• ...is an important factor/concept/idea/ to consider because... • … will be argued/outlined in this paper.
Introducing evidence for your argument
• Smith (2014) outlines that.... • This evidence demonstrates that... • According to Smith (2014)… • For example, evidence/research provided by Smith (2014) indicates that...
Giving the reason why your point/evidence is important
• Therefore this indicates... • This evidence clearly demonstrates.... • This is important/significant because... • This data highlights...
Concluding a point
• Overall, it is clear that... • Therefore, … are reasons which should be considered because... • Consequently, this leads to.... • The research presented therefore indicates...
Editing and proofreading (reviewing)
Once you have finished writing your first draft it is recommended that you spend time revising your work. Proofreading and editing are two different stages of the revision process.
Editing considers the overall focus or bigger picture of the assignment
Proofreading considers the finer details
As can be seen in the figure above there are four main areas that you should review during the editing phase of the revision process. The main things to consider when editing include content, structure, style, and sources. It is important to check that all the content relates to the assignment task, the structure is appropriate for the purposes of the assignment, the writing is academic in style, and that sources have been adequately acknowledged. Use the checklist below when editing your work.
Editing checklist
Have I answered the question accurately?
Do I have enough credible, scholarly supporting evidence?
Is my writing tone objective and formal enough or have I used emotive and informal language?
Have I written in the third person not the first person?
Do I have appropriate in-text citations for all my information?
Have I included the full details for all my in-text citations in my reference list?
There are also several key things to look out for during the proofreading phase of the revision process. In this stage it is important to check your work for word choice, grammar and spelling, punctuation and referencing errors. It can be easy to mis-type words like ‘from’ and ‘form’ or mix up words like ‘trail’ and ‘trial’ when writing about research, apply American rather than Australian spelling, include unnecessary commas or incorrectly format your references list. The checklist below is a useful guide that you can use when proofreading your work.
Proofreading checklist
Is my spelling and grammar accurate?
Are they complete?
Do they all make sense?
Do they only contain only one idea?
Do the different elements (subject, verb, nouns, pronouns) within my sentences agree?
Are my sentences too long and complicated?
Do they contain only one idea per sentence?
Is my writing concise? Take out words that do not add meaning to your sentences.
Have I used appropriate discipline specific language but avoided words I don’t know or understand that could possibly be out of context?
Have I avoided discriminatory language and colloquial expressions (slang)?
Is my referencing formatted correctly according to my assignment guidelines? (for more information on referencing refer to the Managing Assessment feedback section).
This chapter has examined the experience of writing assignments. It began by focusing on how to read and break down an assignment question, then highlighted the key components of essays. Next, it examined some techniques for paraphrasing and summarising, and how to build an argument. It concluded with a discussion on planning and structuring your assignment and giving it that essential polish with editing and proof-reading. Combining these skills and practising them, can greatly improve your success with this very common form of assessment.
Academic writing requires clear and logical structure, critical thinking and the use of credible scholarly sources.
A thesis statement is important as it tells the reader the position or argument you have adopted in your assignment. Not all assignments will require a thesis statement.
Spending time analysing your task and planning your structure before you start to write your assignment is time well spent.
Information you use in your assignment should come from credible scholarly sources such as textbooks and peer reviewed journals. This information needs to be paraphrased and referenced appropriately.
Paraphrasing means putting something into your own words and synthesising means to bring together several ideas from sources.
Creating an argument is a four step process and can be applied to all types of academic writing.
Editing and proofreading are two separate processes.
Academic Skills Centre. (2013). Writing an introduction and conclusion . University of Canberra, accessed 13 August, 2013, http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/conclusions
Balkis, M., & Duru, E. (2016). Procrastination, self-regulation failure, academic life satisfaction, and affective well-being: underregulation or misregulation form. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 31 (3), 439-459.
Custer, N. (2018). Test anxiety and academic procrastination among prelicensure nursing students. Nursing education perspectives, 39 (3), 162-163.
Yerdelen, S., McCaffrey, A., & Klassen, R. M. (2016). Longitudinal examination of procrastination and anxiety, and their relation to self-efficacy for self-regulated learning: Latent growth curve modeling. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 16 (1).
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Frequently Ask Questions?
How can these samples help you.
The assignment writing samples we provide help you by showing you versions of the finished item. It’s like having a picture of the cake you’re aiming to make when following a recipe.
Assignments that you undertake are a key part of your academic life; they are the usual way of assessing your knowledge on the subject you’re studying.
There are various types of assignments: essays, annotated bibliographies, stand-alone literature reviews, reflective writing essays, etc. There will be a specific structure to follow for each of these. Before focusing on the structure, it is best to plan your assignment first. Your school will have its own guidelines and instructions, you should align with those. Start by selecting the essential aspects that need to be included in your assignment.
Based on what you understand from the assignment in question, evaluate the critical points that should be made. If the task is research-based, discuss your aims and objectives, research method, and results. For an argumentative essay, you need to construct arguments relevant to the thesis statement.
Your assignment should be constructed according to the outline’s different sections. This is where you might find our samples so helpful; inspect them to understand how to write your assignment.
Adding headings to sections can enhance the clarity of your assignment. They are like signposts telling the reader what’s coming next.
Where structure is concerned, our samples can be of benefit. The basic structure is of three parts: introduction, discussion, and conclusion. It is, however, advisable to follow the structural guidelines from your tutor.
For example, our master’s sample assignment includes lots of headings and sub-headings. Undergraduate assignments are shorter and present a statistical analysis only.
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34 Sample Writing Assignments
Process analysis.
Be the expert and teach your reader how to do something. You will focus on writing the main steps to completing this process and organizing based on chronology or priority of steps. This essay could be demonstrative in nature (ex. How to bathe and groom a dog at home or how to make banana nut muffins) or philosophically-based (ex. How to not fail your freshman classes or how to survive being a camp counselor).
Interview a person who has a compelling story to share or with whom you can focus on a particular angle. Interweave direct quotes, observations, and narrative elements to help readers understand this person or his/her perspective better. This should not be a full biography of this person or a career profile although biographical elements and details on jobs held may be woven in as appropriate. Perspective/angles can include but are not limited to this person’s relationship with: technology, ecology/the environment, politics, religion/spirituality, gender roles, family/what family means to them, love, betrayal, etc.
