types of assignments in college

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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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Understanding the different types of assignments in detail, rachel r.n..

• November 30, 2023
• How to Guides

As students advance in their academics studies, their academic knowledge increases thus increasing the level of assignments issue by their lecturers. Students are given academic assignments to test their level of understanding in a particular topic or subject.

Are you a student struggling to understand the various types of assignments you encounter during your academic journey? Look no further! In this article, I will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the different assignment types commonly found in universities. By gaining a better understanding of these assignment categories , you will be better equipped to meet the requirements and excel in your academics.

Assignments come in different forms and serve different purposes. Some of the most common types of assignments you may encounter include essays, case study responses, reports, reflective writing assignments , annotated bibliographies , and literature reviews . Let’s explore each of these assignment types in detail!

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What You'll Learn

Essay Assignments

One of the most frequently assigned tasks in university is the essay. Essays require you to present your ideas and arguments in a formal and structured manner. They demand clear and logical thinking, as well as the use of credible academic sources to support your claims. Essays can be further categorized into analytical essays , where you thoroughly examine a topic, and argumentative essays , where you take a stance on an issue and provide supporting evidence.

How to Format Essay Assignments

The following is a general list of sections you should include in your essay assignment:

A good essay title tells people what your essay is about. It helps them know what to expect from your essay, especially if they’re reading it for their own research. If the essay title is interesting, it can also make people curious and want to read your essay.

How important a catchy title is depends on the type of essay you’re writing. If it’s for a class assignment and your teacher is the only one reading it, the title doesn’t have to be super exciting. But if you’re entering a contest, applying to college or grad school, or trying to get it published, a catchy title is crucial. This is because the title is the first thing the editor or admissions committee will see, and it might decide whether they read your essay or not.

In short, a strong essay title gives a clear idea of what your essay is about. It doesn’t have to reveal everything, but it should give a general sense of what to expect and make people want to keep reading.

• Introduction

Your introduction is like the hello of your paper. It’s the first thing your reader sees, and it gives them an idea of how your writing will be. It helps them know what to expect in terms of tone, voice, and style.

Think of it as a warm-up for your reader. It shares some important info about your paper, so your reader understands what you’re talking about and why it matters.

But the introduction is not just about facts. It’s also a chance to grab your reader’s interest. If you start with something cool or make them think, they’ll be more excited to read the rest.

Here’s what you should include in your introduction, no matter what kind of paper you’re writing:

• A hook to get attention : Something that makes your reader go, “Hmm, this is interesting!”
• Background information : The basics your reader needs to understand your paper.
• A clear main point or thesis statement : What your paper is all about in one sentence.

Think of paragraphs as small parts of a bigger piece of writing. Each paragraph is like a mini version of the whole thing, with its own introduction, body, and conclusion in the form of sentences.

Now, let’s break it down. A good paragraph has four important parts, and you might already know some of them from our guide:

• Transitions: These are just a few words at the start or end of a paragraph that link it to the others. They help the writing flow smoothly.
• Topic sentence: This is usually the first sentence in a paragraph. It tells you what the whole paragraph is about.
• Supporting sentences: These sentences make up the main part of your paragraph. There are usually one to three of them, and they give more information or reasons to support the topic sentence.
• Conclusion (Summary): This is the last sentence of your paragraph. It sums up or repeats your main point in light of the evidence you provided.

Many people find writing conclusions in essays tough. But, they are super important because they make things clear and give you a better understanding of the topic.

To make a good ending for your essay, follow these steps:

Restate the thesis : A good ending reminds the reader about the main idea of your essay. But don’t just repeat it word for word. Say it in a different way while keeping the main point.

Repeat the important points : Besides talking again about your main idea, also go over the key points you made to support it. Instead of saying the same things you said before, summarize the main ideas.

Connect the beginning and ending statements : It’s helpful to go back to what you talked about at the start of your essay. This gives the reader a clear ending. You can do this by using similar ideas, going back to a story you started with, or using the same images.

Give some new thoughts Your ending should give the reader something to think about. It could be a solution, a new idea, questions for more thinking, or a call to do something. Explain why your ideas matter and why people should care. Answer these kinds of questions to leave your reader with something important to ponder.

• References.

You should include a list of sources (including module materials) that are mentioned in the essay. Find out more in the ACADEMIC STYLE GUIDE

Analytical Essays

Argumentative essays.

Essay assignment example: Applying the Concepts of Epidemiology and Nursing Research on Measles Nursing Paper Essay

Case Study Assignments

In certain fields like health or business, case study assignments are commonly assigned. These assignments require students to analyze a scenario in a particular field and respond to it guided by specific questions posed concerning the situation. In many cases, the scenario or case study involves a number of issues or problems that must be dealt with in a professional workplace.

To effectively respond to a case study, it is important to refer to the case itself, structure your analysis effectively, and use examples and data from the case as evidence to support your points.

Types of Case Studies

Illustrative case study: employed to provide a descriptive portrayal of a particular situation without aiming for generalizations. Often used for educational purposes, it offers readers a tangible example, fostering a clearer understanding of concepts.

Exploratory case studies: serve the purpose of exploring a subject or phenomenon, collecting preliminary insights before conducting a more extensive study. Ideal for gaining an understanding of the scope, scale, and potential variables associated with a problem, these studies help researchers refine their focus and approach.

Explanatory case studies : focus on establishing cause-and-effect relationships. They investigate why and how a specific situation occurred and explore its impact. This type is valuable when researchers seek to uncover underlying principles or factors contributing to a particular outcome, providing a deeper understanding of complex issues.

Critical instance case studies : concentrate on instances deemed uniquely interesting or significant. By delving into cases of exceptional relevance, researchers can extract insights that might be applicable to broader contexts. This type is particularly useful when studying rare or extreme cases that offer a distinctive perspective on an issue or challenge.

Prospective or longitudinal case studies: involve tracking the development of a situation over time. This approach necessitates repeated observations and data collection to analyze changes and patterns, making it well-suited for studying processes, developments, or changes in individuals, groups, or organizations over an extended period.

Steps to writing an answer to a case study assignment

• Carefully read the case study and questions
• Identify the issues being raised in the case study
• Link theory to practice
• Draft your answer
• Start writing your case study
• Proofread and edit

Analyzing Case Studies

When analyzing a case study, consider the following aspects:

• Context: Understand the background and setting of the case.
• Key Issues: Identify the main problems or challenges within the case.
• Analysis: Apply relevant theories or concepts to examine the case in depth.
• Recommendations: Offer practical solutions or suggestions for addressing the issues.

Example Case Study Analysis

“The case study presents a real-world scenario in the healthcare industry, focusing on the challenges faced by a hospital in improving patient satisfaction. Through a detailed analysis of patient feedback and hospital data, I identified the key issues contributing to low satisfaction scores, such as long wait times and inadequate communication. Based on this analysis, I recommended implementing strategies to streamline processes, enhance communication between staff and patients, and improve overall patient experience. This case study provided valuable insights into the complexities of healthcare management and the importance of patient-centered care.” – Student, Health Management Program

Case Study Structure

A well-structured case study analysis typically includes the following sections:

• Introduction: Provide a brief overview of the case and its importance.
• Background: Present relevant background information about the case.
• Analysis: Analyze the case, addressing the key issues identified.
• Findings: Summarize your findings based on the analysis.
• Conclusion: Provide a concise conclusion that ties everything together.

Related blog article: Case Study on Moral Status .

Report Assignments

Reports are a common form of assessment in various professions. They serve as a means of communicating information and analysis to a specific audience. Report assignments can take different structures and formats, depending on the professional requirements and the purpose of the report.

In general, a report consists of several sections that provide a comprehensive overview of the topic being discussed. This may include an executive summary, introduction, methodology, findings, analysis, and conclusion.

The specific sections of a report can vary depending on the field and purpose of the assignment. For example, a business report may include sections on market analysis, financial analysis, and recommendations, while a scientific research report may include sections on hypothesis, methodology, results, and discussion.

When working on a report assignment, it is important to carefully follow the given guidelines and structure the report in a logical and coherent manner. Each section should be clearly labeled and organized, making it easy for the reader to navigate and understand the content.

Additionally, reports often require the use of visual aids such as tables, charts, and graphs to present data and support findings. These visual elements should be properly formatted and referenced within the text.

Overall, report assignments require careful planning, research, and analysis to effectively present information and make informed recommendations. By understanding the structure and components of reports, you can ensure that your assignments meet the requirements and effectively convey your findings and insights to the intended audience.

Report assignment essay: Term-Long Project Nursing Paper Example

Reflective Writing, Annotated Bibliographies, and Literature Reviews

Reflective writing assignments , annotated bibliographies, and literature reviews are important types of assignments that you may encounter in your academic journey. They each serve a unique purpose and require specific approaches to effectively complete them. These assignments encourage self-reflection and exploration of personal experiences and thoughts on a particular topic.

Reflective Writing Assignments

Reflective writing assignments provide an opportunity for self-reflection and personal exploration. In fields such as nursing, education, and human services, these assignments encourage you to think critically about your experiences, thoughts, and emotions related to a particular topic. By analyzing your own reactions and considering the impact of these experiences, you can gain deeper insights and develop a greater understanding of the subject matter.

Annotated Bibliographies

Annotated bibliographies are valuable resources that provide a comprehensive list of sources accompanied by brief descriptions and evaluations. These assignments require you to carefully select relevant sources and provide thoughtful annotations that summarize the key points, strengths, and weaknesses of each source. By creating an annotated bibliography, you demonstrate your ability to critically analyze and evaluate existing literature on a particular topic.

