admissions essays, and other times the thesis will determine it. Regardless, it helps to know what your options are, so here are some of the most common essay types:
Argumentative essay
Argumentative essays assert or defend a position. This is the most common type of school paper, so keep that in mind when writing your first college essay .
Admissions essay
Most colleges request an admissions essay in applications, which typically revolve around why you’re interested in their school.
Persuasive essay
A persuasive essay is just as it sounds: an essay to persuade or convince the reader of a certain point. It’s similar to an argumentative essay— they both strongly favor a particular point of view, but the difference is the end goal: Argumentative essays just have to present their case, while persuasive essays have to present their case and win over the reader.
Compare-and-contrast essay
When you want to devote equal attention to two opposing things, a compare-and-contrast essay works better than argumentative or persuasive essays, which lean to one side over the other.
Personal essay
Personal essays are often anecdotal or real-life stories of the authors, like the works of David Sedaris . Because they tend to follow narrative structures, the thesis can be flexible or interpretive.
Expository essay
An expository essay thoroughly explains a certain topic to expand the reader’s knowledge. It is similar to an argumentative and persuasive essay in format, but with one key difference: expository essays don’t have a bias.
Know your essay’s audience
Your final consideration is who will read your essay—a teacher, an admissions counselor, your peers, the internet at large, etc.
No matter what you’re writing, your audience should influence your language. For one thing, your readers determine whether the essay is formal or casual , which has an enormous impact on language, word choice, and style . Take emojis for example: In a casual essay they might be welcome, but for formal writing they’re not the most appropriate choice. 😓
Your audience also affects the essay’s tone, or how you sound on an emotional level (enthusiastic, cautious, confident, etc.). If you’d like to know more, you can read about the 10 common types of tone here .
The essay writing process
If you’re writing an essay, research paper , term paper, novel, short story, poem , screenplay, blog article about essay writing—when writing just about anything , really—it’s crucial to follow an efficient writing process. Even if you prefer the stream of consciousness style for writing your rough draft, you still need to have an orderly system that allows you to revise and hone.
For essay writing, we recommend this six-step writing process :
1 Brainstorming
It always helps to collect your thoughts before you begin writing by brainstorming . Based on your prompt or thesis, try to generate as many ideas as possible to include in your essay. Think of as many as time allows, knowing that you’ll be able to set aside the ideas that don’t work later.
2 Preparing
The preparation phase consists of both outlining your essay and collecting resources for evidence. Take a look at the results of your brainstorming session. First, isolate the ideas that are essential to support your thesis and then organize them in a logical and progressive order. In this stage you’ll incorporate your essay structure, which we explain below.
If you want empirical evidence or complementary citations, track them down now. The way you write citations depends on the style guide you’re using. The three most common style guides for academics are MLA , APA , and Chicago , and each has its own particular rules and requirements for citing just about any kind of source, including newspaper articles , websites , speeches , and YouTube videos .
This is the main stage of essay writing where you roll up your sleeves and actually write your first draft . Remember that everything doesn’t have to be perfect; this is your first draft, not your final draft, so give yourself the freedom to make errors. If you’re focusing on getting every single word right, you’ll miss the big picture.
The revisions stage involves your second draft, your third draft, or even your twelfth draft if necessary. Address all the nuances and subtleties you glossed over in the first draft.
Pay attention to both word choice and clarity , as well as sophisticated writing techniques like avoiding the passive voice . If you’re not confident in your writing skills yet, the Grammarly Editor ensures your writing is readable, clear, and concise by offering sentence structure and word choice suggestions, plus clarity revisions as you write. Grammarly helps catch common mistakes with sentence structure—like run-on sentences, sentence fragments, passive voice, and more.
5 Proofreading
When all the heavy-duty revisions are finished, it’s time for the final polish. Go through your essay and correct misspellings , formatting issues, or grammatical errors. This is also where you can turn to Grammarly’s AI-powered writing assistant, which helps catch these common mistakes for you. Or copy and paste your writing to check your grammar and get instant feedback on grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other mistakes you might have missed.
Essay structure
Essay structure almost always follows a simple beginning-middle-end format, or in this case, an introduction-body-conclusion format. However, it’s what’s contained within those sections that makes all the difference.
Introduction
Essays follow the same guidelines for introductions as any other piece of writing, with an extra emphasis on presenting the thesis prominently, ideally in the topic sentence. By the end of your introduction paragraph, your reader should know without a doubt what your essay is about. From there, follow the conventional best practices on how to write an introduction .
Body paragraphs
The majority of your essay is body paragraphs , all of which support your thesis and present evidence.
Pay close attention to how you organize your body paragraphs. Some arguments benefit from a logical progression, where one point leads to a second, and that second point leads to a third. Remember that the reader doesn’t understand the topic like you do (that’s why you’re writing the essay), so structure your paragraphs in the way that’s best for their comprehension.
What if you’re writing an argumentative essay where you compare and contrast two or more points of view? Do you present your argument first and then share opposing points of view, or do you open with your opposition’s argument and then refute it?
Serious writers can get pretty technical about how to organize an argumentative essay. There are three approaches in particular used often: Aristotlian (classical), Rogerian , and Toulmin . However, these can get exceedingly complicated, so for a simple essay, a basic structure will do just fine:
- Counterpoint
- Evidence supporting your point and/or disproving counterpoint
Essay conclusions wrap up or summarize your thesis in a way that’s easy for the reader to digest. If you get the chance, you can add a new perspective or context for understanding your thesis, but in general the conclusion should not present any new evidence or supporting data. Rather, it’s more of a recap. For more specific tips, read about how to write a conclusion for an essay here .
Five-paragraph essay
For quick and simple essays, you don’t need to get too technical with your essay structure. The five-paragraph essay structure works well in a pinch. This contains:
- One introduction paragraph
- Three body paragraphs
- One conclusion paragraph
While this essay structure might not be flexible enough for more advanced topics, it comes in handy when speed is a factor, like during timed tests.
Essay writing tips
Master the five fundamentals.
Especially for school essays, your reader will scrutinize how well you handle the fundamentals. Knowing about essay structure and the writing process is one thing, but can you demonstrate an understanding of language style? Can you develop your thesis logically and coherently? Are your references and citations trustworthy?
When you’re ready for the next step of essay writing, take a look at the five concepts you must master to write better essays . The tips there pick up where this guide leaves off.
Seek out another pair of eyes
This tip is not just for essays; it’s always advisable to have someone else read over your writing before finalizing it. All too often we miss the forest for the trees, and thinking long and hard on the same topic can give you tunnel vision. The solution is to get a fresh take from someone who’s seeing it for the first time.
Typically you can swap with a friend and edit each others’ works. If that’s not an option, however, you can also use a writing center or join a writing group online. At the very least, you should sleep on it and take another look when you’re refreshed.
Remember: Grammar and form are essential
It’s not always about what you say, but how you say it. You could have the most obvious, objectively agreeable thesis in the world, but if your writing is incoherent, confusing, and full of mistakes, it’s tough to engage with your reader.
For when your writing needs to make the right impact, Grammarly Premium offers full-sentence rewrites for confusing sentences—from splitting long sentences, cutting extra words, or rearranging key phrases—in addition to catching common grammar mistakes. It also gives you readability-focused formatting suggestions, so you know your writing is clear. It also helps those who are looking to improve their writing skill level in English, with suggestions for commonly misused words and phrases.
Honing your writing with these elements in mind is key to relaying your point to your reader—and asserting your thesis as effectively as possible.