The purpose is to define a term, concept, or idea. You will typically lay the foundation with a dictionary definition (denotative) of the word but will move out to an extended definition (connotative). You are using a combination of the literal and implied meanings of a word or idea in addition to historical information to help readers understand the topic more effectively. You usually define a term or concept that is complex in nature or that can be misconstrued. Legal, business, and scientific terms or concepts typically work well for essays such as these. For example, take the term manslaughter; the literal and implied meanings can help to understand this sometimes misinterpreted crime. The definition paper can stand on its own or an abbreviated version can serve as part of a larger argumentative, analytical, or research paper.
Take an abstract, complex, controversial word or a term that is personal to you. Using a dictionary definition as well as your own and others’ interpretations, craft an extended definition essay with the purpose of giving a more insightful, comprehensive, and layered understanding of this particular term.
Illustration
Walk readers through a day, event, activity, or state of mind, making sure to focus on facts and authentic descriptions. Take a topic that you know something about, like video games. This expository essay on this topic could focus one’s addiction to video games. In one example, the writer might walk us through his day playing a video game while in another essay on the same topic, a writer could concentrate mostly on the reasons he or she became addicted to games and may touch briefly on how to prevent this addiction.
This prompt comes from: https://resources.instructure.com/courses/5/pages/summary-essay-prompt . This prompt could be easily modified by changing out the topic of digital literacy to another one of your choice. Whether working with popular articles or scholarly ones, summary writing is a key component of reading comprehension, setting up a foundation for a larger issue, and research.
“Digital literacy” may be a new term for you, but it’s probably not a new concept. Our personal and academic lives are being transformed by online content, and not everyone has the same innate level of skill at determining what and how to use this content.
Our first essay asks to you to summarize one of 3 short articles from the library library on the topic of digital literacy. (These articles can be found in the weekly modules.) The objectives of this assignment are to:
Identify and restate the thesis of an author’s work
Accurately portray the contents of an article
Practice paraphrasing and quotation skills in formal writing
Practice “neutral reporting”–being able to present the findings of others without making them appear as your own (most students find this to be the most challenging component of this assignment)
Practice end citation methods (APA or MLA)
This summary should be written for an audience that HAS NOT read the original article, and so you will report the major and minor ideas contained in the piece.
Your summary should indicate the article’s thesis idea, if there is one. This thesis should be contained within your introduction. Be sure to also give the title of the article, the author(s), and where & when it was originally published.
This summary should contain at least one direct quote from the article. Quotation marks should be used. Introduce the direct quote with a “signal” phrase, such as McMillan-Clifton writes… or the article states… or this website argues that… etc.
This summary should contain at least one paraphrase from the article. Put the author’s ideas in your own words, but stay true to the original intent. Introduce the paraphrase with a tag phrase, as mentioned above. Remember that, as a general rule, phrases of 4 or more words that are exactly the same as the original text should be treated like a quote, not a paraphrase.
Your summary will be NEUTRAL regarding the material contained within the article. While you should report any bias the author has, you yourself should not reveal your own opinions on the matter. Using “I” or “you” in this essay is not advised , unless it appears inside a quote.
Normally I don’t mind if essay submissions exceed the maximum word limit, but this essay is an exception. Because one of the hallmarks of an effective summary is brevity, please do not exceed the maximum word count of 600 words.
In-text citations will not be required in this assignment, though you are welcome to include them for practice.
Your summary should have an end citation, APA or MLA
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.
Sample Papers
This page contains sample papers formatted in seventh edition APA Style. The sample papers show the format that authors should use to submit a manuscript for publication in a professional journal and that students should use to submit a paper to an instructor for a course assignment. You can download the Word files to use as templates and edit them as needed for the purposes of your own papers.
Most guidelines in the Publication Manual apply to both professional manuscripts and student papers. However, there are specific guidelines for professional papers versus student papers, including professional and student title page formats. All authors should check with the person or entity to whom they are submitting their paper (e.g., publisher or instructor) for guidelines that are different from or in addition to those specified by APA Style.
Sample papers from the Publication Manual
The following two sample papers were published in annotated form in the Publication Manual and are reproduced here as PDFs for your ease of use. The annotations draw attention to content and formatting and provide the relevant sections of the Publication Manual (7th ed.) to consult for more information.
Student sample paper with annotations (PDF, 5MB)
Professional sample paper with annotations (PDF, 2.7MB)
We also offer these sample papers in Microsoft Word (.docx) format with the annotations as comments to the text.
Student sample paper with annotations as comments (DOCX, 42KB)
Professional sample paper with annotations as comments (DOCX, 103KB)
Finally, we offer these sample papers in Microsoft Word (.docx) format without the annotations.
Student sample paper without annotations (DOCX, 36KB)
Professional sample paper without annotations (DOCX, 96KB)
Sample professional paper templates by paper type
These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different professional paper types. Professional papers can contain many different elements depending on the nature of the work. Authors seeking publication should refer to the journal’s instructions for authors or manuscript submission guidelines for specific requirements and/or sections to include.
Literature review professional paper template (DOCX, 47KB)
Mixed methods professional paper template (DOCX, 68KB)
Qualitative professional paper template (DOCX, 72KB)
Quantitative professional paper template (DOCX, 77KB)
Review professional paper template (DOCX, 112KB)
Sample papers are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Chapter 2 and the Concise Guide Chapter 1
Related handouts
Heading Levels Template: Student Paper (PDF, 257KB)
Heading Levels Template: Professional Paper (PDF, 213KB)
Other instructional aids
Journal Article Reporting Standards (JARS)
APA Style Tutorials and Webinars
Handouts and Guides
Paper Format
View all instructional aids
Sample student paper templates by paper type
These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different student paper types. Students may write the same types of papers as professional authors (e.g., quantitative studies, literature reviews) or other types of papers for course assignments (e.g., reaction or response papers, discussion posts), dissertations, and theses.
APA does not set formal requirements for the nature or contents of an APA Style student paper. Students should follow the guidelines and requirements of their instructor, department, and/or institution when writing papers. For instance, an abstract and keywords are not required for APA Style student papers, although an instructor may request them in student papers that are longer or more complex. Specific questions about a paper being written for a course assignment should be directed to the instructor or institution assigning the paper.