Literature Reviews

Literature reviews involve a thorough examination of existing literature on a specific subject. They aim to identify current trends, research gaps, and areas for further investigation. By conducting a comprehensive review of scholarly articles, books, and other relevant sources, you can contribute to the existing knowledge base and showcase your ability to synthesize information from multiple sources.

Now that you have a better understanding of the different types of assignments , you can confidently tackle any task that comes your way. Remember, at StudyingHq.com, you can find thousands of free essay examples, samples, guides, topics, and research papers to inspire your own work. And if you need writing assistance, our team of expert writers is ready to help you within 2-3 hours. Good luck with your assignments!

What are the different types of assignments in university?

Some common types of assignments include essays, case study responses, reports, reflective writing assignments, annotated bibliographies, and literature reviews.

What do essays require and how can they be categorized?

Essays require formal language, a clear and logical structure, and the use of credible academic sources. They can be categorized into  analytical essays , which involve examining a topic thoroughly, and  argumentative essays , which require taking a position on an issue and presenting arguments supported by evidence.

What are case study assignments and how should I respond to them?

Case study assignments  involve analyzing a specific situation, problem, or organization over a selected period of time. When responding to a case study, it is important to refer to the case, structure your paragraphs effectively, and use examples and data from the case as evidence to support your points.

What are the different types of report assignments?

Reports can take different structures, such as business reports or scientific and research reports. The structure of a report depends on professional requirements and the purpose of the report. It typically includes sections like an executive summary, introduction, process, findings, and conclusion.

What are reflective writing assignments, annotated bibliographies, and literature reviews?

Reflective writing assignments involve self-reflection and exploring personal experiences or thoughts on a particular topic. Annotated bibliographies are lists of sources with brief descriptions and evaluations. Literature reviews examine existing literature on a topic, highlighting current trends and identifying research gaps.

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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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How to write the best college assignments.

By Lois Weldon

When it comes to writing assignments, it is difficult to find a conceptualized guide with clear and simple tips that are easy to follow. That’s exactly what this guide will provide: few simple tips on how to write great assignments, right when you need them. Some of these points will probably be familiar to you, but there is no harm in being reminded of the most important things before you start writing the assignments, which are usually determining on your credits.

The most important aspects: Outline and Introduction

Preparation is the key to success, especially when it comes to academic assignments. It is recommended to always write an outline before you start writing the actual assignment. The outline should include the main points of discussion, which will keep you focused throughout the work and will make your key points clearly defined. Outlining the assignment will save you a lot of time because it will organize your thoughts and make your literature searches much easier. The outline will also help you to create different sections and divide up the word count between them, which will make the assignment more organized.

The introduction is the next important part you should focus on. This is the part that defines the quality of your assignment in the eyes of the reader. The introduction must include a brief background on the main points of discussion, the purpose of developing such work and clear indications on how the assignment is being organized. Keep this part brief, within one or two paragraphs.

This is an example of including the above mentioned points into the introduction of an assignment that elaborates the topic of obesity reaching proportions:

Background : The twenty first century is characterized by many public health challenges, among which obesity takes a major part. The increasing prevalence of obesity is creating an alarming situation in both developed and developing regions of the world.

Structure and aim : This assignment will elaborate and discuss the specific pattern of obesity epidemic development, as well as its epidemiology. Debt, trade and globalization will also be analyzed as factors that led to escalation of the problem. Moreover, the assignment will discuss the governmental interventions that make efforts to address this issue.

Practical tips on assignment writing

Here are some practical tips that will keep your work focused and effective:

–         Critical thinking – Academic writing has to be characterized by critical thinking, not only to provide the work with the needed level, but also because it takes part in the final mark.

–         Continuity of ideas – When you get to the middle of assignment, things can get confusing. You have to make sure that the ideas are flowing continuously within and between paragraphs, so the reader will be enabled to follow the argument easily. Dividing the work in different paragraphs is very important for this purpose.

–         Usage of ‘you’ and ‘I’ – According to the academic writing standards, the assignments should be written in an impersonal language, which means that the usage of ‘you’ and ‘I’ should be avoided. The only acceptable way of building your arguments is by using opinions and evidence from authoritative sources.

–         Referencing – this part of the assignment is extremely important and it takes a big part in the final mark. Make sure to use either Vancouver or Harvard referencing systems, and use the same system in the bibliography and while citing work of other sources within the text.  

–         Usage of examples – A clear understanding on your assignment’s topic should be provided by comparing different sources and identifying their strengths and weaknesses in an objective manner. This is the part where you should show how the knowledge can be applied into practice.

–         Numbering and bullets – Instead of using numbering and bullets, the academic writing style prefers the usage of paragraphs.

–         Including figures and tables – The figures and tables are an effective way of conveying information to the reader in a clear manner, without disturbing the word count. Each figure and table should have clear headings and you should make sure to mention their sources in the bibliography.

–         Word count – the word count of your assignment mustn’t be far above or far below the required word count. The outline will provide you with help in this aspect, so make sure to plan the work in order to keep it within the boundaries.

The importance of an effective conclusion

The conclusion of your assignment is your ultimate chance to provide powerful arguments that will impress the reader. The conclusion in academic writing is usually expressed through three main parts:

–         Stating the context and aim of the assignment

–         Summarizing the main points briefly

–         Providing final comments with consideration of the future (discussing clear examples of things that can be done in order to improve the situation concerning your topic of discussion).

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Lois Weldon is writer at  Uk.bestdissertation.com . Lives happily at London with her husband and lovely daughter. Adores writing tips for students. Passionate about Star Wars and yoga.

7 comments on “How To Write The Best College Assignments”

Extremely useful tip for students wanting to score well on their assignments. I concur with the writer that writing an outline before ACTUALLY starting to write assignments is extremely important. I have observed students who start off quite well but they tend to lose focus in between which causes them to lose marks. So an outline helps them to maintain the theme focused.

Hello Great information…. write assignments

Well elabrated

Thanks for the information. This site has amazing articles. Looking forward to continuing on this site.

This article is certainly going to help student . Well written.

Really good, thanks

Practical tips on assignment writing, the’re fantastic. Thank you!

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4.3: Types of Assignments

• Last updated
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• Page ID 133160

• Ana Stevenson
• James Cook University via James Cook University

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, which are 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 each approximately 10% 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:

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, then you would be writing an analytical essay . If your assignment question has task words such as argue, evaluate, justify, or assess, then you would be writing an argumentative essay . Regardless of 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 your position on the topic may be clear in an analytical essay, it is not necessarily a requirement that you explicitly identify this with a thesis statement. In an argumentative essay, however, it is necessary that you explicitly identify your position on the topic with a thesis statement. 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 68). 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 18.2).

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).

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 (e.g. books, journal articles, 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 item. 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 these sources 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

Generally, a literature review requires that you review the scholarly literature and establish the main ideas that have been written about your chosen topic. 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 18.10). You may also be expected to identify gaps in the research.

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 15.4). 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.

When conducting a literature review, 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 18.5).

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.

Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001). Critical reflection in nursing and the helping professions: A user’s guide . 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. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2012.661704

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How to Ace Your College Assignments

College can be tough. You’re juggling classes, homework, a social life, and maybe a job on the side. It’s no wonder that sometimes your college assignments don’t get the attention they deserve. But did you know that there are tricks to acing your college assignments? Here are some tips and strategies that will help you get better grades in school!

For many students, college is a big learning curve. It’s a time in your life that involves a lot of change and getting used to many new things. When it comes to college assignments, many students find that things work differently from when they were in high school. The format and types of assessments are different, the criteria for passing can feel unfamiliar, and of course, the level of learning is a step up from high school too.

But getting good grades has a direct impact on your success at college, so it’s important to do as well as you can. So what can you do to get to grips with college assignments so you ace them? Here are some tips.

Read The Instructions

Start by reading the assignment instructions carefully. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to make sure you understand what the task is and what your lecturer or professor is looking for. If you’re unsure about anything, ask for clarification from your instructor. They are there to help you, so you should never feel unsure about going to ask for clarification, or for a little extra direction. You could even ask them what they’re looking for in order to give good grades. For example, is it more about research, or a good writing style? Any tips you can glean from the people marking your assignments will help.

Use Past Papers And Study Materials

When you have a better understanding of what’s required, it can be helpful to use past papers and college study materials to give yourself an idea of the sort of thing that might be expected. Study materials can also give you an idea of the level of detail required and the standard expected by your college. If you’re not sure where to find these things, ask your instructor or librarian for help. Getting hold of some of these past materials will help to give you a framework for your learning, understand the types of assignments your college sets, and what success looks like to them.

Create A Plan And Work Schedule

Once you have a good understanding of the task at hand and what’s expected of you, it’s time to create a plan. This should be a detailed document that outlines everything you need to do in order to complete the assignment to a high standard. Your plan should include a timeline and deadlines for each task, as well as what resources you’ll need and any other information that will help you to complete the assignment.

Work In Short Bursts

One of the best pieces of advice for college students is to work in short bursts . This means setting a timer for a certain amount of time and working on the task at hand for that amount of time, before taking a break. This method is often recommended for students because it’s a more effective way of working than trying to power through for hours on end. It’s also a lot easier to stay focused when you’re working in short bursts. When you take a break, make sure you get up and move around, have a snack, or do something to take your mind off of your work so you can come back refreshed and ready to focus again.

Take Regular Breaks

It’s important to take regular breaks when you’re working on an assignment. This will help to keep you from getting too bogged down in the task and will allow you to come back to it with fresh eyes. When you’re taking a break, make sure you get up and move around, have a snack, or do something to take your mind off of your work so you can come back refreshed and ready to focus again.

