Most students’ usual response to assignments is, “Oh, it’s easy! I will start with the introduction and keep writing until I come across something I don’t know.” Unfortunately, this strategy will not only cost you time and effort but put the quality in jeopardy.We all are familiar with the daunting feeling of completing your urgent university assignments just the night before the deadline. You may have delayed the task fearing the complexity, but there’s no escaping it. Sure, professional assignment writing services offer students instant support, but it may not be the option for many.
Although 79.83% of students find assignments stressful, one cannot deny their benefits. At the top of my mind, assignment writing:
- Improves focus
- Develops a habit of self-learning
- Builds time management skills
- Enhances critical and analytical thinking abilities
The most important thing about writing university assignments is starting and starting early. You cannot just take your tasks lightly and do them carelessly. For instance, it must be well planned, accurately documented, and properly cited to avoid plagiarism.
If you give yourself sufficient to complete the initial writing steps – planning, researching, and outlining, you’ll get enough time to wind up your work. Then, once you start, you will gradually have the content to improve.
How to Start an Assignment?
Every student takes a unique approach to writing. Nonetheless, I have jotted down some valuable tips to help you write your papers. Whether it’s an English essay or a Computer Science assignment, these will help you plan, prepare, and review your work.
- Read the Requirements
During your university days, you’ll be asked to work on various assignments and projects such as research proposals, case studies, dissertations, essays, reflective papers, reports, and term papers. Each assignment has unique requirements, which you must be thorough with.
Before writing, read the assignment question carefully and understand what you have to do. Only when you know the problem statement can you dedicate your search accordingly. Therefore, get the gist of the question and write down the problem in your own words.
Then, check the assignment type, like a psychology case study or science homework. This will help you to sketch out the proper structure for your assignment. When you have the basics ready, it will be easy to conduct focused research.
- Research for Relevant Information
Believe it or not, most university students rely on professional services like essay writing services or research paper writing services because they don’t have access to credible resources for assignment writing.
A good assignment is based on quality information from credible sources. Even if you don’t have the luxury to avail yourself of homework help online, dedicate time and focus to finding reliable information. Of course, finding quality course material is a tough row to hoe, yet it’s possible to get enough resources from your recommended readings.
While researching – be it at your university library, online sources, or collecting information from your mentors, always keep in mind the amount of information you need to start your paper and work on the same. For ample suitable research materials, make notes and the sources to save time with citations.
- Organise the Gathered Resources
It’s common to drown in the pool of information after you complete your research. You will have so many notes that you would be tempted to get homework help online or hire a subject matter expert to relieve you of the burden.
However, learning to organise your gathered information is a notable skill. The more you read through the notes, the better you’ll understand the topic. So, the best way to segregate your notes is to create headings and add suitable lines, quotes, and paragraphs under each of them, and analyse the points you want to use in writing your assignment.
Once you’ve examined the data and organised your notes, consult your instructor for their approval. Implement their feedback into your writing to avoid unnecessary marks deductions. Also, use the sources and notes approved by your instructor to start your paper.
- Interpret the Assignment Problem
Understand the question before you start to write your assignment. Interpreting your assignment question would mean finding a relevant problem for which you have to provide a solution. So, derive a question from the assignment topic to build your readers’ interest in knowing the answer.
Presenting a problem is another skill you must hone to fetch good marks. Hence, after sorting your resources, figure out the problem and the probable solution you can offer. Ask yourself, “How damaging is the issue and what can be done to fix it?” and list out the points so you can use them tactfully in your thesis, methods, and results.
- Prepare the Thesis Statement
As you are aware, the purpose of a thesis statement is to represent the purpose and objective of the paper. Therefore, while you must focus on the engaging factors, it’s also imperative to keep it simple to read for easy comprehension.
Use an analytical tone to describe the goal of your paper. Remember to develop your argument and counter-arguments based on the thesis statement.
Here’s a quick tip for writing a thesis statement:
First, write your thesis statement in the middle of the page and list out the arguments and points that you intend to include in your paper. Then, draw branches from different topics to form connections and rearrange them to develop your thesis statement efficiently.
- Start with the Body Paragraphs
The only way to wrap up your work on time is to start. Writing is undoubtedly an intimidating task, but it’s not as cumbersome as most of you assume it to be. Nevertheless, beginning with the first paragraph is challenging even for the best writers.
That’s one reason why I always suggest starting with the body paragraphs. The introduction and conclusion are basically the restatements of the problem and the study results. So it’s better to write them once you have written the discussions, as the findings would be fresh in your mind, making it easier to compose your introduction.
In case you are stuck in the discussion, re-read your notes and data, and research more if required. Who knows, you might discover new information that may strengthen your argument further.
- Write and Review the First Draft
When you start writing, don’t add extra pressure with thoughts like “okay, I will prepare a perfect paper.” While trying to be a perfectionist is a good thing, but it can drain your energy and motivation.
Instead, focus on getting your thoughts on the paper. Keep your outline and research information close and start with the first draft. Write as much as you can without worrying about the accuracy. As I mentioned earlier, leave the introduction until the end.
After completing the first draft, carefully read it and check if it includes everything required—fine-tune the sentences, paragraphs, and word usage to maintain a proper flow. Once you have made the necessary changes, take a break from your paper. Then, come back to it after a few hours to check it with a fresh eye and proofread thoroughly.
While at it, check if:
- You’ve answered the main question with enough examples and analyses
- The structure is accurate and relevant to the main question
- The assignment follows a smooth flow
- All sources are cited accurately in the given referencing style
- Pages are numbered
Conclusion
Nothing is more intimidating than staring at a blinking cursor on a blank screen. However, getting that first sentence out won’t be taxing if you change your approach to writing an assignment. Therefore, before you start, read and understand the requirements carefully, indulge in diligent research, and take relevant notes around the keywords in the given question. Then, go through the details, sort them under suitable headings, and structure your paper. Start with the main argument and leave the introduction and conclusion section for last. Finally, review the draft and make corrections to ensure you correctly answered the primary question.
All the best!