Discussion post student paper template (DOCX, 31KB)
Literature review student paper template (DOCX, 37KB)
Quantitative study student paper template (DOCX, 53KB)
Sample papers in real life
Although published articles differ in format from manuscripts submitted for publication or student papers (e.g., different line spacing, font, margins, and column format), articles published in APA journals provide excellent demonstrations of APA Style in action.
APA journals began publishing papers in seventh edition APA Style in 2020. Professional authors should check the author submission guidelines for the journal to which they want to submit their paper for any journal-specific style requirements.
Credits for sample professional paper templates
Quantitative professional paper template: Adapted from “Fake News, Fast and Slow: Deliberation Reduces Belief in False (but Not True) News Headlines,” by B. Bago, D. G. Rand, and G. Pennycook, 2020, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General , 149 (8), pp. 1608–1613 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000729 ). Copyright 2020 by the American Psychological Association.
Qualitative professional paper template: Adapted from “‘My Smartphone Is an Extension of Myself’: A Holistic Qualitative Exploration of the Impact of Using a Smartphone,” by L. J. Harkin and D. Kuss, 2020, Psychology of Popular Media , 10 (1), pp. 28–38 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000278 ). Copyright 2020 by the American Psychological Association.
Mixed methods professional paper template: Adapted from “‘I Am a Change Agent’: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Students’ Social Justice Value Orientation in an Undergraduate Community Psychology Course,” by D. X. Henderson, A. T. Majors, and M. Wright, 2019, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology , 7 (1), 68–80. ( https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000171 ). Copyright 2019 by the American Psychological Association.
Literature review professional paper template: Adapted from “Rethinking Emotions in the Context of Infants’ Prosocial Behavior: The Role of Interest and Positive Emotions,” by S. I. Hammond and J. K. Drummond, 2019, Developmental Psychology , 55 (9), pp. 1882–1888 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000685 ). Copyright 2019 by the American Psychological Association.
Review professional paper template: Adapted from “Joining the Conversation: Teaching Students to Think and Communicate Like Scholars,” by E. L. Parks, 2022, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology , 8 (1), pp. 70–78 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000193 ). Copyright 2020 by the American Psychological Association.
Credits for sample student paper templates
These papers came from real students who gave their permission to have them edited and posted by APA.
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Home » Assignment – Types, Examples and Writing Guide
Assignment – Types, Examples and Writing Guide
Table of Contents
Definition:
Assignment is a task given to students by a teacher or professor, usually as a means of assessing their understanding and application of course material. Assignments can take various forms, including essays, research papers, presentations, problem sets, lab reports, and more.
Assignments are typically designed to be completed outside of class time and may require independent research, critical thinking, and analysis. They are often graded and used as a significant component of a student’s overall course grade. The instructions for an assignment usually specify the goals, requirements, and deadlines for completion, and students are expected to meet these criteria to earn a good grade.
History of Assignment
The use of assignments as a tool for teaching and learning has been a part of education for centuries. Following is a brief history of the Assignment.
Ancient Times: Assignments such as writing exercises, recitations, and memorization tasks were used to reinforce learning.
Medieval Period : Universities began to develop the concept of the assignment, with students completing essays, commentaries, and translations to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
19th Century : With the growth of schools and universities, assignments became more widespread and were used to assess student progress and achievement.
20th Century: The rise of distance education and online learning led to the further development of assignments as an integral part of the educational process.
Present Day: Assignments continue to be used in a variety of educational settings and are seen as an effective way to promote student learning and assess student achievement. The nature and format of assignments continue to evolve in response to changing educational needs and technological innovations.
Types of Assignment
Here are some of the most common types of assignments:
An essay is a piece of writing that presents an argument, analysis, or interpretation of a topic or question. It usually consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Essay structure:
Introduction : introduces the topic and thesis statement
Body paragraphs : each paragraph presents a different argument or idea, with evidence and analysis to support it
Conclusion : summarizes the key points and reiterates the thesis statement
Research paper
A research paper involves gathering and analyzing information on a particular topic, and presenting the findings in a well-structured, documented paper. It usually involves conducting original research, collecting data, and presenting it in a clear, organized manner.
Research paper structure:
Title page : includes the title of the paper, author’s name, date, and institution
Abstract : summarizes the paper’s main points and conclusions
Introduction : provides background information on the topic and research question
Literature review: summarizes previous research on the topic
Methodology : explains how the research was conducted
Results : presents the findings of the research
Discussion : interprets the results and draws conclusions
Conclusion : summarizes the key findings and implications
A case study involves analyzing a real-life situation, problem or issue, and presenting a solution or recommendations based on the analysis. It often involves extensive research, data analysis, and critical thinking.
Case study structure:
Introduction : introduces the case study and its purpose
Background : provides context and background information on the case
Analysis : examines the key issues and problems in the case
Solution/recommendations: proposes solutions or recommendations based on the analysis
Conclusion: Summarize the key points and implications
A lab report is a scientific document that summarizes the results of a laboratory experiment or research project. It typically includes an introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion.
Lab report structure:
Title page : includes the title of the experiment, author’s name, date, and institution
Abstract : summarizes the purpose, methodology, and results of the experiment
Methods : explains how the experiment was conducted
Results : presents the findings of the experiment
Presentation
A presentation involves delivering information, data or findings to an audience, often with the use of visual aids such as slides, charts, or diagrams. It requires clear communication skills, good organization, and effective use of technology.
Presentation structure:
Introduction : introduces the topic and purpose of the presentation
Body : presents the main points, findings, or data, with the help of visual aids
Conclusion : summarizes the key points and provides a closing statement
Creative Project
A creative project is an assignment that requires students to produce something original, such as a painting, sculpture, video, or creative writing piece. It allows students to demonstrate their creativity and artistic skills.
Creative project structure:
Introduction : introduces the project and its purpose
Body : presents the creative work, with explanations or descriptions as needed
Conclusion : summarizes the key elements and reflects on the creative process.
Examples of Assignments
Following are Examples of Assignment templates samples:
Essay template:
I. Introduction
Hook: Grab the reader’s attention with a catchy opening sentence.
Background: Provide some context or background information on the topic.
Thesis statement: State the main argument or point of your essay.
