the importance of assignment

A survey conducted by the Associated Press has revealed that around 58% of parents feel that their child has been given the right amount of assignments. Educators are thrilled that the majority has supported the thought of allocating assignments, and they think that it is just right.

However, the question arises when students question the importance of giving assignments for better growth. Studies have shown that students often get unsuccessful in understanding the importance of assignments.

What key purpose does an assignment have? They often question how an assignment could be beneficial. Let us explain why a teacher thinks it is best to allot assignments. The essential functions of assigning tasks or giving assignments come from many intentions. 

What is the Importance of Assignment- For Students 

The importance of the assignment is not a new concept. The principle of allocating assignments stems from students’ learning process. It helps teachers to evaluate the student’s understanding of the subject. Assignments develop different practical skills and increase their knowledge base significantly. As per educational experts, mastering a topic is not an impossible task to achieve if they learn and develop these skills.  

Cognitive enhancement 

While doing assignments, students learn how to conduct research on subjects and comprise the data for using the information in the given tasks. Working on your assignment helps you learn diverse subjects, compare facts, and understand related concepts. It assists your brain in processing information and memorizing the required one. This exercise enhances your brain activity and directly impacts cognitive growth. 

Ensured knowledge gain   

When your teacher gives you an assignment, they intend to let you know the importance of the assignment. Working on it helps students to develop their thoughts on particular subjects. The idea supports students to get deep insights and also enriches their learning. Continuous learning opens up the window for knowledge on diverse topics. The learning horizon expanded, and students gained expertise in subjects over time.      

Improve students’ writing pattern 

Experts have revealed in a study that most students find it challenging to complete assignments as they are not good at writing. With proper assistance or teacher guidance, students can practice writing repetitively.

It encourages them to try their hands at different writing styles, and gradually they will improve their own writing pattern and increase their writing speed. It contributes to their writing improvement and makes it certain that students get a confidence boost. 

Increased focus on studies 

When your teachers allocate a task to complete assignments, it is somehow linked to your academic growth, especially for the university and grad school students. Therefore, it demands ultimate concentration to establish your insights regarding the topics of your assignments.

This process assists you in achieving good growth in your academic career and aids students in learning concepts quickly with better focus. It ensures that you stay focused while doing work and deliver better results.         

Build planning & organization tactics

Planning and task organization are as necessary as writing the assignment. As per educational experts, when you work on assignments, you start planning to structurize the content and what type of information you will use and then organize your workflow accordingly. This process supports you in building your skill to plan things beforehand and organize them to get them done without hassles.   

Adopt advanced research technique

Assignments expand the horizon of research skills among students. Learners explore different topics, gather diverse knowledge on different aspects of a particular topic, and use useful information on their tasks. Students adopt advanced research techniques to search for relevant information from diversified sources and identify correct facts and stats through these steps.  

Augmenting reasoning & analytical skills 

Crafting an assignment has one more sign that we overlook. Experts have enough proof that doing an assignment augments students’ reasoning abilities. They started thinking logically and used their analytical skills while writing their assignments. It offers clarity of the assignment subject, and they gradually develop their own perspective about the subject and offer that through assignments.     

Boost your time management skills 

Time management is one of the key skills that develop through assignments. It makes them disciplined and conscious of the value of time during their study years. However, students often delay as they get enough time. Set deadlines help students manage their time. Therefore, students understand that they need to invest their time wisely and also it’s necessary to complete assignments on time or before the deadline.  

What is the Importance of Assignment- Other Functions From Teacher’s Perspective: 

Develop an understanding between teacher and students  .

Teachers ensure that students get clear instructions from their end through the assignment as it is necessary. They also get a glimpse of how much students have understood the subject. The clarity regarding the topic ensures that whether students have mastered the topic or need further clarification to eliminate doubts and confusion. It creates an understanding between the teaching faculty and learners. 

Clarity- what is the reason for choosing the assignment 

The Reason for the assignment allocated to students should be clear. The transparency of why teachers have assigned the task enables learners to understand why it is essential for their knowledge growth. With understanding, the students try to fulfill the objective. Overall, it fuels their thoughts that successfully evoke their insights. 

Building a strong relationship- Showing how to complete tasks 

When a teacher shows students how to complete tasks, it builds a strong student-teacher relationship. Firstly, students understand the teacher’s perspective and why they are entrusted with assignments. Secondly, it also encourages them to handle problems intelligently. This single activity also offers them the right direction in completing their tasks within the shortest period without sacrificing quality. 

Get a view of what students have understood and their perspective 

Assigning a task brings forth the students’ understanding of a particular subject. Moreover, when they attempt an assignment, it reflects their perspective on the specific subject. The process is related to the integration of appreciative learning principles. In this principle, teachers see how students interpret the subject. Students master the subject effectively, whereas teachers find the evaluation process relatively easy when done correctly. 

Chance to clear doubts or confusion regarding the assignment  

Mastering a subject needs practice and deep understanding from a teacher’s perspective. It could be possible only if students dedicate their time to assignments. While doing assignments, students could face conceptual difficulties, or some parts could confuse them. Through the task, teachers can clear their doubts and confusion and ensure that they fully understand what they are learning.   

Offering individualistic provisions to complete an assignment 

Students are divergent, and their thoughts are diverse in intelligence, temperaments, and aptitudes. Their differences reflect in their assignments and the insight they present. This process gives them a fair understanding of students’ future and their scope to grow. It also helps teachers to understand their differences and recognize their individualistic approaches.  

Conclusion:

You have already become acquainted with the factors that translate what is the importance of assignments in academics. It plays a vital role in increasing the students’ growth multifold. 

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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 he or she 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 her 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, he or she still has 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 she already knows 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 she or he expects.

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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Unlocking Academic Success: The Top 12 Benefits of Assignments

Is it possible that you would reach the end of your degree but didn't attempt any assignment in your academic career? Not really. Well, the importance of assignments is not hidden from us. We all are aware of its significance. Completing assignments is a daunting task, but do you have any idea about their benefits? If not, then keep reading this article. We'll explain the benefits of assignments in detail and how to finish them fast. Before moving forward, let's have a brief overview of what an assignment is and its purpose.

What is an assignment? 

Assignments play an important part in the learning process of students. It is a well known assessment method for teachers as well. Additionally, it is not only for students but also for professors. With the help of assignments, professors can evaluate the skills, expertise, and knowledge of students. It also helps teachers assess whether or not pupils have met the learning objectives. Moreover, it allows them to gauge how much students have learned from their lessons. 

In education, an "assignment" means a piece of schoolwork that teachers give to students. It provides a range of opportunities to practice, learn, and show what you've learned. When teachers assign assignments, they provide their students with a summary of the knowledge they have learned. Additionally, they assess whether students have understood the acquired knowledge. If not, what concerns do they may have?  

Purpose of Giving Assignments to Students

Teachers give homework to help students in their learning. Doing homework shows they are good at it, responsible, and can manage their time wisely. College professors also give homework to check how well students understand what they learned. Clarity is required when planning an assignment on a number of issues. As a result, the following factors are taken into account by your teacher when creating the structure for your assignment.

• Will it be an individual or group assignment?
• How can it be made more effective for students?
• Should I combine two approaches for this project?
• Do I need to observe how students are working on the assignment? Or should I check it once they've finished it?
• What standards must I follow when evaluating this assignment?

What are the aspects of assignment evaluation?

Instructors usually follow these three aspects when evaluating an assignment.

The assignment and the method used to evaluate the results are in line with the learning objectives.

Reliability

Teachers draw distinctions and assign grades based on the outcomes. The score is consistently calculated based on the predefined parameters. It guarantees that the grades are evaluated in a meaningful way.

Objectivity

An assignment's goal should be obvious. The primary goal of this assignment is to teach students what they will learn. Also, how to finish that assignment. Teachers need to specify what they expect from the assignment and how they are going to evaluate it. 

Types of Writing Assignments

There are different types of writings that teachers assign to students at the college or university level. Some of writing assignment types are:

It presents the author's viewpoint on a subject with supporting data and may also argue its case. The essay structure consists of three main components: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Essays are of different types, such as analytical essays, compare and contrast essays, and persuasive essays. You can also buy essays from an online writing service. 

A report offers information about an issue in a clear and organized manner. You may have learned this information through reading, research, experiments, and measurements in the field or lab. You might also have gained it from your personal experiences. Additionally, reports have different structures depending on the subject or discipline. The basic structure of the report consists of an abstract, introduction, methodology, findings, discussion, conclusion, and appendices. 

Literature reviews

A literature review may be assigned as a standalone assignment. In the literature review, the goal is to summarize the key research relating to your topic. Alternatively, it might be a section of a lengthy project, like a research report or thesis. The goal would be to justify the need for more research on the topic you have selected.

Annotated bibliographies

A literature review or essay synthesizes various sources and incorporates them into a single discussion about a topic. In contrast, an annotated bibliography evaluates and summarizes each reading independently. Each reading is typically presented alphabetically based on the first letter of the lead author's surname. It is difficult to generate an annotated bibliography. But you can get expert help by hiring an online annotated bibliography writing service . 

Case studies

In general, a case study requires the integration of theory and practice. This helps you connect theoretical ideas to real professional or practical situations. A case may be a person, any event, idea, etc. You are analyzing the case by mapping it against a theoretical explanation to understand and see the big picture – What has happened? It may take the form of a report or an essay. Consult your lecturer or tutor and review the assignment question.

Research paper

The research paper starts with a topic and your research question. Add data from trustworthy sites and properly cite those sources. Moreover, add a claim or argument as your thesis statement. If you don't know how to write a research paper , you can check our latest guide.

Response paper

In the response paper, discuss what you've read or learned about a particular problem or subject. Evaluate concepts about other readings, talks, or debates. Write in a combination of formal and informal styles. (make sure to consult your professor's guidelines)

Top 12 Benefits of Assignments

For hard working students, assignments can offer many benefits once they get used to them. They help you get the grades you want and show what you have learned in your classes. You'll see the benefits of assignments more clearly when you learn about their different types and what your teacher expects. Assignments are an absolute way to do well in your classes.

