right now your assignment is you

Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

• Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
• Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

• What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

• What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that they will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

• define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
• describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
• explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
• illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
• summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
• trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
• research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

• compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
• contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
• apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
• cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
• relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

• assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
• prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
• evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
• support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
• synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
• analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
• argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

• What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
• In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove their point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
• What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
• How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, they still have to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

• Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
• The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and they already know everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality they expect.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

• spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
• use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
• use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
• get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Teaching, Learning, & Professional Development Center

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How Do I Create Meaningful and Effective Assignments?

Prepared by allison boye, ph.d. teaching, learning, and professional development center.

Assessment is a necessary part of the teaching and learning process, helping us measure whether our students have really learned what we want them to learn. While exams and quizzes are certainly favorite and useful methods of assessment, out of class assignments (written or otherwise) can offer similar insights into our students' learning.  And just as creating a reliable test takes thoughtfulness and skill, so does creating meaningful and effective assignments. Undoubtedly, many instructors have been on the receiving end of disappointing student work, left wondering what went wrong… and often, those problems can be remedied in the future by some simple fine-tuning of the original assignment.  This paper will take a look at some important elements to consider when developing assignments, and offer some easy approaches to creating a valuable assessment experience for all involved.

First Things First…

Before assigning any major tasks to students, it is imperative that you first define a few things for yourself as the instructor:

• Your goals for the assignment . Why are you assigning this project, and what do you hope your students will gain from completing it? What knowledge, skills, and abilities do you aim to measure with this assignment?  Creating assignments is a major part of overall course design, and every project you assign should clearly align with your goals for the course in general.  For instance, if you want your students to demonstrate critical thinking, perhaps asking them to simply summarize an article is not the best match for that goal; a more appropriate option might be to ask for an analysis of a controversial issue in the discipline. Ultimately, the connection between the assignment and its purpose should be clear to both you and your students to ensure that it is fulfilling the desired goals and doesn't seem like “busy work.” For some ideas about what kinds of assignments match certain learning goals, take a look at this page from DePaul University's Teaching Commons.
• Have they experienced “socialization” in the culture of your discipline (Flaxman, 2005)? Are they familiar with any conventions you might want them to know? In other words, do they know the “language” of your discipline, generally accepted style guidelines, or research protocols?
• Do they know how to conduct research?  Do they know the proper style format, documentation style, acceptable resources, etc.? Do they know how to use the library (Fitzpatrick, 1989) or evaluate resources?
• What kinds of writing or work have they previously engaged in?  For instance, have they completed long, formal writing assignments or research projects before? Have they ever engaged in analysis, reflection, or argumentation? Have they completed group assignments before?  Do they know how to write a literature review or scientific report?

In his book Engaging Ideas (1996), John Bean provides a great list of questions to help instructors focus on their main teaching goals when creating an assignment (p.78):

1. What are the main units/modules in my course?

2. What are my main learning objectives for each module and for the course?

3. What thinking skills am I trying to develop within each unit and throughout the course?

4. What are the most difficult aspects of my course for students?

5. If I could change my students' study habits, what would I most like to change?

6. What difference do I want my course to make in my students' lives?

What your students need to know

Once you have determined your own goals for the assignment and the levels of your students, you can begin creating your assignment.  However, when introducing your assignment to your students, there are several things you will need to clearly outline for them in order to ensure the most successful assignments possible.

• First, you will need to articulate the purpose of the assignment . Even though you know why the assignment is important and what it is meant to accomplish, you cannot assume that your students will intuit that purpose. Your students will appreciate an understanding of how the assignment fits into the larger goals of the course and what they will learn from the process (Hass & Osborn, 2007). Being transparent with your students and explaining why you are asking them to complete a given assignment can ultimately help motivate them to complete the assignment more thoughtfully.
• If you are asking your students to complete a writing assignment, you should define for them the “rhetorical or cognitive mode/s” you want them to employ in their writing (Flaxman, 2005). In other words, use precise verbs that communicate whether you are asking them to analyze, argue, describe, inform, etc.  (Verbs like “explore” or “comment on” can be too vague and cause confusion.) Provide them with a specific task to complete, such as a problem to solve, a question to answer, or an argument to support.  For those who want assignments to lead to top-down, thesis-driven writing, John Bean (1996) suggests presenting a proposition that students must defend or refute, or a problem that demands a thesis answer.
• It is also a good idea to define the audience you want your students to address with their assignment, if possible – especially with writing assignments.  Otherwise, students will address only the instructor, often assuming little requires explanation or development (Hedengren, 2004; MIT, 1999). Further, asking students to address the instructor, who typically knows more about the topic than the student, places the student in an unnatural rhetorical position.  Instead, you might consider asking your students to prepare their assignments for alternative audiences such as other students who missed last week's classes, a group that opposes their position, or people reading a popular magazine or newspaper.  In fact, a study by Bean (1996) indicated the students often appreciate and enjoy assignments that vary elements such as audience or rhetorical context, so don't be afraid to get creative!
• Obviously, you will also need to articulate clearly the logistics or “business aspects” of the assignment . In other words, be explicit with your students about required elements such as the format, length, documentation style, writing style (formal or informal?), and deadlines.  One caveat, however: do not allow the logistics of the paper take precedence over the content in your assignment description; if you spend all of your time describing these things, students might suspect that is all you care about in their execution of the assignment.
• Finally, you should clarify your evaluation criteria for the assignment. What elements of content are most important? Will you grade holistically or weight features separately? How much weight will be given to individual elements, etc?  Another precaution to take when defining requirements for your students is to take care that your instructions and rubric also do not overshadow the content; prescribing too rigidly each element of an assignment can limit students' freedom to explore and discover. According to Beth Finch Hedengren, “A good assignment provides the purpose and guidelines… without dictating exactly what to say” (2004, p. 27).  If you decide to utilize a grading rubric, be sure to provide that to the students along with the assignment description, prior to their completion of the assignment.

A great way to get students engaged with an assignment and build buy-in is to encourage their collaboration on its design and/or on the grading criteria (Hudd, 2003). In his article “Conducting Writing Assignments,” Richard Leahy (2002) offers a few ideas for building in said collaboration:

• Ask the students to develop the grading scale themselves from scratch, starting with choosing the categories.

• Set the grading categories yourself, but ask the students to help write the descriptions.

• Draft the complete grading scale yourself, then give it to your students for review and suggestions.

A Few Do's and Don'ts…

Determining your goals for the assignment and its essential logistics is a good start to creating an effective assignment. However, there are a few more simple factors to consider in your final design. First, here are a few things you should do :

• Do provide detail in your assignment description . Research has shown that students frequently prefer some guiding constraints when completing assignments (Bean, 1996), and that more detail (within reason) can lead to more successful student responses.  One idea is to provide students with physical assignment handouts , in addition to or instead of a simple description in a syllabus.  This can meet the needs of concrete learners and give them something tangible to refer to.  Likewise, it is often beneficial to make explicit for students the process or steps necessary to complete an assignment, given that students – especially younger ones – might need guidance in planning and time management (MIT, 1999).
• Do use open-ended questions.  The most effective and challenging assignments focus on questions that lead students to thinking and explaining, rather than simple yes or no answers, whether explicitly part of the assignment description or in the  brainstorming heuristics (Gardner, 2005).
• Do direct students to appropriate available resources . Giving students pointers about other venues for assistance can help them get started on the right track independently. These kinds of suggestions might include information about campus resources such as the University Writing Center or discipline-specific librarians, suggesting specific journals or books, or even sections of their textbook, or providing them with lists of research ideas or links to acceptable websites.
• Do consider providing models – both successful and unsuccessful models (Miller, 2007). These models could be provided by past students, or models you have created yourself.  You could even ask students to evaluate the models themselves using the determined evaluation criteria, helping them to visualize the final product, think critically about how to complete the assignment, and ideally, recognize success in their own work.
• Do consider including a way for students to make the assignment their own. In their study, Hass and Osborn (2007) confirmed the importance of personal engagement for students when completing an assignment.  Indeed, students will be more engaged in an assignment if it is personally meaningful, practical, or purposeful beyond the classroom.  You might think of ways to encourage students to tap into their own experiences or curiosities, to solve or explore a real problem, or connect to the larger community.  Offering variety in assignment selection can also help students feel more individualized, creative, and in control.
• If your assignment is substantial or long, do consider sequencing it. Far too often, assignments are given as one-shot final products that receive grades at the end of the semester, eternally abandoned by the student.  By sequencing a large assignment, or essentially breaking it down into a systematic approach consisting of interconnected smaller elements (such as a project proposal, an annotated bibliography, or a rough draft, or a series of mini-assignments related to the longer assignment), you can encourage thoughtfulness, complexity, and thoroughness in your students, as well as emphasize process over final product.

Next are a few elements to avoid in your assignments:

• Do not ask too many questions in your assignment.  In an effort to challenge students, instructors often err in the other direction, asking more questions than students can reasonably address in a single assignment without losing focus. Offering an overly specific “checklist” prompt often leads to externally organized papers, in which inexperienced students “slavishly follow the checklist instead of integrating their ideas into more organically-discovered structure” (Flaxman, 2005).
• Do not expect or suggest that there is an “ideal” response to the assignment. A common error for instructors is to dictate content of an assignment too rigidly, or to imply that there is a single correct response or a specific conclusion to reach, either explicitly or implicitly (Flaxman, 2005). Undoubtedly, students do not appreciate feeling as if they must read an instructor's mind to complete an assignment successfully, or that their own ideas have nowhere to go, and can lose motivation as a result. Similarly, avoid assignments that simply ask for regurgitation (Miller, 2007). Again, the best assignments invite students to engage in critical thinking, not just reproduce lectures or readings.
• Do not provide vague or confusing commands . Do students know what you mean when they are asked to “examine” or “discuss” a topic? Return to what you determined about your students' experiences and levels to help you decide what directions will make the most sense to them and what will require more explanation or guidance, and avoid verbiage that might confound them.
• Do not impose impossible time restraints or require the use of insufficient resources for completion of the assignment.  For instance, if you are asking all of your students to use the same resource, ensure that there are enough copies available for all students to access – or at least put one copy on reserve in the library. Likewise, make sure that you are providing your students with ample time to locate resources and effectively complete the assignment (Fitzpatrick, 1989).

