Planning Assignments

Trying to do an assignment in a rush is likely to lead to poor quality work and a low mark. That’s why it is a good idea to make a plan and follow it. A plan consists of a series of goals with deadlines and realistic time allocations. Having a series of deadlines lets you know when you are getting behind schedule.

Pay attention to other requirements of the essay such as word limits or references. Some essays may ask for a minimum number of references or ones that are newer than a certain date. Universities may supply a marking schedule which lets students know how marks are allocated to different aspects of the essay.

A plan for an essay might include the following steps:

Understand the topic. Students sometimes rush into an assignment without fully understanding the question. They might even produce a good essay, just not one that answers the original question. Before starting research, try to get a solid understanding of the question being asked as well as constraints like word limits.
Locate information. Use tools such as Google Scholar or subject specific databases to locate appropriate sources of information. For most assignments, you will want to stick with sources such as academic journals and scholarly books.
Read and take notes. Skim the sources looking for information that might be useful. One technique is to have a document which you copy into either direct quotes or paraphrased material. Take care to distinguish between the two to avoid unintentional plagiarism.
Create an outline. Based on your notes, sketch out an outline that incorporates the main points you want to make.
Write a first draft. Each main point can be expanded into a paragraph using your sources. Don’t forget to reference each idea properly.
Review the draft (possibly several times). Review the draft for any large changes in organisation that are needed such as rearranging paragraphs.
Final editing and proofreading. After finishing a draft, it is a good idea to leave it till the next day before starting the process of editing and proofreading. This is where you look for small errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

Time management is an essential part of working on assignments. Make an estimate of how much time you will need for each phase and then double it as a starting point. Add these phases to your to-do list or directly to your daily planner.

Tip	Students commonly lose marks due to sloppy editing and mistakes in their reference list. Leave adequate time for these components.