Planning your assignments
Source: https://learningessentials.auckland.ac.nz/writing-effectively/planning-assignments/ Parent: https://learningessentials.auckland.ac.nz/learning-at-university/
- Home » 2. Writing effectively
Planning your assignments
- Writing at university
- Planning your assignments
- Writing a paragraph
- Integrating sources by paraphrasing, summarising, and quoting
- Assignment types
- Essay writing
- Report writing
- Professional writing
- Editing and proofing your work
Learn about the process to produce a good assignment.
What is the process of writing an assignment?
Creating a good piece of writing takes time and it often involves false starts and trial and error. To produce a high-quality text, good academic writers often follow a well-planned and systematic writing process.
Until you develop your own method of writing your assignments, you may find this seven-stage writing process helpful.
The assignment writing process
- Analyse\ Before you start doing research, analyse the assignment question. This will help you clarify what is required, identify the topic and focus of the assignment, and generate questions to guide your research.
- Research\ Once you have determined the task and topic, jot down some relevant questions to help you focus your research.
- Plan\ Create an outline before you start writing. Having a plan can help you structure your assignment and develop your ideas logically. It can also help you break down the task into manageable chunks.
- Write\ Once you have your plan you can start developing your ideas into proper paragraphs. Your writing does not need to be perfect at this stage.
- Revise\ Read over and revise your draft several times. If possible, put your final draft aside for a day or two and then revise it carefully. Check the instructions again and ask yourself: Have I answered the question? Are my ideas logically and clearly developed?
- Submit\ Check how and when to submit your assignment to avoid last-minute panic. Before you hit the submit button, make sure your assignment is correctly formatted and referenced.
- Feedback\ Your marker will often comment on the strengths and weaknesses of your assignment. Make sure you read this feedback so you can develop your skills for future assignments and improve your marks.
Writing is an iterative process rather than a series of linear steps. You will likely go through some of the stages several times. You may need to re-read your notes, consult new material, adjust your plan as you begin writing, and revise your draft multiple times. Going through this revision process will help you produce better assignments and increase your confidence as a writer.
Additional resources
The following resources provide additional information about strategies and tools you can use during each phase of the writing process.
- What kind of writer are you?
- Stages in assignment writing
- Understanding the question
- Planning your response
- Organising your ideas
Related topics
Workshops
See all available workshops.
Short on time? Watch a video on:
- Essay writing – 6:28
- Paraphrasing & summarising – 6:46
Have any questions?