The assignments we give to students don't simply have to be research papers or reports. There are many options for effective yet creative ways to assess your students' learning! Here are just a few:

Journals, Posters, Portfolios, Letters, Brochures, Management plans, Editorials, Instruction Manuals, Imitations of a text, Case studies, Debates, News release, Dialogues, Videos, Collages, Plays, Power Point presentations

Ultimately, the success of student responses to an assignment often rests on the instructor's deliberate design of the assignment. By being purposeful and thoughtful from the beginning, you can ensure that your assignments will not only serve as effective assessment methods, but also engage and delight your students. If you would like further help in constructing or revising an assignment, the Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development Center is glad to offer individual consultations. In addition, look into some of the resources provided below.

Online Resources

“Creating Effective Assignments” http://www.unh.edu/teaching-excellence/resources/Assignments.htm This site, from the University of New Hampshire's Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning,  provides a brief overview of effective assignment design, with a focus on determining and communicating goals and expectations.

Gardner, T.  (2005, June 12). Ten Tips for Designing Writing Assignments. Traci's Lists of Ten. http://www.tengrrl.com/tens/034.shtml This is a brief yet useful list of tips for assignment design, prepared by a writing teacher and curriculum developer for the National Council of Teachers of English .  The website will also link you to several other lists of “ten tips” related to literacy pedagogy.

“How to Create Effective Assignments for College Students.”  http:// tilt.colostate.edu/retreat/2011/zimmerman.pdf     This PDF is a simplified bulleted list, prepared by Dr. Toni Zimmerman from Colorado State University, offering some helpful ideas for coming up with creative assignments.

“Learner-Centered Assessment” http://cte.uwaterloo.ca/teaching_resources/tips/learner_centered_assessment.html From the Centre for Teaching Excellence at the University of Waterloo, this is a short list of suggestions for the process of designing an assessment with your students' interests in mind. “Matching Learning Goals to Assignment Types.” http://teachingcommons.depaul.edu/How_to/design_assignments/assignments_learning_goals.html This is a great page from DePaul University's Teaching Commons, providing a chart that helps instructors match assignments with learning goals.

Additional References Bean, J.C. (1996). Engaging ideas: The professor's guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Fitzpatrick, R. (1989). Research and writing assignments that reduce fear lead to better papers and more confident students. Writing Across the Curriculum , 3.2, pp. 15 – 24.

Flaxman, R. (2005). Creating meaningful writing assignments. The Teaching Exchange .  Retrieved Jan. 9, 2008 from http://www.brown.edu/Administration/Sheridan_Center/pubs/teachingExchange/jan2005/01_flaxman.pdf

Hass, M. & Osborn, J. (2007, August 13). An emic view of student writing and the writing process. Across the Disciplines, 4. 

Hedengren, B.F. (2004). A TA's guide to teaching writing in all disciplines . Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Hudd, S. S. (2003, April). Syllabus under construction: Involving students in the creation of class assignments.  Teaching Sociology , 31, pp. 195 – 202.

Leahy, R. (2002). Conducting writing assignments. College Teaching , 50.2, pp. 50 – 54.

Miller, H. (2007). Designing effective writing assignments.  Teaching with writing .  University of Minnesota Center for Writing. Retrieved Jan. 9, 2008, from http://writing.umn.edu/tww/assignments/designing.html

MIT Online Writing and Communication Center (1999). Creating Writing Assignments. Retrieved January 9, 2008 from http://web.mit.edu/writing/Faculty/createeffective.html .

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167 So You’ve Got a Writing Assignment. Now What?

Corrine E. Hinton

It’s the first day of the semester and you’ve just stepped foot into your Intro to American Politics class. You grab a seat toward the back as the instructor enters, distributes the syllabus, and starts to discuss the course schedule. Just before class ends, she grabs a thin stack of papers from her desk and, distributing them, announces, “This is your first writing assignment for the term. It’s due two weeks from Thursday, so I suggest you begin early.” Your stomach clenches. For some people, a writing assignment causes a little nervous energy, but for you, it’s a deep, vomit-inducing fireball that shoots down your body and out your toes. As soon as the assignment sheet hits your hands, your eyes dart wildly about, frantically trying to decipher what you’re supposed to do. How many pages is this thing supposed to be? What am I supposed to write about? What’s Chicago style? When is it due? You know your instructor is talking about the assignment right now, but her voice fades into a murmur as you busy yourself with the assignment sheet. The sound of shuffling feet interrupts your thoughts; you look up and realize she’s dismissed the class. You shove the assignment into your bag, convinced you’re doomed before you’ve even started.

So you’ve got a writing assignment. Now what? First, don’t panic. Writing assignments make many of us nervous, but this anxiety is especially prevalent in first year students. When that first writing assignment comes along, fear, anxiety, avoidance, and even anger are typical responses. However, negative emotional reactions like these can cloud your ability to be rational, and interpreting a writing assignment is a rational activity and a skill. You can learn and cultivate this skill with practice. Why is learning how to do it so important?

First, you can learn how to manage negative emotional responses to writing. Research indicates emotional responses can affect academic performance “over and above the influence of cognitive ability or motivation” (Pekrun 129). So, even when you have the knowledge or desire to accomplish a particular goal, your fear, anxiety, or boredom can have greater control over how you perform. Anything you can do to minimize these reactions (and potentially boost performance) benefits your personal and intellectual wellness .

Learning to interpret writing assignment expectations also helps encourage productive dialogue between you and your fellow classmates and between you and your instructor. You’ll be able to discuss the assignment critically with your peers, ask them specific questions about information you don’t know, or compare approaches to essays. You’ll also be able to answer your classmates’ questions confidently. Many students are too afraid or intimidated to ask their instructors for help, but when you understand an instructor’s expectations for an assignment, you also understand the skills being assessed. With this method, when you do not understand a requirement or expectation, you’ll have more confidence to approach your instructor directly, using him as valuable resource that can encourage you, clarify confusion, or strengthen your understanding of course concepts.

What follows is a series of practical guidelines useful for interpreting most college writing assignments. In my experience, many students already know and employ many of these strategies regularly; however, few students know or use all of them every time. Along the way, I’ll apply some of these guidelines to actual assignments used in university classrooms. You’ll also be able to get into the heads of other students as they formulate their own approaches to some of these assignments.1

Guidelines for Interpreting Writing Assignments

• Don’t Panic and Don’t Procrastinate

Writing assignments should not incite panic, but it happens. We’ve already discussed how panicking and other negative reactions work against you by clouding your ability to analyze a situation rationally. So when your instructor gives you that writing assignment, don’t try to read the whole assignment sheet at breakneck speed. Instead, take a deep breath and focus. If your instructor talks about the assignment, stop what you’re doing and listen. Often, teachers will read through the assignment aloud and may even elaborate on some of the requirements. Write down any extra information or advice your instructor provides about the requirements, his or her expectations, changes, possible approaches, or topic ideas. This information will be useful to you as you begin thinking about the topic and formulating your approach. Also, pay attention to your classmates’ questions. You might not need those answers now, but you may find them helpful later.

If you’re an undergraduate student taking more than one class, it’s not uncommon to have several writing assignments due within days of each other. Hence, you should avoid procrastinating. People procrastinate for different reasons. Maybe you wait because you’ve always been able to put together a decent paper the night before it’s due. Perhaps you wait because avoiding the assignment until the last minute is your response to academic stress. Waiting until the last minute to complete a writing assignment in college is a gamble. You put yourself at risk for the unexpected: your printer runs out of ink, your laptop crashes and you didn’t backup your work, the Internet in the library is down, the books you need are checked out, you can’t locate any recent research on your topic, you have a last-minute emergency, or you have a question about the assignment you can’t find the answer to. The common result of situations like these is that if the student is able to complete the assignment, it is often a poor representatatoin of her actual knowledge or abilities. Start your assignment as soon as possible and leave yourself plenty of time to plan for the unexpected.

• Read the Assignment. Read It Again. Refer to It Often

The ability to read critically is a useful skill. When you read a textbook chapter for your history course, for example, you might skim it for major ideas first, re-read and then highlight or underline important items, make notes in the margins, look up unfamiliar terms, or compile a list of questions. These same strategies can be applied when reading writing assignments.

The assignment sheet is full of material to be deciphered, so attack it the same way you would attack your history book. When Bailey2, an undergraduate at a university in Los Angeles, was asked to respond to a biology writing assignment, here’s what she had to say about where she would start:

When getting a writing assignment, you should read it more than once just to get a knowledge of what they’re [the instructors] really asking for and underline important information, which is what I’m doing now. Before starting the assignment, always write some notes down to help you get started.

Here are some other strategies to help you become an active, critical reader of writing assignments:

• Start by skimming, noting anything in particular that jumps out at you.
• As soon as you have the time and the ability to focus, re-read the assignment carefully. Underline or highlight important features of the assignment or criteria you think you might forget about after you’ve started writing.
• Don’t be afraid to write on the assignment sheet. Use the available white space to list questions, define key terms or concepts, or jot down any initial ideas you have. Don’t let the margins confine your writing (or your thoughts). If you’re running out of space, grab a fresh sheet of paper and keep writing. The sooner you starting thinking and writing about the assignment, the easier it may be to complete.