II. Body paragraphs
Topic sentence: Introduce the main idea or argument of the paragraph.
Evidence: Provide evidence or examples to support your point.
Analysis: Explain how the evidence supports your argument.
Transition: Use a transition sentence to lead into the next paragraph.
III. Conclusion
Restate thesis: Summarize your main argument or point.
Review key points: Summarize the main points you made in your essay.
Concluding thoughts: End with a final thought or call to action.
Research paper template:
I. Title page
Title: Give your paper a descriptive title.
Author: Include your name and institutional affiliation.
Date: Provide the date the paper was submitted.
II. Abstract
Background: Summarize the background and purpose of your research.
Methodology: Describe the methods you used to conduct your research.
Results: Summarize the main findings of your research.
Conclusion: Provide a brief summary of the implications and conclusions of your research.
III. Introduction
Background: Provide some background information on the topic.
Research question: State your research question or hypothesis.
Purpose: Explain the purpose of your research.
IV. Literature review
Background: Summarize previous research on the topic.
Gaps in research: Identify gaps or areas that need further research.
V. Methodology
Participants: Describe the participants in your study.
Procedure: Explain the procedure you used to conduct your research.
Measures: Describe the measures you used to collect data.
VI. Results
Quantitative results: Summarize the quantitative data you collected.
Qualitative results: Summarize the qualitative data you collected.
VII. Discussion
Interpretation: Interpret the results and explain what they mean.
Implications: Discuss the implications of your research.
Limitations: Identify any limitations or weaknesses of your research.
VIII. Conclusion
Review key points: Summarize the main points you made in your paper.
Case study template:
Background: Provide background information on the case.
Research question: State the research question or problem you are examining.
Purpose: Explain the purpose of the case study.
II. Analysis
Problem: Identify the main problem or issue in the case.
Factors: Describe the factors that contributed to the problem.
Alternative solutions: Describe potential solutions to the problem.
III. Solution/recommendations
Proposed solution: Describe the solution you are proposing.
Rationale: Explain why this solution is the best one.
Implementation: Describe how the solution can be implemented.
IV. Conclusion
Summary: Summarize the main points of your case study.
Lab report template:
Title: Give your report a descriptive title.
Date: Provide the date the report was submitted.
Background: Summarize the background and purpose of the experiment.
Methodology: Describe the methods you used to conduct the experiment.
Results: Summarize the main findings of the experiment.
Conclusion: Provide a brief summary of the implications and conclusions
Background: Provide some background information on the experiment.
Hypothesis: State your hypothesis or research question.
Purpose: Explain the purpose of the experiment.
IV. Materials and methods
Materials: List the materials and equipment used in the experiment.
Procedure: Describe the procedure you followed to conduct the experiment.
Data: Present the data you collected in tables or graphs.
Analysis: Analyze the data and describe the patterns or trends you observed.
VI. Discussion
Implications: Discuss the implications of your findings.
Limitations: Identify any limitations or weaknesses of the experiment.
VII. Conclusion
Restate hypothesis: Summarize your hypothesis or research question.
Review key points: Summarize the main points you made in your report.
Presentation template:
Attention grabber: Grab the audience’s attention with a catchy opening.
Purpose: Explain the purpose of your presentation.
Overview: Provide an overview of what you will cover in your presentation.
II. Main points
Main point 1: Present the first main point of your presentation.
Supporting details: Provide supporting details or evidence to support your point.
Main point 2: Present the second main point of your presentation.
Main point 3: Present the third main point of your presentation.
Summary: Summarize the main points of your presentation.
Call to action: End with a final thought or call to action.
Creative writing template:
Setting: Describe the setting of your story.
Characters: Introduce the main characters of your story.
Rising action: Introduce the conflict or problem in your story.
Climax: Present the most intense moment of the story.
Falling action: Resolve the conflict or problem in your story.
Resolution: Describe how the conflict or problem was resolved.
Final thoughts: End with a final thought or reflection on the story.
How to Write Assignment
Here is a general guide on how to write an assignment:
Understand the assignment prompt: Before you begin writing, make sure you understand what the assignment requires. Read the prompt carefully and make note of any specific requirements or guidelines.
Research and gather information: Depending on the type of assignment, you may need to do research to gather information to support your argument or points. Use credible sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites.
Organize your ideas : Once you have gathered all the necessary information, organize your ideas into a clear and logical structure. Consider creating an outline or diagram to help you visualize your ideas.
Write a draft: Begin writing your assignment using your organized ideas and research. Don’t worry too much about grammar or sentence structure at this point; the goal is to get your thoughts down on paper.
Revise and edit: After you have written a draft, revise and edit your work. Make sure your ideas are presented in a clear and concise manner, and that your sentences and paragraphs flow smoothly.
Proofread: Finally, proofread your work for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. It’s a good idea to have someone else read over your assignment as well to catch any mistakes you may have missed.
Submit your assignment : Once you are satisfied with your work, submit your assignment according to the instructions provided by your instructor or professor.
Applications of Assignment
Assignments have many applications across different fields and industries. Here are a few examples:
Education : Assignments are a common tool used in education to help students learn and demonstrate their knowledge. They can be used to assess a student’s understanding of a particular topic, to develop critical thinking skills, and to improve writing and research abilities.
Business : Assignments can be used in the business world to assess employee skills, to evaluate job performance, and to provide training opportunities. They can also be used to develop business plans, marketing strategies, and financial projections.
Journalism : Assignments are often used in journalism to produce news articles, features, and investigative reports. Journalists may be assigned to cover a particular event or topic, or to research and write a story on a specific subject.
Research : Assignments can be used in research to collect and analyze data, to conduct experiments, and to present findings in written or oral form. Researchers may be assigned to conduct research on a specific topic, to write a research paper, or to present their findings at a conference or seminar.
Government : Assignments can be used in government to develop policy proposals, to conduct research, and to analyze data. Government officials may be assigned to work on a specific project or to conduct research on a particular topic.
Non-profit organizations: Assignments can be used in non-profit organizations to develop fundraising strategies, to plan events, and to conduct research. Volunteers may be assigned to work on a specific project or to help with a particular task.
Purpose of Assignment
The purpose of an assignment varies depending on the context in which it is given. However, some common purposes of assignments include:
Assessing learning: Assignments are often used to assess a student’s understanding of a particular topic or concept. This allows educators to determine if a student has mastered the material or if they need additional support.