We have already talked about what an assignment is and its purpose. Let's explore the impact of homework assignment on students' learning.

1. Enhance the student's knowledge

Teachers assign assignments on a variety of subjects and topics. This will help the students to gain knowledge when they work on different kinds of topics. It is one of the best benefits that students receive from assignments. They are also introduced to significant ideas and insightful information.

Suppose your assignment topic is too complex. You have to spend extra time and effort to conduct detailed research to understand the topic. This way, you will not only be able to complete your assignment. But also gain a lot of new information.

There can be a lot of pressure to memorize information exactly. This pressure may lead to simply repeating it when studying for an exam. Students find it challenging to truly grasp the concepts covered in their courses. This results in a lack of deep understanding. On the other hand, when you undertake a challenging assignment, you'll be applying knowledge to real world issues. These issues often have multiple possible solutions. You'll find that developing this kind of thinking and improving your assignment writing skills will help you throughout the course and the rest of your academic career.

2. Improve student's problem solving skills

Another benefit of assignments is when students work on complex projects; their analytical and critical thinking skills are also enhanced. This is an extremely useful skill for students to possess. Since it will help them in their academic and professional journey. We continue to learn from this process regardless of our age.

A great technique to master your course material is to challenge yourself. Give yourself a complex problem to solve and strive to find a solution. Similar to the benefits of homework , you can only improve at something by putting it into practice and giving it a lot of thought. We are always working on these analytical and problem solving skills, and going back to school will force you to develop them even more. 

3. Boost your writing caliber

We frequently find ourselves with a lot on our minds but unable to properly and clearly explain it in front of the audience. Assignments help us in improving our writing skills. When you have a habit of writing, then you can communicate easily. Your writing skills will improve because your academic task requires you to write. Another benefit of assignments is that they assist you in writing concisely and clearly.

4. Help to think under pressure

Sometimes, you might be assigned a very difficult assignment that requires a lot of knowledge, and you are not familiar with it. Handling these complex tasks assists you in persevering when you don't have enough information. It also helps you to grow confidence in your skills to find the right solution.

Additionally, all students and professionals need to learn how to think under pressure. The assignment gives you the opportunity to do so. Since you probably only have a few days to finish the assignment. You'll need to not only manage your busy schedule to finish it. But also squeeze in a lot of learning and application of what you've learned. Possessing this ability will be beneficial because it will enable you to think clearly under pressure, which will help you succeed in school and in your career.

5. Help in boosting grades

There is more pressure to perform well on exams when a course has few exams that make up for an important part of your final grade. Smaller assignments that account for a smaller portion of your final grade mean that even if you don't perform well on one of them, you will still have more chances to improve your grade.

You can feel more at ease knowing that your grades are divided in this manner. This provides you with multiple chances to work towards a higher grade. Many students prefer smaller assessments. These relieve them of worrying about a single test significantly impacting their final grade.

6. Build time management skills

A study conducted among students revealed that students who completed more assignments performed better in their overall academics. They also achieved higher scores in specific subjects.

Due to these tasks, students gain more time management skills, which further empowers them. They learn the ability to allocate their time between assigned tasks and prioritized activities. They are aware of what needs to be done first. How to solve problems faster, and how to turn in their work ahead of schedule. Furthermore, this practice teaches them to use their time wisely.   

7. Enhance organizing and planning skills

Completing an assignment requires thoughtful planning. Students' organizational skills are improved through the information search, sorting, and use of relevant data. Following that, students will be able to plan out when and how to complete their assigned work. Attempting assignments allows them to effectively handle their learning habits. They also help them to apply their knowledge wisely to improve their academic performance.  

8. Understand how to apply in real life scenarios

Applying theoretical concepts to real world situations also gets easier when one learns how to write theoretical assignments. This enables them to be prepared to deal with any problems that arise in the future.

9. Boosts your knowledge of technical subjects and ideas

When a subject is taught in a classroom environment, it's normal for students to not understand it. They are forced to spend more time comprehending and finishing their work when they are assigned assignments on those subjects, though.

This enables them to respond to those questions with ease and proficiency. Regardless of a concept's technicality, you'll gain a strong command over it. This happens when you write multiple articles on the same topic or idea.

10. Improve research skills

Doing homework and assignments also helps students get better at researching. When a professor assigns any assignment, students perform thorough research on different topics. This allows them to learn the ability to find useful information and sort it accordingly. Their professional life is positively impacted, and their academic performance is improved by this habit.

11. Learn the art of tasks prioritizing

When handling a lot of assignments, you will learn to prioritize the task based on its importance. It is a crucial skill that is needed in professional life. Prioritizing your work will help you to complete all your tasks on time. You will be able to meet the deadlines.

12. Making a personal study space

You can get help from your colleagues and online resources. But the task of implementing that knowledge is your own. This is exactly what you need to understand concepts.

As you work on your assignments, you can create a relaxing study space that increases productivity. You'll be able to create a unique working style by doing this. In addition, you can focus on creativity, productivity, learning, and pursuing interests.

Of course, everything has a negative aspect, even though there are definite advantages. Sometimes, students may question the true value of assignments. They wonder if there are any restrictions on this particular grading scheme. Students usually wonder this when they are having difficulty with their coursework or with specific concepts. These carry significant burdens. They can be stressful for students struggling with course material.

However, this belief has a reason. Even experts can't agree on the best way to evaluate a student's performance in a course. This sparks a lot of discussion.

How to finish assignments fast?

Firstly, make a plan of what steps you will cover in your assignment. It includes how much time is required to complete the assignment. Then, list out all the tasks that you will do in your assignment. Identify what you need to complete this assignment, like a calculator, books, paper, and pen. Find a relaxing and quiet place to work without any distractions. Switch off your phone. Have some light snacks and water. Take quick breaks between assignment tasks. When you're done with the assignment, reward yourself.

Concluding Remarks

Now, you have a clear understanding of what the assignment means and its importance. And how it is beneficial for the student's academic career. Would you like additional information? Or do you simply not have the time to complete it? Stop worrying! You can find the solution at Nerdpapers, all under one roof. Our professionals have years of experience. So, if a student gets stuck on a project or assignment, they can take a variety of actions to help them finish it on time. Not only can our native experts produce high quality assignments. But they can also help you achieve good grades at reasonable costs. Therefore, hire subject related experts for appropriate guidance and assistance rather than compromising your grades. Whether you are a college, university, or high school student, there are several benefits of assignment writing.

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Persuasive essay topics – how to choose one for you, how to write a persuasive essay- expert tips.

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Classroom Assignments Matter. Here’s Why.

As a former classroom teacher, coach, and literacy specialist, I know the beginning of the school year demands that educators pay attention to a number of competing interests. Let me suggest one thing for teachers to focus on that, above all else, can close the student achievement gap: the rigor and quality of classroom assignments.

Digging into classroom assignments is revealing. It tells a story about curricula, instruction, achievement, and education equity. In the process, it uncovers what teachers believe about their students, what they know and understand about their standards and curricula, and what they are willing to do to advance student learning and achievement. So, when educators critically examine their own assignments (and the work students produce), they have an opportunity to gain powerful insight about teaching and learning — the kind of insight that can move the needle on student achievement. This type of analysis can identify trends across content areas such as English/language arts, science, social studies, and math.

At Ed Trust, we undertook such an analysis of 4,000 classroom assignments and found that students are being given in-school and out-of-school assignments that don’t align with grade-level standards, lack sufficient opportunities and time for writing, and include tasks that require low-level thinking and work production. We’ve seen assignments with little-to-no meaningful discussion and those with teachers over-supporting students, which effectively rob students of the kind of challenging thinking that leads to academic growth. And we’ve seen assignments where the reading looked like stop-and-go traffic, overrun with prescribed note-taking, breaking down students’ ability to build reading flow and deep learning.

These findings served as the basis for our second Equity in Motion convening. For three days this summer, educators from across the country explored the importance of regular and thoughtful assignment analysis. They found that carefully developed assignments have the power to make a curriculum last in students’ minds. They saw how assignments reveal whether students are grasping curricula, and if not, how teachers can adapt instruction. They also saw how assignments give clues into their own beliefs about students, which carry serious equity implications for all students, especially those who have been traditionally under-served. Throughout the convening, educators talked about the implications of their assignments and how assignments can affect overall achievement and address issues of equity. If assignments fall short of what standards demand, students will be ill-equipped to achieve at high levels.

The main take-away from this convening was simple but powerful: Assignments matter!

I encourage all teachers to take that message to heart. This school year, aim to make sure your assignments are more rigorous, standards-aligned, and authentically relevant to your students. Use our Literacy Analysis Assignment Guide to examine your assignments — alone, or better yet, with colleagues — to ensure you’re delivering assignments that propel your students to reach higher and achieve more. Doing this will provide a more complete picture of where your students are in their learning and how you can move them toward skill and concept mastery.

Remember this: Students can do no better than the assignments they receive.

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Assignments Matter: Making the Connections That Help Students Meet Standards

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What exactly is an "assignment" and why does it matter? How can educators ensure that their teaching meets the rigorous demands of the Common Core State Standards, so that all students are well prepared for college or careers?

Table of contents

Introduction

Part 1: Why and What

Why Assignments Matter

Part 2: In the Classroom

About the authors

Book details

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Designing Assignments for Learning

The rapid shift to remote teaching and learning meant that many instructors reimagined their assessment practices. Whether adapting existing assignments or creatively designing new opportunities for their students to learn, instructors focused on helping students make meaning and demonstrate their learning outside of the traditional, face-to-face classroom setting. This resource distills the elements of assignment design that are important to carry forward as we continue to seek better ways of assessing learning and build on our innovative assignment designs.

On this page:

Rethinking traditional tests, quizzes, and exams.

