Helpful Tips to Writing Your Assignments

With online learning, the written word rules. My virtual students often make the writing assignments more difficult than they are. In middle school and perhaps even earlier, you learned the basic elements of writing, and those principles are appropriate for your college-level writing.

If you follow this simple process, your effectiveness will improve.

(a) Create a simple outline. By writing down the process of your paper, you will reduce the time required to write it. Further, you will have the necessary references in hand before writing the document.

(b) Write a powerful and succinct introduction: As a faculty member, I grade many papers. Because the introduction will tell me what the paper is about, I read this section very closely. If you have a strong and well-composed introduction, chances are the rest of your paper will follow suit. Remember to keep your intro short and to-the-point. For an average paper (750-to-2,000 words), four to seven sentences is sufficient.

(c) Accentuate the major points in the body of the paper. I recommend headings in the body of your paper. They easier you make it for the reader, the better grade you will receive. If the assignments calls for three major alternatives, make sure that each alternative has a heading and that you cover it well. Keep it simple!

(d) A strong conclusion brings the paper together. In the introduction and body of the paper, you want to describe the literature, or what experts are saying. Therefore, you use references in those sections. In the conclusion, you tell us what you learned, your recommendations, and future research opportunities. In other words, the conclusion section is where we learn your thoughts on the subject. Be careful to keep the section professional, and make sure that your analysis can be substantiated.

(e) A reference page is essential. While we respect your knowledge and work experience, we stress the importance of learning from others who have written on the subject. Consequently, you must have a reference section that is formatted according to the instructions, such as APA.


Conclusion
By following these tips, you can make improve your future writing assignments. Remember to keep the delivery and formatting simple. Avoid placing noisy images in the document, and make sure you use words that you can define. Further, ensure the content meets the requirements of the assignment. I recommend having a friend or family member take a quick read of the paper before you submit it. If a person not in your class can grasp the material, you are ready to submit!

Avoid Anxiety by Starting Early on Assignments

In my classes, whether online or onsite, the students who do well are those who begin their assignments early. For those who procrastinate and start assignments and even projects at the last moment, they can expect frustration and anxiety.

Think Ahead
I recommend to review the syllabus carefully. You should know the following:

1. When is the due date?
2. What is the topic? You can get an early start on your research.
3. What is the word count?
4. What is the the grading criteria?
5. Can you submit a rough draft early to the instructor?

When you are in control of the assignment, you are less likely to be overwhelmed.

Takeaway

This topic, of course, falls under time management. The pressures we face today from both our personal and professional lives are significant. However, earning a college education is not a lifelong endeavor. You must program your mind and body to incorporate the additional stress by taking control of the situation. Like a long distance runner, you will build the stamina and your body will adjust as you develop these proactive strategies.