Developing skills: Assignments can be used to develop a wide range of skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, research, and communication. Assignments that require students to analyze and synthesize information can help to build these skills.
Encouraging creativity: Assignments can be designed to encourage students to be creative and think outside the box. This can help to foster innovation and original thinking.
Providing feedback : Assignments provide an opportunity for teachers to provide feedback to students on their progress and performance. Feedback can help students to understand where they need to improve and to develop a growth mindset.
Meeting learning objectives : Assignments can be designed to help students meet specific learning objectives or outcomes. For example, a writing assignment may be designed to help students improve their writing skills, while a research assignment may be designed to help students develop their research skills.
When to write Assignment
Assignments are typically given by instructors or professors as part of a course or academic program. The timing of when to write an assignment will depend on the specific requirements of the course or program, but in general, assignments should be completed within the timeframe specified by the instructor or program guidelines.
It is important to begin working on assignments as soon as possible to ensure enough time for research, writing, and revisions. Waiting until the last minute can result in rushed work and lower quality output.
It is also important to prioritize assignments based on their due dates and the amount of work required. This will help to manage time effectively and ensure that all assignments are completed on time.
In addition to assignments given by instructors or professors, there may be other situations where writing an assignment is necessary. For example, in the workplace, assignments may be given to complete a specific project or task. In these situations, it is important to establish clear deadlines and expectations to ensure that the assignment is completed on time and to a high standard.
Characteristics of Assignment
Here are some common characteristics of assignments:
Purpose : Assignments have a specific purpose, such as assessing knowledge or developing skills. They are designed to help students learn and achieve specific learning objectives.
Requirements: Assignments have specific requirements that must be met, such as a word count, format, or specific content. These requirements are usually provided by the instructor or professor.
Deadline: Assignments have a specific deadline for completion, which is usually set by the instructor or professor. It is important to meet the deadline to avoid penalties or lower grades.
Individual or group work: Assignments can be completed individually or as part of a group. Group assignments may require collaboration and communication with other group members.
Feedback : Assignments provide an opportunity for feedback from the instructor or professor. This feedback can help students to identify areas of improvement and to develop their skills.
Academic integrity: Assignments require academic integrity, which means that students must submit original work and avoid plagiarism. This includes citing sources properly and following ethical guidelines.
Learning outcomes : Assignments are designed to help students achieve specific learning outcomes. These outcomes are usually related to the course objectives and may include developing critical thinking skills, writing abilities, or subject-specific knowledge.
Advantages of Assignment
There are several advantages of assignment, including:
Helps in learning: Assignments help students to reinforce their learning and understanding of a particular topic. By completing assignments, students get to apply the concepts learned in class, which helps them to better understand and retain the information.
Develops critical thinking skills: Assignments often require students to think critically and analyze information in order to come up with a solution or answer. This helps to develop their critical thinking skills, which are important for success in many areas of life.
Encourages creativity: Assignments that require students to create something, such as a piece of writing or a project, can encourage creativity and innovation. This can help students to develop new ideas and perspectives, which can be beneficial in many areas of life.
Builds time-management skills: Assignments often come with deadlines, which can help students to develop time-management skills. Learning how to manage time effectively is an important skill that can help students to succeed in many areas of life.
Provides feedback: Assignments provide an opportunity for students to receive feedback on their work. This feedback can help students to identify areas where they need to improve and can help them to grow and develop.
Limitations of Assignment
There are also some limitations of assignments that should be considered, including:
Limited scope: Assignments are often limited in scope, and may not provide a comprehensive understanding of a particular topic. They may only cover a specific aspect of a topic, and may not provide a full picture of the subject matter.
Lack of engagement: Some assignments may not engage students in the learning process, particularly if they are repetitive or not challenging enough. This can lead to a lack of motivation and interest in the subject matter.
Time-consuming: Assignments can be time-consuming, particularly if they require a lot of research or writing. This can be a disadvantage for students who have other commitments, such as work or extracurricular activities.
Unreliable assessment: The assessment of assignments can be subjective and may not always accurately reflect a student’s understanding or abilities. The grading may be influenced by factors such as the instructor’s personal biases or the student’s writing style.
Lack of feedback : Although assignments can provide feedback, this feedback may not always be detailed or useful. Instructors may not have the time or resources to provide detailed feedback on every assignment, which can limit the value of the feedback that students receive.
About the author
Muhammad Hassan
Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer
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Writing Across the Curriculum
Sample assignments.
This page provides two downloadable documents: a set of Low Stakes writing assignments, and guidelines for High Stakes writing assignments. The documents are available in .docx copies to allow for revision and customization. You’re welcome to take what you need, please keep the Augsburg logo intact (other downloadable logos are available here ).
Click HERE to download a full set of sample Low Stakes assignment prompts.
Click HERE to download a set of sample High Stakes assignment guidelines.
You can learn more about the benefits of differentiating between low and high stakes assignments in Peter Elbow’s (1997) essay, “High stakes and low stakes in assigning and responding to writing” from Writing to Learn: Strategies for Assigning and Responding to Writing across the Discipline: New Directions for Teaching and Learning.
LOW STAKES WRITING
low stakes writing is:.
Free writing in response to a simple prompt
A simple, informal way to integrate writing in the classroom
“Low effort, high impact”
Easy to incorporate at the beginning or end of class
Low-stress, and typically involves little to no grading
Low stakes writing helps:
Describe, apply, and retain information
Explore and personalize ideas
Focus thoughts and questions
Demonstrate the value of writing as a part of the learning process
Informally engage each student in the classroom
Improve high-stakes writing
Efficiently assess student learning
A brief sample of low stakes prompts:
What do you already know about this topic that can guide your learning?
What have you learned from similar assignments that can help you succeed on this one?
Summarize today’s lecture in one sentence.
What do you feel like you learned today, and what lingering question do you have?
Write an email to a friend who has been absent for a week and explain what they’ve missed. Aim to be comprehensive rather than writing a list.
HIGH STAKES WRITING
High stakes writing assignments:.