As you begin drafting, you should occasionally refer back to the official assignment sheet. Maintaining constant contact with your teacher’s instructions will help keep you on the right track, may remind you of criteria you’ve forgotten, and it might even spark new ideas if you’re stuck.

• Know Your Purpose and Your Audience

Instructors give writing assignments so students can demonstrate their knowledge and/or their ability to apply knowledge. On the surface, it may seem like the instructor is simply asking you to answer some questions to demonstrate that you understand the material or to compare and contrast concepts, theorists, or approaches. However, assessing knowledge is usually just one reason for the assignment. More often than not, your instructor is also evaluating your ability to demonstrate other critical skills. For example, she might be trying to determine if you can apply a concept to a particular situation, if you know how to summarize complex material, or if you can think critically about an idea and then creatively apply that thinking to new situations. Maybe she’s looking at how you manage large quantities of research or how you position expert opinions against one another. Or perhaps she wants to know if you can form and support a sound, credible argument rather than describing your opinion about a certain issue.

Instructors have different ways of conveying what they expect from their students in a writing assignment. Some detail explicitly what they intend to evaluate and may even provide a score sheet. Others may provide general (even vague) instructions and leave the rest up to you. So, what can you do to ensure you’re on the right track? Keep reading through these guidelines, and you’ll learn some ways to read between the lines. Once you identify all the intentions at work (that is, what your instructor is trying to measure), you’ll be able to consider and address them.

Audience is a critical component to any writing assignment, and realistically, one or several different audiences may be involved when you’re writing a paper in college. The person evaluating your essay is typically the audience most college students consider first. However, your instructor may identify a separate audience to whom you should tailor your response. Do not ignore this audience! If your business instructor tells you to write a research proposal that will be delivered to members of the local chamber of commerce, then adapt your response to them. If you’re in an engineering course, and your instructor asks you to write a product design report about a piece of medical equipment geared toward medical practitioners (and not engineers), you should think differently about your terminology, use of background information, and what motivates this particular audience when they read your report. Analyzing the background (personal, educational, professional), existing knowledge, needs, and concerns of your audience will help you make more informed decisions about word choice, structure, tone, or other components of your paper.

• Locate and Understand the Directive Verbs

One thing you should do when interpreting a writing assignment is to locate the directive verbs and know what the instructor means by them. Directive verbs tell you what you should do in order to formulate a written response. The following table lists common directive verbs used in writing assignments:

Table 1. Frequently used directive verbs.

You might notice that many of the directive verbs have similar general meanings. For example, although explore and investigate are not necessarily synonyms for one another, when used in writing assignments, they may be asking for a similar structural response. Understanding what those verbs mean to you and to your instructor may be the most difficult part of understanding a writing assignment. Take a look at this sample writing assignment from a philosophy course:

Philosophy Writing Assignment * “History is what the historian says it is.”  Discuss. All papers are to be typed, spell-checked and grammar-checked. Responses should be 2000 words. They should be well written, with a logical flow of thought, and double-spaced with 1” margins on all sides. Papers should be typed in 12-pitch font, using Courier or Times Roman typeface. Indent the first line of each new paragraph five spaces. Also include a title page so that the instructor can identify the student, assignment and course number. Proper standard English is required. Do not use slang or a conversational style of writing. Always avoid contractions (e.g. “can’t” for “cannot”) in formal essays. Always write in complete sentences and paragraphs! Staple all papers in the upper left-hand corner and do not put them in a folder, binder or plastic cover. All written work, citations and bibliographies should conform to the rules of composition laid down in The Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition), or Charles Lipson’s Doing Honest Work in College (chapter 5). A paper that lacks correct citations and/or a bibliography will receive an automatic 10% reduction in grade. * Sample undergraduate philosophy writing assignment, courtesy of Dr. Kenneth Locke, Religious Studies Department, University of the West.

You may interpret the word discuss in one way, while your instructor may have a different understanding. The key is to make certain that these two interpretations are as similar as possible. You can develop a mutual understanding of the assignment’s directive verbs and calculate an effective response using the following steps:

• Look up the verb in a dictionary and write down all of the definitions.
• List all possible synonyms or related terms and look those up as well; then, see if any of these terms suggest a clearer interpretation of what the assignment is asking you to do.
• Write down several methods you could use to approach the assignment. (Check out guideline eight in this essay for some common approaches.)
• Consult with your instructor, but do not be discouraged if he/ she is unwilling to clarify or provide additional information; your interpretation of the directions and subsequent approach to fulfilling the assignment criteria may be one of its purposes.
• Consult a trusted peer or writing center tutor for assistance.
• Figure out what you know.

When deciphering an assignment’s purpose is particularly challenging, make a list. Think about what you know, what you think you know, and what you do not know about what the assignment is asking you to do. Putting this list into a table makes the information easier to handle. For example, if you were given an assignment that asked you to analyze presentations in your business ethics class, like the assignment in Figure 2, your table might look like Table 2 below:

Business Writing Assignment Presentation Analysis During three weeks of class, you’ll observe several small group presentations on business ethics given by your fellow classmates. Choose two of the presentations and write a short paper analyzing them. For each presentation, be sure to do the following: In one paragraph, concisely summarize the group’s main conclusions Analyze the presentation by answering any two of the following three: With which of the group’s conclusions do you agree? Why? With which of the conclusions do you disagree? Why? (include specific examples of both) What particular issue of ethics did the group not address or only address slightly? Analyze this aspect from your perspective. In what way could you apply one or more of the group’s conclusions to a particular situation? (The situation could be hypothetical, one from your personal or professional experience, or a real-world example). The paper should be no more than 3 pages in length with 12-pt font, 1 ½ line spacing. It is due one week after the conclusion of presentations. Your grade will depend upon the critical thought and analytical skills displayed in the paper; 2. your use of ethical principles from chapter 7 of our textbook; the professionalism, correctness, and logic of your writing. Table 2. Sample knowledge table for undergraduate business writing assignment.

After reviewing the table, you can see that this student has a lot of thoughts about this assignment. He understands some of the general features. However, there are some critical elements that need clarification before he submits the assignment. For instance, he’s unsure about the best structure for the paper and the way it should sound. Dividing your understanding of an assignment into a table or list can help you identify the confusing parts. Then, you can formulate specific questions that your instructor or a writing center consultant can help you answer.

• Ask Yourself: Do I Need an Argument?

Perhaps one of the most important things to know is whether or not your instructor is asking you to formulate and support an argument. Sometimes this is easy to determine. For example, an assignment many instructors include in their courses is a persuasive paper where you’re typically asked to choose an issue, take a position, and then support it using evidence. For many students, a persuasive paper is a well known assignment, but when less familiar assignment genres come up, some students may be confused about argument expectations. This confusion may arise because the instructor uses a directive verb that is easily misinterpreted. What about the verb explain? Does it make you think of words like summarize, review, or describe (which would suggest more facts and less opinion)? Or, do you associate it with words like debate, investigate, or defend (which imply the need for a well-supported argument)? You can also look for other clues in the assignment indicating a need for evidence. If your instructor mentions scholarly citations, you’ll probably need it. If you need evidence, you’ll probably need an argument. Still confused? Talk to your instructor.

• Consider the Evidence

If your assignment mentions a minimum number of required sources, references a particular citation style, or suggests scholarly journals to review during your research, then these are telltale signs that you’ll need to find and use evidence. What qualifies as evidence? Let’s review some of the major types:

• Personal experience
• Narrative examples (historical or hypothetical)
• Statistics (or numerical forms of data) and facts
• Graphs, charts, or other visual representatives of data
• Expert opinion
• Research results (experimental or descriptive)

Each of these offers benefits and drawbacks when used to support an argument. Consider this writing assignment from a 200-level biology class on genetics:

Biology Writing Assignment Genes & Gene Research Purpose: This writing assignment will ask you to familiarize yourself with genes, the techniques gene researchers use when working with genes, and the current research programs investigating genes. The report is worth 10% of your final grade in the course. In a research report of at least 1500 words, you should address the following: Generally, what is a gene and what does it do? Create a universally applicable definition for a gene. Choose a specific gene and apply your definition to it (i.e., what does this particular gene do and how does it work?) Recreate the history of the gene you’ve chosen including the gene’s discovery (and discoverer), the motivation behind the research into this gene, outcomes of the research, and any medical, social, historical, or biological implications to its discovery. Explore the current research available on your gene. Who is conducting the research, what are the goals (big/small; longterm/short-term) of the research, and how is the research being funded? Research should be properly documented using CSE (Council of Science Editors) style. The report should be typewritten, double spaced, in a font of reasonable size.

This instructor asks students to demonstrate several skills, including definition, summary, research, and application. Nearly all of these components should include some evidence, specifically scientific research studies on the particular gene the student has chosen. After reading it, here’s what Bailey said about how she would start the assignment: “This assignment basically has to do with who you are, so it should be something simple to answer, not too difficult since you should know yourself.” Ernest, another student, explains how he would approach the same assignment: “So, first of all, to do this assignment, I would go on the computer, like on the Internet, and I would  . . . do research about genes first. And  . . . everything about them, and then I would  . . . start with the first question, second question, third and fourth, and that’s it.” For Bailey, using her own life as an example to illustrate genetic inheritance would be the best way to start responding to the assignment. Ernest, on the other hand, thinks a bit differently; he knows he needs “research about genes” to get started, and, like many students, figures the internet will tell him everything he needs to know. So, how do you know what evidence works best? Know the field you’re writing in: what type(s) of evidence it values, why it’s valuable, and what sources provide that evidence. Some other important questions you should ask yourself include

• Where, in the paper, is the most effective place for this evidence?
• What type of evidence would support my argument effectively?
• What kind of evidence would most convince my audience?
• What’s the best way to integrate this evidence into my ideas?
• What reference/citation style does this discipline use?

