Tips on how to do your assignments!

With the academic year coming to an end, the pressure that comes with writing assignments (good ones especially) is on us. While most of us are drowning in the sea of assignments we have, I took some time and talked to my friends in order to collect some tips for you to write better assignments. While these tips might not get you the best scores automatically, they can help you form a stronger base – so here are some things that my friends and I stand by while writing assignments:

Don’t try to conform to others’ patterns

I cannot emphasise this enough. A lot of us (especially first years) make this mistake. We try to copy somebody else’s format and way of working. This definitely does not work. Seminar leaders and lectures repeatedly point out that the work seems unauthentic or rushed or lacking something. To combat this, I have found that we need to work the way that suits us. I personally only write my assessments a week before the submission date and this might freak you out but that is when I am able to work. If you are like me, please don’t be worried when others submit a week or so before you. Stick to your style and your way of working. One pro tip though is to create an outline of your assignment a while before you start actually writing it. This gives you a lot of guidance and helps save the time you might others waste on trying to figure out your game plan.

Ask for help!

Most of us feel lost and worried when it comes to the very first or the first few assignments. This is not only perfectly normal but expected by the university staff. So, there are resources in place that can help you. All you need to do is head to the organisations page in Learning Central and see the writing support available. Other than that, if you have issues with the content of assignments, you can get guidance from your seminar leaders and lecturers. It is important to have a chat with your personal tutor about this,if you feel you need extra support, and they will guide you further.

Keep researching about topics

This one pertains to all courses that have to present theoretical work in their assignments. Most of us come across and consume so much information that we can lose track of it when it can actually be useful later. So, if you are reading up on a topic (especially one that interests you), then write down notes or sources. This will make it easier to come back to it later and include it in your extended research. This also shows that you have more knowledge and research than just the recommended readings which can help you gain more points.

Submit with sufficient time left

I am genuinely shocked that some people had have to go through so much extra effort and stress just because their submission didn’t get recorded. What happens is that sometimes the system makes an error and it does not record your assignment if a lot of assignments are coming in at the same time. So, to avoid that, it is imperative that you submit your assignment at least half an hour before your submission deadline. If not, please don’t forget to download the submission receipt that is available on Turnitin.