Set A Deadline For Yourself

As well as any deadlines set by your instructor, it can be helpful to set a deadline for yourself. This should be a date or time by which you will have completed the assignment. Having a personal deadline will help to keep you on track and motivated to get the work done.

Don’t Leave It To The Last Minute

One of the worst things you can do is leave your college assignment to the last minute. This will only lead to stress and will likely result in a rushed and poorly done piece of work. If you start the assignment early, you’ll have more time to do it properly and you’ll be less likely to make mistakes. It will also give you time to deal with any unexpected circumstances, such as some additional research you decide you need to do, or dealing with a cold that leaves you feeling under the weather for a few days.

Start With The Easy Stuff

When you’re starting an assignment, it can be helpful to start with the easy stuff. This will help to get you into the flow of working on the task and will give you a sense of accomplishment. Once you’ve completed the easy stuff, you can move on to the more challenging tasks. This will help you to stay focused and motivated, and will make the whole process less daunting.

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Online Guide to Writing and Research

College writing, explore more of umgc.

• Online Guide to Writing

What Is College Writing?

College writing, also called academic writing, teaches critical thinking and writing skills useful both in class and in other areas of life. College courses demand many different kinds of writing using a variety of strategies for different audiences. Sometimes your instructor will assign a topic and define the audience; sometimes you will have to define the topic and audience yourself. 

Types of Assignments

You will write many different types of assignments throughout your college career. Each type of assignment has specific requirements for content and format. The process of completing these assignments teaches you about the series of decisions you must make as you forge the link between your information and your audience. Click on the arrows below for some assignment types typically assigned in college.

written arguments

Short answers (such as discussion posts or essay questions on tests), lab reports, documentation of the research process, design documents (brochures, newsletters, powerpoints), business reports or plans, research essays, literature reviews, case studies, educating yourself through research.

Most college writing emphasizes the knowledge you gain in class and through research. This makes such writing different from your previous writing and perhaps more challenging. Instructors may expect your essays to contain more research and to show that you are capable of effectively evaluating those sources. You might be expected to incorporate sophisticated expository techniques, such as argument and persuasion, and to avoid flawed thinking, such as false assumptions and leaps in logic. You will often use the skills you learn in college writing throughout your life.

Key Takeaways

College writing

• teaches critical thinking skills.
• allows you to demonstrate your knowledge.
• takes many forms, depending on the discipline, the audience, the knowledge involved, and the goal of the assignment.

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Table of Contents: Online Guide to Writing

Chapter 1: College Writing

How Does College Writing Differ from Workplace 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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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Common Writing Assignments

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

These OWL resources will help you understand and complete specific types of writing assignments, such as annotated bibliographies, book reports, and research papers. This section also includes resources on writing academic proposals for conference presentations, journal articles, and books.

Understanding Writing Assignments

This resource describes some steps you can take to better understand the requirements of your writing assignments. This resource works for either in-class, teacher-led discussion or for personal use.

Argument Papers

This resource outlines the generally accepted structure for introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions in an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that this resource contains guidelines and not strict rules about organization. Your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.

Research Papers

This handout provides detailed information about how to write research papers including discussing research papers as a genre, choosing topics, and finding sources.

Exploratory Papers

This resource will help you with exploratory/inquiry essay assignments.

Annotated Bibliographies

This handout provides information about annotated bibliographies in MLA, APA, and CMS.

Book Report

This resource discusses book reports and how to write them.

Definitions

This handout provides suggestions and examples for writing definitions.

Essays for Exams

While most OWL resources recommend a longer writing process (start early, revise often, conduct thorough research, etc.), sometimes you just have to write quickly in test situations. However, these exam essays can be no less important pieces of writing than research papers because they can influence final grades for courses, and/or they can mean the difference between getting into an academic program (GED, SAT, GRE). To that end, this resource will help you prepare and write essays for exams.

Book Review

This resource discusses book reviews and how to write them.

Academic Proposals

This resource will help undergraduate, graduate, and professional scholars write proposals for academic conferences, articles, and books.

In this section

Subsections.

Common Types of Assignments in College and University

Students encounter many types of assignments in their academic journey through college and university. Understanding which assignments these are and how to navigate them sets you apart from other students.

You must follow specific academic writing guidelines and conventions when writing every assignment. Often, a rubric, guidelines, and prompt will be presented via Blackboard, Canvas, email, or PowerPoint slides.

When you know what to expect, you can plan well for it. Here is a complete list of types of assignments you will encounter in college and university.  

List of the Assignments You will Right in College and University Levels

Higher education primarily assesses students by how they express their ideas, knowledge, and experiences. 95% of the assessments will most likely involve writing. The 5% comprises oral presentations and simulations. Below are some common assignments to expect as you step into college or university:

Essay assignments allow you (the student) to research and express your thoughts, ideas, and arguments in written form as you use evidence to support or make meaning to the assessors or professor.

An essay's lowest number of paragraphs is a single paragraph, considering the short 150-200 word one-paragraph essays offered for in-class assessments or exams. There are also two and three-paragraph essays.

A standard college/university-level essay has a 5-paragraph format, which allows you to expand or expound on the thesis in three body paragraphs. The essays have three main parts, the introduction, the body section, and the conclusion. Every paragraph has a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding statement.

Essays can be argumentative , analytical , expository/explanatory , persuasive, descriptive , definitive, classification , comparative , or summative. When writing an essay, ensure that you have a good title that reflects what it is about. It should also have a thesis, the central claim, or the controlling idea. Finally, the essays should be polished and well-formatted. There is no specific number of essays you are expected to write. However, ensure you perform exemplarily well on each essay to maintain high grades. 

You can also be assigned to write memos. In such assignments, the expectation is for you to write short correspondences to a real or imagined target audience. Memorandum assignments hone your official communication skills, which are helpful in business communication.

You can be assigned to write a memo communication to employers, employees, CEOs, management teams, politicians, activists, etc.

Ensure that you follow the formal memo format and cite and format the memo in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, or Oxford, as needed.

3. Policy Analysis Papers

Depending on your course, you might be assigned to write a paper that analyzes a specific policy or legislation. You will give your expert opinion on a policy and suggest improvement areas. Such assignments are common with social work, medical, nursing, and business students.

4. Posters and Presentations

In most classes, your professor or teacher will assign you to make a poster presentation for the class, seminar, or for demonstration purposes. Nursing students often prepare posters to share their proposals or when defending their capstone projects.

You will also find assignments that require you to create PowerPoint slides that you can present in class or before your professor. Lately, professors require you to make slides and incorporate your audio as you present the facts. Ensure that such slides are appealing and well-designed. Use presenter notes to avoid crowding your slides with points.

5. Dissertations

Students in their senior years are sometimes required to submit dissertations to fulfill the requirements to obtain a degree certification. Technically, this happens at the end of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. When assigned to write a dissertation, begin by writing a proposal approved by your supervisor/assessor, conducting the study/research, and writing an entire dissertation that meets the requirements.

6. Term Papers

Term papers are papers written at the end of every semester on a specific topic of focus for the specific semester.

The aim is to evaluate if you have grasped the knowledge your teacher or professor shared the entire semester. It should follow the format of a scientific research paper.

Writing a term paper is a draining assignment requiring commitment, time management, and good writing skills. Your instructor expects to see you display exquisite skills and knowledge gathered throughout the semester.

7. Research Papers

Students dread research paper assignments, yet they are expected at college and university levels. When assigned to write a research paper, you are supposed to select the best research topic, plan, research, write, and polish the paper before submitting it. For short papers (6-10 pages), research papers take the essay format and a scientific format that includes the abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology( data collection and analysis), findings, discussion, and conclusion.

You can write a research paper based on a hypothesis, research paper, or research paper. The latter points to writing a thesis-driven paper to explain facts, theories, or information to the readers. An excellent example of a research paper is a political science or theology paper .

A thesis paper is a piece of writing involving the original study of a subject at the university and college level. It is a research paper variant written after conducting formal or original research.

It is often submitted as a final step for a master’s program or as a project report or capstone to a bachelor’s degree. It follows the same steps as an experimental research paper or a dissertation.

Primarily, it requires in-depth research, writing, and a lot of patience because you will be working with your professor and supervisors to perfect it. 

9. Proposals

Before writing a term paper, dissertation, report, capstone, or thesis, you will most likely write a proposal that anticipates the paper.

The proposal is written in future tense and is sometimes submitted to the ethics committee for approval of your research, especially if human subjects/participants are involved.

Ensure that you write the proposal in a formal tone for it to be accepted. Another type of proposal you are most likely to write is the proposal essay and the grant proposal . Ensure that you understand the assignment before settling to write.

10. Reports

At the university or college, you will be required by some professors or departments to write reports. The reports take many structures and formats, depending on your study. Some of the reports include:

• Summary reports
• Patient progress reports
• Case study reports
• Scientific reports
• Lab reports
• Technical reports
• Evaluation reports
• Business reports
• Management reports

The reports are structured to present information in an organized format. They also target audiences such as clients, executives, shareholders, stakeholders, technical staff, senior leaders, or top management teams.

11. Reflective Writing Assignments

Reflective writing assignments are common assessments in college and university. You must take the professor or teacher through your feelings, experiences, opinions, events, and learning encounters. You should also assess what you have learned and what you feel you need to learn. In most cases, it is more than mere descriptive writing.

You have to display in-depth synthesis and analytical writing skills. You will analyze situations, experiences, or problems and use theories and models to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses regarding your behavior, actions, or what you need to learn more. You can also evaluate how you reacted to a situation before learning and how you would address it.

Alongside these assignments, you will occasionally be required to write weekly logs, take notes, and write weekly journals. There are various models, such as the Johari window and Gibbs reflective model, which you can utilize when writing reflective writing tasks.