If your writing assignment calls for evidence, it is important that you answer these questions. Failure to do so could cost you major points—in your assignment and with your instructor.

• Calculate the Best Approach

When you decide how to approach your paper, you’re also outlining its basic structure. Structure is the way you construct your ideas and move from one idea to the next. Typical structural approaches include question/answer, comparison/contrast, problem/solution, methodology, cause/effect, narration/reflection, description/illustration, classification/division, thesis/support, analysis/synthesis, and theory/ application. These patterns can be used individually or in combination with each other to illustrate more complex relationships among ideas. Learning what structures are useful in particular writing situations starts with reviewing the assignment. Sometimes, the instructor clearly details how you should structure your essay. On the other hand, the assignment may suggest a particular structural pattern but may not actually reflect what the instructor expects to see. For example, if the prompt asks four questions, does that mean you’re supposed to write a paragraph for each answer and then slap on an introduction and a conclusion? Not necessarily. Consider what structure would deliver your message accurately and effectively.

Knowing what structures are acceptable within the discipline is also important. Many students are uncomfortable with rigidity; they wonder why their chemistry lab reports must be presented “just so.” Think about the last time you looked at a restaurant menu. If you’re looking for appetizers, those items are usually listed at the front of the menu whereas desserts are closer to the back. If a restaurant menu listed the desserts up front, you might find the design unfamiliar and the menu difficult to navigate. The same can be said for formalized writing structures including lab reports or literature reviews, for example. Examining scholarly publications (journal articles or books) within that field will help you identify commonly used structural patterns and understand why those structures are acceptable within the discipline.

• Understand and Adhere to Formatting and Style Guidelines

Writing assignments usually provide guidelines regarding format and/ or style. Requirements like word count or page length, font type or size, margins, line spacing, and citation styles fall into this category. Most instructors have clear expectations for how an assignment should look based on official academic styles, such as the Modern Language Association (MLA), the American Psychological Association (APA), the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), or the Council of Science Editors (CSE). If your instructor specifically references a style then locate a copy of the manual, so you’ll know how to cite source material and how to develop your document’s format (font, spacing, margin size, etc.) and style (use of headings, abbreviations, capitalization).

Occasionally, an instructor may modify a standard style to meet her personal preferences. Follow any additional formatting or style guidelines your instructor provides. If you don’t, you could lose points unnecessarily. They may also refer you to scholarly journals to use as models. Don’t ignore these! Not only will you be able to review professional examples of the kinds of work you’re doing (like lab reports, lit reviews, research reports, executive summaries, etc.), you’ll also learn more about what style of writing a discipline values.

• Identify Your Available Resources and Ask Questions

Even after following these steps, you may still have questions. When that happens, you should know who your resources are and what they do (and don’t do). After Nicole read the business ethics assignment (provided earlier in this chapter), she said, “I would send a draft to [the instructor] and ask him if he could see if I’m on the right track.” Nicole’s instincts are right on target; your primary resource is your instructor. Professors may appear intimidating, but they are there to help. They can answer questions and may even offer research recommendations. If you ask ahead of time, many are also willing to review a draft of your project and provide feedback. However, don’t expect your teacher to proofread your paper or give you the “right” answer. Writing assignments are one method by which instructors examine your decision making, problem solving, or critical thinking skills.

The library is another key resource. Reference librarians can help you develop an effective research process by teaching you how to use the catalog for books or general references, how to search the databases, and how to use library equipment (copy machines, microfiche, scanners, etc.). They will not choose your topic or conduct your research for you. Spending some time learning from a reference librarian is worthwhile; it will make you a more efficient and more effective student researcher, saving you time and frustration.

Many institutions have student support centers for writing and are especially useful for first year students. The staff is an excellent source of knowledge about academic expectations in college, about research and style, and about writing assignment interpretation. If you’re having trouble understanding your assignment, go to the writing center for help. If you’re working on a draft and you want to review it with someone, they can take a look. Your writing center tutor will not write your paper for you, nor will he serve as an editor to correct grammar mistakes. When you visit your university’s writing center, you’ll be able to discuss your project with an experienced tutor who can offer practical advice in a comfortable learning environment.

The above are excellent resources for student assistance. Your instructor, the librarians, and the writing center staff will not do the work for you. Instead, they’ll teach you how to help yourself. The guidelines I’ve outlined here are meant to do exactly the same. So the next time you’ve got a writing assignment, what will you do? Discussion

• Think about a previous writing assignment that was a challenge for you. What strategies did you use at the time? After reading the chapter, what other strategies do you think might have been useful?
• Choose two verbs from the list of frequently used directive verbs (Table 1). Look up these verbs (and possible synonyms) in the dictionary and write down their definitions. If you saw these verbs in a writing assignment, what potential questions might you ask your professor in order to clarify what he/she means?
• Choose two of the sample assignments from the chapter and create a chart similar to Table 2 for each assignment. What differences do you notice? If these were your assignments, what evidence do you think would best support your argument and why (review guideline seven for help)?
• What advice would you give to first year college students about writing, writing assignments, or instructor expectations? Structure this advice in the form of a guideline similar to those included in the chapter.
• My thanks to Dr. Kenneth Locke from University of the West for contributing a sample assignment to this project and to the students who participated in this exercise; their interest, time, and enthusiasm helps bring a sense of realism to this essay, and I am indebted to them for their assistance.
• The names of student participants in this document have been changed to retain confidentiality.

Works Cited

Bailey. Biology Writing Assignment. Rec. 20 July 2009. Digital Voice Recorder. University of the West, Rosemead, California.

Ernest. Biology Writing Assignment. Rec. 20 July 2009. Digital Voice Recorder. University of the West, Rosemead, California.

Nicole. Business Writing Assignment. Rec. 20 July 2009. Digital Voice Recorder. University of the West. Rosemead, California.

Pekrun, Reinhard, Andrew J. Elliot, and Markus A. Maier. “Achievement Goals and Achievement Emotions: Testing a Model of Their Joint Relations with Academic Performance.” Journal of Educational Psychology 101.1 (February 2009): 115–135.

About the Author

Corrine E. Hinton is currently the Student Success Center Coordinator at University of the West (Rosemead, CA). She is completing her PhD at Saint Louis University in English with an emphasis in Rhetoric & Composition. Her research interests include Renaissance rhetoric, first year composition, writing centers, student-veterans, and the first year student experience. For her dissertation, Corrine is investigating the effects of military service and education on the experiences of student-veterans in the first year composition classroom.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons AttributionNoncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License and is subject to the Writing Spaces Terms of Use. To view a copy of this license, visit http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA. To view the Writing Spaces Terms of Use, visit http://writingspaces. org/terms-of-use

Write What Matters Copyright © 2020 by Liza Long; Amy Minervini; and Joel Gladd is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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My assignment is due tomorrow and I haven't even started it yet!

English expert at Atomi

Well, if it really is due tomorrow, let’s do this and do it quick! You could have anything due tomorrow, so instead of a step-by-step guide let’s focus on some tips and tricks to pull off this craziness. Legions of students before you have done it and legions of students after you will do it so have faith—you can do it 💪.

1. Prioritise

This probably doesn’t need to be said but if it’s due tomorrow then clear your schedule tonight—this is absolutely your top priority right now! Normally we recommend getting plenty of sleep but if you have something due tomorrow, tonight's the night to push your bedtime back a little bit (still no all-nighters though!)

2. Get your head in the game

Okay, no matter how much of a mountain it seems, this has to be done tonight. Don’t let yourself even consider the option of handing it in late—just thinking that will make it even harder to finish in time.

It’s time to get your head in the game and focus on the task ahead. You want to grab some water and make sure you’ve eaten. Then, set yourself up in a clean, bright area, find a supportive chair and grab all of the resources you'll need to do your assignment.

You can check out our video on Study Spaces for everything you need to set up the perfect workspace.

3. Work out exactly what you need to do

To work as efficiently as possible you should first understand exactly what you need to do.

That means you need to think about exactly what ideas or topics you need to cover and what your approach should be. So, read the assignment and marking criteria carefully and identify any keywords. Also highlight any important details, like the word count or page limit, the submission format and any other info that will affect how you approach this task.

This will vary massively depending on the assignment. The point is basically just that you should make sure you know exactly what you need to do before you start. Trust me, it’ll make everything quicker if you do ⏰.

4. Do a brief plan

To make sure we can get this done properly in one night, the next step is to plan your answer. This will make it a lot easier to start writing and, if you have to do any research, you will know exactly what you’re looking for.

So, sketch out a brief plan onto a page. Work out what needs to go into your answer and how it’s going to be structured. It might feel difficult or pointless to plan at this point, but if you can get some of the hard work out of the way here it’ll become much easier to write!

5. Research efficiently

Now, this one is obviously only relevant if you need research for your answer. Gathering research for an essay or report can take time. By using the keywords from the syllabus and assessment notification, you’ll be able to focus on the resources that you actually need. As far as you can, drop your research straight into the plan and you’ll be moving much more efficiently.

Don’t forget to reference as you go! This will save you time and ensure you don’t make any mistakes 😅.

6. Quality over quantity

This is a seriously important tip. When you’re really under pressure, it can be tempting to just smash out as many words as possible so you can hit that word count—don’t do this! It’s just going to give you a whole lot of waffle and even worse marks.

Instead of waffling, stick to your answer plan, use your research and fall back on the ideas in our lessons . It will get you a much better result for not that much extra work ✅.

7. Do your final read over tomorrow morning

Once you’ve finally pulled off that answer, it’s time to go to bed. You’re probably going to be too tired, too stressed and too wrapped up in your answer to be able to give it a proper check and edit.