Correspond to writing conventions in the discipline/genre
Are typically formal and academic in style
Develop over time through drafting and sequencing/scaffolding
Require conducting effective research
Depend on effective, close reading
Synthesize complex information
Are more sophisticated in thought and prose
Basic Guidelines
Regard writing as a process rather than a product
Clearly connect the assignment to course learning objectives
Provide students with a clear assignment prompt detailing expectations
Provide students with a rationale for those expectations
Articulate the audience for the writer (Experts? A publication? You?)
Use assignment sequencing/scaffolding (suggestions below and here )
Include opportunities for feedback and related revision
Provide effective feedback on drafts (suggestions here and here )
Review suggested rubric options here
Weight the assignment accordingly, usually assigning significant value in the overall course grading system
Assign value (i.e. a grade or other form of credit) to reading assignments
High stakes writing helps to:
Familiarize students with disciplinarity and writing in a genre
Describe, apply, and retain complex disciplinary information
Develop more advanced writing, thinking, learning, and process skills
Develop self-assessment and revision skills
Focus on developing depth rather than breadth
Improve higher order learning/thinking
Thoroughly assess student learning and content mastery
Teach students to handle competing information and develop thesis
Make use of in-class peer review activities to help crowd-source feedback
Provide examples of previous work from students (with their permission) along with the original assignment description
Focus on minimal comments in the margins and identify 1-3 strategies for improvement at the end of a draft
Identify common strengths/weaknesses of the class and discuss those with the class as a whole
Identify successful examples of student work in class for discussion
Cover common mistakes in the original assignment description or when discussing the assignment, use low-stakes writing to reiterate the points
If you don’t have time to teach a writing topic, such as citation style, link students to effective guides
Key high stakes writing resources:
These writing guides are written for a student audience, they overview conventions of writing and conducting research in various academic disciplines across both the Sciences and Humanities.
Search topically through hundreds of undergraduate and graduate courses by discipline or topic and access course syllabi, readings, and assignment documents.
This webpage provides guides to some of the best online resources for helping instructors incorporate writing curriculum into their classrooms. Links address topics such as developing learning objectives, designing assignments, approaches to assessment, writing instruction handouts, and tutorials on references and citation.
Click HERE to download a more detailed set of sample High Stakes assignment guidelines.
Learning and Teaching
Assessment and Feedback
Marking criteria, assessment briefs and feedback
Guidance for writing assessment briefs
Published on: 10/07/2023 · Last updated on: 03/09/2024
Sources of difficulty
Have you set an assessment, only to be bombarded with queries from students about how to approach the task? Or, marked work to find that the cohort has missed the point of the assessment?
Writing a clear assessment brief is a skill that is fraught with challenges and requires practise. Assessments should have elements of difficulty built in that support academics in making valid judgments about the quality of the response – these are legitimate difficulties.
However, where assessments include or omit information that benefits some groups of students over others, this prevents valid judgements from being made regarding student ability and instead increases awarding gaps and time spent on fruitless feedback. These, often unconscious barriers, are known as illegitimate difficulties.
Legitimate sources of difficulty
Intentional demands of the assessment question. They allow assessors to make judgements about the quality of a response:
Open v closed questions
Abstract v concrete concepts
The number of cognitive processes
Illegitimate sources of difficulty
Unintentional features of an assessment brief that give unfair advantage or disadvantage to some students:
Inaccessible language
Cultural-specific language or examples
Irrelevant additional materials
Checking your brief
It is also good practice to consider the ‘bigger picture’ of an assessment from the perspective of a student, especially if several colleagues have collaborated to create a single exam or assessment. Items such as diagrams and images intended to be a support, could instead be a point of confusion.
Additional resources (diagrams, images, case studies): do they provide useful support?
Clarity: are there any superfluous words, negatives, ambiguous terms/words with more than one meaning?
Presentation of the brief: do the layout, marks available, command terms align with what you would like students to do?
Any intended/unintended clues that students may use to support their response.
Intended level of difficulty: is the word count or number of reasoning/ processing steps appropriate for the marks and time available?
Clarity of expectations: is there one clear way of a approaching the task? Would different approaches be acceptable?
Further approaches
Where time and budget allow, employing a ‘scribe’ can be an excellent insight into the effectiveness of an assignment brief. A scribe’s role is to attempt an assessment before it is set for the majority of students. They complete the task and provide feedback on the level of difficulty involved- this would usually be someone who has completed the relevant level of the course previously and should be able to complete the task with relative ease.
Related Articles
Improving clarity with structured assignment brief templates
Effective feedback practice
Creating Marking criteria
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Knowledge Base
How to write an essay outline | Guidelines & examples
How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples
Published on August 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.
An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph , giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.
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Table of contents
Organizing your material, presentation of the outline, examples of essay outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay outlines.
At the stage where you’re writing an essay outline, your ideas are probably still not fully formed. You should know your topic and have already done some preliminary research to find relevant sources , but now you need to shape your ideas into a structured argument.
Creating categories
Look over any information, quotes and ideas you’ve noted down from your research and consider the central point you want to make in the essay—this will be the basis of your thesis statement . Once you have an idea of your overall argument, you can begin to organize your material in a way that serves that argument.
Try to arrange your material into categories related to different aspects of your argument. If you’re writing about a literary text, you might group your ideas into themes; in a history essay, it might be several key trends or turning points from the period you’re discussing.
Three main themes or subjects is a common structure for essays. Depending on the length of the essay, you could split the themes into three body paragraphs, or three longer sections with several paragraphs covering each theme.
As you create the outline, look critically at your categories and points: Are any of them irrelevant or redundant? Make sure every topic you cover is clearly related to your thesis statement.
Order of information
When you have your material organized into several categories, consider what order they should appear in.
Your essay will always begin and end with an introduction and conclusion , but the organization of the body is up to you.
Consider these questions to order your material:
Is there an obvious starting point for your argument?
Is there one subject that provides an easy transition into another?
Do some points need to be set up by discussing other points first?
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See an example
Within each paragraph, you’ll discuss a single idea related to your overall topic or argument, using several points of evidence or analysis to do so.
In your outline, you present these points as a few short numbered sentences or phrases.They can be split into sub-points when more detail is needed.
The template below shows how you might structure an outline for a five-paragraph essay.
