How to Write an Assignment
Post Published On:
Sometimes students have so many assignments that they feel overwhelmed and don’t know what to do. The truth is, only you decide whether or not you will manage to write a bunch of assignments. You only need to have a plan. And you need to start as soon as possible.
The secret of successful and fast writing essay is giving yourself enough time to prepare for it. You have to do your research, write your paper, having a clear understanding of what it should be, and revise your work. That’s it. If you have a plan and follow it, you won’t need to rush. Remember that it’s better to write something and then improve it than sit and wait for good ideas. We decided to provide you with a short step-by-step guide that will simplify your work a bit.
Plan
Plan your assignment so you can stay focused and know what to do.
- Check how important your assignment is. What percentage of the final mark does it make? When you know how much it’s worth, you can better understand how much time you have for writing it.
- Think about how your tutor will mark your work. Check the marking schedule and how marks are assigned. Taking into account the marking schedule, you’ll easily understand what to focus on. After this, check your prompt or assignment question to clearly understand your task.
- Decide what you need to do to write the assignment. You may need to do a research, provide references or collect some specific information. You also must understand how much time do you have for writing your drafts.
- Set deadlines taking into account due dates of your assignments.
Analyze Your Task
You need to understand your question clearly. Read it carefully and ask yourself three important questions:
- What is the main meaning of your question?
- What it’s about? What topic fits it best?
- What do you need to do?
Sometimes you may benefit from rewriting the question of your assignment using your own words. While reading the question of the assignment, look for so-called “instructional words” — phrases that tell you what you have to do. Note these words and do the same thing with the words that give you a hint on possible topics.
Write an Outline
The outline of the paper is very important because it reflects the structure and gives you an understanding of how to organize your content. We recommend that you check the marking schedule to understand what your lecturer expects to be included, and so what sections of your assignment are the most important.
The structure of your assignment depends on its type. For example, a classic structure of essays consists of three parts: an introduction ( about 10% of your text), a discussion (80%), and a conclusion (10%). In the introduction, you have to describe your topic briefly and explain the purpose of your essay We suggest writing this part last so that you can see the whole essay and understand what to include at the beginning.
The discussion includes several paragraphs. Each paragraph is devoted to one main point. The structure of every paragraph resembles the structure of the entire essay. Every paragraph includes a short introduction of its point, several arguments supported by evidence from sources, and a concluding sentence that makes a transition to the next paragraph.
The conclusion of the essay restates your central argument, provides a concise evaluation of what you’ve said, and leaves your readers with something to think about. You shouldn’t write any new arguments here.
Find Information
First of all, you have to familiarize yourself with your topic. Find recommended sources and search for additional sources on this topic. You must make sure they are reliable, so we suggest using a public library, a university database, Google Scholar, or other online sources that have proven and relevant sources. Once you’ve collected enough information, check it with the question of your assignment and make sure they really are useful for you.
Write
Write your first draft based on the outline. Fill all gaps and develop your main statement. When writing the first draft, don’t stop to edit it. Just feel free and write what comes to your mind, because you can edit it all later. Sometimes it’s easier to start with the conclusion, this will allow you to know in what direction to move when writing the body section.
Edit and Proofread
When your first draft is finished, you can improve it. We also suggest that you take a little break before getting to it. The point is that you need to see your draft from a new perspective.
Make sure your text answers all necessary questions and that it is written in a proper tone. Check its structure and make sure your ideas are clear and logical. Check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation. After this, make sure you use a correct citation format.