12.  Case Studies

Case studies are another common form of assignment/assessment assigned to students in many fields, such as nursing, psychology, tourism, business, leadership, management, medicine and health sciences, sociology, social work, etc.

You must relate the answers to the course content to ace your case study assignment. You must also write critically and use appropriate scholarly sources to defend your arguments and analysis.

Refer to the case as you structure the response to any case study. It should be organized well and, if necessary, have headings and subheadings. If it is a question-based case study, ensure that you format your answers using the case contents and concepts taught in class.

13. Discussion Posts and Responses

In recent times, writing threaded discussion posts and responses is a common assessment method that professors often use.

You are expected to write an original discussion post of around 200-300 words on a given topic or to address a given question. You should then respond to at least two of your peers’ discussion posts in 100-150 words. Your peers will also reciprocate the same.

It is believed that the approach encourages people to comment on the thoughts of others and develop academic discussions. These weekly assignments have strict deadlines and grading guidelines.

Ensure that you submit the original post and responses in time. When writing each, use scholarly sources as your in-text citations and references.

14. Literature Reviews

You can be requested to write a standard literature review or a systematic one. As a pedagogical tool, teachers/professors prefer to use literature reviews to assess the research skills of a student.

A literature review analyzes and synthesizes the past literature on your research topic and potential research methods, models, or theories. You can organize it conceptually, chronologically, or methodologically.

On the other hand, a systematic review, primarily assigned to nursing students, is a complex research project that uses a structured protocol to explore a given topic. It entails searching for relevant studies that meet a given threshold and summarizing their stance on a given topic.

Literature review assignments must explore the sources' strengths and weaknesses to make conclusive judgments. You should use a formal tone and language when writing a literature review. Besides, only include scholarly sources peer-reviewed by experts in a specific field.

15. Annotated Bibliography

Some professors prefer assigning annotated bibliography assignments before requesting you to work on a full essay, research paper, or outline.

Such assignments entail writing an alphabetical list of the full references and giving a critical summary of the source, clearly detailing how it relates to a specific topic. Such assignments contribute to a certain percentage of your grade, and you should never take them for granted.

You should check the guidelines for writing to ensure that you include suitable sources and the correct number of sources. It can be either a stand-alone assessment or part of a larger assessment.

16. Review Assignments

In your academic life as a college or university student, you are likely to write review papers. Some of the most common review assignments include:

• Article reviews
• Movie reviews
• Critical reviews
• Scientific journal reviews
• Film reviews
• Concert reviews

The assignments require highlighting your analytical, research, creative, and problem-solving skills. Check the assessment details to be sure about what you should write. You can also check our blog section to get ahold of the specific writing guidelines.

17. Personal Narrative Assignments

Most professors assign personal narrative assignments to assess students' narrative and descriptive writing skills.

You can write a literacy narrative that recounts your reading, writing, and learning experience. You can also be asked to write a descriptive personal narrative to synthesize what you have learned about a reflection, description, or narration. It is primarily a non-fiction writing assignment, the same as a memoir.

You can share a story that stands for a big idea or express yourself by telling people a story about yourself. Sometimes, personal narrative essays are two pages long and give brief answers to the topic.

Check out our complete guide on how to write perfect personal narrative essays .  We also have a guide for narrative essay writing , which should suffice.

18. MCQ assignments

Apart from completing weekly discussion posts and responses, some courses have specific multiple-choice questions (MCQs) based on weekly readings. These weekly quizzes assess if you have memorized the content of a specific chapter from the assigned readings.

You need to read the entire chapter to understand it and skim through it as you answer 10-20 or more questions. You are given answers to select in each MCQ assignment. Unlike other assignments, the computer marks these MCQs, and you get the results as soon as you are done.

Some universities, colleges, and professors allow you to take the quiz twice, which gives you room to improve your scores.

Before you go …

The primary purpose of giving assignments at universities and colleges is to enhance students' understanding and knowledge transfer. As students write the assignments in various formats, they research, read widely, and synthesize information. Not all assignments are identical; grading systems and writing approaches differ. Nevertheless, you will always have a guide and a prompt, sometimes the rubric, to show you what your teacher/professor expects. It is good to get inspired by looking for sample assignments published online. You should also trust the writing guides and advice that you get online.

If you need writing help, do not hesitate to hire our assignment-writing experts . GradeCrest stands out among the many websites that offer legit assignment assistance for money online. We guarantee 100% original (non-plagiarized), human-written, and well-formatted papers. Check out our homework writing services .

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

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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 15.1 An effective essay

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An effective essay body paragraph needs to:

[table “18” not found /]

An effective essay conclusion needs to:

[table “19” not found /]

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 15.5). 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 15.2).

Table 15.2 Explanations of different types of reports

[table “20” not found /]

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 15.3 What? So What? Now What? Explained.

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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 15.4). 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 15.4 Comparison of Literature Reviews

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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 15.10). 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 15.5).

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

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1-College Writing

Common Types of Writing Assignments

While much of the writing you did in high school may have been for an English or literature class, in college, writing is a common form of expression and scholarship in many fields and thus in many courses.

You may have to write essays, reflections, discussion board posts, or research papers in your history, biology, psychology, art history, or computer science classes.

Writing assignments in college vary in length, purpose, and the relationship between the writer (you) and the topic.  Sometimes you may be asked to gather information and write a report on your findings .  Sometimes you may be asked to compare opinions expressed by experts.  You might be asked to answer a question or state your position and defend it with evidence .  Some assignments require a mixture of several of these tasks.

When a writing assignment is mentioned in the syllabus of a course, make sure you understand the assignment long before you begin to do it.   The university’s Writing Center recommends that you note the vocabulary used in assignment descriptions and make sure you understand what actions certain words suggest or require.  You should also talk to peers in your class to compare understandings and expectations.

The university’s Writing Center consultants will help you with questions about an assignment and how to ask your instructor for more information if necessary. They will help you strengthen your writing, give you feedback on your ideas, and offer suggestions for organizing your content.  They can tell you if you are appropriately using sources.

The Writing Center is not only for students who have questions or are puzzled about assignments.  It offers support to experienced writers, too.  Faculty and graduate students routinely schedule sessions with Writing Center consultants.

Strong, experienced writers enjoy conversation about their writing decisions and find it helpful to have an outside reader for their work. 

Conferences with a writing consultant can be face-to-face or online.

If you are uneasy about talking with your instructor, make an appointment at the Writing Center:  https://cstw.osu.edu/writing-center

Common characteristics of writing in college: 

• Based on evidence
• Is written for a very or moderately knowledgeable audience rather than general public
• Style is formal, objective, often technical
• Uses conventional formatting
• Documents evidence using a professional citation style

                                                                                                                                                        (From:  Lunsford & Ruszkiewicz, p. 367)

An Introduction to Choosing & Using Sources Copyright © 2015 by Teaching & Learning, Ohio State University Libraries is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

10 Types of Assignments in Online Degree Programs

Students may respond to recorded video lectures, participate in discussion boards and write traditional research papers.

(Getty Images) |

Learn What to Expect

Experts say online degree programs are just as rigorous as those offered on campus. Prospective online students should expect various types of coursework suited for a virtual environment, such as discussion boards or wikis, or more traditional research papers and group projects .

Here are 10 types of assignments you may encounter in online courses.

Read or Watch, Then Respond

An instructor provides a recorded lecture, article or book chapter and requires students to answer questions. Students generally complete the assignment at their own pace, so long as they meet the ultimate deadline, Bradley Fuster, associate vice president of institutional effectiveness at SUNY Buffalo State , wrote in a recent U.S. News blog post .

(Jessica Peterson | Getty Images)

Discussion Boards

The discussion forum is a major part of many online classes, experts say, and often supplements weekly coursework. Generally, the professor poses a question, and students respond to the prompt as well as each other. Sometimes, students must submit their own post before seeing classmates' answers.

"Good response posts are response posts that do not only agree or disagree," Noam Ebner, who then led the online graduate program in negotiation and conflict resolution at Creighton University 's law school, told U.S. News in 2015. "When you read another student's post, you have the ability to expand the conversation."

(Ariel Skelley | Getty Images)

Group Projects

Just because online students may live around the world doesn't mean they won't complete group work. Students may use Google Docs to edit assignments, email to brainstorm ideas and software such as Zoom to videoconference. Katy Katz, who earned an online MBA in 2013 at Benedictine University in Illinois, used both Skype and a chat feature in her online classroom to communicate with classmates.

"That was a good way for our instructor to see that everyone was participating," she told U.S. News in 2015. "Any planning we did – if there were going to be changes to meeting times – we would communicate in that chat area."

(Dave and Les Jacobs | Getty Images)

Virtual Presentations

Students may also give either live or recorded presentations to their classmates. At Colorado State University—Global Campus , for example, students use various video technologies and microphones for oral presentations, or software such as Prezi for more visual assignments, says Karen Ferguson, the online school's vice provost.

Oftentimes, Ferguson says, "They're using the technology that they will use in their field."

(Westend61 | Getty Images)

Like on-campus courses, online courses may have exams , depending on the discipline. These may be proctored at a local testing center, or an actual human may monitor online students through their webcam. Companies such as ProctorU make this possible.

In other cases, students may take online exams while being monitored by a computer. Automated services including ProctorTrack can keep track of what's happening on an online student's screen in case there are behaviors that may indicate cheating.

(Dr T J Martin | Getty Images)

Research Papers

Formal research papers, wrote Buffalo State's Fuster, remain common in online courses, as this type of writing is important in many disciplines, especially at the graduate level .

