Chapter 5: Academic Strategies
45 Understanding Assignments
Most of your college courses will have a combination of small and larger tasks that contribute to your learning and, ultimately, your final grade. Small tasks are things that occur on a weekly (or every other week) basis, such as attending classes, tutorials, seminars, labs, and other in-person or virtual meetings; doing readings and preparation for the above activities; and weekly assignments, discussion board activities, or quizzes.
These smaller tasks are generally predictable and happen at the same time every week. As you learn how much time to set aside for each task, you can add them directly into your weekly schedule so that you have a specific time to tackle this work. In addition to mid-term and final exams, most courses will also have larger projects and components that often contribute largely to your final grade, such as term projects or essays.
There are a number of key steps that you should keep in mind when approaching your larger assignments.
Understanding What Your Instructor Wants
Before you begin working on your assignment, it is important to take the time to carefully read its instructions. No matter the assignment, this should always be your first step! Often, assignments listed in your course syllabus reference the course learning outcomes you will be evaluated on. Take a moment to look up those learning outcomes in your course outline to make sure you are meeting those outcomes in your assignment. In many cases, any questions you may have about the assignment will be answered in the instructions, which will typically be posted on your course page by your instructor. Your instructor will also discuss more details about upcoming assignments during lectures, so try not to skip out on classes leading up to an assignment! If your course also involves separate tutorials, you can use that time to discuss any concerns about an assignment’s instructions with your TA.
As soon as you receive the assignment instructions, read them carefully.
Assignment Instruction Checklist
- The task (analyze, compare, summarize, etc.)
- Specific materials to use/incorporate
- Stylistic expectations (be concise, present an argument, be creative, etc.)
- Technical details (font, citation style, due date, etc.)
- Rubric/ grading scheme
Once you have a clear understanding of these elements, you are ready to begin working on your assignment!
Activity: Apply the Checklist!
Take a look at Assignment Instructions Blank and Assignment Rubric and highlight all of the elements listed in the “Assignment Instruction checklist” Try this tactic when you begin receiving actual assignments.