Thesis statement
First piece of evidence
Second piece of evidence
Summary/synthesis
Importance of topic
Strong closing statement
You can choose whether to write your outline in full sentences or short phrases. Be consistent in your choice; don’t randomly write some points as full sentences and others as short phrases.
Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay.
Argumentative essay outline
This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internet’s impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.
Its body is split into three paragraphs, each presenting arguments about a different aspect of the internet’s effects on education.
Importance of the internet
Concerns about internet use
Thesis statement: Internet use a net positive
Data exploring this effect
Analysis indicating it is overstated
Students’ reading levels over time
Why this data is questionable
Video media
Interactive media
Speed and simplicity of online research
Questions about reliability (transitioning into next topic)
Evidence indicating its ubiquity
Claims that it discourages engagement with academic writing
Evidence that Wikipedia warns students not to cite it
Argument that it introduces students to citation
Summary of key points
Value of digital education for students
Need for optimism to embrace advantages of the internet
Expository essay outline
This is the outline for an expository essay describing how the invention of the printing press affected life and politics in Europe.
The paragraphs are still summarized in short phrases here, but individual points are described with full sentences.
Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages.
Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press.
Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
Discuss the very high levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe.
Describe how literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites.
Indicate how this discouraged political and religious change.
Describe the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
Show the implications of the new technology for book production.
Describe the rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
Link to the Reformation.
Discuss the trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention.
Describe Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation.
Sketch out the large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics.
Summarize the history described.
Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period.
Literary analysis essay outline
The literary analysis essay outlined below discusses the role of theater in Jane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park .
The body of the essay is divided into three different themes, each of which is explored through examples from the book.
Describe the theatricality of Austen’s works
Outline the role theater plays in Mansfield Park
Introduce the research question : How does Austen use theater to express the characters’ morality in Mansfield Park ?
Discuss Austen’s depiction of the performance at the end of the first volume
Discuss how Sir Bertram reacts to the acting scheme
Introduce Austen’s use of stage direction–like details during dialogue
Explore how these are deployed to show the characters’ self-absorption
Discuss Austen’s description of Maria and Julia’s relationship as polite but affectionless
Compare Mrs. Norris’s self-conceit as charitable despite her idleness
Summarize the three themes: The acting scheme, stage directions, and the performance of morals
Answer the research question
Indicate areas for further study
If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!
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Post hoc fallacy
Appeal to authority fallacy
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You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.
Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.
If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.
When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.
You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.
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ESSAY OUTLINE SAMPLE TEMPLATE in Word and Pdf formats
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Creating an assignment using the Assignment Template
TIPS FOR COLLEGE ASSIGNMENTS FOR STUDENTS
How to make assignment ||Front page design||[calligraphy][drawing]
How to make assignments without writing it on paper
COMMENTS
Common Writing Assignments
Learn how to write essays, definitions, book reports, and more with Purdue OWL resources. Find tips and examples for different types of writing assignments, such as research papers, annotated bibliographies, and exam essays.
The Writing Process
Learn how to plan, write, and revise any kind of academic text with this guide. It covers prewriting, planning, drafting, redrafting, and editing, with examples and tips for each step.
Understanding Assignments
Learn how to read and interpret college writing assignments by identifying the task, audience, evidence, style, and format. This handout provides tips, examples, and key terms to help you unravel your assignment and craft an effective response.
Designing Effective Writing Assignments
As Eodice, Geller, and Lerner (2016) have shown, meaningful writing assignments do occur across all disciplines and they are typically ones that "offer students opportunities to engage with instructors, peers, and texts and are relevant to past experiences and passions as well as to future aspirations and identities.". Maximized learning time.
How to Write a Perfect Assignment: Step-By-Step Guide
Learn how to structure, plan, and write an assignment using Word with this comprehensive guide. Find tips on research, formatting, citation, and expert help from PapersOwl.
The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay
Learn the basics of academic essay writing, from choosing a topic and doing research to outlining and revising. Find out how to structure your introduction, main body, and conclusion, and see examples of different types of essays.
Designing Essay Assignments
Learn how to create clear and effective essay assignments that help students develop their writing skills and master the material. Find tips on naming the purpose, audience, and criteria of the paper, preparing students in class, and building in process.
Example of a Great Essay
Learn how to write a well-structured essay with this example that guides you through the introduction, paragraphs, transitions, and conclusion. The essay topic is the development of the Braille system in nineteenth-century France.
4 Key Points for Effective Assignment Writing
Learn how to write an effective assignment with four key steps: research, structure, writing, and proofreading. Find out how to start with research, prepare assignment structure, write a gripping introduction and conclusion, and use paraphrasing and citation tools.
PDF A Brief Guide to Designing Essay Assignments
Show examples of writing that illustrates components and criteria of the assignment and that inspires (class readings can sometimes serve as illustrations of a writing principle; so can short excerpts of writing— e.g. a sampling of introductions; and so can bad writing—e.g. a list of problematic thesis statements).
Sample written assignments
View or download authentic sample assignments from various disciplines to improve your academic writing skills. Learn from the comments, referencing conventions and Turnitin® reports included in each sample.
Understanding Writing Assignments
Learn how to decipher the paper assignment by reading the prompt carefully, underlining important phrases, and thinking about the purpose, audience, and resources. The web page does not explain the verbs used to explain a writing assignment, but it provides examples of different types of assignments and their requirements.
Assignment writing guides and samples
Find tips and examples for writing essays, critical reviews, business-style reports and investigative reports at Swinburne University. Learn how to interpret assignment topics, edit your work and improve your language skills.
Writing Assignments
Learn how to plan, research, write and edit your assignments for university with this comprehensive guide. Find out how to analyse assignment tasks, use academic language, paraphrase and synthesise information, and avoid common pitfalls.
15 foolproof tips for writing a great assignment
Learn 15 foolproof tips for writing a great assignment, from planning your time and structure to citing your sources and checking your spelling. This blog post is aimed at students who want to improve their academic writing skills and avoid common pitfalls.
Academic Assignment Samples and Examples
Browse various samples of academic assignments written by professional writers for different disciplines and levels. Learn how to plan, structure, and write your own assignment with our tips and guidance.
Sample Writing Assignments
Learn how to write different types of essays, such as process analysis, profile, definition, illustration, and summary. See examples, guidelines, and tips for each assignment.
What Is Academic Writing?
