How to Write Assignments for University Text

Jonathan Friesen - Writing Coach

Try to separate out the various issues raised whether raised explicitly or implicitly by the question and then see how these issues fit together. If you don't answer the question that's being asked, your essay could be a disaster, no matter how elegantly written or logically structured. It may be worth rewriting the essay title in your own words if it is at all complex or confusing. You might even want to incorporate this into your essay, defining the terms and drawing out what you perceive to be the overall meaning of the question in your introduction. For example, 'to what extent did the house of commons increase its power in the sixteenth century' almost invites you to agree with the assumption that the house of commons did increase its power. Your argument will, of course, have to be well supported with evidence and rational argument.

Our key phrases used in essay titles page might come in useful if you do not understand the title. In general, the results of your reflections and brainstorming in this phase should ultimately turn into the introduction to your assignment. You should also start to think seriously about your overall answer to the question: this will become the conclusion to your assignment. be absolutely sure that you are answering the question asked, and not another question which you would like to have been asked. as you unravel the issues raised by the question, start to note down different examples including facets of relevant texts, particular passages or episodes, quotations, etc. At this stage of the proceedings do not be afraid to indulge in a certain amount of free association, allowing anything concerning the subject to rise up from the depths of your memory: firstly, it is much better to have too much material and to be able to reject what you find you do not need and secondly, one thing can suggest or recall another which may turn out to be more useful.

Ideally you will know at the outset what your conclusion is going to be you can even write out the thrust of your conclusion before you begin. If you find at some later stage that you want to modify your conclusion in keeping with the main body of your text, then you are perfectly free to make the final version different.

arguments.

the way to begin making a plan is to think of all the reasons/arguments/aspects of the question which support your conclusion. Consider counter arguments, see critical thinking for help so as to show why your reasoning on a particular point is closer to the truth or more pertinent than other possible ways of thinking.

structure.

having made your list of reasons/arguments/aspects, you can develop the structure of your essay. Each section of your essay and therefore of your plan can deal with a different reason/argument/aspect of the question. Gather all the information relevant to each reason/argument/aspect of the question into one section or paragraph.

Your structure will appear all the stronger and more convincing if you give the reader the impression that these reasons/arguments/aspects of the question have been ordered in the most logical way. To get the best structure, take your list of reasons/arguments/aspects of the question and order them in such a way that reason no. When you come to write the essay, you can easily refer the reader back, at important moments, to points that you have already made. each section of the essay, and each paragraph of your text, should make the argument move forward.

add flesh.

your reordered list is now the basis of your plan.

Fences By August Wilson Essay

Begin to add 'flesh' to it by adding to each section some of the raw material mentioned above examples, references, quotations, etc. All of this can obviously be done in an abbreviated short hand that you understand. There are good reasons, however, for writing a first draft, reading it through carefully, then writing an improved final draft.

This allows you to improve the structure and style, to check whether the assignment is too long or too short, and to correct any mistakes. Does it need a cover sheet? what information has to go on this cover sheet? do all the pages need numbering? please see our how to reference page for more information. material adapted from the department of french studies guide to essay writing and study skills in history humanities teaching and learning office, the university of manchester, oxford road, manchester uk m13 9pl contact details feedback gain a better understanding of how to structure and organise different types of writing assignments.

There are many kinds of assignments that you may come across in your courses and research at uq. Explore the different features and structures that are expected of each type of assignment. Breaking down the assignment into the small steps we outline on this page can help you effectively manage your time and tasks. There are many different types of assignments set at university and each type has its own structure and features. It is not possible to cover them all here, but some examples include: research essay literature review annotated bibliography reflective journal critical review or analytical review case study lab/practical or experiment write up project report it is always important to check with your lecturer or tutor as to what exactly they require you to do.

This table outlines the purpose, real life audience, tone of writing and structural features of some assignments. It will give you a start when you are trying to work out what style of writing you should try to produce. However there are some common principles and if you work your way through the stages described below you'll be on the right track. Planning an organised approach to the writing process deciding what to write about keeping on track and answering the question managing the writing process improving further for the next time! 25 mins to complete this section video 7 audio 1 activities 3 try to plan ahead and allow plenty of time to read the assignment booklet and make sure that you understand the question. It might take longer than you expect to finish your first assignment but, like all study skills, it rsquo ll get easier with practice. This year i was so busy at work, i just had time to do enough to pass the module. Start by think about how much effort you are able to put into writing your assignment.

So, first, decide what you want to achieve and what is realistic for you to achieve. Organise a rough schedule for your work over the whole module and book time out for completing assignments. Identify potential contingency plans, find the assignments you could drop or do quickly if you had to. If you have a tutor, discuss together what you're hoping to achieve and what you want out of the module. Read the module assessment guide to find out

    what elements are involved in the assessment for example, assignments, exam, computer marked assignments what flexibility exists for example, some modules apply substitution or offer a choice of questions what is required to pass the module use the assessment calculator.

    Available for most modules, to estimate your overall continuous assessment score at any stage prior to the release of module results, before substitution. If you have any queries, contact your nearest student support team or the assignment records office at walton hall.

ou student, michael, describes his initial approach to the task of assignment writing. Ou students lynn and mel explain the importance of preparing a schedule when working on assignments. Perhaps most importantly, students should develop a facility to analyze a communicative situation and determine what kind of writing is most appropriate for specific audiences and contexts. Some examples of workplace writing include program proposals, business letters, interoffice memos, reports to co workers, feasibility studies, program. The obvious and most common example of scholarly writing is the article in a scholarly journal.

Other types of scholarly writing include grant proposals, laboratory reports, field study reports, critical reviews of a book, an article, software, a visual object, etc. From you? from the writing center? from departmental tutors? distinguish and separate feedback from evaluation. We do not have a preconceived, one size fits all definition of writing competence. Rather, individual faculty define competence as it applies to their disciplines and to their undergraduate students.