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Resources for Teachers: Creating Writing Assignments
This page contains four specific areas:
Creating Effective Assignments
Checking the assignment, sequencing writing assignments, selecting an effective writing assignment format.
Research has shown that the more detailed a writing assignment is, the better the student papers are in response to that assignment. Instructors can often help students write more effective papers by giving students written instructions about that assignment. Explicit descriptions of assignments on the syllabus or on an “assignment sheet” tend to produce the best results. These instructions might make explicit the process or steps necessary to complete the assignment. Assignment sheets should detail:
- the kind of writing expected
- the scope of acceptable subject matter
- the length requirements
- formatting requirements
- documentation format
- the amount and type of research expected (if any)
- the writer’s role
- deadlines for the first draft and its revision
Providing questions or needed data in the assignment helps students get started. For instance, some questions can suggest a mode of organization to the students. Other questions might suggest a procedure to follow. The questions posed should require that students assert a thesis.
The following areas should help you create effective writing assignments.
Examining your goals for the assignment
- How exactly does this assignment fit with the objectives of your course?
- Should this assignment relate only to the class and the texts for the class, or should it also relate to the world beyond the classroom?
- What do you want the students to learn or experience from this writing assignment?
- Should this assignment be an individual or a collaborative effort?
- What do you want students to show you in this assignment? To demonstrate mastery of concepts or texts? To demonstrate logical and critical thinking? To develop an original idea? To learn and demonstrate the procedures, practices, and tools of your field of study?
Defining the writing task
- Is the assignment sequenced so that students: (1) write a draft, (2) receive feedback (from you, fellow students, or staff members at the Writing and Communication Center), and (3) then revise it? Such a procedure has been proven to accomplish at least two goals: it improves the student’s writing and it discourages plagiarism.
- Does the assignment include so many sub-questions that students will be confused about the major issue they should examine? Can you give more guidance about what the paper’s main focus should be? Can you reduce the number of sub-questions?
- What is the purpose of the assignment (e.g., review knowledge already learned, find additional information, synthesize research, examine a new hypothesis)? Making the purpose(s) of the assignment explicit helps students write the kind of paper you want.
- What is the required form (e.g., expository essay, lab report, memo, business report)?
- What mode is required for the assignment (e.g., description, narration, analysis, persuasion, a combination of two or more of these)?
Defining the audience for the paper
- Can you define a hypothetical audience to help students determine which concepts to define and explain? When students write only to the instructor, they may assume that little, if anything, requires explanation. Defining the whole class as the intended audience will clarify this issue for students.
- What is the probable attitude of the intended readers toward the topic itself? Toward the student writer’s thesis? Toward the student writer?
- What is the probable educational and economic background of the intended readers?
Defining the writer’s role
- Can you make explicit what persona you wish the students to assume? For example, a very effective role for student writers is that of a “professional in training” who uses the assumptions, the perspective, and the conceptual tools of the discipline.
Defining your evaluative criteria
1. If possible, explain the relative weight in grading assigned to the quality of writing and the assignment’s content:
- depth of coverage
- organization
- critical thinking
- original thinking
- use of research
- logical demonstration
- appropriate mode of structure and analysis (e.g., comparison, argument)
- correct use of sources
- grammar and mechanics
- professional tone
- correct use of course-specific concepts and terms.
Here’s a checklist for writing assignments:
- Have you used explicit command words in your instructions (e.g., “compare and contrast” and “explain” are more explicit than “explore” or “consider”)? The more explicit the command words, the better chance the students will write the type of paper you wish.
- Does the assignment suggest a topic, thesis, and format? Should it?
- Have you told students the kind of audience they are addressing — the level of knowledge they can assume the readers have and your particular preferences (e.g., “avoid slang, use the first-person sparingly”)?
- If the assignment has several stages of completion, have you made the various deadlines clear? Is your policy on due dates clear?
- Have you presented the assignment in a manageable form? For instance, a 5-page assignment sheet for a 1-page paper may overwhelm students. Similarly, a 1-sentence assignment for a 25-page paper may offer insufficient guidance.
There are several benefits of sequencing writing assignments:
- Sequencing provides a sense of coherence for the course.
- This approach helps students see progress and purpose in their work rather than seeing the writing assignments as separate exercises.
- It encourages complexity through sustained attention, revision, and consideration of multiple perspectives.
- If you have only one large paper due near the end of the course, you might create a sequence of smaller assignments leading up to and providing a foundation for that larger paper (e.g., proposal of the topic, an annotated bibliography, a progress report, a summary of the paper’s key argument, a first draft of the paper itself). This approach allows you to give students guidance and also discourages plagiarism.
- It mirrors the approach to written work in many professions.
The concept of sequencing writing assignments also allows for a wide range of options in creating the assignment. It is often beneficial to have students submit the components suggested below to your course’s STELLAR web site.
Use the writing process itself. In its simplest form, “sequencing an assignment” can mean establishing some sort of “official” check of the prewriting and drafting steps in the writing process. This step guarantees that students will not write the whole paper in one sitting and also gives students more time to let their ideas develop. This check might be something as informal as having students work on their prewriting or draft for a few minutes at the end of class. Or it might be something more formal such as collecting the prewriting and giving a few suggestions and comments.
Have students submit drafts. You might ask students to submit a first draft in order to receive your quick responses to its content, or have them submit written questions about the content and scope of their projects after they have completed their first draft.
Establish small groups. Set up small writing groups of three-five students from the class. Allow them to meet for a few minutes in class or have them arrange a meeting outside of class to comment constructively on each other’s drafts. The students do not need to be writing on the same topic.
Require consultations. Have students consult with someone in the Writing and Communication Center about their prewriting and/or drafts. The Center has yellow forms that we can give to students to inform you that such a visit was made.
Explore a subject in increasingly complex ways. A series of reading and writing assignments may be linked by the same subject matter or topic. Students encounter new perspectives and competing ideas with each new reading, and thus must evaluate and balance various views and adopt a position that considers the various points of view.
Change modes of discourse. In this approach, students’ assignments move from less complex to more complex modes of discourse (e.g., from expressive to analytic to argumentative; or from lab report to position paper to research article).
Change audiences. In this approach, students create drafts for different audiences, moving from personal to public (e.g., from self-reflection to an audience of peers to an audience of specialists). Each change would require different tasks and more extensive knowledge.
Change perspective through time. In this approach, students might write a statement of their understanding of a subject or issue at the beginning of a course and then return at the end of the semester to write an analysis of that original stance in the light of the experiences and knowledge gained in the course.
Use a natural sequence. A different approach to sequencing is to create a series of assignments culminating in a final writing project. In scientific and technical writing, for example, students could write a proposal requesting approval of a particular topic. The next assignment might be a progress report (or a series of progress reports), and the final assignment could be the report or document itself. For humanities and social science courses, students might write a proposal requesting approval of a particular topic, then hand in an annotated bibliography, and then a draft, and then the final version of the paper.
Have students submit sections. A variation of the previous approach is to have students submit various sections of their final document throughout the semester (e.g., their bibliography, review of the literature, methods section).
In addition to the standard essay and report formats, several other formats exist that might give students a different slant on the course material or allow them to use slightly different writing skills. Here are some suggestions:
Journals. Journals have become a popular format in recent years for courses that require some writing. In-class journal entries can spark discussions and reveal gaps in students’ understanding of the material. Having students write an in-class entry summarizing the material covered that day can aid the learning process and also reveal concepts that require more elaboration. Out-of-class entries involve short summaries or analyses of texts, or are a testing ground for ideas for student papers and reports. Although journals may seem to add a huge burden for instructors to correct, in fact many instructors either spot-check journals (looking at a few particular key entries) or grade them based on the number of entries completed. Journals are usually not graded for their prose style. STELLAR forums work well for out-of-class entries.
Letters. Students can define and defend a position on an issue in a letter written to someone in authority. They can also explain a concept or a process to someone in need of that particular information. They can write a letter to a friend explaining their concerns about an upcoming paper assignment or explaining their ideas for an upcoming paper assignment. If you wish to add a creative element to the writing assignment, you might have students adopt the persona of an important person discussed in your course (e.g., an historical figure) and write a letter explaining his/her actions, process, or theory to an interested person (e.g., “pretend that you are John Wilkes Booth and write a letter to the Congress justifying your assassination of Abraham Lincoln,” or “pretend you are Henry VIII writing to Thomas More explaining your break from the Catholic Church”).
Editorials . Students can define and defend a position on a controversial issue in the format of an editorial for the campus or local newspaper or for a national journal.
Cases . Students might create a case study particular to the course’s subject matter.
Position Papers . Students can define and defend a position, perhaps as a preliminary step in the creation of a formal research paper or essay.
Imitation of a Text . Students can create a new document “in the style of” a particular writer (e.g., “Create a government document the way Woody Allen might write it” or “Write your own ‘Modest Proposal’ about a modern issue”).
Instruction Manuals . Students write a step-by-step explanation of a process.
Dialogues . Students create a dialogue between two major figures studied in which they not only reveal those people’s theories or thoughts but also explore areas of possible disagreement (e.g., “Write a dialogue between Claude Monet and Jackson Pollock about the nature and uses of art”).
Collaborative projects . Students work together to create such works as reports, questions, and critiques.