While there are few differences between these assignments for online and on-ground courses, online students should ensure their program offers remote access to a university's library and its resources, which may include live chats with staff, experts say.

(golibo | Getty Images)

Case Studies and Real-World Scenarios

When it comes to case studies, a reading or video may provide detailed information about a specific situation related to the online course material, Fuster wrote. Students analyze the presented issues and develop solutions.

Real-world learning can also take other forms, says Brian Worden, manager of curriculum and course development for several schools at the for-profit Capella University . In online psychology degree programs, students may hold mock therapy sessions through videoconferencing. In the K-12 education online master's program , they create lesson plans and administer them to classmates.

(Tetra Images | Getty Images)

These are particularly useful in online courses where students reflect on personal experiences, internships or clinical requirements , Fuster wrote. Generally, these are a running dialogue of a student's thoughts or ideas about a topic. They may update their blogs throughout the course, and in some cases, their classmates can respond.

(vertmedia | Getty Images)

These allow students to comment on and edit a shared document to write task lists, answer research questions, discuss personal experiences or launch discussions with classmates. They are particularly beneficial when it comes to group work, Fuster wrote.

"A blog, a wiki, even building out portfolios – we see a lot of those in communications, marketing and some of our business programs ," says Ferguson, of CSU—Global. "You may not see as much of that in accounting," for example, where students focus more on specific financial principles.

(Nalinratana Phiyanalinmat | EyeEm

A journal assignment allows an online student to communicate with his or her professor directly. While topics are sometimes assigned, journals often enable students to express ideas, concerns, opinions or questions about course material, Fuster wrote.

(Yuri_Arcurs | Getty Images)

More About Online Education

Learn more about selecting an online degree program by checking out the U.S. News 2017 Best Online Programs rankings and exploring the Online Learning Lessons blog.

For more advice, follow U.S. News Education on Twitter and Facebook .

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Chap. 3: Introduction to College Writing

Types of writing assignments, three common types of college writing assignments.

We have been decoding the expectations of the academic writing task so far, and I want to turn now to examine the types of assignments you might receive. From my experience, you are likely to get three kinds of writing assignments based upon the instructor’s degree of direction for the assignment. We’ll take a brief look at each kind of academic writing task.

The Closed Writing Assignment

•       Is Creon a character to admire or condemn?

•       Does your advertisement employ techniques of propaganda, and if so what kind?

•       Was the South justified in seceding from the Union?

•       In your opinion, do you believe Hamlet was truly mad?

These kinds of writing assignments present you with two counter claims and ask you to determine from your own analysis the more valid claim. They resemble yes-no questions. These topics define the  claim for you, so the major task of the writing assignment then is working out the support for the claim. They resemble a math problem in which the teacher has given you the answer and now wants you to “show your work” in arriving at that answer.

Be careful with these writing assignments, however, because often these topics don’t have a simple yes/no, either/or answer (despite the nature of the essay question). A close analysis of the subject matter often reveals nuances and ambiguities within the question that your eventual claim should reflect. Perhaps a claim such as, “In my opinion, Hamlet was mad” might work, but I urge you to avoid such a simplistic thesis. This thesis would be better: “I believe Hamlet’s unhinged mind borders on insanity but doesn’t quite reach it.”

The Semi-Open Writing Assignment

•       Discuss the role of law in Antigone .

•       Explain the relationship between character and fate in Hamlet.

•       Compare and contrast the use of setting in two short stories.

•       Show how the Fugitive Slave Act influenced the Abolitionist Movement.

Although these topics chart out a subject matter for you to write upon, they don’t offer up claims you can easily use in your paper. It would be a misstep to offer up claims such as, “Law plays a role in Antigone ” or “In Hamlet we can see a relationship between character and fate.” Such statements express the obvious and what the topic takes for granted. The question, for example, is not whether law plays a role in Antigone, but rather what sort of role law plays. What is the nature of this role? What influences does it have on the characters or actions or theme? This kind of writing assignment resembles a kind of archeo- logical dig. The teacher cordons off an area, hands you a shovel, and says dig here and see what you find.

Be sure to avoid summary and mere explanation in this kind of assignment. Despite using key words in the assignment such as “ex- plain,” “illustrate,” analyze,” “discuss,” or “show how,” these topics still ask you to make an argument. Implicit in the topic is the expectation that you will analyze the reading and arrive at some insights into pat- terns and relationships about the subject. Your eventual paper, then, needs to present what you found from this analysis—the treasure you  found from your digging. Determining your own claim represents the biggest challenge for this type of writing assignment.

The Open Writing Assignment

•       Analyze the role of a character in Dante’s The Inferno.

•       What does it mean to be an “American” in the 21st Century?

•       Analyze the influence of slavery upon one cause of the Civil War.

•       Compare and contrast two themes within Pride and Prejudice.

These kinds of writing assignments require you to decide both your writing topic and you claim (or thesis). Which character in the Inferno will I pick to analyze? What two themes in Pride and Prejudice will I choose to write about? Many students struggle with these types of assignments because they have to understand their subject matter well before they can intelligently choose a topic. For instance, you need a good familiarity with the characters in The Inferno before you can pick one. You have to have a solid understanding defining elements of American identity as well as 21st century culture before you can begin to connect them. This kind of writing assignment resembles riding a bike without the training wheels on. It says, “You decide what to write about.” The biggest decision, then, becomes selecting your topic and limiting it to a manageable size.

Picking and Limiting a Writing Topic

Let’s talk about both of these challenges: picking a topic and limit- ing it. Remember how I said these kinds of essay topics expect you to choose what to write about from a solid understanding of your subject? As you read and review your subject matter, look for things that in- terest you. Look for gaps, puzzling items, things that confuse you, or connections you see. Something in this pile of rocks should stand out as a jewel: as being “do-able” and interesting. (You’ll write best when you write from both your head and your heart.) Whatever topic you choose, state it as a clear and interesting question. You may or may not state this essay question explicitly in the introduction of your paper (I actually recommend that you do), but it will provide direction for your paper and a focus for your claim since that claim will be your answer to this essay question. For example, if with the Dante topic you decid ed to write on Virgil, your essay question might be: “What is the role of Virgil toward the character of Dante in The Inferno?” The thesis statement, then, might be this: “Virgil’s predominant role as Dante’s guide through hell is as the voice of reason.” Crafting a solid essay question is well worth your time because it charts the territory of your essay and helps you declare a focused thesis statement.

Many students struggle with defining the right size for their writ- ing project. They chart out an essay question that it would take a book to deal with adequately. You’ll know you have that kind of topic if you have already written over the required page length but only touched one quarter of the topics you planned to discuss. In this case, carve out one of those topics and make your whole paper about it. For instance, with our Dante example, perhaps you planned to discuss four places where Virgil’s role as the voice of reason is evident. Instead of discuss- ing all four, focus your essay on just one place. So your revised thesis statement might be: “Close inspection of Cantos I and II reveal that Virgil serves predominantly as the voice of reason for Dante on his journey through hell.” A writing teacher I had in college said it this way: A well tended garden is better than a large one full of weeds. That means to limit your topic to a size you can handle and support well.

What Is “Academic” Writing?  by L. Lennie Irvin

This essay is a chapter in Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Volume 1, a peer-reviewed open textbook series for the writing classroom, and is published through Parlor Press.

The full volume and individual chapter downloads are available for free from the following sites:

•        Writing Spaces: http://writingspaces.org/essays

•        Parlor Press: http://parlorpress.com/writingspaces

•        WAC Clearinghouse: http://wac.colostate.edu/books/

Print versions of the volume are available for purchase directly from Parlor Press and through other booksellers.

This essay is available under a Creative Commons License subject to the Writing Spaces Terms of Use. More information, such as the specific license being used, is available at the bottom of the first page of the chapter.

© 2010 by the respective author(s). For reprint rights and other permissions, contact the original author(s).

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Writing spaces : readings on writing. Volume 1 / edited by Charles Lowe and Pavel Zemliansk p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-60235-184-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-60235-185-1

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1.5: Common Writing Assignments

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College writing assignments serve a different purpose than the typical writing assignments you completed in high school. In high school, teachers generally focus on teaching you to write in a variety of modes and formats, including personal writing, expository writing, research papers, creative writing, and writing short answers and essays for exams. Over time, these assignments help you build a foundation of writing skills.

In college, many instructors will expect you to already have that foundation.

Your college composition courses will focus on writing for its own sake, helping you make the transition to college-level writing assignments. However, in most other college courses, writing assignments serve a different purpose. In those courses, you may use writing as one tool among many for learning how to think about a particular academic discipline.

Additionally, certain assignments teach you how to meet the expectations for professional writing in a given field. Depending on the class, you might be asked to write a lab report, a case study, a literary analysis, a business plan, or an account of a personal interview. You will need to learn and follow the standard conventions for those types of written products.

Finally, personal and creative writing assignments are less common in college than in high school. College courses emphasize expository writing, writing that explains or informs. Often expository writing assignments will incorporate outside research, too. Some classes will also require persuasive writing assignments in which you state and support your position on an issue. College instructors will hold you to a higher standard when it comes to supporting your ideas with reasons and evidence.

Table 1.2 “Common Types of College Writing Assignments” lists some of the most common types of college writing assignments. It includes minor, less formal assignments as well as major ones. Which specific assignments you encounter will depend on the courses you take and the learning objectives developed by your instructors.

writing at work

Part of managing your education is communicating well with others at your university. For instance, you might need to e-mail your instructor to request an office appointment or explain why you will need to miss a class. You might need to contact administrators with questions about your tuition or financial aid. Later, you might ask instructors to write recommendations on your behalf.