So, just get some sleep now, set the alarm 30mins earlier tomorrow and read over it again with fresh eyes and a clear mind. You should be able to pick up any little mistakes and make the whole thing read a lot better and generally end up with a stronger answer!

Even though this isn’t ideal, you can still pull it off! The secret is to be as efficient as possible. So, keep calm, find out exactly what you need to do, plan, research properly and don’t waffle.

Oh and next time, don’t leave your assignments to the last minute 😅. Instead, watch our lesson on Planning an Assignment and use the downloadable planner so you aren’t in this sticky situation again.

For more study tips, tricks and advice, keep reading the student blog or follow Atomi on Instagram . See you there 👋.

Published on

March 15, 2022

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Understanding Your Assignment

The first step in the writing process is to carefully examine the assignment. Don't underestimate the importance of spending a few minutes to think about what your professor is looking for. A well-written paper can receive a lower grade simply because it does not meet the requirements of the assignment. Here are some strategies for decoding a prompt:

• Look for key words. Look for words in the assignment that indicate what type of writing the professor wants you to produce. Such words help you frame your paper, find your audience, and generate the type of writing your professor expects. For example, there is a difference between "summarize" and "analyze." Be aware of the meanings of words like "discuss", "evaluate", "explain", "describe", and "define." If you aren't sure what your professor means by a certain word in the assignment, don't be afraid to ask for clarification.
• Know the purpose of the paper. Once you've figured out what the assignment is telling you, think about how you will write to fulfill the expectations of your audience. The assignment may require you to persuade your reader, compare and contrast ideas, or summarize an author's point of view. Considering your purpose at this point will make it easier for you to figure out what kind of thesis you'll need when you start to write the paper.
• Fulfill the criteria in the prompt. This point may seem self-evident, but it's important! It's easy to get off-topic when you're in the brainstorming stage. When considering your ideas, look back at the assignment to make sure you're still within the parameters set by your professor. Be aware of the specific details of the assignment and know your audience, word limit, and other guidelines.
• Ask for clarity. Sometimes professors make assignments vague or open-ended so that you have an opportunity to work on a topic that interests you. If you don't understand the assignment, if you're having trouble developing a topic, or if you're worried that your topic may stray from your assignment, ask your professor for guidance or visit the Writing Center.

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When you receive a paper assignment, your first step should be to read the assignment prompt carefully to make sure you understand what you are being asked to do. Sometimes your assignment will be open-ended (“write a paper about anything in the course that interests you”). But more often, the instructor will be asking you to do something specific that allows you to make sense of what you’ve been learning in the course. You may be asked to put new ideas in context, to analyze course texts, or to do research on something related to the course.

Even if the instructor has introduced the assignment in class, make sure to read the prompt on your own. You’d be surprised how often someone comes to the Writing Center to ask for help on a paper before reading the prompt. Once they do read the prompt, they often find that it answers many of their questions.

When you read the assignment prompt, you should do the following:  

• Look for action verbs. Verbs like analyze , compare , discuss , explain , make an argument , propose a solution , trace , or research can help you understand what you’re being asked to do with an assignment.

Unless the instructor has specified otherwise, most of your paper assignments at Harvard will ask you to make an argument. So even when the assignment instructions tell you to “discuss” or “consider,” your instructor generally expects you to offer an arguable claim in the paper. For example, if you are asked to “discuss” several proposals for reaching carbon neutral by 2050, your instructor would likely not be asking you to list the proposals and summarize them; instead, the goal would be to analyze them in relation to each other and offer some sort of claim—either about the differences between the proposals, the potential outcomes of following one rather than another, or something that has been overlooked in all of the proposals. While you would need to summarize those proposals in order to make a claim about them, it wouldn’t be enough just to summarize them. Similarly, if you’re asked to compare sources or consider sources in relation to each other, it is not enough to offer a list of similarities and differences. Again, this type of assignment is generally asking you to make some claim about the sources in relation to each other.

• Consider the broader goals of the assignment. What kind of thinking is your instructor asking you to do? Are you supposed to be deciding whether you agree with one theorist more than another? Are you supposed to be trying out a particular method of analysis on your own body of evidence? Are you supposed to be learning a new skill (close reading? data analysis? recognizing the type of questions that can be asked in a particular discipline?)? If you understand the broader goals of the assignment, you will have an easier time figuring out if you are on the right track.
• Look for instructions about the scope of the assignment. Are you supposed to consult sources other than those you have read in class? Are you supposed to keep your focus narrow (on a passage, a document, a claim made by another author) or choose your own focus (raise a question that is sparked by course texts, pair texts in a new way)? If your instructor has told you not to consider sources outside of those specified in the assignment, then you should follow that instruction. In those assignments, the instructor wants to know what you think about the assigned sources and about the question, and they do not want you to bring in other sources.
• If you’re writing a research paper, do not assume that your reader has read all the sources that you are writing about. You’ll need to offer context about what those sources say so that your reader can understand why you have brought them into the conversation.
• If you’re writing only about assigned sources, you will still need to provide enough context to orient the reader to the main ideas of the source. While you may not need to summarize the entire text, you will need to give readers enough information to follow your argument and understand what you are doing with the text. If you’re not sure whether you should assume that readers are familiar with the ideas in the text, you should ask your instructor.  
• Ask questions! If you’re not sure what you’re supposed to do, email your instructor or go to office hours and ask.
• picture_as_pdf Tips for Reading an Assignment Prompt

• Grade Calculators

Final Grade Calculator

Enter Final Info

My final exam is worth:

I want (at least) this in the class:

Enter Class Grades

Calculator Instructions

• In the top part of the form, enter how much your final exam is worth and the grade that you would like to get in the class. For example, your final test might be worth 20% of your overall grade and you want to get at least a 93% in the class. You would enter these numbers into the form.
• In the bottom half of the form, enter a description (optional) of the classwork, the grade received for that classwork, and the weight of the classwork. Most class grades are made up of several components such as homework assignments, tests, exams, quizzes, class participation, attendance, etc. For example, a class exam might be worth 10% of your grade and you received a 95% on the test. You would enter those values into the form.
• If you need more than four rows, press the "Add Row" button to add an additional line. You can add as many rows as you need.
• Once you have finished entering your grades, press the "Calculate" button and the grade you need on the final exam will be displayed.

Final Grade Formula

final grade = ((g wanted x w total ) - gw) / w final

w total = w 1 + w 2 + w 3 + ... + w final

w 1 = weight of assignment #1

w final = weight of final exam

gw = g 1 x w 1 + g 2 x w 2 + g 3 x w 3 + ...

g 1 = grade for assignment #1

g wanted = grade wanted in the class

Example Calculation

Let's say your class has the following grading plan.

Now let's assume you received the following grades on your classwork.

Finally, let's assume that you want to get a 90% in the class. To determine what you need to get on your final exam in order to get a 90% in the class, let's do some math using the formula above.

First add the weight of all the class assignments together including your final:

w total = 10% + 10% + 20% + 20% + 20% = 100%

Next, multiple the grade you received on each assignment by the weight of the assignment.

gw = (91% x 10%) + (85% x 10%) + (75% x 20%) + (95% x 20%) + (97% x 20%) = 7100%

Now, calculate what you need on the final exam:

final exam grade = ((90% x 100%) - 7100%) / 20% = 95%

This is how you manually calculate your final grade. Of course, you can make your life a little easier using the calculator above!

What if my class grade is based on points rather than percentages?

Let's assume you have the following class syllabus that is based on points.

Let's assume you received the following grades.

To enter these grades in the calculator above, you first need to calculate your grade percentage for each assignment using the following formula:

grade percentage = points earned / possible points x 100

So taking your mid-term test grade as an example, we get the following:

mid-term test = 190 points earned / 200 possible points x 100 = 95%

In the weight column of the calculator, you would enter the possible points for each assignment.

Assuming you wanted to get at least a 90% in the class and your final exam is worth 250 points (i.e.the weight), you would enter the following information into the calculator.

In this example, you would need to get a 93.6% on your final in order to get a 90% in the class.

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10 Facts About Your Assignment

• God gave you an assignment before you were born. God told Jeremiah, “Before you were formed in the womb, I knew you…I ordained you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV). God has an assignment for each of us. I am called to be an evangelist. It was prophesied that I would be an evangelist when I was five years old. Joyce Meyer says, “What you can’t stand is a hint to what you are called to fix.” If you had the money and time to do anything you wanted to help people, what would you do?

• Your assignment will be revealed by your diligence. You will never discover your assignment sitting in a rocking chair. You may not know whatyour assignment is right now, but if you will start moving diligently in the direction of your dominate focus your divine assignment will be revealed. Initially, I did not know I was called to be a writer. But, my larger assignment to be an evangelist created the need for me to also be a writer.
• Your assignment will be something that no one else can accomplish. Look at your thumb. No one else on the planet had your fingerprint. You are unique and special. God has given you abilities that are not duplicated in any other person on earth. If you do not complete your assignment, it will never be done in the way that only you can do it.
• Your assignment is bigger than you can accomplish alone. You need other people. You need God to be involved in your assignment. With God’s help you can do something bigger than is possible with your own strength.
• Your assignment will take your whole life to accomplish. Your life purpose is bigger than a few months or years. It may take you a lifetime to prepare to accomplish your assignment. After you die, the fruit of your assignment will continue.
• There are a variety of ways for you to accomplish your assignment. The nature of your calling comes from God, but the way you fulfill your assignment comes from your creativity. My assignment is to be an evangelist, within this calling there are a variety of ways of accomplishing my assignment. I could be a street evangelist, a crusade evangelist, an Internet evangelist, or a television evangelist. Each of these options would be a fulfillment of God’s call on my life. My assignment comes from God, but the method I use to fulfill that assignment comes from me. The nature of my calling comes from God, the scope of my calling is revealed by my willingness to be used.
• Your assignment is attached to a particular place, people, or problem. You are not called to fix every problem in the world. You are called to fix a specific problem that no one else can fix. Stay in your assignment and don’t try to minister to everyone. Paul was not assigned to John Mark. A trash collector cannot collect trash in both Seattle and Miami, he has to choose a geographical location to fulfill his assignment.
• By embracing your assignment, you are saying no to distractions. Know who you are and what you are called to do. I am called to be an evangelist. When I embrace my assignment, it forces me to decline many invitations that are good but have nothing to do with my calling. The more clearly your assignment is defined, the easier it will be to make important decisions. On Facebook, some people make comments that I disagree with but I do not say anything. Why? Because trying to set them straight is not my assignment.
• When you are in your assignment, you will be sought out by people who need your specific skill. People will appreciate you for who you are instead of for who they wish you were. I don’t get mad at my dentist because he does not cut my hair. You will be rewarded for the problems that you solve.