Learn how to write academic papers in a formal and unbiased style, with clear and precise language, focused and well structured arguments, and well sourced evidence. Find out the types of academic writing, the conventions of different fields, and the useful tools for editing and citing.
Resources for Teachers: Creating Writing Assignments
Learn how to create effective writing assignments for your students by defining the purpose, audience, mode, and criteria of the assignment. Find tips on sequencing, checking, and formatting your assignments and see examples of assignment sheets.
Sample Papers
Learn how to write papers in APA Style with these sample papers for different types of professional and student papers. Download the Word files to use as templates and edit them as needed for your own papers.
Assignment
Learn about different types of assignments, such as essays, research papers, case studies, lab reports, presentations, and creative projects. Find out how to structure, write, and format each type of assignment with examples and templates.
SAMPLE ASSIGNMENTS
Identify successful examples of student work in class for discussion; Cover common mistakes in the original assignment description or when discussing the assignment, use low-stakes writing to reiterate the points; If you don't have time to teach a writing topic, such as citation style, link students to effective guides
Guidance for writing assessment briefs
Writing a clear assessment brief is a skill that is fraught with challenges and requires practise. Assessments should have elements of difficulty built in that support academics in making valid judgments about the quality of the response - these are legitimate difficulties.
How to Write an Essay Outline
An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph, giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.
Writing Assignment 3 Gender Resistance and Icons SP24
Gender Resistance and Icons is an examination of popular culture idols who embody nontraditional gender roles and challenge the Standard Story. In this assignment you will pick an individual that is considered a cultural icon or has a "cult" following but also challenges the status quo (some examples might include Prince, RuPaul, Garnet, Ashnikko, Grace Jones, Marceline, Annie Lennox, Pearl ...
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COMMENTS
Learn how to write essays, definitions, book reports, and more with Purdue OWL resources. Find tips and examples for different types of writing assignments, such as research papers, annotated bibliographies, and exam essays.
Learn how to plan, write, and revise any kind of academic text with this guide. It covers prewriting, planning, drafting, redrafting, and editing, with examples and tips for each step.
Learn how to read and interpret college writing assignments by identifying the task, audience, evidence, style, and format. This handout provides tips, examples, and key terms to help you unravel your assignment and craft an effective response.
As Eodice, Geller, and Lerner (2016) have shown, meaningful writing assignments do occur across all disciplines and they are typically ones that "offer students opportunities to engage with instructors, peers, and texts and are relevant to past experiences and passions as well as to future aspirations and identities.". Maximized learning time.
Learn how to structure, plan, and write an assignment using Word with this comprehensive guide. Find tips on research, formatting, citation, and expert help from PapersOwl.
Learn the basics of academic essay writing, from choosing a topic and doing research to outlining and revising. Find out how to structure your introduction, main body, and conclusion, and see examples of different types of essays.
Learn how to create clear and effective essay assignments that help students develop their writing skills and master the material. Find tips on naming the purpose, audience, and criteria of the paper, preparing students in class, and building in process.
Learn how to write a well-structured essay with this example that guides you through the introduction, paragraphs, transitions, and conclusion. The essay topic is the development of the Braille system in nineteenth-century France.
Learn how to write an effective assignment with four key steps: research, structure, writing, and proofreading. Find out how to start with research, prepare assignment structure, write a gripping introduction and conclusion, and use paraphrasing and citation tools.
Show examples of writing that illustrates components and criteria of the assignment and that inspires (class readings can sometimes serve as illustrations of a writing principle; so can short excerpts of writing— e.g. a sampling of introductions; and so can bad writing—e.g. a list of problematic thesis statements).
View or download authentic sample assignments from various disciplines to improve your academic writing skills. Learn from the comments, referencing conventions and Turnitin® reports included in each sample.
Learn how to decipher the paper assignment by reading the prompt carefully, underlining important phrases, and thinking about the purpose, audience, and resources. The web page does not explain the verbs used to explain a writing assignment, but it provides examples of different types of assignments and their requirements.
Find tips and examples for writing essays, critical reviews, business-style reports and investigative reports at Swinburne University. Learn how to interpret assignment topics, edit your work and improve your language skills.
Learn how to plan, research, write and edit your assignments for university with this comprehensive guide. Find out how to analyse assignment tasks, use academic language, paraphrase and synthesise information, and avoid common pitfalls.
Learn 15 foolproof tips for writing a great assignment, from planning your time and structure to citing your sources and checking your spelling. This blog post is aimed at students who want to improve their academic writing skills and avoid common pitfalls.
Browse various samples of academic assignments written by professional writers for different disciplines and levels. Learn how to plan, structure, and write your own assignment with our tips and guidance.
Learn how to write different types of essays, such as process analysis, profile, definition, illustration, and summary. See examples, guidelines, and tips for each assignment.
Learn how to write academic papers in a formal and unbiased style, with clear and precise language, focused and well structured arguments, and well sourced evidence. Find out the types of academic writing, the conventions of different fields, and the useful tools for editing and citing.
Learn how to create effective writing assignments for your students by defining the purpose, audience, mode, and criteria of the assignment. Find tips on sequencing, checking, and formatting your assignments and see examples of assignment sheets.
Learn how to write papers in APA Style with these sample papers for different types of professional and student papers. Download the Word files to use as templates and edit them as needed for your own papers.
Learn about different types of assignments, such as essays, research papers, case studies, lab reports, presentations, and creative projects. Find out how to structure, write, and format each type of assignment with examples and templates.
Identify successful examples of student work in class for discussion; Cover common mistakes in the original assignment description or when discussing the assignment, use low-stakes writing to reiterate the points; If you don't have time to teach a writing topic, such as citation style, link students to effective guides
Writing a clear assessment brief is a skill that is fraught with challenges and requires practise. Assessments should have elements of difficulty built in that support academics in making valid judgments about the quality of the response - these are legitimate difficulties.
An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph, giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.
Gender Resistance and Icons is an examination of popular culture idols who embody nontraditional gender roles and challenge the Standard Story. In this assignment you will pick an individual that is considered a cultural icon or has a "cult" following but also challenges the status quo (some examples might include Prince, RuPaul, Garnet, Ashnikko, Grace Jones, Marceline, Annie Lennox, Pearl ...