Treat these documents as professional communications. Address the recipient politely; state your question, problem, or request clearly; and use a formal, respectful tone. Doing so helps you make a positive impression and get a quicker response.

key takeaways

• College-level reading and writing assignments differ from high school assignments not only in quantity but also in quality.
• Managing college reading assignments successfully requires you to plan and manage your time, set a purpose for reading, practice effective comprehension strategies, and use active reading strategies to deepen your understanding of the text.
• College writing assignments place greater emphasis on learning to think critically about a particular discipline and less emphasis on personal and creative writing

Types of Assignment: Creative and Different Academic

Assignments in the academic world come in various forms and serve different purposes. They can be broadly categorized into different types of assignments written assignments, practical or experimental assignments, presentations, and group projects. Each type of assignment has its unique requirements and aims to evaluate specific skills and knowledge of students.

Academic assignments are an integral part of education and play a crucial role in assessing a student’s understanding, knowledge, and skills in various subjects. Assignments are designed to challenge students , enhance their critical thinking abilities, and encourage creativity. In this article, we will delve into the different types of assignments, and their definitions, and focus on creative writing assignments and reflective journal or diary entry assignments. Additionally, we will explore how group projects differ from individual assignments and shed light on the diverse landscape of academic assignments. 

What is Assignment?

An assignment refers to a specific task or project given to individuals or groups with designated objectives and a set timeframe for completion. These tasks are a fundamental component of academic, professional, and personal development , serving distinct purposes in each context. In academics, assignments assess students’ comprehension and application of course materials through various forms such as essays, research papers, exams, or group projects. On the professional front, assignments align with job roles, contributing to organizational objectives. These tasks may range from individual projects to collaborative endeavors, often involving reports, proposals, or presentations. 

Assignments serve several key purposes. Grades or performance evaluations often stem from these assessments. The structure of an assignment typically encompasses an introduction that clearly outlines the objectives, a body that presents the main content or analysis, a conclusion summarizing key points, and a reference section listing sources used, following a specified citation style. To excel in assignments, adhering to best practices is essential. This includes understanding the assignment requirements thoroughly, planning and organizing tasks effectively, conducting comprehensive research, drafting and revising iteratively, seeking feedback for improvement, and rigorously reviewing and editing before final submission. 

What is a Creative Writing Assignment?

A creative writing assignment is a task that prompts individuals to engage in expressive and imaginative writing, often with the aim of fostering creativity, exploring personal thoughts, and honing literary skills. These assignments are prevalent in educational settings, particularly in courses focused on creative writing or literature. They can also be given in workshops, writing groups, or as personal projects. The essence of a creative writing assignment lies in the freedom and flexibility it offers to the writer, encouraging the use of their unique voice, perspective, and creativity.

These assignments can take various forms, such as short stories, poetry, essays, plays, or even experimental prose. The topic or theme is usually broad, allowing for interpretation and creative exploration. The instructions may involve specific elements like character development, setting, dialogue, or the incorporation of certain literary techniques . 

In crafting a creative writing assignment, instructors or supervisors often consider the objectives they aim to achieve. They design prompts that stimulate creativity, challenge the writer’s skills, or align with a specific theme or literary genre. The assessment of creative writing assignments typically focuses on the writer’s ability to develop a captivating narrative, use language effectively, portray emotions, and adhere to the guidelines while embracing creativity.

Types of Assignment

• Essays: Essays are a common form of academic assignment, requiring students to articulate their ideas, arguments, and insights on a specific topic. Essays can range from persuasive, descriptive, narrative, or expository, and often follow a structured format with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Reports: Reports are detailed documents that present information, findings, or analyses related to a particular subject or research. They typically include an introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion sections.
• Case Studies: Case studies involve in-depth analysis of a particular case, situation, or individual. They aim to demonstrate a student’s ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios.
• Experiments and Practical Assignments: These assignments require students to perform experiments or practical tasks related to a subject, record observations, analyze results, and draw conclusions.
• Literature Reviews: Literature reviews involve summarizing and analyzing existing research and literature on a specific topic. It helps in understanding the current state of knowledge in a particular field.

What are the Different Academic Types of Assignments?

Academic assignments vary based on the subject, level of study, and specific course requirements. Some common types of academic assignments include:

• Research Papers: Research papers involve a deep investigation and analysis of a topic, supported by scholarly sources and evidence. They demonstrate a student’s ability to conduct comprehensive research and present their findings coherently.
• Thesis and Dissertations: Theses and dissertations are extensive research projects completed at the undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral levels. They require original research and contribute new knowledge to the academic field.
• Book Reviews: Book reviews assess a student’s understanding and critical evaluation of a particular book. They typically involve summarizing the book’s content, analyzing its themes, and providing an informed opinion.
• Homework Assignments: These are short tasks assigned regularly to reinforce learning and understanding of class material. Homework assignments are usually completed outside of regular class hours.

How do Group Projects Differ from Individual Assignments?

Group projects and individual assignments differ in several aspects, including the nature of work, collaboration, and individual responsibility.

– Nature of Work: In group projects, the work is distributed among team members, leveraging each member’s strengths. In contrast, individual assignments require a single student to complete the entire task independently.

– Collaboration: Group projects encourage collaboration and teamwork, where members contribute their ideas and skills to achieve a common goal. Individual assignments, on the other hand, rely solely on the efforts and capabilities of a single student.

– Decision Making: Group projects involve collective decision-making and consensus building, considering the input from all team members. Individual assignments allow for personal decision-making without the need for external input.

– Accountability: In group projects, team members are collectively accountable for the project’s success or failure. In individual assignments, the student is solely responsible for the outcome.

What is a Reflective Journal or Diary Entry Assignment?

A reflective journal or diary entry assignment is a structured or unstructured task that prompts individuals to record their thoughts, experiences, and reflections on a specific topic, event, or period of time in a personal journal-like format. This assignment encourages introspection, critical thinking, and the exploration of personal growth, emotions, and learning through written expression. Reflective journal entries can vary in terms of length, frequency, and format based on the assignment’s guidelines or the individual’s preferences.

The primary purpose of a reflective journal or diary entry assignment is to encourage self-awareness and deeper understanding. It provides a platform to articulate and organize thoughts and emotions, helping individuals make sense of their experiences and connect them to broader concepts or theories. This reflective process often leads to personal insights, enhanced learning , and an improved ability to deal with future situations.

The structure of a reflective journal entry typically involves recording the experience or event, followed by a thoughtful reflection on how the experience made the individual feel, what was learned from it, and how it relates to past experiences or future actions. The reflection may include self-assessment, analysis of strengths and weaknesses, and considerations of alternative perspectives or approaches.

In educational contexts, instructors may assign reflective journal entries to students in various disciplines such as psychology, education, nursing, or business. The topics for reflection can range from practical experiences in a field or clinical setting to responses to readings, lectures, or specific assignments. The assessment of reflective journal entries often focuses on the depth of reflection, the ability to connect experiences to relevant concepts or theories, and the clarity and coherence of the writing.

Conclusion: Types of Assignment

Assignments serve a dual purpose: assessing academic knowledge and fostering a spectrum of critical skills crucial for a well-rounded education. Beyond being tools of evaluation, they are platforms for the development of critical thinking, research abilities, effective communication, and creativity. Each type of assignment offers a unique avenue for students to demonstrate their understanding and enhance specific skills. Understanding the diverse types of academic assignments is fundamental for students embarking on their educational journey.

Creative writing assignments stand as the epitome of fostering creativity and self-expression. These tasks invite students to venture into the realms of imagination, shaping characters, plots, and narratives. Through these assignments, students not only get to showcase their literary prowess but also refine their ability to craft engaging stories that captivate readers. Moreover, they encourage originality and innovation, nurturing an environment where unique voices and styles can flourish.

Approaching each assignment with diligence is paramount. Students should carefully analyze the requirements, align their efforts with the objectives, and adopt effective planning and organizational strategies. Assignments should not be viewed merely as tasks to be completed but as opportunities for learning and personal development. By dedicating time and effort to each assignment, students can extract maximum educational benefits, ultimately enriching their academic journey.

In essence, academic assignments, in their varied forms, are essential components of the educational process. They are not only gateways to academic success but also catalysts for the development of critical life skills. Encouraging students to embrace these assignments with enthusiasm, creativity, and introspection can significantly enhance their overall learning experience and equip them for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in their academic and professional pursuits.

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Suggestions for Creating Information Literacy Assignments

The following suggestions are adapted from the UMUC's Information Literacy and Writing Assessment Project. 

• Address specific information literacy objectives (evaluation, citation, plagiarism, search strategy, etc.)
• Relate research assignments directly to the course content
• Test assignment to be certain the necessary sources are available
• Explain the purpose and objectives of the assigment to your students
• Emphasize critical thinking and analysis
• Break larger projects into smaller assignments (topic development/proposals, accessing sources, etc.)
• Specify the citation style required for the class/assignment
• Provide full citations for all course readings posted on Blackboard or distributed as handouts
• Take advantage of library and Internet instruction resources
• Collaborate with librarians
• Assuming students have experience in scholarly research and citation
• Assigning one resource or one topic to the entire class. Variety in subjects ensures adequate resources will be available for students.
• Inadvertently giving incomplete or incorrect information
• Sending students to search for obscure bits of information
• Assigning use of outdated reference sources
• Assuming students will be able to select a manageable topic without faculty assistance
• Sending students off to use Internet resources without demonstrating how to approach the assignment

University of Maryland University College Library. "Information Literacy and Writing Assessment Project: Tutorial for Developing and Evaluating       Assignments." UMUC Library . 2015. Web. 31 March 2015.

UDL Guidelines (CAST) Universal Design For Learning

• UDL Guidelines (CAST) The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn.