Evangelist Daniel King, D.Min is on a mission to lead people to Jesus. He has visited over seventy nations preaching good news and he has led over two million people in a salvation prayer. To support King Ministries in our quest for souls, click here!

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• Happy Independance Day
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• Happy Birthday Daniel King – From Jessica King
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Grade Calculator

Our Grade Calculator can help you determine what you need to get on your final exam to achieve the final grade you would like for a given course.

Do you know your Current Grade?

Fill in your assignment grades on the right to automatically calculate your Current Grade

Grade Needed on Final Exam

Please make sure all text fields are filled out.

Minimum Attainable Course Grade: 0%

Maximum Attainable Course Grade: 100%

Enter your assignment scores here to automatically calculate your current grade (e.g. midterms, homework, tests, labs, etc.)

Important Notes

You can use our grade calculator to calculate the final exam grade you will need to achieve the overall course grade you desire. Our calculator requires you to enter the current percentage grade you have currently obtained for that course together with the weight of the final exam as a percentage value. However, if you do not know what your current grade is, for the question "Do you know your Current Grade?" select the answer "no." Enter the grades you have received for all of your assignments, homework, test, labs, and anything else that contributes to your final grade, as well as the weight of each grade. Our grade calculator will automatically calculate not only your current grade but the grade you need to achieve on your final exam to achieve the overall course grade you desire. In addition, both the minimum and maximum course overall grades will be provided.

Once you have entered the information required, the system will generate both a table and a chart that show the different final exam grades you may obtain as well as the overall course grades that go with them.

Inputting Data in our Grade Calculator

When entering your current grade and the weight of your final exam, our calculator will assume that your current grade has been based on the weight of the course prior to your final exam and calculates it as the input weight subtracted from 100%. If your current grade hasn't taken your coursework into account, the generated results will not be accurate.

Similar to the above, if you don't know what your current grade is and you enter both the coursework grades and the associated weights into the calculator, the calculator will automatically calculate your current grade and the weight of the final exam. In this situation, the weight of your final exam is calculated by taking the sum of the weight of your course work subtracted from 100%. With that in mind, if you enter too many or not enough assignments, the weight of the final exam that is calculated will most likely not match the actual weight of the final exam in your chosen course.

You may also be interested in our Flesch Kincaid Calculator

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Rating: 4.2 /5 (448 votes)

View and navigate your assignments (student)

View both upcoming and completed assignments by class, or view them across all your classes. Selecting an assignment will allow you to view its details, turn it in, or view feedback and scores. You can also view your current grades by class.

View and sort assignments within one class

Navigate to a class team, then select Assignments .

Tip:  Use your search bar to search for an assignment by keyword.

Upcoming assignments

The Upcoming  tab will show all upcoming assignment you have not done yet, sorted by order of due date. The Past Due tab will show all Past Due assignment not completed yet. Sorted by today and older 

Late assignments will include a Past due warning.

Select an assignment to view details, attach resources, and turn it in.

Upcoming assignment status

Assignment title and due date —Before the due date. You haven’t turned in work yet.

Past due —You haven’t turned your assignment in yet and it’s past the due date. This will only appear if your educator is accepting late turn-ins.

View turned in and returned assignments

Completed assignment status

Open a completed assignment to view more details on its status.

View grades in one class

Here you'll see all your assignments listed with the nearest due date at the top. View your status on each assignment as well as points you've received on graded work. Assignments without points will show as Returned after your educator has reviewed them.

Average Grade

If your class has enabled it, you can also see the Average Grade for this class and View Details to see your trend for your assignments.

View assignments across classes

To view assignments across all your classes, select Assignments from your app bar. Select an assignment to open it or turn in work. 

Select Upcoming to see any upcoming assignment across all of your classes.

Select Past Due to see any past due assignment across all of your classes.

Select  Completed to see work that you have completed across your classes.

Turn in assignment

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How To Improve Your Assignment? 10+ Assignment Writing Rules

Table of Contents

Working day and night on your assignments and you still fail to get good grades? This is a major problem for everyone specially those lacking assignment writing skills. Some blame it on the assignments and the topic while others think it is their poor writing style.

But even after getting them rectified, there can still be poor grades. Students have no clue after that about what to fix. If you have been passing on these situations for years and want to improve your assignment writing skills then here are some ways to do it.

10+ Assignment Writing Rules:

Today we will share the top 10+ assignment writing tips to improve your assignment and take it to the next level.

Work on the format and visuals

Let’s start with one of the most basic things, which is format. You cannot write an assignment without an outline. Every assignment type has its own format. Essays come with distinct introductions, informative body and compelling conclusions.

Then we have a dissertation, which consists of an abstract, a review of literature and more.  Students must follow this format, as those who do not follow it can get their marks deducted.

Make the format organized, clear and sturdy. This creates an appeal and pulls in the viewers to read your work. While refining your structure, you can also work on the overall visual presentation.

While you are working on the format, you can also improve the presentation. While editing, makes sure you are cross-checking the overall visual from the reader’s point of view. Papers which look cluttered can make people disinterested from the get-go. Hence add charts, fancy colours, fonts and themes to make it look presentable.

Provide value through your content

There are so many refreshing ways of getting educated right now that people rarely goes through papers anymore. Video form of content is taking over the world. Hence it would help if you put effort into your work to offer value. The audience has a very short span, and you need to showcase a problem and come up with a solution for it.

If not this, you can also share unique facts or shed new light on an unresolved case. Overall the goal is to share information, which is valuable to the readers. We all love getting new information and data from something. And if your paper can provide that, not only will you will get good grades, but you will also have a loyal reader base that will always rely on your work.

Verify information

Since getting information is so easy to get right now, students can type in their question and get answers instantly at their fingertips. But beware and do not trust the first website which you see. You need to cross-check the information and the source while assignment writing.

There are so many scam sites, and the information they offer can have no substantial evidence. Such misleading data can be quite harmful to the audience. So do not just go in with the first information you get and submit your document. Rather cross-check the data analytics, figures, names, events and everything to ensure that your paper is not filled with hoaxes but legit data.

Polish introduction and conclusion

A constant tip from best assignment writing services has been to work on your introduction and conclusion. We see so many students who work extremely hard on the body but not so much on the introduction and conclusion. The introduction is the first part to be read which needs to be an attention grader for your audience. At the same time, the conclusion can conceptualize the overall paper to give it a good ending. To enhance assignments, prioritize engaging introductions and impactful conclusions. When seeking help, students often inquire, Who can do my assignment ? These crucial components leave a lasting impression on readers, emphasizing their significance.

When you start crafting your paper, start paying equal attention to your introduction and conclusion too. This way, you will have a paper with zero or no flaws. Polish them to have no scope for poor grades.

Keep it simple

Adding sophisticated terms to your paper strengthens the quality, but you must keep it simple for majority of the readers. Students who keep it simple can get the attention of all readers.

You might add a few sophisticated terms here and there but do not use too many tough words unknown to the readers.

A key to knowing the kind of words to use in your work is by knowing the audience you’re writing it for. If you are writing for students in the 8th grade, then there is no point in making it highly advanced. However, if you are writing it for college or university students, then advanced words will be appreciated.

If the topic is already hard then try to keep it simple, which will give clarity to the readers. Simpler papers can attract masses and stand out. Try to simplify complex matters to keep it easy for readers.

Avoid plagiarism

Avoid plagiarism at all costs in any work. What we mean is defiantly to avoid general plagiarism but also self-plagiarism. Self-plagiarism is when you copy material from your previous work. Since you are still using sections from another source, in this case, it is your source yet you can still receive plagiarism on it.

Plagiarism can be a big mark on your credibility. Although a certain percentage of plagiarism is accepted, try to keep it below that extent. Papers with zero or no plagiarism are big credit to the writer. And if you think it is unlikely that a paper will have zero plagiarism, then it is not.  It is quite easy to compose a paper without plagiarism if you know the correct tactics or strategies.

Choose appropriate titles

Next assignment writing tip is to choose appropriate titles when composing one. Most students are so engrossed with writing that they forget to pick appropriate titles. Titles are the ones which will be printed on the cover page. A title too broad or too narrow can limit the potential of your topic. Try to come up with a fancy topic that explains the concept and also states its prospects.

Rather use pseudo titles. Later, you can replace them with better ones once you finish the writing part.  Follow the same when picking out titles for subheadings. Even dull subheadings in the paper can lead readers to boredom and not excite them for what’s coming up.

Follow assignment guidelines

Another key highlight to remember is to follow the assignment guidelines and the general assignment rules. Apart from basic guidelines there can also be other rules, like omitting certain topics or colours.   These guidelines are laid out for you to follow. Students who do not follow them definitely get their marks deducted for it, no matter how memorable the paper is.

Students who do not follow this look disrespectful and inattentive. Also, why risk your paper with these silly mistakes when you can follow them and get grace marks?