• Examples from the Columbia University Classroom
• Tips for Designing Assignments for Learning

Reflect On Your Assignment Design

Connect with the ctl.

• Resources and References

Cite this resource: Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (2021). Designing Assignments for Learning. Columbia University. Retrieved [today’s date] from https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/teaching-with-technology/teaching-online/designing-assignments/

Traditional assessments tend to reveal whether students can recognize, recall, or replicate what was learned out of context, and tend to focus on students providing correct responses (Wiggins, 1990). In contrast, authentic assignments, which are course assessments, engage students in higher order thinking, as they grapple with real or simulated challenges that help them prepare for their professional lives, and draw on the course knowledge learned and the skills acquired to create justifiable answers, performances or products (Wiggins, 1990). An authentic assessment provides opportunities for students to practice, consult resources, learn from feedback, and refine their performances and products accordingly (Wiggins 1990, 1998, 2014). 

Authentic assignments ask students to “do” the subject with an audience in mind and apply their learning in a new situation. Examples of authentic assignments include asking students to: 

• Write for a real audience (e.g., a memo, a policy brief, letter to the editor, a grant proposal, reports, building a website) and/or publication;
• Solve problem sets that have real world application; 
• Design projects that address a real world problem; 
• Engage in a community-partnered research project;
• Create an exhibit, performance, or conference presentation ;
• Compile and reflect on their work through a portfolio/e-portfolio.

Noteworthy elements of authentic designs are that instructors scaffold the assignment, and play an active role in preparing students for the tasks assigned, while students are intentionally asked to reflect on the process and product of their work thus building their metacognitive skills (Herrington and Oliver, 2000; Ashford-Rowe, Herrington and Brown, 2013; Frey, Schmitt, and Allen, 2012). 

It’s worth noting here that authentic assessments can initially be time consuming to design, implement, and grade. They are critiqued for being challenging to use across course contexts and for grading reliability issues (Maclellan, 2004). Despite these challenges, authentic assessments are recognized as beneficial to student learning (Svinicki, 2004) as they are learner-centered (Weimer, 2013), promote academic integrity (McLaughlin, L. and Ricevuto, 2021; Sotiriadou et al., 2019; Schroeder, 2021) and motivate students to learn (Ambrose et al., 2010). The Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning is always available to consult with faculty who are considering authentic assessment designs and to discuss challenges and affordances.   

Examples from the Columbia University Classroom 

Columbia instructors have experimented with alternative ways of assessing student learning from oral exams to technology-enhanced assignments. Below are a few examples of authentic assignments in various teaching contexts across Columbia University. 

• E-portfolios: Statia Cook shares her experiences with an ePorfolio assignment in her co-taught Frontiers of Science course (a submission to the Voices of Hybrid and Online Teaching and Learning initiative); CUIMC use of ePortfolios ;
• Case studies: Columbia instructors have engaged their students in authentic ways through case studies drawing on the Case Consortium at Columbia University. Read and watch a faculty spotlight to learn how Professor Mary Ann Price uses the case method to place pre-med students in real-life scenarios;
• Simulations: students at CUIMC engage in simulations to develop their professional skills in The Mary & Michael Jaharis Simulation Center in the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Helene Fuld Health Trust Simulation Center in the Columbia School of Nursing; 
• Experiential learning: instructors have drawn on New York City as a learning laboratory such as Barnard’s NYC as Lab webpage which highlights courses that engage students in NYC;
• Design projects that address real world problems: Yevgeniy Yesilevskiy on the Engineering design projects completed using lab kits during remote learning. Watch Dr. Yesilevskiy talk about his teaching and read the Columbia News article . 
• Writing assignments: Lia Marshall and her teaching associate Aparna Balasundaram reflect on their “non-disposable or renewable assignments” to prepare social work students for their professional lives as they write for a real audience; and Hannah Weaver spoke about a sandbox assignment used in her Core Literature Humanities course at the 2021 Celebration of Teaching and Learning Symposium . Watch Dr. Weaver share her experiences.  

​Tips for Designing Assignments for Learning

While designing an effective authentic assignment may seem like a daunting task, the following tips can be used as a starting point. See the Resources section for frameworks and tools that may be useful in this effort.  

Align the assignment with your course learning objectives 

Identify the kind of thinking that is important in your course, the knowledge students will apply, and the skills they will practice using through the assignment. What kind of thinking will students be asked to do for the assignment? What will students learn by completing this assignment? How will the assignment help students achieve the desired course learning outcomes? For more information on course learning objectives, see the CTL’s Course Design Essentials self-paced course and watch the video on Articulating Learning Objectives .  

Identify an authentic meaning-making task

For meaning-making to occur, students need to understand the relevance of the assignment to the course and beyond (Ambrose et al., 2010). To Bean (2011) a “meaning-making” or “meaning-constructing” task has two dimensions: 1) it presents students with an authentic disciplinary problem or asks students to formulate their own problems, both of which engage them in active critical thinking, and 2) the problem is placed in “a context that gives students a role or purpose, a targeted audience, and a genre.” (Bean, 2011: 97-98). 

An authentic task gives students a realistic challenge to grapple with, a role to take on that allows them to “rehearse for the complex ambiguities” of life, provides resources and supports to draw on, and requires students to justify their work and the process they used to inform their solution (Wiggins, 1990). Note that if students find an assignment interesting or relevant, they will see value in completing it. 

Consider the kind of activities in the real world that use the knowledge and skills that are the focus of your course. How is this knowledge and these skills applied to answer real-world questions to solve real-world problems? (Herrington et al., 2010: 22). What do professionals or academics in your discipline do on a regular basis? What does it mean to think like a biologist, statistician, historian, social scientist? How might your assignment ask students to draw on current events, issues, or problems that relate to the course and are of interest to them? How might your assignment tap into student motivation and engage them in the kinds of thinking they can apply to better understand the world around them? (Ambrose et al., 2010). 

Determine the evaluation criteria and create a rubric

To ensure equitable and consistent grading of assignments across students, make transparent the criteria you will use to evaluate student work. The criteria should focus on the knowledge and skills that are central to the assignment. Build on the criteria identified, create a rubric that makes explicit the expectations of deliverables and share this rubric with your students so they can use it as they work on the assignment. For more information on rubrics, see the CTL’s resource Incorporating Rubrics into Your Grading and Feedback Practices , and explore the Association of American Colleges & Universities VALUE Rubrics (Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education). 

Build in metacognition

Ask students to reflect on what and how they learned from the assignment. Help students uncover personal relevance of the assignment, find intrinsic value in their work, and deepen their motivation by asking them to reflect on their process and their assignment deliverable. Sample prompts might include: what did you learn from this assignment? How might you draw on the knowledge and skills you used on this assignment in the future? See Ambrose et al., 2010 for more strategies that support motivation and the CTL’s resource on Metacognition ). 

Provide students with opportunities to practice

Design your assignment to be a learning experience and prepare students for success on the assignment. If students can reasonably expect to be successful on an assignment when they put in the required effort ,with the support and guidance of the instructor, they are more likely to engage in the behaviors necessary for learning (Ambrose et al., 2010). Ensure student success by actively teaching the knowledge and skills of the course (e.g., how to problem solve, how to write for a particular audience), modeling the desired thinking, and creating learning activities that build up to a graded assignment. Provide opportunities for students to practice using the knowledge and skills they will need for the assignment, whether through low-stakes in-class activities or homework activities that include opportunities to receive and incorporate formative feedback. For more information on providing feedback, see the CTL resource Feedback for Learning . 

Communicate about the assignment 

Share the purpose, task, audience, expectations, and criteria for the assignment. Students may have expectations about assessments and how they will be graded that is informed by their prior experiences completing high-stakes assessments, so be transparent. Tell your students why you are asking them to do this assignment, what skills they will be using, how it aligns with the course learning outcomes, and why it is relevant to their learning and their professional lives (i.e., how practitioners / professionals use the knowledge and skills in your course in real world contexts and for what purposes). Finally, verify that students understand what they need to do to complete the assignment. This can be done by asking students to respond to poll questions about different parts of the assignment, a “scavenger hunt” of the assignment instructions–giving students questions to answer about the assignment and having them work in small groups to answer the questions, or by having students share back what they think is expected of them.

Plan to iterate and to keep the focus on learning 

Draw on multiple sources of data to help make decisions about what changes are needed to the assignment, the assignment instructions, and/or rubric to ensure that it contributes to student learning. Explore assignment performance data. As Deandra Little reminds us: “a really good assignment, which is a really good assessment, also teaches you something or tells the instructor something. As much as it tells you what students are learning, it’s also telling you what they aren’t learning.” ( Teaching in Higher Ed podcast episode 337 ). Assignment bottlenecks–where students get stuck or struggle–can be good indicators that students need further support or opportunities to practice prior to completing an assignment. This awareness can inform teaching decisions. 

Triangulate the performance data by collecting student feedback, and noting your own reflections about what worked well and what did not. Revise the assignment instructions, rubric, and teaching practices accordingly. Consider how you might better align your assignment with your course objectives and/or provide more opportunities for students to practice using the knowledge and skills that they will rely on for the assignment. Additionally, keep in mind societal, disciplinary, and technological changes as you tweak your assignments for future use. 

Now is a great time to reflect on your practices and experiences with assignment design and think critically about your approach. Take a closer look at an existing assignment. Questions to consider include: What is this assignment meant to do? What purpose does it serve? Why do you ask students to do this assignment? How are they prepared to complete the assignment? Does the assignment assess the kind of learning that you really want? What would help students learn from this assignment? 

Using the tips in the previous section: How can the assignment be tweaked to be more authentic and meaningful to students? 

As you plan forward for post-pandemic teaching and reflect on your practices and reimagine your course design, you may find the following CTL resources helpful: Reflecting On Your Experiences with Remote Teaching , Transition to In-Person Teaching , and Course Design Support .

The Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is here to help!