More Assignment Resources

• CARLI Instruction Showcase Toolkit Organized by Information Literacy "Threshold Concept," from the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois
• CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments) Is an open educational resource (OER) for librarians, faculty, and other educators. It is intended to be a collaborative space for adapting and experimenting with research assignments and sharing the success or lessons learned so that others may benefit.
• Creating Information Literacy Assignments Williams College
• Designing Research Assignments (Columbia College, Vancouver) Provides you with tips and assignment ideas to build students' research and information literacy skills.
• Good Design is Universal Using Universal Design for Learning as their guiding framework, the authors share best practices from the literature, and their own experiences, to support self-regulated learning in learning management systems when creating library resources and teaching information literacy.
• Ideas for Library-Related Assignments University of Puget Sound
• Information Literacy in the Core Workshop for Faculty (Loyola Marymount University) Create Your Own Assignment Browse through the assignment ideas on this LibGuide or CORA. Could you modify one of these to use in your own classes? Or would you like to create something different? Use this worksheet to identify an assignment and come up with a plan for how to assess it
• Keene Info Lit Bank Keene State College
• Research 101 (ACRL Framework) University of Washington- more... less... This guide contains modules focused on introducing students to academic research using the 2015 ACRL Framework. The information contained in this guide is meant to help supplement a class, assignment, or curriculum.
• Teaching information literacy: Assignment Ideas (John Jay College) There are many different types of assignments that can help your students develop their information literacy and research skills. The assignments listed target different skills, and some may be more suitable for certain courses than others.

Student Research Toolkit

The Manhattanville Library has created an ePortfolio toolkit to help students make the most of each assigned research project.  

Student Research Toolkit *You must be logged in to ePortfolio to view the template.

ePortfolio Access ends 6/30/2024

Alternate Assignments

There are many different types of assignments that can help your students develop their information literacy and research skills.

The assignments listed below target different skills, and some may be more suitable for certain courses than others.

(Special thanks to Columbia College, Vancouver for granting permission to use their chart on Designing Research Assignments Libguide).

This chart is modified from Columbia College, Vancouver's Designing Research Assignments Libguide.

Other sources consulted:

Columbia College. “Designing Research Assignments.” Columbia College. 7 Jan. 2020, https://columbiacollege-ca.libguides.com/designing_assignments/assignment_ideas . Accessed 9 March 2021.

DuBois, Lori. "Creating Information Literacy Assignments."  Williams College Libraries . 8 Aug. 2018, https://libguides.williams.edu/info-lit-assignments . Accessed 9 March 2021.

Smith College Libraries. "Information Literacy: Assignment Ideas."  Smith College Libraries . Smith College. 2013. Web. 1 April       2015.

University of Maryland University College Library. "Information Literacy and Writing Assessment Project: Tutorial for Developing and       Evaluating Assignments."  UMUC Library . 2015. Web. 31 March 2015.

Assignment/Activitiy Ideas

Kinds of Resources:  Divide students into groups and assign a topic to each group.  The students will identify at least three kinds of resources useful for research on the topic (books, newspaper articles, popular magazine articles, scholarly journal articles, popular (or scholarly) web pages, government documents, etc.) The groups will research and provide one example of each format they have identified. (Smith College Libraries)

Internet vs Databases: Search a selected topic using both the Internet and databases.  Compare the differences in search strategy and results.  Select sources from both the Interent and the databases and compare the depth, language, and other features of the sources as well as the usefullness for the topic.

Using References: Find a scholarly article on a chosen topic.  Students will examine the references, locate a selection of the cited sources, and analyze how the scholars used their sources in the orginal work.

Conduct a Review of the Literature: Investigate the "state of the art" on a particular topic by doing a literature review and summary of the most important research. (DuBois)

Impact Evaluation: Determine the impact on the field of specific articles or books from the course readings.  How many people have cited the work? Get the articles. Write a review of these articles explaining how the citing scholar used the original work. (DuBois)

Debate: Hold an in-class debate assigning pro and con research to the class.  Students should prepare for the debate by gathering, reading, understanding and referencing sources to support their side of the issue. (UMUC Library)

Annotated Bibliography: Students will research a specific topic and collect sources to create an annotated bibliography for the subject.  Specify whether all sources need to be peer-reviewed or if popular sources are acceptable.  The student will then cited and annotate their choices including how the content was obtained, why the content is appropriate, and be able to support their choices. (Smith College Libraries)

DuBois, Lori. "Creating Information Literacy Assignments." Williams College Libraries . 27 June 2013. Web. 31 March 2015.

Smith College Libraries. "Information Literacy: Assignment Ideas." Smith College Libraries . Smith College. 2013. Web. 1 April       2015.

University of Maryland University College Library. "Information Literacy and Writing Assessment Project: Tutorial for Developing and       Evaluating Assignments." UMUC Library . 2015. Web. 31 March 2015.

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Gen ed writes, writing across the disciplines at harvard college.

• Types of Assignments

Gen Ed courses transcend disciplinary boundaries in a variety of ways, so the types of writing assignments that they include also often venture outside the traditional discipline-specific essays. Students may encounter a wide variety of writing assignments in Gen Ed, but most of them can be categorized into four general types: 

• Traditional academic assignments include the short essays or research papers most commonly associated with college-level assignments.
• Less traditional academic assignments include elements of engagement in academia not normally encountered by undergraduates. 
• Traditional non-academic assignments include types of written communication that students are likely to encounter in real world situations. 
• Less traditional non-academic assignments are those that push the boundaries of typical "writing" assignments and are likely to include some kind of creative or artistic component.

Examples and Resources

Traditional academic.

For most of us, these are the most familiar types of college-level writing assignments. While they are perhaps less common in Gen Ed than in departmental courses, there are still numerous examples we could examine.

Two illustrations of common types include: 

Example 1: Short Essay  Professor Michael Sandel asks the students in his Gen Ed course on Tech Ethics to write several short essays over the course of the semester in which they make an argument in response to the course readings. Because many students will never have written a philosophy-style paper, Professor Sandel offers students a number of resources—from a guide on writing in philosophy, to sample graded essays, to a list of logical fallacies—to keep in mind. 

Example 2: Research Paper In Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Cares?, a Gen Ed course co-taught by multiple global health faculty members, students write a 12–15 page research paper on a biosocial analysis of a global health topic of their choosing for the final assignment. The assignment is broken up into two parts: (1) a proposal with annotated bibliography and (2) the final paper itself. The prompt clearly outlines the key qualities and features of a successful paper, which is especially useful for students who have not yet written a research paper in the sciences. 

Less Traditional Academic

In Gen Ed, sometimes assignments ask students to engage in academic work that, while familiar to faculty, is beyond the scope of the typical undergraduate experience. 

Here are a couple of examples from Gen Ed courses: 

Example 1: Design a conference  For the final project in her Gen Ed course, Global Feminisms, Professor Durba Mitra asks her students to imagine a dream conference  in the style of the feminist conferences they studied in class. Students are asked to imagine conference panels and events, potential speakers or exhibitions, and advertising materials. While conferences are a normal occurrence for graduate students and professors, undergraduates are much less likely to be familiar with this part of academic life, and this kind of assignment might require more specific background and instructions as part of the prompt. 

Example 2: Curate a museum exhibit In his Gen Ed class, Pyramid Schemes, Professor Peter Der Manuelian's final project offers students the option of designing a virtual museum exhibit . While exhibit curation can be a part of the academic life of an anthropologist or archaeologist, it's not often found in introductory undergraduate courses. In addition to selecting objects and creating a virtual exhibit layout, students also wrote an annotated bibliography as well as an exhibit introduction for potential visitors. 

Traditional Non-academic

One of the goals of Gen Ed is to encourage students to engage with the world around them. Sometimes writing assignments in Gen Ed directly mirror types of writing that students are likely to encounter in real-world, non-academic settings after they graduate.

The following are several examples of such assignments: 

Example 1: Policy memo In Power and Identity in the Middle East, Professor Melani Cammett assigns students a group policy memo evaluating "a major initiative aimed at promoting democracy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)." The assignment prompt is actually structured as a memo, providing context for students who likely lack experience with the format. It also outlines the key characteristics of a good memo, and it provides extensive advice on the process—especially important when students are working in groups. 

Example 2: Letter In Loss, Professor Kathleen Coleman asks students to write a letter of condolence . The letter has an unusual audience: a mother elephant who lost her calf. Since students may not have encountered this type of writing before, Professor Coleman also provides students with advice on process, pointing to some course readings that might be a good place to start. She also suggests a list of outside resources to help students get into the mindframe of addressing an elephant. 

Example 3: Podcast  Podcasts are becoming increasingly popular in Gen Ed classes, as they are in the real world. Though they're ultimately audio file outputs, they usually require writing and preparing a script ahead of time. For example, in Music from Earth, Professor Alex Rehding asks students to create a podcast in which they make an argument about a song studied in class. He usefully breaks up the assignments into two parts: (1) researching the song and preparing a script and (2) recording and making sonic choices about the presentation, offering students the opportunity to get feedback on the first part before moving onto the second. 

Less Traditional Non-academic

These are the types of assignments that perhaps are less obviously "writing" assignments. They usually involve an artistic or otherwise creative component, but they also often include some kind of written introduction or artist statement related to the work.

The following are several examples from recently offered Gen Ed courses: 

Example 1: Movie Professor Peter Der Manuelian offers students in his class, Pyramid Schemes, several options for the final project, one of which entails creating a 5–8 minute  iMovie making an argument about one of the themes of the course. Because relatively few students have prior experience making films, the teaching staff provide students with a written guide to making an iMovie as well as ample opportunities for tech support. In addition to preparing a script as part of the production, students also submit both an annotated bibliography and an artist’s statement. 