Get feedback from others

Getting feedback from others is a crucial step in writing an impressive essay. When you seek feedback, you gain valuable insights and perspectives that can help you improve your work.

First of all you need to choose reliable reviewers. Select people who have expertise in the subject matter or are skilled writers. They can provide more valuable feedback. Also, be open to criticism. Embrace constructive criticism and view it as an opportunity to enhance your essay’s quality. Ask specific questions and you will get answers. You can get feedback from writing services to know their opinion. Also, consider multiple perspectives. Different reviewers might have varied opinions, so use their feedback to refine your ideas.

Finally, don’t rush changes. Take time to process feedback and carefully consider which suggestions to incorporate. Revise and edit to implement the feedback into your essay, making it stronger and more polished. Seek additional feedback if needed and don’t hesitate to reach out to more people for diverse viewpoints.

Remember, feedback is an essential part of the writing process that helps you grow as a writer and ensures your essay resonates with your audience effectively.

Proofread an edit seriously

Proofreading and editing your essay thoroughly is essential to ensure it is polished and error-free.  Take a break and Step away from your essay for a while before proofreading. A fresh perspective can help you spot errors more effectively.

Another pro assignment writing tip would be to read aloud. Reading your essay aloud can help you identify awkward phrasings, inconsistencies, and grammatical mistakes. Check for clarity and smooth flow of ideas. Ensure your ideas flow logically with transitional phases in between and each paragraph contributes to the overall argument.

Look for grammar and punctuation errors. Pay attention to subject-verb agreement, verb tense, punctuation, and spelling mistakes. Finally, verify facts and sources. Double-check all the information and references used in your essay to maintain accuracy and credibility.

Overall, also ensure consistent use of formatting, citation styles, and writing conventions. Trim unnecessary content and remove redundant sentences or irrelevant information to maintain conciseness.

Get inspiration

To get inspiration for your essay, explore a variety of sources and techniques that can stimulate your creativity and critical thinking:

Read extensively and delve into books, articles, and essays related to your topic to gain insights and ideas from different perspectives. Brainstorm and jot down all the ideas that come to mind, even if they seem unrelated at first. This can spark connections and unique angles for your essay. Engage in discussions and talk with friends, classmates, or online communities about your topic. Sharing ideas and opinions can lead to new insights.

Movies, paintings, music, and other forms of art can inspire fresh ideas and emotions related to your essay’s theme. Observe the world around you and pay attention to current events, social issues, or personal experiences that might connect to your subject matter.

Sometimes, stepping away from the topic can provide clarity and inspiration upon returning. Use writing prompts and use them to explore different angles or aspects of your essay topic. Keep a journal and document your thoughts, observations, and ideas regularly to capture potential inspiration.

Receive high-quality, original papers, free from AI-generated content.

Get Help with Assignment from the Best Writing Service

Doing justice to the tips mentioned above can be hard for beginners. Such students can rely on us for writing their assignment online.

Here is what you get once you reach out to us:

• If quality assignment is your dream then we are here to offer you personalized and high quality papers.
• Get best writing service from top scholars, ex professors, researchers and degree holders in various fields.
• Receive paper on time even if the deadline is within 24 hours.
• No plagiarism guaranteed. We only promote authenticity.
• Receive free sample papers and revisions only with our assignment writing services.
• Reach out to our assignment helpers any time of the day as we are available 24/7.
• Save your money by receiving discounts on combo orders, refer and earn, sign up policy and more.

Do not jeopardize your future and improve your assignment grades with us. We have helped tons of students and we would love to extend our qualities to you as well.

Most Popular Frequently Asked Questions:

How can i improve my assignments.

Ans: If you are struggling with the assignments, then here are some tips to follow:

• Find a good topic
• Research on it
• Make  a good outline
• Write it on time
• Add pieces of evidence
• Always edit and proofread

What should every assignment have?

Ans: Every assignment should have a content page, cover page, introduction, body, conclusion, page number and reference number. Apart from these, citations, structures, and graphic reports can also be necessary.

What should you do to improve your assignments?

Ans: To improve your assignment writing, work on your writing style. Try to pick a good topic which pulls in readers.  Also, use fancy words and add unique facts, fits and data to make it interesting for the readers.

How to Write Your Assignments to Ensure Good Grades?

Ans: Students struggling to write good assignments must understand and dissect the topic first. Once understood, start researching and building an outline for it. Adopt a good writing style and add data that enrich your paper. Also, never skip proofreading and editing your paper to make it stand out.

What are the 6 characteristics of a good assignment?

Ans: Characteristics of a good assignment are:

• Content which resonates with the topic
• Good writing standard
• No plagiarism
• Offering educational value
• Adding evidence to support the topic
• Submission on time

Hi, I am Mark, a Literature writer by profession. Fueled by a lifelong passion for Literature, story, and creative expression, I went on to get a PhD in creative writing. Over all these years, my passion has helped me manage a publication of my write ups in prominent websites and e-magazines. I have also been working part-time as a writing expert for myassignmenthelp.com for 5+ years now. It’s fun to guide students on academic write ups and bag those top grades like a pro. Apart from my professional life, I am a big-time foodie and travel enthusiast in my personal life. So, when I am not working, I am probably travelling places to try regional delicacies and sharing my experiences with people through my blog. 

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How do I view assignments for Interactive Content?

Jun 13, 2023 • knowledge, information.

• Log in to your Owner or Admin Account.
• Click the “Inbox” icon near your initials at the top right corner. Or click your initials and choose “My Content”.

• Choose “Interactive Content” from the menu on the left.

• From this menu you will see the Interactive Content that you have already created. You can view the assignments by clicking the “Edit” button at the bottom of the content.

• At the top you will see a menu bar with Create, Details, Responses, and Assignments. Choose “Assignments”.

• The “Assignments” page provides different options for creators and collaborators to manage the assignments. Initially, the page shows the assignees in a grid view format, but Users can switch to a list view format by using the "View" buttons on the far right.

• The “Assignments” page in the Interactive Content feature allows creators and collaborators to manage and engage with the list of assignees by providing several sort and filter options, as well as a search bar. The search bar at the top works with both Usernames and emails.

• When using the “Assignments” page, each assignee has their own card or line item displaying information such as the date the assignment was assigned, started, completed, and its due date, with a colored tag indicating the status.

• The gray “Not Started” tag means the assignee has yet to open the assignment.

• The yellow “Started” tag means the assignee has begun to work through the content and has yet to complete it

• The green “Completed” tag means the assignee has worked through each slide. Note: this does not mean that the assignee has fully watched each video. The creator or collaborator will need to view their responses to confirm this.

• If the assignment has not been completed, creators and collaborators can resend the assignment to remind the assignee or unassign it.

• Once an assignment has been completed, a link to the assignees responses is presented with the "View Responses" button.

• If the User would like to remind all assignees who have not yet completed their assignment, they can click the "Resend All" button in the top right of the page which will trigger an email reminder. Users who have completed or declined their assignments will not be emailed.

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Want To Buy a New Home and Keep Your Current Low Interest Rate? Try ‘Porting’ Your Mortgage

High interest rates are one of the most significant hurdles buyers face when jumping into the housing market right now. As anyone who purchased a home in the last few years knows, interest rates have more than doubled since 2020. For a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage , you’re looking at an average interest rate somewhere between the mid-6% and +7%  as of late.

So if you need to move, you might feel financially overwhelmed by the prospect of giving up your low, locked-in interest rate for a new rate that could be twice as high.

Enter “mortgage porting,” the practice of transferring the terms of your existing mortgage over to a new property. But how exactly does it work, and what will you need to qualify? Here’s some expert advice on what you’ll want to know before you consider porting your mortgage.

What is porting a mortgage?

Porting a mortgage essentially means transferring your mortgage to a new house. This will include the current terms of your loan, such as the interest rate and payment schedule.

But you can’t simply take your loan and plop it onto your new home. Instead, porting a mortgage often involves reapplying for your current loan, even though you already qualified once.

The only catch? You have to find out whether you and your mortgage are eligible.

How to determine if your mortgage is eligible

The thought of saving tons of money over the life of a new loan is a game-changer if you’re currently shopping for a home and facing high interest rates. But make sure you can port your mortgage before diving too deeply into your new home search.

“Eligibility for porting a mortgage is varied—you never know what you’re gonna get,” says financial advisor James Allen , of Billpin . “Some lenders allow it, others don’t. And not all mortgages are portable.”

For example, most variable-rate mortgages (a type of loan where the rate is not fixed) can’t be ported at all.

Another thing that will affect your eligibility is the amount of your mortgage as it compares to the home you want to buy.

“You can’t port if you’re moving into a less expensive home and don’t require the entire existing mortgage,” says Dennis Shirshikov , of real estate investment company Awning.com .

However, you might be able to port your mortgage if you’re moving into a home with an asking price equal to or higher than your current home loan.

“If the mortgage you’ll need for the new property is larger, your lender may offer you a ‘blend and extend,’” says Allen. “It’s like mixing the old and new, where you end up with a rate that mixes your old and current rates.”

Are you eligible?

Another thing to consider is whether you, as a borrower, are eligible for porting.

“The standard requirement is an excellent repayment history and meeting your lender’s affordability criteria for the new property,” says Shirshikov.

Your lender will likely want you to complete an entirely new loan application, including  affordability checks and  a credit check for you and your co-applicant.

Some lenders may even impose additional conditions, such as asking you to top-up your mortgage (i.e., borrow against any equity you have in your home) if the new property is more expensive.

When porting is a good idea

Porting your mortgage makes sense if you secured more favorable loan terms in the past and won’t be able to replicate them without porting.

“Porting is most advantageous when your current mortgage rate is significantly lower than market rates,” says Shirshikov. “However, if the current market rates are lower or the same, it might be worth exploring a new mortgage instead.”