For assistance with assignment design, rubric design, or any other teaching and learning need, please request a consultation by emailing [email protected] . 

Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework for assignments. The TILT Examples and Resources page ( https://tilthighered.com/tiltexamplesandresources ) includes example assignments from across disciplines, as well as a transparent assignment template and a checklist for designing transparent assignments . Each emphasizes the importance of articulating to students the purpose of the assignment or activity, the what and how of the task, and specifying the criteria that will be used to assess students. 

Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) offers VALUE ADD (Assignment Design and Diagnostic) tools ( https://www.aacu.org/value-add-tools ) to help with the creation of clear and effective assignments that align with the desired learning outcomes and associated VALUE rubrics (Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education). VALUE ADD encourages instructors to explicitly state assignment information such as the purpose of the assignment, what skills students will be using, how it aligns with course learning outcomes, the assignment type, the audience and context for the assignment, clear evaluation criteria, desired formatting, and expectations for completion whether individual or in a group.

Villarroel et al. (2017) propose a blueprint for building authentic assessments which includes four steps: 1) consider the workplace context, 2) design the authentic assessment; 3) learn and apply standards for judgement; and 4) give feedback. 

References 

Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., & DiPietro, M. (2010). Chapter 3: What Factors Motivate Students to Learn? In How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching . Jossey-Bass. 

Ashford-Rowe, K., Herrington, J., and Brown, C. (2013). Establishing the critical elements that determine authentic assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 39(2), 205-222, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2013.819566 .  

Bean, J.C. (2011). Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom . Second Edition. Jossey-Bass. 

Frey, B. B, Schmitt, V. L., and Allen, J. P. (2012). Defining Authentic Classroom Assessment. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation. 17(2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.7275/sxbs-0829  

Herrington, J., Reeves, T. C., and Oliver, R. (2010). A Guide to Authentic e-Learning . Routledge. 

Herrington, J. and Oliver, R. (2000). An instructional design framework for authentic learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(3), 23-48. 

Litchfield, B. C. and Dempsey, J. V. (2015). Authentic Assessment of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning. 142 (Summer 2015), 65-80. 

Maclellan, E. (2004). How convincing is alternative assessment for use in higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 29(3), June 2004. DOI: 10.1080/0260293042000188267

McLaughlin, L. and Ricevuto, J. (2021). Assessments in a Virtual Environment: You Won’t Need that Lockdown Browser! Faculty Focus. June 2, 2021. 

Mueller, J. (2005). The Authentic Assessment Toolbox: Enhancing Student Learning through Online Faculty Development . MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching. 1(1). July 2005. Mueller’s Authentic Assessment Toolbox is available online. 

Schroeder, R. (2021). Vaccinate Against Cheating With Authentic Assessment . Inside Higher Ed. (February 26, 2021).  

Sotiriadou, P., Logan, D., Daly, A., and Guest, R. (2019). The role of authentic assessment to preserve academic integrity and promote skills development and employability. Studies in Higher Education. 45(111), 2132-2148. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1582015    

Stachowiak, B. (Host). (November 25, 2020). Authentic Assignments with Deandra Little. (Episode 337). In Teaching in Higher Ed . https://teachinginhighered.com/podcast/authentic-assignments/  

Svinicki, M. D. (2004). Authentic Assessment: Testing in Reality. New Directions for Teaching and Learning. 100 (Winter 2004): 23-29. 

Villarroel, V., Bloxham, S, Bruna, D., Bruna, C., and Herrera-Seda, C. (2017). Authentic assessment: creating a blueprint for course design. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 43(5), 840-854. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2017.1412396    

Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice . Second Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 

Wiggins, G. (2014). Authenticity in assessment, (re-)defined and explained. Retrieved from https://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/01/26/authenticity-in-assessment-re-defined-and-explained/

Wiggins, G. (1998). Teaching to the (Authentic) Test. Educational Leadership . April 1989. 41-47. 

Wiggins, Grant (1990). The Case for Authentic Assessment . Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation , 2(2). 

Wondering how AI tools might play a role in your course assignments?

See the CTL’s resource “Considerations for AI Tools in the Classroom.”

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Why Should You Use Writing Assignments in Your Teaching?

Brad hughes, director, writing across the curriculum, university of wisconsin-madison.

Why should you use writing assignments in your teaching? That’s an important question. Even though this is a Writing Across the Curriculum website, designed to encourage faculty to incorporate writing into their teaching, let’s be honest—there are many reasons why you might not want to assign writing in your courses. And many of those reasons have to do with limits on your time. Designing writing assignments and responding to student writing take valuable time—lots of time if you do them carefully. The larger the enrollment is in your classes, the more time responding to student papers takes. You have lots of important course content to cover, so you have limited time for building in a sequence of writing assignments and some instruction around those assignments. . . .

You also need to remember that writing assignments  take substantial time for your students to do well. And not all of your students are well prepared to succeed with the writing you assign. This list could go on; the challenges can be formidable.

Yet countless faculty—in every discipline across the university—make writing an integral part of their teaching and reap benefits from doing so. Why? Here are some of the many reasons writing is an especially effective means for students to learn.

• Writing deepens thinking and increases students’ engagement with course material.
• Well-designed writing assignments prompt students to think more deeply about what they’re learning. Writing a book review, for example, forces students to read more thoroughly and critically. As an old saying goes, “How do I know what I think until I hear what I say or see what I’ve written?”
• In fact, research done by Richard Light at Harvard confirms that “students relate writing to intensity of courses. The relationship between the amount of writing for a course and students’ level of engagement—whether engagement is measured by time spent on the course, or the intellectual challenge it presents, or students’ self-reported level of interest in it—is stronger than any relationship we found between student engagement and any other course characteristic” ( The Harvard Assessment Seminars , Second Report, 1992, 25).
• Research done by the Association of American Colleges and Universities demonstrates that writing-intensive courses are a high-impact practice in undergraduate education (George D. Kuh, High-Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter , 2008).
• Research done by Michele Eodice, Anne Ellen Geller, and Neal Lerner ( The Meaningful Writing Project , 2017) demonstrates that certain writing projects can be especially meaningful parts of undergraduate education.
• Writing can improve our relationship with our students. When students write papers, we get to know them and their thinking better; they’re more likely to talk with us after class, or come to our office hours to share a draft or seek advice.
• Writing gives us a window into our students’ thinking and learning. Through our students’ writing, we can take pleasure in discovering that students see things in course readings or discussion we didn’t see; students make connections we ourselves hadn’t made. And through our students’ writing, we also discover what confuses our students. Admittedly, we’re not always eager to discover the gaps in our students’ knowledge or understanding, but it’s our job to expand that knowledge and improve students’ thinking.
• Writing assignments can improve our classroom discussions. By helping students keep up with readings, regular writing assignments can prepare students to participate in discussion.
• Writing assignments provide us with an opportunity to teach students to organize ideas, develop points logically, make explicit connections, elaborate ideas, argue points, and situate an argument in the context of previous research-all skills valued in higher education.
• Students remember what they write about-because writing slows thinking down and requires careful, sustained analysis of a subject. No matter how many years it’s been, most of us can remember some paper we wrote as undergraduates, the writing of which deepened our knowledge of a particular subject.
• Students and professors remember what they’ve written, in part, because writing individualizes learning. When a student becomes really engaged with a writing assignment, she has to make countless choices particular to her paper: how to focus the topic, what to read, what to make the central argument, how to organize ideas, how to marshal evidence, which general points to make, how to develop and support general ideas with particulars, how to introduce the topic, what to include and what to omit, which style and tone to adopt. . . .
• Finally, though it’s much more than this, writing is a skill—a skill that atrophies when it isn’t practiced regularly. Because learning to write well is difficult and because it requires sustained and repeated practice, we need to ensure our undergraduates write regularly, throughout the curriculum, in all majors. It’s the responsibility of all of us to ensure that students learn to think and write clearly and deeply.

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Assignments as a focus for what is important to learn

T ake a moment to reflect on your own experience of learning in a formal course. At what point in the process did you start asking questions about the way in which you would be assessed? When did you first sit down to read the assignment descriptions in your course outline, or ask your teacher what would be required of you in the assignments?   

If you are like most learners, this was probably something you did fairly early on in the course. And as a result, if you are like most learners, your understanding of what you would be assessed on, and how you would be assessed, probably helped you decide what to focus on as you progressed through the course. It probably also helped you decide what to ignore.

Assignments help learners to focus on the essential learning and not to get swamped by details. Being transparent about the exact requirements of assignments from the start of the course is an important way in which you can support your learners in managing their time.

Assignments are also an opportunity for the tutor to provide individual feedback to learners. Your feedback will help learners to gauge their progress throughout the course, and can play a critical role in either motivating or demotivating learners as they continue with their studies.

A third role that assignments can play is in helping you evaluate what is working on your course and what aspects need improvement. If large numbers of your learners struggle with a particular assignment, or a particular aspect of an assignment, that is possibly an indication that you need to revisit the relevant section of the course and build in more support for learners. It could also be an indication that the assignment itself needs to be revised.

Assignments as scaffolding

Assignments, more than any other component of an online course, create the scaffolding that enables learning to occur. (Have a look at the section on constructivism in Unit 3 if you need a brief reminder of the concept of scaffolding.)

A thoughtfully constructed assignment can take the learner on an exhilarating journey into unknown territory, all the while providing signposts and pit stops exactly where they are needed. At the end, the learner should be able to look back in pride and say, 'Wow! I did that!' Each successfully completed assignment should contribute to the learner’s growing sense of confidence in himself as a professional in the field in which he is studying. The assignments themselves acted as the scaffolding for the learning to occur.

Here are some ways in which you can create assignments as scaffolding:

If possible, try designing the whole course around a series of assignments, each one building on the last. If learners can see that Assignment 1 helps them to get to grips with the concepts that will be applied in Assignment 2, they are likely to put a great deal of effort into Assignment 1. (In this scenario, it is even more critical than ever to provide learners with prompt feedback on their assignments, so that they can clarify any misunderstandings before they embark on the next assignment.) 