5 tips on writing better university assignments

Lecturer in Student Learning and Communication Development, University of Sydney
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Alexandra Garcia does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
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University life comes with its share of challenges. One of these is writing longer assignments that require higher information, communication and critical thinking skills than what you might have been used to in high school. Here are five tips to help you get ahead.
1. Use all available sources of information
Beyond instructions and deadlines, lecturers make available an increasing number of resources. But students often overlook these.
For example, to understand how your assignment will be graded, you can examine the rubric . This is a chart indicating what you need to do to obtain a high distinction, a credit or a pass, as well as the course objectives – also known as “learning outcomes”.
Other resources include lecture recordings, reading lists, sample assignments and discussion boards. All this information is usually put together in an online platform called a learning management system (LMS). Examples include Blackboard , Moodle , Canvas and iLearn . Research shows students who use their LMS more frequently tend to obtain higher final grades.
If after scrolling through your LMS you still have questions about your assignment, you can check your lecturer’s consultation hours.
2. Take referencing seriously
Plagiarism – using somebody else’s words or ideas without attribution – is a serious offence at university. It is a form of cheating.

In many cases, though, students are unaware they have cheated. They are simply not familiar with referencing styles – such as APA , Harvard , Vancouver , Chicago , etc – or lack the skills to put the information from their sources into their own words.
To avoid making this mistake, you may approach your university’s library, which is likely to offer face-to-face workshops or online resources on referencing. Academic support units may also help with paraphrasing.
You can also use referencing management software, such as EndNote or Mendeley . You can then store your sources, retrieve citations and create reference lists with only a few clicks. For undergraduate students, Zotero has been recommended as it seems to be more user-friendly.
Using this kind of software will certainly save you time searching for and formatting references. However, you still need to become familiar with the citation style in your discipline and revise the formatting accordingly.
3. Plan before you write
If you were to build a house, you wouldn’t start by laying bricks at random. You’d start with a blueprint. Likewise, writing an academic paper requires careful planning: you need to decide the number of sections, their organisation, and the information and sources you will include in each.
Research shows students who prepare detailed outlines produce higher-quality texts. Planning will not only help you get better grades, but will also reduce the time you spend staring blankly at the screen thinking about what to write next.

During the planning stage, using programs like OneNote from Microsoft Office or Outline for Mac can make the task easier as they allow you to organise information in tabs. These bits of information can be easily rearranged for later drafting. Navigating through the tabs is also easier than scrolling through a long Word file.
4. Choose the right words
Which of these sentences is more appropriate for an assignment?
a. “This paper talks about why the planet is getting hotter”, or b. “This paper examines the causes of climate change”.
The written language used at university is more formal and technical than the language you normally use in social media or while chatting with your friends. Academic words tend to be longer and their meaning is also more precise. “Climate change” implies more than just the planet “getting hotter”.
To find the right words, you can use SkELL , which shows you the words that appear more frequently, with your search entry categorised grammatically. For example, if you enter “paper”, it will tell you it is often the subject of verbs such as “present”, “describe”, “examine” and “discuss”.
Another option is the Writefull app, which does a similar job without having to use an online browser.
5. Edit and proofread
If you’re typing the last paragraph of the assignment ten minutes before the deadline, you will be missing a very important step in the writing process: editing and proofreading your text. A 2018 study found a group of university students did significantly better in a test after incorporating the process of planning, drafting and editing in their writing.