How to port your mortgage

The first step in porting your mortgage is talking to your existing mortgage team.

“Speak with your current lender to confirm portability and understand the process,” says Shirshikov. “Remember to consider all costs, including potential penalties or fees associated with porting, to make sure it makes sense financially.”

While lenders usually make eligibility decisions promptly, processing time can still take up to several weeks. So it’s a good idea to start the process early.

“The timeline depends on factors like the real estate market and your personal circumstances, but typically it aligns with the closing date of your new property,” says Shirshikov.

The final word

Before settling on porting your mortgage, be sure to shop around the market and confirm that your current interest rate is still the best one out there.

Depending on the kind of loan you need, the amount, and any other life circumstances that might have changed since you last took out a mortgage—there could be better rates on the market.

The bottom line? Porting a mortgage is about as much work as applying for a new one, so always make sure it’s a deal worth securing.

Larissa Runkle (@therealtorwriter) is a real estate copywriter and journalist living in Colorado.

Ok, so how do I get my dream home?

• Calculator See how much home I can afford
• Get pre-approval by a lender
• View current mortgage rates
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How hard is it to buy a home right now? The new NBC News Home Buyer Index measures the market

Why is it so hard to buy a home? Prices have far outpaced middle-class incomes. Mortgage rates are above 7% for the first time since 2002. And 3 out of 10 homes are sold above listing price.

But none of those factors fully captures the variety of challenges buyers nationwide face in the current market. The conditions on the ground can vary widely across state and even county lines.

To better capture how housing market conditions shift at the local level — as comprehensively and in as close to real time as possible —  we’re introducing a new monthly gauge: the NBC News Home Buyer Index.

The Home Buyer Index, which NBC News developed with the guidance of a real estate industry analyst, a bank economist from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and other experts, is a number on a scale of 0 to 100 representing the difficulty a potential buyer faces trying to buy a home. The higher the index value, the higher the difficulty. 

A low index value, of 10 for example, suggests better purchasing conditions for a buyer — low interest rates, ample homes for sale. Chambers County, Texas, near Houston, is one of the 50 least difficult places to buy in in the country, with low scores on scarcity, cost and competition. 

A high value closer to 90 suggests extremely tough conditions, which can result from intense bidding, high insurance costs or steep jumps in home prices relative to income. Prices are soaring in Coconino County, Arizona, making it one of the 25 most difficult counties to buy a home in. Five years ago it was ranked 300, but the median sale price has increased 81%, nearly twice the national figure.

The index measures difficulty nationwide, as well as on the county level, in the counties where there’s enough homebuying data to make informed assessments.

The national index, presented below, captures the big-picture market and economic conditions that affect homebuying across the U.S.

This index consists of four factors: 

• Cost: How much a home costs relative to incomes and inflation — as well as how related expenses, such as insurance costs, are changing. 
• Competition: How many people are vying for a home — and how aggressive the demand is. This is measured through observations including the percentage of homes sold above list price and the number that went under contract within two weeks of being listed. 
• Scarcity: The number of homes that are on the market — and how many more are expected to enter the market in the coming month.
• Economic instability: Market volatility, unemployment and interest rates — reflecting the broader climate in which home shoppers are weighing their decisions. 

For April, the overall Home Buyer Index nationally was 82.4, up slightly from March and about 5 points lower than it was this time one year ago.

Improvements in market competitiveness and the broader economy have eased conditions somewhat within the past year. However, high costs and continued housing shortages have kept overall homebuying difficulty high.

The index updates monthly on the Thursday after the third Saturday of the month. The next update is June 20.

Methodology

The NBC News Home Buyer Index combines real estate and financial data with forecasting techniques to assess market conditions from a buyer’s perspective. 

The perspective is framed as a combination of factors shaping a buyer’s experience of the housing market: cost, scarcity, competition and overall economic instability. 

Each factor is measured by a monthly analysis that takes the following approach: 

• Data is collected from sources including Redfin , the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. 
• The data is then cleaned, filtered for quality and transformed to address properties that are needed for statistical analysis, including stationarity and seasonality. 
• The data is then brought to a monthly frequency where appropriate, among other steps. 
• The data is scaled to make component variables comparable.
• Finally, the data is combined to generate a single, aggregate measure of homebuyer difficulty. The final output is a single value between 0 and 100, where 0 represents the least difficult market possible and 100 is the most difficult. 

NBC News worked with real estate industry experts to refine the data that would best answer the question ‘How difficult is it to buy a home in the U.S.?’ The experts came from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, and Redfin.

Caveats to this analysis include variation in data availability at the county level, which is generally tied to market size, which correlates with regional characteristics such as population count. Therefore, systematic gaps affect low-population counties, leading them to be underrepresented.

In addition, recent index values may shift slightly in future releases as final data comes in.

Jasmine Cui is a reporter for NBC News.

Your iPhone just got a new iOS update, and you should download it right now

A pple has just released a new security update, iOS 17.4.1. This comes a little over two weeks after iOS 17.4 , which was a big update. iOS 17.4.1 doesn’t add any new features, but it’s still an important update you’ll want to download as soon as you can.

With iOS 17.4.1, Apple states that the update “provides important bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users.” Apple doesn’t mention any specifics of these bug fixes, but more details on what this security update addresses may be revealed at a later date.

It’s always important to keep your iPhone software up to date, as security patches like this can address vulnerabilities from previous software versions that can lead to security exploits. Even if Apple hasn’t said exactly what  bugs iOS 17.4.1 fixes, it’s still a good idea to grab the update sooner rather than later.

To get iOS 17.4.1, just go to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPhone. The update can be applied over the air, so you don’t even need to connect your iPhone to your computer to download. For those who aren’t yet on iOS 17, Apple also released a security patch for iOS 16 users. This would be iOS 16.7.7, and it would also be available by going to Settings > General > Software Update on devices running iOS 16.

If you aren’t seeing these updates yet, it may take some time to roll out to your device. So, if it’s not showing up just yet, keep checking — it will become available shortly.

iOS 17.4 was a big update that brought some major changes to iOS 17. It added Stolen Device Protection, new emojis, and transcripts in the Podcasts app . It also allows users in the European Union to access third-party app stores and change default web browsers

Now that Apple has released iOS 17.4.1, we should expect the first betas for iOS 17.5 to come soon. It’s expected to drop as early as two weeks from now. And while it’s still a ways off, there may be even bigger changes coming to iOS 18 this year, which should be revealed during WWDC 2024 later this summer.

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When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form .

The best AirTag you can buy for your wallet isn't made by Apple (and it's rechargeable)

ZDNET's key takeaways

• The Nomad Tracking Card uses Apple's Find My network to help you keep tabs on where your wallet is. It's priced at $40 and launches today.
• It's a sleek tracker that's only the width of two credit cards, and the battery lasts for five months.
• However, be aware that it requires a wireless charger. 

If you're like me, and you still carry around a physical wallet with your cards, cash, and IDs, chances are you're pretty careful about ensuring you don't lose it. Of course, that's easier said than done, especially if you already have a habit of misplacing things like your phone and need to fire up an app to locate where you left it.

Also:  The best AirTag wallets you can buy: Expert recommended

Fortunately, if you're a forgetful person or simply someone who always wants to know where their wallet is, Nomad has the solution: a  Tracking Card . Available starting today for $40, the card is Nomad's take on an AirTag for your wallet. 

Most companies have developed what are effectively holsters for AirTags that, when attached to your wallet, let you know where your wallet is at all times through the Find My app. That approach, however, is clumsy and bulky; the tag noticeably protrudes from your wallet, and you often need to buy a new wallet anyway as the holsters are built into the wallet itself -- not as a simple attachment.

With the Tracking Card, all you need is room in your current wallet for a card that's about the width of two credit cards stacked on top of each other. I slotted mine in the back of the Card Wallet Plus  that Nomad sent me a while ago, and it fit like a charm.

When you take the card out of its packaging, you're prompted to press and hold a button. This triggers the setup process and lets you pair it with your Apple account. From there, you simply open the Find My app on your iPhone and add a new device. The card will pop up as "Nomad Card" on the lower half of your screen. Tap the Connect button, give your card a name and an emoji, and you'll be good to go.

Also: How to find out if an AirTag is tracking you

You can easily find your card through the Find My app, just like you would with any AirTag or third-party accessory that works with Find My. You can even ring the device to locate your wallet, although the ring itself isn't very loud.

One of the best features of the Tracking Card is the battery. Nomad included a rechargeable battery that lasts up to five months on a single charge. When it's time to recharge, you drop it on any Qi or MagSafe wireless charger and a green light will appear when it's full. This means you won't need to worry about replacing the battery or plugging it in with your phone charger to juice back up.

Nomad even points out that you can use a standing MagSafe charger to recharge the Tracking Card; while there are no magnets in the card itself (which… thank God, because your credit cards would be destroyed), there's enough metal that allows the card to hang onto the charger. I tried it myself, and it worked like a charm.

The card looks boring from a distance, but if you come close, you'll see its internals outlined to add a bit of character. This gives off a futuristic vibe, and I'm totally here for it. You won't be looking at the card all that often, but when you do, you'll at least have something cool to see.

Also: The best GPS trackers for kids in 2024: Expert recommended

Nomad's Tracking Card isn't the only one out there that works with the Find My network. There are options from Chipolo and Pebblebee that are often $5 to $10 cheaper. You'll need a wireless charger if you want to use the Tracking Card, which might be a dealbreaker for some who refuse to ditch the cable.

ZDNET's buying advice

Nomad's Tracking Card is a solid tracker that I'll be using regularly to keep tabs on my wallet. It's sturdy, has a cool design, works seamlessly with my iPhone, and can be juiced up with the charging station I have on my desk. What more do you need?

You can buy the  Nomad Tracking Card  directly on its website for $40.

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