Create staged assignments. Each stage has to be completed before the next one can be started, and there is some form of feedback – either from other learners, or from you – at the end of each stage to help learners judge their own progress towards the expected outcomes. 

Build in a requirement that learners have to collaborate on some part of the assignment. This is surprisingly easy to do using online communication tools, such as discussion forums and wikis. These tools allow learners to participate at times that suit them over an extended period, and provide a permanent record, for the learners and for you, of the communication, for later reference. This idea is elaborated on in the next section.

H ow do you approach assignments in the distance course(s) you teach? Do you use any of the approaches described above – i.e. a series of assignments all building on one another; staged assignments; and/or a requirement of collaboration on some part of the assignment? If so, can you give examples of how your assignments provide scaffolding for learners in your particular discipline?

Perhaps you're a tutor on a course where someone else designs the assignments. But nevertheless, which of the suggestions given above could you use to support the learners to complete their assignments well?

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Online Guide to Writing and Research

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• Online Guide to Writing

Understanding Your Assignment

“What is expected of me?” Writing a strong paper requires that you fully understand your assignment, and answering this question is the first crucial step in the academic writing process. What is your professor asking of you? The suggestions below will assist you as you determine what is expected of you.

Assignment Comprehension Tips

Click on the tabs below for tips on how to fully understand what is expected of you.

• STUDY THE DETAILS
• CREATE A TANGIBLE RESOURCE
• IMPLEMENT A TIMETABLE
• HIGHLIGHT KEY WORDS
• STAY WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF DETAILS
• RELY ON SUPPORT

Read the instructions line-by-line to familiarize yourself initially. Reading them aloud helps too.

Print out the instructions if necessary and highlight key information, such as the due date, word count, format, or citation style. Print and study the rubric, if available. The rubric reveals how you will be graded for each part of your essay and will give you clues on how exactly to structure your writing.

Plug the due date into your smartphone calendar and request a reminder notification. In addition, work backward from the due date and schedule specific weeks for planning, prewriting, researching, writing, getting feedback, and rewriting. 

Circle any key phrases that can guide your actions.

Keep your assignment instructions next to you as you work on informal prewriting exercises and planning so you avoid getting off track.

When in doubt, ask your professor. Your professors want you to succeed and welcome any remaining questions about assignment expectations.

Finding Purpose and Meaning

The purpose of the preparative steps above is to create a foundation for nuanced writing. Some additional questions can help you reach a deeper understanding of the assignment. Ask yourself the following questions:

What is the purpose of this assignment and why is it important?

Who is my audience my professor classmates professionals in my field of study, how will this contribute to my knowledge and growth as a writer, what timeline should i assign myself for the gradual development of this work.

Table 2.1 below shows you how to identify keywords and expectations from the directive wording of the assignment. These key phrases are often associated with essay questions, as well as informal and formal papers. As a note, the table is based on Benjamin Bloom’s cognitive objectives.

Table 2.1 Assignment Wording and Expectations

Once you understand your assignment and decide on what approach to take, you can move on to identifying and targeting your audience.

Key Takeaways

If you take the steps to retain, plan, and understand the meaning behind your writing assignment, you will increase your confidence and success as a writer.

Focusing on key words and phrases will provide clues on what actions to take while planning the structure and content of your essay. 

Mailing Address: 3501 University Blvd. East, Adelphi, MD 20783 This work is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License . © 2022 UMGC. All links to external sites were verified at the time of publication. UMGC is not responsible for the validity or integrity of information located at external sites.

Table of Contents: Online Guide to Writing

Chapter 1: College Writing

How Does College Writing Differ from Workplace Writing?

What Is College Writing?

Why So Much Emphasis on Writing?

Chapter 2: The Writing Process

Doing Exploratory Research

Getting from Notes to Your Draft

Introduction

Prewriting - Techniques to Get Started - Mining Your Intuition

Prewriting: Targeting Your Audience

Prewriting: Techniques to Get Started

Prewriting: Understanding Your Assignment

Rewriting: Being Your Own Critic

Rewriting: Creating a Revision Strategy

Rewriting: Getting Feedback

Rewriting: The Final Draft

Techniques to Get Started - Outlining

Techniques to Get Started - Using Systematic Techniques

Thesis Statement and Controlling Idea

Writing: Getting from Notes to Your Draft - Freewriting

Writing: Getting from Notes to Your Draft - Summarizing Your Ideas

Writing: Outlining What You Will Write

Chapter 3: Thinking Strategies

A Word About Style, Voice, and Tone

A Word About Style, Voice, and Tone: Style Through Vocabulary and Diction

Critical Strategies and Writing

Critical Strategies and Writing: Analysis

Critical Strategies and Writing: Evaluation

Critical Strategies and Writing: Persuasion

Critical Strategies and Writing: Synthesis

Developing a Paper Using Strategies

Kinds of Assignments You Will Write

Patterns for Presenting Information

Patterns for Presenting Information: Critiques

Patterns for Presenting Information: Discussing Raw Data

Patterns for Presenting Information: General-to-Specific Pattern

Patterns for Presenting Information: Problem-Cause-Solution Pattern

Patterns for Presenting Information: Specific-to-General Pattern

Patterns for Presenting Information: Summaries and Abstracts

Supporting with Research and Examples

Writing Essay Examinations

Writing Essay Examinations: Make Your Answer Relevant and Complete

Writing Essay Examinations: Organize Thinking Before Writing

Writing Essay Examinations: Read and Understand the Question

Chapter 4: The Research Process

Planning and Writing a Research Paper

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Ask a Research Question

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Cite Sources

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Collect Evidence

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Decide Your Point of View, or Role, for Your Research

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Draw Conclusions

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Find a Topic and Get an Overview

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Manage Your Resources

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Outline

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Survey the Literature

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Work Your Sources into Your Research Writing

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Human Resources

Research Resources: What Are Research Resources?

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found?

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Electronic Resources

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Print Resources

Structuring the Research Paper: Formal Research Structure

Structuring the Research Paper: Informal Research Structure

The Nature of Research

The Research Assignment: How Should Research Sources Be Evaluated?

The Research Assignment: When Is Research Needed?

The Research Assignment: Why Perform Research?

Chapter 5: Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity

Giving Credit to Sources

Giving Credit to Sources: Copyright Laws

Giving Credit to Sources: Documentation

Giving Credit to Sources: Style Guides

Integrating Sources

Practicing Academic Integrity

Practicing Academic Integrity: Keeping Accurate Records

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Paraphrasing Your Source

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Quoting Your Source

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Summarizing Your Sources

Types of Documentation

Types of Documentation: Bibliographies and Source Lists

Types of Documentation: Citing World Wide Web Sources

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - APA Style

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - CSE/CBE Style

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - Chicago Style

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - MLA Style

Types of Documentation: Note Citations

Chapter 6: Using Library Resources

Finding Library Resources

Chapter 7: Assessing Your Writing

How Is Writing Graded?

How Is Writing Graded?: A General Assessment Tool

The Draft Stage

The Draft Stage: The First Draft

The Draft Stage: The Revision Process and the Final Draft

The Draft Stage: Using Feedback

The Research Stage

Using Assessment to Improve Your Writing

Chapter 8: Other Frequently Assigned Papers

Reviews and Reaction Papers: Article and Book Reviews

Reviews and Reaction Papers: Reaction Papers

Writing Arguments

Writing Arguments: Adapting the Argument Structure

Writing Arguments: Purposes of Argument

Writing Arguments: References to Consult for Writing Arguments

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Anticipate Active Opposition

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Determine Your Organization

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Develop Your Argument

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Introduce Your Argument

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - State Your Thesis or Proposition

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Write Your Conclusion

Writing Arguments: Types of Argument

Appendix A: Books to Help Improve Your Writing

Dictionaries

General Style Manuals

Researching on the Internet

Special Style Manuals

Writing Handbooks

Appendix B: Collaborative Writing and Peer Reviewing

Collaborative Writing: Assignments to Accompany the Group Project

Collaborative Writing: Informal Progress Report

Collaborative Writing: Issues to Resolve

Collaborative Writing: Methodology

Collaborative Writing: Peer Evaluation

Collaborative Writing: Tasks of Collaborative Writing Group Members

Collaborative Writing: Writing Plan

General Introduction

Peer Reviewing

Appendix C: Developing an Improvement Plan

Working with Your Instructor’s Comments and Grades

Appendix D: Writing Plan and Project Schedule

Devising a Writing Project Plan and Schedule

Reviewing Your Plan with Others

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What is the role of assignment in the life of a student? 

• April 13, 2023
• Editorial Team

As a student, have you ever wondered why your teachers or professors keep assigning you homework or projects? I bet most of you see it as just another burden or an additional task to complete. But did you know that these assignments actually serve a crucial role in shaping your life and future?      

So, let’s explore the importance of assignments in a student’s life.    

It develops critical thinking skills in student     

First and foremost, let’s talk about critical thinking skills. Yes, it’s that ability to think independently, analyze information, evaluate different perspectives, and draw conclusions based on evidence. I know it sounds daunting, but trust me, it’s an essential skill that you need to develop not just in school, but also in everyday life. Through assignments, you get to sharpen these skills by breaking down complex topics into smaller, more manageable parts. And once you’ve developed this skill, you’ll realize that it’s something that you can use beyond your academic life.    

Assignments helps you in developing time management skills    

We know that as a student, there’s always a lot on your plate. From attending classes to studying for exams, and let’s not forget about extracurricular activities. With all these things to do, it’s essential to manage your time effectively. And guess what? Assignments can help you develop this skill too! By setting deadlines for assignments, you learn to prioritize tasks and manage your time more efficiently. And you know the best part? This skill is not only useful in your academic life, but also in your personal and professional life.    