You probably already know to check the spelling of a word if it appears underlined in red. You may even use a grammar checker such as Grammarly . However, no software to date can detect every error and it is not uncommon to be given inaccurate suggestions.
So, in addition to your choice of proofreader, you need to improve and expand your grammar knowledge. Check with the academic support services at your university if they offer any relevant courses.
Written communication is a skill that requires effort and dedication. That’s why universities are investing in support services – face-to-face workshops, individual consultations, and online courses – to help students in this process. You can also take advantage of a wide range of web-based resources such as spell checkers, vocabulary tools and referencing software – many of them free.
Improving your written communication will help you succeed at university and beyond.
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Ascent Publication

May 3, 2018
What I Find Most Difficult About Writing
Before I started writing everyday just over a year ago, I would have told you writing was easy. In my defense, writing a post once every few months and hitting publish like I used to was easy. Probably because I do believe myself to be a natural writer, I truly believe I was meant to write and consider any talent I have as God given. I don’t say that arrogantly, in fact just the opposite. So when I’d go months without writing, it was all just building internally. Ideas, phrases and bundles of words just collecting inside of me. Therefore, when I’d finally sit down to write — it felt easy. It flowed out of me freely.
In reality, the hard part about writing usually isn’t the writing itself. It’s been widely noted by some of my favorite authors in some of my favorite books how difficult forcing yourself to sit down and write, day after day, can be. Steven Pressfield wrote a whole book about it. He quite accurately dubbed the internal struggle writers feel when faced with the idea of sitting down to write as The Resistance. And any real writer — meaning one who writes regularly — can tell you, that’s exactly what it feels like. In fact, I had trouble describing it without using the word just now. While this is probably the part of writing I find most difficult, it’s been widely covered as I mentioned so I don’t want to dive too much deeper into it. However, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Pressfield’s The War of Art for anyone serious about writing or any other creative field.
What’s difficult about writing everyday is different than what’s different about writing in general. While writing does come naturally to me and I don’t find it difficult once I’ve gotten started and know what it is I’m writing about, getting to that point is much easier said than done. It’s rarely as easy as it sounds. Finding something interesting enough for people to actually want to read and for me to want to write about everyday, can be grueling. On top of that, two million new blog posts get published everyday — good luck finding an original topic. But yeah, beyond all of that, writing’s easy. A real cake walk.
Here is the part of writing I personally find most difficult. I saved the best for last and until recently it wasn’t a topic I’d seen anyone touch on, surprisingly. I find talking about my writing to be far more difficult of a task than writing itself. Though it’s something I’m working on, in a recent interview, Ryan Holiday helped me realize I wasn’t alone in feeling this way. He described himself as an introverted writer — essentially just a writer who finds it difficult to talk about their writing. Partly because they wrote what they wrote because they weren’t able to find a way to talk about it and partly because introverted writers feel like after they write it, it’s almost like they’re done with it — what’s left to say?
While I said it’s something I’m working on, because I would like to be able to talk about my writing when approached or asked about it, part of me feels like maybe it just is what it is. However, I feel obligated to mention before reading Ryan’s article, I used to feel like I was weird for not wanting — or being able — to talk about my writing. I felt like something was wrong with me. It was Ryan who helped me see I’m not alone and even successful authors such as himself feel this way. We’re not weird, we’re just introverted writers. Weird but for other reasons probably.
Basically, what I find most difficult about writing, are all of the parts other than the actual writing itself. The before and after. The forcing myself to sit down to do so and overcoming The Resistance. Finding something interesting and at least semi original or unique to write about. Then, everything that comes after the actual writing. How well it does online. The being asked about it in real life. Even the compliments, as odd as that is. I’m a good writer, I’m just bad at talking about it. If only writing was as simple as just writing.
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Home / Blog / 15 foolproof tips for writing a great assignment
15 foolproof tips for writing a great assignment
15th Aug 2015
Student advice