Example 2: Calligram In his course, Understanding Islam and Contemporary Muslim Societies, Professor Ali Asani asks students to browse through a provided list of resources about calligrams, which are an important traditional Islamic art form. Then they are required to "choose a concept or symbol associated with God in the Islamic tradition and attempt to represent it through a calligraphic design using the word Allah," in any medium they wish. Students also write a short explanation to accompany the design itself. 

Example 3: Soundscape In Music from Earth, Professor Alex Rehding has students create a soundscape . The soundscape is an audio file which involves layering sounds from different sources to create a single piece responding to an assigned question (e.g. "What sounds are characteristic of your current geographical region?"). Early on, as part of the development of the soundscape, students submit an artist's statement that explains the plan for the soundscape, the significance of the sounds, and the intention of the work. 

• DIY Guides for Analytical Writing Assignments

• Unpacking the Elements of Writing Prompts
• Teaching the Elements of Writing Assignments
• Giving Feedback to Students

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7 College Assignment Types You Should Be Aware Of

7 Types of College Assignments You Need to Know

Are you a student studying at a top-level university? Do you know about the different types of assignments? Understanding your course outline and assignment types is crucial. You are not supposed to make progress in your academic career without developing a good understanding.

Many students get confused during their freshman year. They do not have any idea about how things work at a university level. The word assignment becomes a nightmare for many of them. 

For instance, you have been asked to write a research paper and you don’t even know the basics of it. What would you do in such a situation? Many think of getting expert assistance. They consider a reliable research paper writing service as the perfect way out. 

Stop getting worried if you do not possess knowledge about various types of assignments that teachers ask students to complete during a course of study. This write-up is going to discuss important types of student assignments that you should be aware of at a university level.

1. Essay Writing Assignments

This is the most common type of assignment that students receive from their teachers at a college or university level. The basic purpose of an essay writing assignment is to defend an opinion or present it with the help of evidence. 

There are different types of essays. Mainly, they are divided into four categories including argumentative, descriptive, persuasive, and expository. An essay allows students to present their opinion on a specific topic.

It has a basic structure and most educational institutions follow the same outline. You don’t have to create a plan which should be out of this world. Just follow in the footsteps of other successful writers. The basic structure includes an intro, thesis statement, a body consisting of up to five paragraphs, and finally the conclusion.

2. Case Study Solutions

Another noteworthy assignment type that students are often asked to complete is the case study solution. The reason behind such an assignment is to educate and train students on analyzing different situations and making recommendations to solve issues.

Here you might have to analyze a situation, event, people, an idea, or even an object. This is kind of an investigation. You have to find out what has happened. What factors gave rise to the outcome.

In most cases, you might have to identify the major issues and find how these came into existence. Other things that you are expected to do include finding the best possible solution to the problem, making justifications and recommendations.

3. Report Writing Assignment

Students often get report writing assignments from mentors. A report delivers information in a highly organized way so that readers can grasp key data without getting confused. The information can be related to a specific problem or situation.

You can derive that information either from your personal experience or through comprehensive research. 

Reports are likely to have dissimilar outlines depending upon the requirements of teachers. Other things that help decide the structure include context and discipline.

Generally, most of the students follow a standard outline for report writing which includes an Abstract, introduction, method of research, findings of the study, discussion, conclusion, recommendations, and appendices.

Don’t you have any experience writing reports? No worries, there are several academic report examples on the internet that you can learn from. Find a couple of reports already published on the web. Follow their discipline to create a fabulous report to secure high grades in your studies.

4. Group Work 

Educational institutions teach you to work collaboratively and achieve shared goals. That’s the reason they assign group work tasks to students . This sort of assignment helps you understand each other and work with different people to achieve common objectives.

A group assessment assignment allows you to learn about interacting with each other and communicating without being restricted.

At a university level, you are not supposed to study alone all the time. You should make maximum use of classmates by exchanging ideas and team up with each other. You don’t have to get anxious the next time when you get a group assessment task.

5 . Literature Review Assignments

In a literature review assignment, the core purpose is to review the key research work relating to a topic under discussion. This is written to explain why additional research work is required on a specific topic. 

Many students get confused when they hear about a literature review assignment. However, this is nothing to be concerned about. You just have to follow the right approach. Normally, a literature review begins with selecting a research topic. 

Next, you move on to searching the literature, taking important notes, collecting the required materials, categorizing the information, and finally writing the review. You can make changes to the sequence if required.

 6 . Presentation Skills

You are not supposed to sit back in your classroom, relax, and watch the teacher explaining concepts for you. At a university level, you should demonstrate your presentations skills. That’s the reason professors ask students to present ideas in front of the class.

You have to prepare for the presentation so that you can present the ideas effectively without getting nervous in front of the class. Universities emphasize development of group presentation skills. This helps students in improving their collaborative and cognitive skills. 

7. Reflective Assignments

A reflective assignment can be based on either an analytical or descriptive approach. Aside from explaining the situation, you also have to shed some light on how you felt after exploring it. Your personal opinion is of great importance, so make sure you tell why something happened in a specific way.

You can feel free to give reasons and explain how it could have been handled differently. Students get reflective assignments not too often. However, it is important to stay on top of important types so that you can don’t get surprised after hearing about a new kind of assignment.

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The Types of Colleges: The Basics

Find the right college for you., sorting out colleges by their types.

Is a college the same thing as a university? What does "liberal arts" mean? Why are some colleges called public and others private? Knowing the basics in regard to different types of colleges is imperative to making the right decision.

Public and Private Colleges

Public colleges are funded by local and state governments and usually offer lower tuition rates than private colleges, especially for students who are residents of the state where a college is located.

Private colleges rely on tuition, fees, and non-government funding sources. Generous financial aid packages for students are often available thanks to private donations.

For-Profit Colleges

For-profit institutions are businesses that typically offer career training. Although these colleges offer a variety of degree programs, it's wise to exercise caution when applying to a for-profit school. The degree programs often come at a higher cost, meaning students graduate with more debt. Credits earned may not transfer to other colleges so be sure to check with the admissions office at each institution.

Four-year and two-year colleges

Four-year institutions are referred to as undergraduate colleges. Four-year colleges specifically offer bachelor's degree programs. These include universities and liberal arts colleges.

Two-year colleges offer certificate programs that can be completed in under two years. They also offer two-year associate degrees. These include community colleges, vocational-technical colleges, and career colleges.

Liberal Arts Colleges

These institutions offer numerous courses in liberal arts in areas such as literature, history, languages, mathematics, and life sciences. Most of these institutions are private and offer four-year bachelor's degree programs. These colleges prepare students for a multiplicity of careers as well as graduate studies

Universities

Universities are larger institutions that offer a wider variety of academic majors and degree options. These schools provide bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Most universities contain several smaller colleges, such as colleges of education, engineering, or health sciences. These colleges can prepare you for a wide range of careers or for graduate study.

Community Colleges

Community colleges offer two-year associate degrees that prepare undergraduates for four-year institutions offering bachelor programs. They also provide career-specific associate degrees and certificates. Community colleges are an affordable option because of their low tuition costs. 

What is the difference between a college and a university?

A college is a smaller school that may offer a wide variety of educational programs or more focused specializations for those seeking undergraduate degrees. Standing alone or as part of a larger institution, a college is often a private institution with a lower student population and smaller class sizes. On the other hand, a university is a larger school offering both undergraduate and graduate-level degrees. Because they’re a component of a university's doctoral programs, such institutions also serve as research facilities for educational advancement.

Vocational-Technical and Career Colleges

Vocational-technical and career colleges offer specialized training in a particular industry or career. Areas of study include the culinary arts, firefighting, dental hygiene, and medical-records technology. These colleges usually offer students certificates or associate degree programs.

Colleges with a Special Focus

Some colleges focus on a specific interest or student population. These include:

• Arts colleges
• Single-sex colleges
• Religiously affiliated colleges
• Specialized mission colleges

Arts Colleges

Conservatories and colleges of this variety focus on the arts. In addition to regular coursework, these institutions provide training in areas such as photography, music, theater, sculpture, drawing, or fashion design. Most of these schools offer associate or bachelor's degrees in the fine arts or a specialized field.

Single-Sex Colleges

Some private colleges are specifically for men or women.

Religiously Affiliated Colleges

Some private, higher-education institutions are connected to a religious faith. Such connections may simply be historic in nature. Others incorporate religious study into day-to-day student life.

Specially Designated Colleges

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) focus on educating African American students. Colleges and universities are designated Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) when at least 25% of the full-time undergraduate students are Hispanic. HBCUs and HSIs may offer programs, services, and activities targeted to the underrepresented students they serve.

What is better, a university or a college?

Those who prefer a more intimate experience with a greater connection to faculty may prefer a college. However, a university may be better for those looking for a broader range of programs and more learning facilities. The ultimate answer will depend on your personal preferences and the school in question. Both colleges and universities can provide a rewarding educational experience.

What to Do Now That You Know About the Different Types of Colleges

Now that you’re familiar with the types of institutions available, you should decide which one will suit your future goals. It’s often helpful to create a vision board of what you plan to achieve before deciding how you plan to achieve it. Take some time to think about your trajectory while keeping the knowledge of these various types of schools in mind. If you need direction after you assess your needs, you may find it helpful to talk to your school's guidance office, a college recruiter, or a college alum to work through any other questions you might have.

Embarking on a journey through higher education can be both exciting and challenging. Using the information presented here should help you sift through your options so the decisions you make today will serve you better in the future. For more help finding the right colleges for you, check out College Search .

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