Research Skills    

We all know that a vast amount of information is available on the internet. But you know it’s crucial to learn how to go through it and identify reliable sources of information. Assignments give you the opportunity to develop this skill by researching a particular topic, evaluate sources of information. And once you’ve developed this skill, you’ll find it easier to make informed decisions.    

Opportunity for self- improvement    

Through feedback from your teachers or professors, you get to identify your strengths and weaknesses. And trust me, this is an opportunity that you don’t want to miss. Feedback enables you to reflect on your work, identify areas for improvement, and develop a plan to enhance your skills.    

It prepares you for exam     

Yes, those dreaded things that we all have to face. But did you know that assignments actually help you prepare for exams? Assignments often cover similar topics as those covered in exams, and completing assignments helps you revise and reinforce your knowledge of these topics. And with a little bit of preparation, you’ll find yourself performing better in exams and achieving your academic goals.    

conclusion     

Assignments are not just another burden or task to complete. They play a vital role in shaping your life and future. So, the next time you receive an assignment, don’t say “ Ye assignments khatam kyun nahi hote”!      

Embrace it as an opportunity to develop essential life skills that will serve you well beyond your academic life.    

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Effect of Assignment Choice on Student Academic Performance in an Online Class

• Brief Practice
• Published: 26 February 2021
• Volume 14 , pages 1074–1078, ( 2021 )

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• Hannah MacNaul   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6992-9991 1 , 2 ,
• Rachel Garcia   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1805-4499 2 ,
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Choice of assignment has been shown to increase student engagement, improve academic outcomes, and promote student satisfaction in higher education courses (Hanewicz, Platt, & Arendt, Distance Education , 38 (3), 273–287, 2017 ). However, in previous research, choice resulted in complex procedures and increased response effort for instructors (e.g., Arendt, Trego, & Allred, Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education , 8 (1), 2–17, 2016 ). Using simplified procedures, the current study employed a repeated-measures with an alternating-treatments design to evaluate the effects of assignment choice (flash cards, study guide) on the academic outcomes of 42 graduate students in an online, asynchronous course. Slight differences between conditions were observed, but differences were not statistically significant.

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As access to the internet increases, more students pursuing higher education are completing online programs. In fact, nearly 50% of master’s-level applied behavior analysis training programs in the United States offer courses in an online format (Behavior Analyst Certification Board, 2021 ). Given the increase of students in online courses and programs, investigating instructional procedures to support students in meeting learning outcomes has become critical. In learner-centered teaching (LCT; Weimer, 2013 ), instructors aim to motivate students by giving them some control over the learning process, such as choice of assignments and choice of assignment deadlines.

In the academic context, the opportunity to select between two or more concurrently available assignments has been shown to increase student engagement, exam scores, and student satisfaction (e.g., Hanewicz et al., 2017 ). Moreover, various assignment formats—that is, flash cards and study guides—are empirically supported strategies that help students build fluency with material and improve efficiency in studying, respectively (Tincani, 2004 ). In a recent study, Jopp and Cohen ( 2020 ) identified only four studies (Arendt, Trego, & Allred, 2016 ; Cook, 2001 ; Hanewicz, Platt, & Arendt, 2017 ; Rideout, 2017 ) in which students were given a choice of assignments and, in all of these studies, choice was associated with a positive outcome (e.g., increased engagement and exam scores). However, in these studies, the arrangement of procedures in order to offer choice resulted in complex point systems (e.g., Rideout, 2017 ), a large number of assignment choices (e.g., 59 in Arendt et al., 2016 ), or a vast number of different due dates (e.g., Arendt et al., 2016 ). To address these limitations, Jopp and Cohen kept the number of assignments available in the course and their relative weights the same as in the previous iteration of the course; however, for three of the required assignments, students could choose one of the three available assignment options. In their study, assignment choice increased satisfaction with the course but did not increase learning outcomes (i.e., grade) in comparison to a previous semester when the course did not include choice. Nevertheless, students indicated that they did not have a good understanding of all of the different assignment options. Furthermore, in previous studies, students did not experience both the choice and no-choice conditions; thus, individual differences between groups may have moderated outcomes (e.g., Rideout, 2017 ).

As noted previously, choice has had a positive impact on student engagement; however, further research on procedures that can aid in the mastery of academic content while requiring few resources is warranted. This study sought to evaluate the effects of assignment choice on student academic outcomes. To extend this line of research, this study incorporated choice of assignment (i.e., flash cards and study guides) in a simpler manner, ensured that all students experienced all experimental conditions (i.e., using an alternating-treatments design), and exposed students to both assignments prior to the onset of the study.

Participants and Setting

Forty-two graduate students across two cohorts (fall 2019: n = 25; spring 2020: n = 17) who were enrolled in a fully online master’s program participated in the current study. Most students were female ( n = 39), and geographically, students were located around the United States. All students in each section participated in the study and were completing this course in partial fulfillment of the requirements to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. The course, which covered functional assessment methods, and instructor were the same across both cohorts. The course was administered via Canvas, a learning management platform previously used by the students in other courses. This was an 8-week asynchronous course wherein students were not required to meet on a certain day and time but had to progress through a module per week, and therefore the entire course, by certain deadlines. Modules were identical in setup, including a module description with learning objectives, a video introduction from the instructor, required readings, prerecorded lectures, a discussion board, and a quiz. Each component of the module was introduced in succession, meaning that completion of one task allowed the student to access the next task in the sequence. Additionally, in six out of eight modules, students completed an interactive practice assignment.

Materials included instructor-designed practice assignments (i.e., flash cards, study guides) developed using the online website GoConqr ( www.goconqr.com ). The flash cards and study guides covered the same subject matter and content areas (e.g., key terms and definitions), and both required approximately 15 min of the instructor’s time to develop. The practice assignments were embedded into Canvas and were presented either concurrently (i.e., choice condition) or in isolation (i.e., no-choice condition).

Dependent Variables

Dependent variables included student academic performance and preference of assignment format. Student academic performance consisted of the average score of all students per module quiz. Quizzes were worth a total of 20 points, and each consisted of scenario-based, multiple-choice, and short-answer questions, which were graded using an instructor-developed rubric. Student preference of assignment format was determined by the proportion of students who selected to complete each of the assignments during choice conditions.

Experimental Design and General Procedures

A repeated-measures with an embedded alternating-treatments design was employed to compare student performance across conditions. To mitigate any foreseen testing or sequence effects, treatment conditions were counterbalanced across cohorts and included choice, no-choice, and no-assignment (i.e., control condition) conditions. Across all conditions, students completed assigned readings, viewed the module lecture, and participated in the discussion board. Then, they either completed a practice assignment and a quiz (e.g., choice and no-choice conditions) or went straight from the discussion board to the quiz (e.g., no-assignment condition). When a practice assignment was available (choice and no-choice conditions), students were instructed to dedicate at least 10 min to the assignment, and they could complete the assignment as many times as desired until they reached a score of 100%. To receive full credit (i.e., 20 points), students were required to submit a screenshot of the score received, which also included the time spent on the assignment; thus, if a screenshot was not submitted and/or showed that students had not spent 10 min on the assignment, the students received zero points.

Exposure Phase

Students received instructions on the completion of each assignment type and completed an example of each assignment. However, these assignments covered content related to the syllabus and course structure. This exposure phase was implemented to give students the opportunity to experience both types of practice assignments prior to allowing them to choose between the two.

Choice Condition

In the choice condition, students had the option to select one assignment to complete, either flash cards or a study guide. The Canvas function Mastery Paths was utilized to present the choice of assignments. First, students selected “true” or “false” in response to a pledge statement (i.e., “I have completed all readings for this module, viewed the lecture, and participated in the discussion board.”). Following submission of a “true” response, students were given a choice between the two practice assignments. Upon the student’s selection of an assignment, the other option was no longer available. The selection of “false” in response to the pledge statement would redirect the student to the start of the module; however, no students selected “false” throughout the course of the study.

No-Choice Condition

In the no-choice condition, an assignment, either flash cards or a study guide, was assigned to the students by the instructor. There was no pledge statement, but all other components remained the same as in the choice condition.

No-Assignment Condition

In the no-assignment (i.e., control) condition, there was no pledge statement or practice assignment available for students to complete and, therefore, no points available. All other components remained the same as in the choice condition.

Procedural Fidelity

To assess procedural fidelity, a research assistant reviewed the Canvas page and recorded whether each student completed all components of each module (i.e., completing assigned readings, viewing lectures, and participating in the discussion board) in the prescribed sequence and prior to accessing the module assignment (choice and no-choice conditions only). In addition, during the choice and no-choice conditions, data were also collected on whether each participant completed only one practice assignment. Procedural fidelity was obtained for 100% of modules across both cohorts, and the average procedural fidelity score was 100%. It is important to note that data from Cohort 1 Module 1 are excluded from the procedural fidelity scores and the average quiz score across conditions because 16 of 25 students completed both the flash card and study guide assignments. Subsequently, procedural modifications were made.

Student average quiz scores were highest in the choice condition for both cohorts, with a mean of 17.29 ( SD = 2.79, n = 99) across cohorts (see Table 1 and Fig. 1 ). Although student performance was slightly higher in the choice condition compared to the no-choice ( M = 16.65, SD = 2.62, n = 123) and no-assignment ( M = 17.00, SD = 1.83, n = 82) conditions, the differences in performance between conditions, as well as relative differences between conditions, were not statistically significant for any pairwise comparison (all p > 16). A one-way analysis of variance revealed no significant differences in mean performance scores between conditions, F (2, 301) = 1.87, p = .157. Indeed, no two conditions revealed statistically significant differences between mean quiz scores when follow-up Benjamini–Hochberg pairwise comparisons were used ( p choice vs. no choice = .17, p choice vs. no assignment = .43, p no choice vs. no assignment = .43). Further, relative gains between conditions also revealed no statistically significant pairwise differences between conditions when comparing normalized gain scores ([ M post − M pre ]/ SD ) between conditions ( p choice vs. no choice = .28, p choice vs. no assignment = .73, p no choice vs. no assignment = .21). Similarly, a comparison between the no-assignment (control) condition and the remaining two conditions using planned contrasts revealed no statistically significant differences in mean performance ( t = .24, p = .810). The quiz scores for each module are presented in Table 1 . For Cohort 2, the no-assignment condition resulted in a higher average quiz score ( M = 16.85, SD = 2.06, n = 34) compared to the no-choice condition ( M = 15.4, SD = 2.58, n = 51).