If you’re the kind of person that only has to hear the word “assignment” and immediately has flashbacks to stuffy classrooms, ticking clocks and staring a blank page for hours….DON’T PANIC.
Our 15 foolproof tips for writing a great assignment will guide you to success.
Before you start…
1. do your reading.
Your course or module will have a reading list; make sure you actually use it! Your tutors choose texts to specifically help with your assignments and modules, and you’ll gain some valuable insights into the topic that are sure to make writing your assignment easier.
Expert tip: If you have the time, do some reading from other sources not on your list to back up your argument.
2. Check the deadline
There’s nothing worse than scheduling time to sit down and write then glancing at the calendar and realising you’ve only got a few days left. Double-checking the deadline means you’ll have no nasty surprises.
Expert tip: There are many apps out there that can add a ‘countdown’ to your phone or tablet. Use these to keep your assignment deadline front of mind.
3. Plan your time
Finding time to write is easier said than done, but if you break your time down into manageable chunks you’ll find it’s much easier to keep on top of your workload. Try scheduling mini-deadlines along the way (e.g. aim to have the first section done by a certain day) to keep your momentum going.
Expert tip: Be realistic about the time you have spare, and the time you’re willing to give up. If you schedule a writing session at 9 p.m. on Friday evening when you’d rather be relaxing, chances are you won’t get anything done.
4. Ask for help (if you need it)
If there’s any doubt in your mind about the question or the requirements of the assignment, ask your tutor. It’s better to start right than have to re-write in the last few days.
Expert tip: Remember, your tutor wants you to do well. He or she will not be annoyed if you need to ask a few questions.
5. Plan your assignment structure
Before you start, it can help to create a basic assignment structure. This can be as detailed as you like but the basic structure should contain your introduction points, your key arguments and points, and your planned conclusion.
Expert tip: Try writing out your plan on sticky notes. These will allow you to rearrange your arguments and points easily as your plan develops.
As you’re writing…
6. introduction.
You wouldn’t start a conversation without introducing yourself; your assignment is the same. Your first paragraph should introduce your key argument, add a bit of context and the key issues of the question, and then go on to explain how you plan to answer it.
Expert tip: Some people find it easier to write their introduction after they’ve finished the rest of their assignment. Give it a try!
7. Structure your argument
As you write the body of your assignment, make sure that each point you make has some supporting evidence. Use statistics or quotes you gathered during your reading to support your argument, or even as something to argue against.
Expert tip: If you’re using a lot of different sources, it’s easy to forget to add them to your reference list. Make things easier for yourself by writing it as you go along.
8. Conclusion
Your conclusion is your final chance to summarise your argument and leave a lasting impression with your reader. Make sure you recap the key points and arguments you made in your assignment, including supporting evidence if needed.
Expert tip: Make sure that you don’t introduce any new ideas in your conclusion; this section is purely for summarising your previous arguments.
9. Getting over writer’s block
Struggling to write? There’s nothing more frustrating than putting aside time to write and then just staring at a blank page. Luckily, there are lots of thing to try to get you inspired: a change of scenery, putting on some music, writing another section of the essay or just taking a short break.
Expert tip: If you find yourself unable to write, try to use your time to read ahead or re-read what you’ve already written.
10. Make sure you use your ‘essay voice’
While each university, school or each college will probably have its own style guide, you should always use a neutral and professional tone when writing an assignment. Try to avoid slang, overly-familiar phrases and definitely don’t use text-speak!
Expert tip: If you’re not sure about a phrase or word, search for it online to see what other publications use it. If it’s in a dictionary or used by a national newspaper it’s probably OK to use in your assignment.
After you finish…
11. get a little distance.
If you’ve got time (and you should have if you managed to stick to your schedule!), put your first draft aside for a day or two before re-reading it. This will give you time to step back and read your assignment objectively, making it easier to spot mistakes and issues.
Expert tip: If you find it easier to review on paper, print out your assignment with double-line spacing to accommodate your notes and corrections.
12. Make sure you’ve answered the question
As you’re reading through your first draft of your assignment, check that all your points are relevant to the original question. It’s easy to drift off on a tangent when you’re in mid-flow.
Expert tip: Read each paragraph and consider it on its own merit as to whether it answers the question, and also to check that it contributes to your overall argument.
13. Don’t be afraid to cut text out
Sometimes, when you’ve struggled to reach a word count it can be hard to remove text that you’ve slaved over. But if a piece of text isn’t supporting your argument then it doesn’t have a place in your assignment.
Expert tip: With word processing software, the ‘Track Changes’ feature allows you to edit text without losing it forever. And if you realise later that you’ve made a mistake, just reject the change.
14. Check and double-check your spelling
Nothing can give a bad impression as quickly as a spelling mistake. Errors are distracting, look unprofessional and in the worst case they can undermine your argument. If you’re unsure about the correct use of a word, look it up online or use an alternative that you’re more comfortable with.
Expert tip: While you’re running your spell-checker, check your word count too. You’re usually allowed to deviate by 10% above or below the assignment word count, but check with your institution’s guidelines.
15. Cite your sources
References and creating a bibliography are key skills that you unfortunately have to master when writing an assignment. Check your institution’s guidelines before you start to make sure you’re including all the information you need.
Expert tip: Some eBooks have a citation feature that automatically collates all the information you need for your bibliography.
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Steps and tips for completing an academic assignment
Whether you’re a university student or in secondary school, you’ll inevitably be given a writing assignment. to get good grades on writing assignments, it’s important to follow a few steps as you complete the work. to help you as you complete your assignment, we’ve listed some important steps and provided some useful tips., steps for completing an assignment.
- First, carefully read the assignment. Make sure you understand what your instructor is looking for in terms of content, formatting and structure. It’s also vital that you know when the assignment is due and start working on it well before the due date. If you have any questions about the assignment, ask your instructor as soon as possible so he or she has sufficient time to give you an answer.
- Conduct any necessary research to find information to include in your assignment. Make sure you keep notes from your research, including the publication information for each source.
- Make some notes and create a draft outline of the information you need to include in the assignment. For example, if your teacher has asked you to write about Albert Einstein’s most important accomplishments, create a chronological list of those accomplishments so you don’t forget to include any. This step also helps you organize the information so it flows clearly and coherently.
- Once your draft outline is complete, begin writing your text. Some people like to start with the introduction, which lays out your topic and explains what you’re writing about. Others like to start with the body of the document, which includes the main part of the text, and then return to complete the introduction once the body is complete. If you’re not sure which approach will work best for you, try writing the introduction first. If you struggle to come up with content, switch to writing the body of the document.
- Once your introduction and the body of the document are complete, write your conclusion, which sums up everything you’ve written about so far. Remember that the conclusion should not introduce any new information or ideas that were not discussed in the body of the text.
- If your instructor requires a list of references, create a list at the end of the document and make sure you have in-text citations to each source. Make sure to follow your instructor’s preferred style guide for the citations and references.
- Before you turn the assignment in, make sure you edit and proofread the text to ensure that there are no lingering errors in the text and that the text makes sense. It might help to have someone else look over the document to point out text that isn’t clear.
Tips for completing an academic assignment
- Before you begin writing, think about where you work best. Most of us do not work well when we are distracted by loud noises, conversations, the TV, etc. Find a quiet, comfortable place to write.
- Remember that academic assignments almost always require formal academic language. Unless your teacher specifically asks you to write informally, remember to use a formal writing style. For help with formal academic writing, see our introduction to academic writing.
- Remember that each paragraph in your work should discuss one main topic or idea. You should present that idea in the first sentence of the paragraph, and all the following information in that paragraph should support the main idea of the paragraph. Don’t combine two disparate ideas into one paragraph.
You should never plagiarise another author’s work. If you get information from another source, you must acknowledge that the information came from someone else. Furthermore, you should absolutely never copy and paste text from another author into your assignment and try to submit it as your own work.
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Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts

Understanding Writing Assignments

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This resource describes some steps you can take to better understand the requirements of your writing assignments. This resource works for either in-class, teacher-led discussion or for personal use.
How to Decipher the Paper Assignment
Many instructors write their assignment prompts differently. By following a few steps, you can better understand the requirements for the assignment. The best way, as always, is to ask the instructor about anything confusing.
- Read the prompt the entire way through once. This gives you an overall view of what is going on.
- Underline or circle the portions that you absolutely must know. This information may include due date, research (source) requirements, page length, and format (MLA, APA, CMS).
- Underline or circle important phrases. You should know your instructor at least a little by now - what phrases do they use in class? Does he repeatedly say a specific word? If these are in the prompt, you know the instructor wants you to use them in the assignment.
- Think about how you will address the prompt. The prompt contains clues on how to write the assignment. Your instructor will often describe the ideas they want discussed either in questions, in bullet points, or in the text of the prompt. Think about each of these sentences and number them so that you can write a paragraph or section of your essay on that portion if necessary.
- Rank ideas in descending order, from most important to least important. Instructors may include more questions or talking points than you can cover in your assignment, so rank them in the order you think is more important. One area of the prompt may be more interesting to you than another.
- Ask your instructor questions if you have any.
After you are finished with these steps, ask yourself the following:
- What is the purpose of this assignment? Is my purpose to provide information without forming an argument, to construct an argument based on research, or analyze a poem and discuss its imagery?
- Who is my audience? Is my instructor my only audience? Who else might read this? Will it be posted online? What are my readers' needs and expectations?
- What resources do I need to begin work? Do I need to conduct literature (hermeneutic or historical) research, or do I need to review important literature on the topic and then conduct empirical research, such as a survey or an observation? How many sources are required?
- Who - beyond my instructor - can I contact to help me if I have questions? Do you have a writing lab or student service center that offers tutorials in writing?
(Notes on prompts made in blue )
Poster or Song Analysis: Poster or Song? Poster!
Goals : To systematically consider the rhetorical choices made in either a poster or a song. She says that all the time.
Things to Consider: ah- talking points
- how the poster addresses its audience and is affected by context I'll do this first - 1.
- general layout, use of color, contours of light and shade, etc.
- use of contrast, alignment, repetition, and proximity C.A.R.P. They say that, too. I'll do this third - 3.
- the point of view the viewer is invited to take, poses of figures in the poster, etc. any text that may be present
- possible cultural ramifications or social issues that have bearing I'll cover this second - 2.
- ethical implications
- how the poster affects us emotionally, or what mood it evokes
- the poster's implicit argument and its effectiveness said that was important in class, so I'll discuss this last - 4.
- how the song addresses its audience
- lyrics: how they rhyme, repeat, what they say
- use of music, tempo, different instruments
- possible cultural ramifications or social issues that have bearing
- emotional effects
- the implicit argument and its effectiveness
These thinking points are not a step-by-step guideline on how to write your paper; instead, they are various means through which you can approach the subject. I do expect to see at least a few of them addressed, and there are other aspects that may be pertinent to your choice that have not been included in these lists. You will want to find a central idea and base your argument around that. Additionally, you must include a copy of the poster or song that you are working with. Really important!
I will be your audience. This is a formal paper, and you should use academic conventions throughout.
Length: 4 pages Format: Typed, double-spaced, 10-12 point Times New Roman, 1 inch margins I need to remember the format stuff. I messed this up last time =(
Academic Argument Essay
5-7 pages, Times New Roman 12 pt. font, 1 inch margins.
Minimum of five cited sources: 3 must be from academic journals or books
- Design Plan due: Thurs. 10/19
- Rough Draft due: Monday 10/30
- Final Draft due: Thurs. 11/9
Remember this! I missed the deadline last time
The design plan is simply a statement of purpose, as described on pages 40-41 of the book, and an outline. The outline may be formal, as we discussed in class, or a printout of an Open Mind project. It must be a minimum of 1 page typed information, plus 1 page outline.
This project is an expansion of your opinion editorial. While you should avoid repeating any of your exact phrases from Project 2, you may reuse some of the same ideas. Your topic should be similar. You must use research to support your position, and you must also demonstrate a fairly thorough knowledge of any opposing position(s). 2 things to do - my position and the opposite.
Your essay should begin with an introduction that encapsulates your topic and indicates 1 the general trajectory of your argument. You need to have a discernable thesis that appears early in your paper. Your conclusion should restate the thesis in different words, 2 and then draw some additional meaningful analysis out of the developments of your argument. Think of this as a "so what" factor. What are some implications for the future, relating to your topic? What does all this (what you have argued) mean for society, or for the section of it to which your argument pertains? A good conclusion moves outside the topic in the paper and deals with a larger issue.
You should spend at least one paragraph acknowledging and describing the opposing position in a manner that is respectful and honestly representative of the opposition’s 3 views. The counterargument does not need to occur in a certain area, but generally begins or ends your argument. Asserting and attempting to prove each aspect of your argument’s structure should comprise the majority of your paper. Ask yourself what your argument assumes and what must be proven in order to validate your claims. Then go step-by-step, paragraph-by-paragraph, addressing each facet of your position. Most important part!
Finally, pay attention to readability . Just because this is a research paper does not mean that it has to be boring. Use examples and allow your opinion to show through word choice and tone. Proofread before you turn in the paper. Your audience is generally the academic community and specifically me, as a representative of that community. Ok, They want this to be easy to read, to contain examples I find, and they want it to be grammatically correct. I can visit the tutoring center if I get stuck, or I can email the OWL Email Tutors short questions if I have any more problems.
Module 4: Writing in College
Writing assignments, learning objectives.
- Describe common types and expectations of writing tasks given in a college class

Figure 1 . All college classes require some form of writing. Investing some time in refining your writing skills so that you are a more confident, skilled, and efficient writer will pay dividends in the long run.
What to Do With Writing Assignments
Writing assignments can be as varied as the instructors who assign them. Some assignments are explicit about what exactly you’ll need to do, in what order, and how it will be graded. Others are more open-ended, leaving you to determine the best path toward completing the project. Most fall somewhere in the middle, containing details about some aspects but leaving other assumptions unstated. It’s important to remember that your first resource for getting clarification about an assignment is your instructor—they will be very willing to talk out ideas with you, to be sure you’re prepared at each step to do well with the writing.
Writing in college is usually a response to class materials—an assigned reading, a discussion in class, an experiment in a lab. Generally speaking, these writing tasks can be divided into three broad categories: summary assignments, defined-topic assignments, and undefined-topic assignments.
Link to Learning
Empire State College offers an Assignment Calculator to help you plan ahead for your writing assignment. Just plug in the date you plan to get started and the date it is due, and the calculator will help break it down into manageable chunks.
Summary Assignments
Being asked to summarize a source is a common task in many types of writing. It can also seem like a straightforward task: simply restate, in shorter form, what the source says. A lot of advanced skills are hidden in this seemingly simple assignment, however.
An effective summary does the following:
- reflects your accurate understanding of a source’s thesis or purpose
- differentiates between major and minor ideas in a source
- demonstrates your ability to identify key phrases to quote
- shows your ability to effectively paraphrase most of the source’s ideas
- captures the tone, style, and distinguishing features of a source
- does not reflect your personal opinion about the source
That last point is often the most challenging: we are opinionated creatures, by nature, and it can be very difficult to keep our opinions from creeping into a summary. A summary is meant to be completely neutral.
In college-level writing, assignments that are only summary are rare. That said, many types of writing tasks contain at least some element of summary, from a biology report that explains what happened during a chemical process, to an analysis essay that requires you to explain what several prominent positions about gun control are, as a component of comparing them against one another.
Writing Effective Summaries
Start with a clear identification of the work.
This automatically lets your readers know your intentions and that you’re covering the work of another author.
- In the featured article “Five Kinds of Learning,” the author, Holland Oates, justifies his opinion on the hot topic of learning styles — and adds a few himself.
Summarize the Piece as a Whole
Omit nothing important and strive for overall coherence through appropriate transitions. Write using “summarizing language.” Your reader needs to be reminded that this is not your own work. Use phrases like the article claims, the author suggests, etc.
- Present the material in a neutral fashion. Your opinions, ideas, and interpretations should be left in your brain — don’t put them into your summary. Be conscious of choosing your words. Only include what was in the original work.
- Be concise. This is a summary — it should be much shorter than the original piece. If you’re working on an article, give yourself a target length of 1/4 the original article.
Conclude with a Final Statement
This is not a statement of your own point of view, however; it should reflect the significance of the book or article from the author’s standpoint.
- Without rewriting the article, summarize what the author wanted to get across. Be careful not to evaluate in the conclusion or insert any of your own assumptions or opinions.
Understanding the Assignment and Getting Started

Figure 2 . Many writing assignments will have a specific prompt that sends you first to your textbook, and then to outside resources to gather information.
Often, the handout or other written text explaining the assignment—what professors call the assignment prompt —will explain the purpose of the assignment and the required parameters (length, number and type of sources, referencing style, etc.).
Also, don’t forget to check the rubric, if there is one, to understand how your writing will be assessed. After analyzing the prompt and the rubric, you should have a better sense of what kind of writing you are expected to produce.
Sometimes, though—especially when you are new to a field—you will encounter the baffling situation in which you comprehend every single sentence in the prompt but still have absolutely no idea how to approach the assignment! In a situation like that, consider the following tips:
- Focus on the verbs . Look for verbs like compare, explain, justify, reflect , or the all-purpose analyze . You’re not just producing a paper as an artifact; you’re conveying, in written communication, some intellectual work you have done. So the question is, what kind of thinking are you supposed to do to deepen your learning?
- Put the assignment in context . Many professors think in terms of assignment sequences. For example, a social science professor may ask you to write about a controversial issue three times: first, arguing for one side of the debate; second, arguing for another; and finally, from a more comprehensive and nuanced perspective, incorporating text produced in the first two assignments. A sequence like that is designed to help you think through a complex issue. If the assignment isn’t part of a sequence, think about where it falls in the span of the course (early, midterm, or toward the end), and how it relates to readings and other assignments. For example, if you see that a paper comes at the end of a three-week unit on the role of the Internet in organizational behavior, then your professor likely wants you to synthesize that material.
- Try a free-write . A free-write is when you just write, without stopping, for a set period of time. That doesn’t sound very “free”; it actually sounds kind of coerced, right? The “free” part is what you write—it can be whatever comes to mind. Professional writers use free-writing to get started on a challenging (or distasteful) writing task or to overcome writer’s block or a powerful urge to procrastinate. The idea is that if you just make yourself write, you can’t help but produce some kind of useful nugget. Thus, even if the first eight sentences of your free write are all variations on “I don’t understand this” or “I’d really rather be doing something else,” eventually you’ll write something like “I guess the main point of this is…,” and—booyah!—you’re off and running.
- Ask for clarification . Even the most carefully crafted assignments may need some verbal clarification, especially if you’re new to a course or field. Professors generally love questions, so don’t be afraid to ask. Try to convey to your instructor that you want to learn and you’re ready to work, and not just looking for advice on how to get an A.
Defined-Topic Assignments
Many writing tasks will ask you to address a particular topic or a narrow set of topic options. Defined-topic writing assignments are used primarily to identify your familiarity with the subject matter. (Discuss the use of dialect in Their Eyes Were Watching God , for example.)
Remember, even when you’re asked to “show how” or “illustrate,” you’re still being asked to make an argument. You must shape and focus your discussion or analysis so that it supports a claim that you discovered and formulated and that all of your discussion and explanation develops and supports.
Undefined-Topic Assignments
Another writing assignment you’ll potentially encounter is one in which the topic may be only broadly identified (“water conservation” in an ecology course, for instance, or “the Dust Bowl” in a U.S. History course), or even completely open (“compose an argumentative research essay on a subject of your choice”).

Figure 3 . For open-ended assignments, it’s best to pick something that interests you personally.
Where defined-topic essays demonstrate your knowledge of the content , undefined-topic assignments are used to demonstrate your skills— your ability to perform academic research, to synthesize ideas, and to apply the various stages of the writing process.
The first hurdle with this type of task is to find a focus that interests you. Don’t just pick something you feel will be “easy to write about” or that you think you already know a lot about —those almost always turn out to be false assumptions. Instead, you’ll get the most value out of, and find it easier to work on, a topic that intrigues you personally or a topic about which you have a genuine curiosity.
The same getting-started ideas described for defined-topic assignments will help with these kinds of projects, too. You can also try talking with your instructor or a writing tutor (at your college’s writing center) to help brainstorm ideas and make sure you’re on track.
Getting Started in the Writing Process
Writing is not a linear process, so writing your essay, researching, rewriting, and adjusting are all part of the process. Below are some tips to keep in mind as you approach and manage your assignment.

Figure 4 . Writing is a recursive process that begins with examining the topic and prewriting.
Write down topic ideas. If you have been assigned a particular topic or focus, it still might be possible to narrow it down or personalize it to your own interests.
If you have been given an open-ended essay assignment, the topic should be something that allows you to enjoy working with the writing process. Select a topic that you’ll want to think about, read about, and write about for several weeks, without getting bored.