Average cohort performance across conditions. Note. Bars represent 95% confidence intervals

The frequency of students’ selection between the two practice assignment modalities (e.g., student preference of assignment format) also yielded negligible differences. Across both cohorts, in 51.5% (49 of 101) of opportunities, students chose to complete flash cards, and in 48.5% (52 of 101) of opportunities, students chose to complete the study guide during choice conditions. The difference between these proportions was not statistically significant at conventional levels (χ 2  = .181, p = .67). However, individual data indicate that certain students often chose the same assignment across modules (data are available upon request).

In this study, choice was designed in a simplified manner compared to previous research, thus increasing the feasibility of implementation for instructors. In addition, the influence of individual differences on mean values was minimized by employing an alternating-treatments design. In the current study, providing students with a choice of assignment improved performance only slightly and, ultimately, did not have any negative effects. Furthermore, based on the aggregate data, students did not show a preference for a particular assignment; this is not consistent with the findings of previous research (e.g., Jopp & Cohen, 2020 ) in which a large portion (48%–88% across the three opportunities) of students selected the same assignment. However, as noted previously, some students often chose the same assignment across modules. This may be the case, as previous studies have identified a relationship between students’ approach to learning and their preference for differing assessments (Gijbels & Dochy, 2006 ). It is also likely that the selection of a particular assignment is correlated with the response effort associated with each assignment format, a hypothesis partially supported by Jopp and Cohen ( 2020 ).

Related to response effort, previous studies have noted that a limitation of providing the choice of assignments to students is that it results in the instructor spending more time creating and grading assignments (Arendt et al., 2016 ; Hanewicz et al., 2017 ). The current study avoided this issue by providing students with fewer choices of assignments, an unlimited number of attempts to complete each assignment, and designating grades as either complete or incomplete.

Given the shortage of research evaluating effective instructional practices for online learning environments, the increase in online instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and our inconclusive results regarding the use of choice in higher education learning, additional research in this area is needed. Future studies could evaluate the impact of the type of assignment available and student preference for assignments based on grades, as well as choice, in combination with other instructional practices (e.g., differentiated instruction). In this study, the Mastery Paths function allowed for the choice of assignment, but this function may also benefit students in other ways. For example, students could receive choices of different assignments (e.g., short Assignment 1 or short Assignment 2; long Assignment 3 and short Assignment 1) based on their scores on a pretest quiz. Footnote 1 With this modification in the design of a course, differentiated instruction and choice of assignment could be automatically programmed into the course structure, promoting the involvement of LCT (Weimer, 2013 ); however, additional research is needed.

This study is not without limitations. As previously mentioned, data from Cohort 1’s Module 1 were excluded because students completed both assignments due to a procedural error in setting up the module. This issue was resolved but required the addition of a question (i.e., pledge statement); however, this pledge statement was not present in all conditions. Furthermore, for Cohort 2, the no-assignment condition resulted in higher average quiz scores compared to the no-choice condition (e.g., control condition). This may have been the case because Module 3 (a no-choice condition) for Cohort 2 was in March 2020, at the start of the pandemic. Given that the stay-at-home order may have impacted childcare and job security and added additional stressors for the students, the lower quiz score on this module may be a reflection of the added environmental changes and not directly an effect of the no-choice condition. Additionally, in both cohorts, performance on the end-of-module quizzes improved across the 8 weeks, perhaps because students learned what to expect during the quizzes and to identify the most relevant information from lectures, readings, and practice assignments. Future studies may attempt to replicate these procedures, but with the randomization of entire cohorts experiencing only one condition, followed by a comparison of the performance of each cohort across conditions. To address other limitations of the current study, future studies should assess the acceptability of the conditions (i.e., social validity) and evaluate variables (e.g., preference, response effort) that impact the selection of assignment.

A task analysis describing the steps necessary to use the Mastery Path function in Canvas is available under Supplemental materials .

Arendt, A., Trego, T., & Allred, J. (2016). Students reach beyond expectations with cafeteria style grading. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 8 (1), 2–17. https://doi.org/10.1108/jarhe-03-2014-0048 .

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Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2021). Verified course sequence directory. Association for Behavior Analysis International. Retrieved January 18, 2021 from https://www.abainternational.org/vcs/directory.aspx

Cook, A. (2001). Assessing the use of flexible assessment. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 26 (6), 539–549. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602930120093878 .

Gijbels, D., & Dochy, F. (2006). Students’ assessment preferences and approaches to learning: Can formative assessment make a difference? Educational Studies, 32 (4), 399–409. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055690600850354 .

Hanewicz, C., Platt, A., & Arendt, A. (2017). Creating a learner-centered teaching environment using student choice in assignments. Distance Education, 38 (3), 273–287. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2017.1369349 .

Jopp, R., & Cohen, J. (2020). Choose your own assessment—Assessment choice for students in online higher education. Teaching in Higher Education . https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1742680 . Advance online publication.

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Research Highlights

• The Canvas Mastery Paths function allows instructors to automate choice of assignments into a course, as well as differentiate instruction across students.

• This study extends our understanding of effective teaching strategies in online instruction because results demonstrated that choice of assignments alone did not significantly improve student learning outcomes.

• In this study, choice of assignment was designed in a manner to allow feasibility of implementation by most instructors.

• This article includes step-by-step instructions for how to use the Canvas Mastery Paths function, provided as online Supplementary Material .

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MacNaul, H., Garcia, R., Cividini-Motta, C. et al. Effect of Assignment Choice on Student Academic Performance in an Online Class. Behav Analysis Practice 14 , 1074–1078 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00566-8

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Accepted : 10 February 2021

Published : 26 February 2021

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s40617-021-00566-8

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Types of Assignments

Cristy Bartlett and Kate Derrington

Introduction

As discussed in the previous chapter, assignments are a common method of assessment at university. You may encounter many assignments over your years of study, yet some will look quite different from others. By recognising different types of assignments and understanding the purpose of the task, you can direct your writing skills effectively to meet task requirements. This chapter draws on the skills from the previous chapter, and extends the discussion, showing you where to aim with different types of assignments.

The chapter begins by exploring the popular essay assignment, with its two common categories, analytical and argumentative essays. It then examines assignments requiring case study responses , as often encountered in fields such as health or business. This is followed by a discussion of assignments seeking a report (such as a scientific report) and reflective writing assignments, common in nursing, education and human services. The chapter concludes with an examination of annotated bibliographies and literature reviews. The chapter also has a selection of templates and examples throughout to enhance your understanding and improve the efficacy of  your assignment writing skills.

Different Types of Written Assignments

At university, an essay is a common form of assessment. In the previous chapter Writing Assignments we discussed what was meant by showing academic writing in your assignments. It is important that you consider these aspects of structure, tone and language when writing an essay.

Components of an essay

Essays should use formal but reader friendly language and have a clear and logical structure. They must include research from credible academic sources such as peer reviewed journal articles and textbooks. This research should be referenced throughout your essay to support your ideas (See the chapter Working with Information ).

If you have never written an essay before, you may feel unsure about how to start.  Breaking your essay into sections and allocating words accordingly will make this process more manageable and will make planning the overall essay structure much easier.

• An essay requires an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion.
• Generally, an introduction and conclusion are approximately 10% each of the total word count.
• The remaining words can then be divided into sections and a paragraph allowed for each area of content you need to cover.
• Use your task and criteria sheet to decide what content needs to be in your plan

An effective essay introduction needs to inform your reader by doing four basic things:

Table 20.1 An effective essay

An effective essay body paragraph needs to:

An effective essay conclusion needs to:

Common types of essays

You may be required to write different types of essays, depending on your study area and topic. Two of the most commonly used essays are analytical and argumentative .  The task analysis process discussed in the previous chapter Writing Assignments will help you determine the type of essay required. For example, if your assignment question uses task words such as analyse, examine, discuss, determine or explore, you would be writing an analytical essay . If your assignment question has task words such as argue, evaluate, justify or assess, you would be writing an argumentative essay . Despite the type of essay, your ability to analyse and think critically is important and common across genres.  

Analytical essays

These essays usually provide some background description of the relevant theory, situation, problem, case, image, etcetera that is your topic. Being analytical requires you to look carefully at various components or sections of your topic in a methodical and logical way to create understanding.

The purpose of the analytical essay is to demonstrate your ability to examine the topic thoroughly. This requires you to go deeper than description by considering different sides of the situation, comparing and contrasting a variety of theories and the positives and negatives of the topic. Although in an analytical essay your position on the topic may be clear, it is not necessarily a requirement that you explicitly identify this with a thesis statement, as is the case with an argumentative essay. If you are unsure whether you are required to take a position, and provide a thesis statement, it is best to check with your tutor.

Argumentative essays

These essays require you to take a position on the assignment topic. This is expressed through your thesis statement in your introduction. You must then present and develop your arguments throughout the body of your assignment using logically structured paragraphs. Each of these paragraphs needs a topic sentence that relates to the thesis statement. In an argumentative essay, you must reach a conclusion based on the evidence you have presented.

Case Study Responses

Case studies are a common form of assignment in many study areas and students can underperform in this genre for a number of key reasons.

Students typically lose marks for not:

• Relating their answer sufficiently to the case details
• Applying critical thinking
• Writing with clear structure
• Using appropriate or sufficient sources
• Using accurate referencing

When structuring your response to a case study, remember to refer to the case. Structure your paragraphs similarly to an essay paragraph structure but include examples and data from the case as additional evidence to support your points (see Figure 20.5 ). The colours in the sample paragraph below show the function of each component.

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Code of Conduct and Nursing Standards (2018) play a crucial role in determining the scope of practice for nurses and midwives. A key component discussed in the code is the provision of person-centred care and the formation of therapeutic relationships between nurses and patients (NMBA, 2018). This ensures patient safety and promotes health and wellbeing (NMBA, 2018). The standards also discuss the importance of partnership and shared decision-making in the delivery of care (NMBA, 2018, 4). Boyd and Dare (2014) argue that good communication skills are vital for building therapeutic relationships and trust between patients and care givers. This will help ensure the patient is treated with dignity and respect and improve their overall hospital experience. In the case, the therapeutic relationship with the client has been compromised in several ways. Firstly, the nurse did not conform adequately to the guidelines for seeking informed consent before performing the examination as outlined in principle 2.3 (NMBA, 2018). Although she explained the procedure, she failed to give the patient appropriate choices regarding her health care. 

Topic sentence | Explanations using paraphrased evidence including in-text references | Critical thinking (asks the so what? question to demonstrate your student voice). | Relating the theory back to the specifics of the case. The case becomes a source of examples as extra evidence to support the points you are making.

Reports are a common form of assessment at university and are also used widely in many professions. It is a common form of writing in business, government, scientific, and technical occupations.

Reports can take many different structures. A report is normally written to present information in a structured manner, which may include explaining laboratory experiments, technical information, or a business case.  Reports may be written for different audiences including clients, your manager, technical staff, or senior leadership within an organisation. The structure of reports can vary, and it is important to consider what format is required. The choice of structure will depend upon professional requirements and the ultimate aims of the report. Consider some of the options in the table below (see Table 20.2 ).

Table 20.2 Explanations of different types of reports

Reflective writing.

Reflective writing is a popular method of assessment at university. It is used to help you explore feelings, experiences, opinions, events or new information to gain a clearer and deeper understanding of your learning. A reflective writing task requires more than a description or summary.  It requires you to analyse a situation, problem or experience, consider what you may have learnt and evaluate how this may impact your thinking and actions in the future. This requires critical thinking, analysis, and usually the application of good quality research, to demonstrate your understanding or learning from a situation. Essentially, reflective practice is the process of looking back on past experiences and engaging with them in a thoughtful way and drawing conclusions to inform future experiences. The reflection skills you develop at university will be vital in the workplace to assist you to use feedback for growth and continuous improvement. There are numerous models of reflective writing and you should refer to your subject guidelines for your expected format. If there is no specific framework, a simple model to help frame your thinking is What? So what? Now what?   (Rolfe et al., 2001).

Table 20.3 What? So What? Now What? Explained.

The Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle

The Gibbs’ Cycle of reflection encourages you to consider your feelings as part of the reflective process. There are six specific steps to work through. Following this model carefully and being clear of the requirements of each stage, will help you focus your thinking and reflect more deeply. This model is popular in Health.

The 4 R’s of reflective thinking

This model (Ryan and Ryan, 2013) was designed specifically for university students engaged in experiential learning.  Experiential learning includes any ‘real-world’ activities including practice led activities, placements and internships.  Experiential learning, and the use of reflective practice to heighten this learning, is common in Creative Arts, Health and Education.

Annotated Bibliography

What is it.

An annotated bibliography is an alphabetical list of appropriate sources (books, journals or websites) on a topic, accompanied by a brief summary, evaluation and sometimes an explanation or reflection on their usefulness or relevance to your topic. Its purpose is to teach you to research carefully, evaluate sources and systematically organise your notes. An annotated bibliography may be one part of a larger assessment item or a stand-alone assessment piece. Check your task guidelines for the number of sources you are required to annotate and the word limit for each entry.

How do I know what to include?

When choosing sources for your annotated bibliography it is important to determine:

• The topic you are investigating and if there is a specific question to answer
• The type of sources on which you need to focus
• Whether they are reputable and of high quality

What do I say?

Important considerations include:

• Is the work current?
• Is the work relevant to your topic?
• Is the author credible/reliable?
• Is there any author bias?
• The strength and limitations (this may include an evaluation of research methodology).

Literature Reviews

It is easy to get confused by the terminology used for literature reviews. Some tasks may be described as a systematic literature review when actually the requirement is simpler; to review the literature on the topic but do it in a systematic way. There is a distinct difference (see Table 20.4 ). As a commencing undergraduate student, it is unlikely you would be expected to complete a systematic literature review as this is a complex and more advanced research task. It is important to check with your lecturer or tutor if you are unsure of the requirements.

Table 20.4 Comparison of Literature Reviews

Generally, you are required to establish the main ideas that have been written on your chosen topic. You may also be expected to identify gaps in the research. A literature review does not summarise and evaluate each resource you find (this is what you would do in an annotated bibliography). You are expected to analyse and synthesise or organise common ideas from multiple texts into key themes which are relevant to your topic (see Figure 20.10 ). Use a table or a spreadsheet, if you know how, to organise the information you find. Record the full reference details of the sources as this will save you time later when compiling your reference list (see Table 20.5 ).

Overall, this chapter has provided an introduction to the types of assignments you can expect to complete at university, as well as outlined some tips and strategies with examples and templates for completing them. First, the chapter investigated essay assignments, including analytical and argumentative essays. It then examined case study assignments, followed by a discussion of the report format. Reflective writing , popular in nursing, education and human services, was also considered. Finally, the chapter briefly addressed annotated bibliographies and literature reviews. The chapter also has a selection of templates and examples throughout to enhance your understanding and improve the efficacy of your assignment writing skills.

• Not all assignments at university are the same. Understanding the requirements of different types of assignments will assist in meeting the criteria more effectively.
• There are many different types of assignments. Most will require an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion.
• An essay should have a clear and logical structure and use formal but reader friendly language.
• Breaking your assignment into manageable chunks makes it easier to approach.
• Effective body paragraphs contain a topic sentence.
• A case study structure is similar to an essay, but you must remember to provide examples from the case or scenario to demonstrate your points.
• The type of report you may be required to write will depend on its purpose and audience. A report requires structured writing and uses headings.
• Reflective writing is popular in many disciplines and is used to explore feelings, experiences, opinions or events to discover what learning or understanding has occurred. Reflective writing requires more than description. You need to be analytical, consider what has been learnt and evaluate the impact of this on future actions.
• Annotated bibliographies teach you to research and evaluate sources and systematically organise your notes. They may be part of a larger assignment.
• Literature reviews require you to look across the literature and analyse and synthesise the information you find into themes.

Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Further Education Unit, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford.

Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001). Critical reflection in nursing and the helping professions: a user’s guide . Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Ryan, M. & Ryan, M. (2013). Theorising a model for teaching and assessing reflective learning in higher education.  Higher Education Research & Development , 32(2), 244-257. doi: 10.1080/07294360.2012.661704

Academic Success Copyright © 2021 by Cristy Bartlett and Kate Derrington is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Importance of assignments in Student life

• January 29, 2020
• Academic Help , Education , general awareness , general knowledge , informative blogs , make my assignment

Many of us believe that assignments are a total waste in our lives and that they have no significant importance in academics. Which is why we do get annoyed whenever our teachers talk about submitting assignments or assigning one. Assignment writing task is something, which is almost disliked by every individual reading this blog. However, this concept is completely wrong.

From the beginning of the learning process, students are given certain assignments and homework , to develop their critical and analytical skills. In the initial stages, i.e. if we talk about elementary schooling part, the complexity level of such assignments remain low, but as a student enters some college or university, the assignments turn into a more complicated and sophistical thing. Though, many of us might still question as to why we are given assignments, and what is the main purpose behind it? Well, there are many intentions behind giving assignments and homework to students.

Teachers deliver necessary knowledge and information to students which help them in understanding the topics related to various subjects. As a teacher, it is not acceptable behavior to present everything to their students and pamper them. This effectively harms the learning competencies of students, and thus education becomes meaningless to them. Therefore, with the help of assignments and homework, students are expected to gain knowledge on their own at home.

There are many reasons as to why students are given with assignments , which are as follows-

Building focus

Often the assignments and homework come with a good percentage which can further boost their final score. Therefore, students are required to complete their assignments in order to finish their full course. This will help them concentrate more on their subject and encourage high score so that they can easily write a flawless paper.

Advancement of the learners

Students are given numerous types of assignments which need to be completed at their home, as this requires their complete dedication which further helps in their development. According to some experts, the growth of a human is directly linked to its utilization of the brain. So, if students give more efforts and study time without taking help from others, they tend to gain more knowledge.

Practical skills

With the help of assignments, students get to learn new techniques and specific writing tips which assist them in their academics. Continuous practice is required if you want to excel in this field. Practice leads to an improvement in one’s skills or grabbing a grip for some subject. Thus, assignment writing and homework is a means of this exercise. When students write assignments or do their homework, they come across new problems and equations and discover its relevant solutions on their own, which is why they are given this task to complete at home. The practice also benefits the students by getting them ready for certain unpredicted situations.

Time management

The assignments and homework assigned to students need to be completed within a specified time period; which somehow makes them a time savvy. They find out which task is of more importance to them and how they can handle their agenda. Based on the urgency or significance, they assign equal importance to each task depending upon its time completing and other factors. Time management skill is something which can be used for future purpose as well. Therefore, it prepares one for his/her future career and endeavors.

Evaluative purpose

The primary purpose of providing assignments to students is to analyze whether they have understood a specific topic or subject. On the other hand, if the concept is not clear to a student, then it might reflect their sparse learning and weak foundation of understanding. Apart from this, teachers also assess various other skills that are endured in this process.

To become successful

Assignment and homework writing task is something that helps students with their future studies and theories; they also get the preparation done for their exams as well. This also helps them achieve their specific set goals and aims, and concentrate better on future endeavors.

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