Figure 5 . Just getting started is sometimes the most difficult part of writing. Freewriting and planning to write multiple drafts can help you dive in.
If you’re writing about a subject you’re not an expert on and want to make sure you are presenting the topic or information realistically, look up the information or seek out an expert to ask questions.
- Note: Be cautious about information you retrieve online, especially if you are writing a research paper or an article that relies on factual information. A quick Google search may turn up unreliable, misleading sources. Be sure you consider the credibility of the sources you consult (we’ll talk more about that later in the course). And keep in mind that published books and works found in scholarly journals have to undergo a thorough vetting process before they reach publication and are therefore safer to use as sources.
- Check out a library. Yes, believe it or not, there is still information to be found in a library that hasn’t made its way to the Web. For an even greater breadth of resources, try a college or university library. Even better, research librarians can often be consulted in person, by phone, or even by email. And they love helping students. Don’t be afraid to reach out with questions!
Write a Rough Draft
It doesn’t matter how many spelling errors or weak adjectives you have in it. Your draft can be very rough! Jot down those random uncategorized thoughts. Write down anything you think of that you want included in your writing and worry about organizing and polishing everything later.
If You’re Having Trouble, Try F reewriting
Set a timer and write continuously until that time is up. Don’t worry about what you write, just keeping moving your pencil on the page or typing something (anything!) into the computer.
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How to write the best college assignments.
By Lois Weldon
When it comes to writing assignments, it is difficult to find a conceptualized guide with clear and simple tips that are easy to follow. That’s exactly what this guide will provide: few simple tips on how to write great assignments, right when you need them. Some of these points will probably be familiar to you, but there is no harm in being reminded of the most important things before you start writing the assignments, which are usually determining on your credits.
The most important aspects: Outline and Introduction
Preparation is the key to success, especially when it comes to academic assignments. It is recommended to always write an outline before you start writing the actual assignment. The outline should include the main points of discussion, which will keep you focused throughout the work and will make your key points clearly defined. Outlining the assignment will save you a lot of time because it will organize your thoughts and make your literature searches much easier. The outline will also help you to create different sections and divide up the word count between them, which will make the assignment more organized.
The introduction is the next important part you should focus on. This is the part that defines the quality of your assignment in the eyes of the reader. The introduction must include a brief background on the main points of discussion, the purpose of developing such work and clear indications on how the assignment is being organized. Keep this part brief, within one or two paragraphs.
This is an example of including the above mentioned points into the introduction of an assignment that elaborates the topic of obesity reaching proportions:
Background : The twenty first century is characterized by many public health challenges, among which obesity takes a major part. The increasing prevalence of obesity is creating an alarming situation in both developed and developing regions of the world.
Structure and aim : This assignment will elaborate and discuss the specific pattern of obesity epidemic development, as well as its epidemiology. Debt, trade and globalization will also be analyzed as factors that led to escalation of the problem. Moreover, the assignment will discuss the governmental interventions that make efforts to address this issue.
Practical tips on assignment writing
Here are some practical tips that will keep your work focused and effective:
– Critical thinking – Academic writing has to be characterized by critical thinking, not only to provide the work with the needed level, but also because it takes part in the final mark.
– Continuity of ideas – When you get to the middle of assignment, things can get confusing. You have to make sure that the ideas are flowing continuously within and between paragraphs, so the reader will be enabled to follow the argument easily. Dividing the work in different paragraphs is very important for this purpose.
– Usage of ‘you’ and ‘I’ – According to the academic writing standards, the assignments should be written in an impersonal language, which means that the usage of ‘you’ and ‘I’ should be avoided. The only acceptable way of building your arguments is by using opinions and evidence from authoritative sources.
– Referencing – this part of the assignment is extremely important and it takes a big part in the final mark. Make sure to use either Vancouver or Harvard referencing systems, and use the same system in the bibliography and while citing work of other sources within the text.
– Usage of examples – A clear understanding on your assignment’s topic should be provided by comparing different sources and identifying their strengths and weaknesses in an objective manner. This is the part where you should show how the knowledge can be applied into practice.
– Numbering and bullets – Instead of using numbering and bullets, the academic writing style prefers the usage of paragraphs.
– Including figures and tables – The figures and tables are an effective way of conveying information to the reader in a clear manner, without disturbing the word count. Each figure and table should have clear headings and you should make sure to mention their sources in the bibliography.
– Word count – the word count of your assignment mustn’t be far above or far below the required word count. The outline will provide you with help in this aspect, so make sure to plan the work in order to keep it within the boundaries.
The importance of an effective conclusion
The conclusion of your assignment is your ultimate chance to provide powerful arguments that will impress the reader. The conclusion in academic writing is usually expressed through three main parts:
– Stating the context and aim of the assignment
– Summarizing the main points briefly
– Providing final comments with consideration of the future (discussing clear examples of things that can be done in order to improve the situation concerning your topic of discussion).
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Lois Weldon is writer at Uk.bestdissertation.com . Lives happily at London with her husband and lovely daughter. Adores writing tips for students. Passionate about Star Wars and yoga.
7 comments on “How To Write The Best College Assignments”
Extremely useful tip for students wanting to score well on their assignments. I concur with the writer that writing an outline before ACTUALLY starting to write assignments is extremely important. I have observed students who start off quite well but they tend to lose focus in between which causes them to lose marks. So an outline helps them to maintain the theme focused.
Hello Great information…. write assignments
Well elabrated
Thanks for the information. This site has amazing articles. Looking forward to continuing on this site.
This article is certainly going to help student . Well written.
Really good, thanks
Practical tips on assignment writing, the’re fantastic. Thank you!
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Writing an assignment in a short amount of time can be a challenging task, but there are a few strategies you can use to help you get it done efficiently: Start by identifying the main points you want to cover in your assignment. This will help you focus your efforts and ensure that you are addressing the key points that are required.
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The easiest writing assignment that I have done so far is when I wrote a short article about an experience we had in our yard. It is about how I accidentally found a way to activate Kamias seeds to produce seedlings.
The easiest writing assignment I have done so far was to give the definition of different vocabularies given in the activity. Well, I guess, it is because I have read some ideas in the book and on the net. It was easy for me to define the words because I used a dictionary to elaborate my knowledge about them.
Academic Writing - process that starts with (1)posing a question, (2)problematizing a concept, (3)evaluating an opinion, and ends in (4)answering the question or questions posed, (5)clarifying the problem, and/or arguing for a stand. Academic writing is thinking. Your audience will determine the language of your paper.
443 solutions. NCERT Class 8 English - Honeydew. 241 solutions. A Practice Book of English Class 11 English Medium. 1498 solutions. NCERT Class 11 English - Hornbill. 197 solutions. High School English Grammar and Composition Book by Wren & Martin. 5569 solutions.
Answer: As you think about making up writing assignments, use these five principles: Tie the writing task to specific pedagogical and course goals. Note rhetorical aspects of the task, i.e., audience, purpose, writing situation. Break down the task into manageable steps. thankyou Po.
Depending on the assignment, you may be given a topic or you may have to create one yourself. Do an internet search for the topic you'll be covering to get a stronger grasp on it and all the potential directions your writing can take. ... Save yourself the time and stress by writing the easiest parts first, then moving onto the tougher spots ...
For example, you could break a research paper down into several smaller tasks: 1) do preliminary research, 2) write an outline, 3) draft an introduction, 4) draft body paragraphs, 5) write conclusion, 6) revise. Each of these is much more do-able on its own. Method 2.
My Assignment Help is a reputable online writing service that can help with any problems in assignment writing. As one of the top writing companies in Australia, this website helps students from all over the world. The company employs over 3000 expert writers, holding PhD or other degrees.
There are three things to consider before writing your essay: thesis, type, and audience. Of these, the most important by far is your thesis, or the crux of what your essay is about. Your thesis, encapsulated in your thesis statement, is the central point you're trying to make.
Instructors can often help students write more effective papers by giving students written instructions about that assignment. Explicit descriptions of assignments on the syllabus or on an "assignment sheet" tend to produce the best results. These instructions might make explicit the process or steps necessary to complete the assignment.
Here are five tips to help you get ahead. 1. Use all available sources of information. Beyond instructions and deadlines, lecturers make available an increasing number of resources. But students ...
Brian Brewington. 4.96K Followers. Writing About the Human Condition, via My Thoughts, Observations, Experiences, and Opinions — Founder of Journal of Journeys and BRB INC ©. Follow.
Your tutors choose texts to specifically help with your assignments and modules, and you'll gain some valuable insights into the topic that are sure to make writing your assignment easier. Expert tip: If you have the time, do some reading from other sources not on your list to back up your argument. 2. Check the deadline
Steps for completing an assignment. First, carefully read the assignment. Make sure you understand what your instructor is looking for in terms of content, formatting and structure. It's also vital that you know when the assignment is due and start working on it well before the due date. If you have any questions about the assignment, ask ...
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How to Decipher the Paper Assignment. Many instructors write their assignment prompts differently. By following a few steps, you can better understand the requirements for the assignment. The best way, as always, is to ask the instructor about anything confusing. Read the prompt the entire way through once.
To organize the daybook, direct young writers to leave the first three pages blank and number and date each entry—adding these entries to a table of contents that they create as they work so they can return to specific entries later. 50 Writing Prompts for All Grade Levels. pdf 144.59 KB.
Writing is not a linear process, so writing your essay, researching, rewriting, and adjusting are all part of the process. Below are some tips to keep in mind as you approach and manage your assignment. Figure 4. Writing is a recursive process that begins with examining the topic and prewriting.
Here are some practical tips that will keep your work focused and effective: - Critical thinking - Academic writing has to be characterized by critical thinking, not only to provide the work with the needed level, but also because it takes part in the final mark. - Continuity of ideas - When you get to the middle of assignment, things ...